I Was Lisar's First Customer: Mohammad Hesameddin Montazerilisar's Journey From a Personal Need to Building a Product
Real developers. Real journeys. Real experiences.
At 14, Mohammad Hesameddin Montazerilisar was frustrated by something that seemed simple: installing games and software on his Samsung phone.
His friends with Sony Ericsson phones could install games with a simple click. On his phone, the process was much more difficult, and phone retailers wanted to charge him to do it.
Instead of simply accepting the problem, Mohammad became curious.
Why could the same task be so different on two devices?
That question led him into software platforms and operating systems — and eventually into a career spanning networking, security, software and fintech.
Seventeen years later, that curiosity became something much bigger.
Today, Mohammad is working full-time on Lisar Connect, a product that grew from his own experiences and needs.
And perhaps the most interesting part of the story is this:
“In fact, I was Lisar's first customer.”
This is Mohammad's developer journey.
From a Problem at 14 to a Career in Technology
Mohammad's interest in technology began with a very ordinary problem.
At 14, he wanted to install games and software on his Samsung phone. When he asked phone retailers for help, they wanted to charge him for the installation.
At the same time, his friends using Sony Ericsson phones could install games much more easily.
That difference caught his attention.
Rather than simply looking for someone to fix the problem, Mohammad started researching software platforms and operating systems.
He wanted to understand why the same task could work so differently across devices.
That curiosity became the beginning of his journey into technology.
He later studied computing at university and completed a master's program in information security.
During his studies, he discovered that his interests extended across both networking and software.
It was also during this period that the idea that would eventually become Lisar began to take shape.
The Idea Behind Lisar Started as a Student
Mohammad saw a gap between two areas he was interested in: networking and hardware on one side, and programming and software on the other.
He wanted to build a service that could bring those areas together.
But the idea did not immediately become a startup.
After university, Mohammad spent around two years working in networking and security before moving into fintech.
Over the next 15 years, he worked in roles including programmer, systems analyst, team lead and deputy technical director.
Throughout that time, the idea for Lisar stayed with him.
He describes the process of working through the idea as being like putting together a puzzle — gradually understanding the different pieces and how they could fit together.
“I Was Lisar's First Customer”
The idea became much more personal through Mohammad's own work.
His professional responsibilities required him to work with a range of connected devices and networking equipment, including Android devices, Apple and Microsoft products, and equipment from MikroTik, Cisco and D-Link.
He wanted to manage those connections from one place.
When he travelled for work, another problem appeared.
He needed to monitor internal company services while also handling everyday tasks such as banking and shopping.
Many of the problems he was trying to solve for Lisar were therefore problems he had personally experienced.
That's why Mohammad describes himself as Lisar's first customer.
The product wasn't born from an abstract market idea alone.
It grew from problems he personally wanted to solve.
Turning the Idea Into a Full-Time Project
After 17 years of working across technology, Mohammad eventually decided to pursue the idea seriously.
He left his full-time job and began focusing entirely on Lisar.
“I know there is still a long way to go, but I have started, and I enjoy being able to focus on this idea.”
Today, his focus is on bringing Lisar to life and making its networking capabilities easier for users to manage.
The service includes a web panel where users can see information about their profiles, connection status, usage and available features, while managing their settings.
Another part of the design is support for multiple profiles under one account.
A user can have separate profiles for different needs — such as personal use, travel or a family member — with each profile operating according to its own settings and plan.
For Mohammad, bringing web-based management, clear information and multiple-profile management together is an important part of what makes Lisar different.
The Challenge of Privacy, Simplicity and Connectivity
Building Lisar has also meant solving a difficult combination of technical and user-experience problems.
One challenge was finding a way for users to connect without requiring a dedicated Lisar application.
Mohammad wanted users to be able to use standard connection methods and tools instead.
His approach combines GeoDNS with standard VPN protocols.
For compatible devices and networks, Lisar supports L2TP/IPsec, while OpenVPN is available through supported connection paths.
Depending on the device, users can connect using built-in operating-system settings or a standard VPN client.
For Mohammad, the technical implementation is only part of the challenge.
He also believes that using standard protocols and clearly explaining how a service works are important parts of building trust.
Privacy is another part of that design.
He says Lisar's approach is based on minimizing data collection and limiting it to what the service specifically needs.
Building Custom Exit From a Real-World Problem
One of the parts of Lisar Mohammad is particularly proud of is Custom Exit.
Again, the idea came from his own experience.
His work involved frequent travel, and he often encountered situations where internet quality and routes to servers varied depending on where he was.
Sometimes, connecting directly to a destination simply wasn't the best option.
That led him to explore a different approach.
With Custom Exit, the connection's entry point can be separated from its exit point.
