In this exclusive interview, Maher Jaber, Co-founder and CEO of Huumans, shares his journey of creating a platform that blends human empathy with AI-driven tools to transform the way entrepreneurs navigate business challenges. With decades of experience building global ventures, Maher’s mission is clear: to provide small business owners with the clarity, support, and resources they need to thrive. Discover how Huumans is reshaping the landscape for entrepreneurs with innovative solutions like Roy and Payroll, fostering community connections, and preparing businesses for the challenges ahead in 2025.
Maher Jaber is a visionary founder and growth-stage CEO with a rare track record of building, scaling, and monetizing ventures across media, technology, and global events. With over two decades of executive leadership on four continents, Maher brings a unique blend of creative commercial thinking, investor discipline, and operational execution to every venture he leads.
Huumans positions itself as a true community for small business owners, prioritizing empathy and clear, trustworthy advice. What inspired you to shape Huumans with these guiding principles, and how have they evolved as the platform has grown?
The inspiration for Huumans came from a place of frustration and empathy. As entrepreneurs ourselves, we experienced firsthand how lonely and overwhelming running a small business can be. You’re expected to be your own CFO, marketer, operations lead, and sometimes therapist, all at once. And when things go sideways (which they often do), the advice out there is either cold, complicated, or completely disconnected from your reality.
We built Huumans to flip that script. This isn’t just another app. It’s a real partnership with people who understand your journey powered by a unique blend of technology and human empathy. Our mission from day one has been to provide financial clarity and emotional certainty, not just spreadsheets and dashboards.
Over time, this vision has evolved into what we now call the “Financial OS” for entrepreneurs. A command centre where your numbers make sense, your decisions are guided by real advisors, and you feel seen not sold to.
In a rapidly changing digital landscape, what are some recent innovations or features that Huumans has launched to make running a business less of a “solo sprint” for entrepreneurs?
Our two biggest innovations are tools we call Roy and Payroll.
Roy is our AI + human advisory layer, a smart, empathetic assistant backed by real humans who guide you through everything from cash flow crises to growth planning. Its advice you can actually act on, not just automated responses.
Payroll launches this September built for small businesses with simplicity and affordability at its core. Founded by Bill Murphy, creator of Wagepoint, it’s the first payroll solution fully integrated into a financial platform like Finroy. As our flagship product, Huumans Payroll is just the beginning of a powerful small business hub saving owners time by giving them what they need, when they need it most. Payroll is the backbone, and we’re making it stronger, smarter, and seamless.
We’ve also redesigned onboarding to feel like an actual partnership from day one. You’re not dumped into a dashboard, you’re welcomed into a relationship. That makes a huge difference in adoption, confidence, and retention.
Many entrepreneurs struggle with finding reliable support and mentorship. How does Huumans facilitate meaningful connections among business owners and experts, and what impact have you witnessed so far?
Huumans isn’t just a service, it’s a growing community of advisors, operators, and business owners who are all invested in each other’s success. Whether it’s through our Roy-guided advisory sessions, peer-to-peer circles, or curated mentorship events, we’re focused on creating intentional, trusted connections.
One story that sticks out is a bakery owner in Toronto who was drowning in financial anxiety, she joined Huumans thinking she’d get help with bookkeeping. But what she got was a full support team who helped her reprice her menu, restructure her expenses, and double her profit margin. That’s not accounting, that’s transformation.
We’ve seen dozens of examples like that. What starts as a tool becomes a relationship. And that’s what builds confidence and resilience in the SMB space.
Looking ahead, what unique challenges and opportunities do you foresee for Canadian small businesses in 2025, and how is Huumans preparing to address these realities through its community and services?
2025 will be a make-or-break year for many small businesses. Rising costs, AI disruption, and economic uncertainty will challenge even the most seasoned entrepreneurs. But here’s the flip side: this is also the best time to build smarter, leaner, and more resilient companies if you have the right tools and team around you.
Huumans is leaning into this moment with everything we’ve got. We’re doubling down on financial clarity tools, launching industry-specific playbooks, and expanding our on-demand advisory network to make sure no business owner feels left behind.
We also see a major opportunity in making entrepreneurship more emotionally sustainable. Burnout is real. Isolation is real. So we’re embedding wellbeing support and peer communities directly into our platform because your numbers won’t grow if you’re falling apart.
Before we close, what final advice or message would you like to share with small and medium-sized business owners who are seeking clarity, resilience, and growth in today’s environment?
You don’t have to do this alone.
Entrepreneurship has always been a rollercoaster, but too many of us try to build in silence, solve in panic, and celebrate alone. That’s not sustainable, and it’s not necessary.
Huumans exists to be the team you wish you had from day one. We bring together real advisors, smart tools, and a community that actually gets it so you can focus on what you do best, without losing sleep over what you don’t.
Our message is simple: We put the “U” in Huumans for a reason. Everything we’ve built from Payroll to Roy to our growing team is centred around your needs, your goals, and your peace of mind.
If you’re ready for more clarity, more support, and more wins, we’re here.
