Sab Ali

I’m Sab, and I’m building Sparq because I’ve watched too many skilled contractors waste hours and lose money on the same stupid problem every single day & because the trades are losing experienced people faster than we can replace them. I spent the last few weeks standing in Home Depot parking lots in Ajax at 6:30 a.m., talking to plumbers, HVAC techs, and electricians as they loaded their vans. The story was always the same: they get called out on a job, realize they’re missing one fitting or capacitor, and have to stop everything, drive 45–90 minutes round-trip, and lose $100–$200 in billable time. Meanwhile, thousands of dollars of perfectly good parts sit unused in other vans just blocks away. On top of that, when an older tech retires, the practical know-how often leaves with them - leaving younger guys stuck on jobs they’ve never done before. That frustration is personal for me. I bootstrapped my first business (a study abroad agency) from zero to six figures in under six months as a solo founder. I reverse-engineered the entire recruitment process, built direct university partnerships, and scaled with almost no ad spend. I learned how to move extremely fast, validate demand in the real world, and execute with limited resources - skills I’m now applying to Sparq. Sparq is an SMS-only peer-to-peer marketplace that lets contractors text one number with what they need and where they are. We match them with a nearby van that already has the part and coordinate delivery in under 15 minutes. No app, no login, no friction - because the last thing a busy tradesperson wants is another piece of software. After the part arrives, we also give them quick, practical guidance on how to install or use it right the first time. This helps newer or less-experienced techs work faster and more confidently, even when veteran knowledge isn’t around. Right now we’re live in Ajax with a functional SMS MVP. We have a partnership with Noble.ca (they refer contractors mid-job), 50+ contractors validated in person, early manual deliveries already happening, and strong referral interest. I’m currently running a focused 30-day sprint to hit consistent daily orders before expanding. What excites me most is that this isn’t just a convenience tool - it’s infrastructure. Every van on the road becomes a mobile warehouse. We’re turning idle inventory into real income for contractors, giving them back hours of their day, and helping preserve and deliver the practical knowledge that’s leaving the trades as experienced workers retire. The market is massive, the pain is daily and visceral, and the solution is deliberately simple. Finally, I want to work with people who understand that remarkable companies are built by founders who obsess over real problems and execute relentlessly. I’ve done it once before in a completely different industry. I’m doing it again - this time in a sector I’ve spent months on the ground validating. I’d love the chance to show you the live SMS flow and talk about how we can scale this together.