A user can connect to Lisar through a suitable entry server and then choose a different available and permitted exit.
The goal is to provide more flexibility over the route while keeping the settings manageable through the web panel.
For Mohammad, the feature is meaningful because it addresses a problem he has personally encountered many times.
The Journey Matters More Than the Destination
After 17 years in technology, Mohammad says the biggest lesson he has learned can be expressed simply:
“The journey you take matters more than the destination.”
For him, the people around you are an important part of that journey.
Having the right people around you can improve the chances of succeeding, but it can also make the process itself more worthwhile and enjoyable.
Reaching a goal without the right people alongside you may not feel as meaningful as expected.
That perspective has influenced how Mohammad approaches his work and the long journey of building Lisar.
The Hardest Challenge: Earning Users' Trust
For Mohammad, one of the biggest professional challenges has not simply been building the technology.
It has been earning users' trust.
When offering a service that people pay for, users naturally want to understand what they are buying.
Mohammad says Lisar has tried to be transparent about its services so users can understand exactly what they are paying for.
But transparency takes work.
Sometimes explaining the service and answering questions can require more time and energy than delivering the service itself.
His approach has been to build trust gradually through clear explanations, patience and quality service.
The web panel is part of that approach.
Users should be able to see their profiles, understand which features and limits apply, and see how much of the service they have used.
For Mohammad, making that information clear and accessible is part of the product itself.
Letting Users Influence the Product
Mohammad doesn't follow a formal system for keeping up with technology.
Instead, he spends time searching for information and following material on social media.
But when it comes to deciding what to build, he places particular importance on user feedback.
He believes new needs emerge as technology develops, and users are often the best source for identifying those needs.
One example changed Lisar's direction.
Originally, Mohammad did not plan to build a dedicated Lisar application.
The service was already accessible through standard connection methods and clients.
Then a user suggested that Lisar should offer its own app as well.
That feedback changed the plan.
App development was added as another option for users who preferred to use Lisar's own applications.
For Mohammad, it demonstrated how a single user's feedback can influence the direction of a product.
How AI Changed What Was Possible
Perhaps one of the most striking parts of Mohammad's story is his view of AI.
He says:
“I think I can say that I would not have been able to build Lisar without AI tools, and I do not see that as a weakness.”
His own estimate is that without AI tools, building a product like Lisar would have required a team of around 15 to 20 people.
That would have been financially out of reach for him.
AI changed that equation.
It gave Mohammad the ability to start building an ambitious product with the resources he actually had.
For him, AI has therefore not simply been another development tool.
It has changed what is financially and practically possible for an individual builder.
The Lesson He Would Teach His Younger Self
If Mohammad could go back to the beginning of his journey, there is one thing he would approach differently.
He would pay more attention to the business side earlier.
Instead of focusing primarily on technical questions and technology, he would spend more time understanding users and business needs alongside developing his technical skills.
Today, his view is straightforward:
“A product's value is found in its users, not in its number of lines of code or the technologies used to build it.”
That lesson comes from years of working in technology before eventually becoming a product builder himself.
His Advice to Developers Who Want to Build
Mohammad recommends that people who want to build their own products first spend several years working in a relevant field and gaining real-world experience.
Books can teach many things, but they cannot teach every business lesson.
Some lessons have to be learned by dealing with real problems in a real working environment.
For Mohammad, his years in networking, security and fintech became an important part of preparing him to build Lisar.
Those experiences helped him understand the challenges behind his original idea and gradually find ways to address them.
His Experience With CoderLegion
Mohammad has not been on CoderLegion for very long, but his experience so far has been positive.
He describes the community as friendly and says one thing that stands out to him is that it does not feel like a competition.
Instead, he sees more of a sense that members help each other learn and improve.
That supportive atmosphere is something he values, particularly because collaboration and the people around him have played an important role throughout his professional journey.
What's Next for Lisar?
As of 15 September 2026, Mohammad's near-term plan is to work toward releasing Android, iOS and Windows versions of Lisar within the following month.
Importantly, this is his planned timeline as of that date, rather than a guaranteed release date or a statement that those applications are already publicly available.
The applications are intended to provide another way to use the service, while standard connection methods and clients remain part of Lisar's approach.
Looking further ahead, Mohammad wants to introduce Lisar to more people around the world and contribute to what he describes as open, nondiscriminatory access to the internet, with respect for privacy.
He hopes people can use the internet with fewer concerns about their privacy and believes that kind of access is everyone's right.
The possibility that Lisar could contribute to that vision is one of the things that excites him most.
Enjoying the Journey
Perhaps the most personal part of Mohammad's story is what keeps him going when the work becomes difficult.
His answer is simple:
“I love what I do.”
He doesn't see the journey as something he can simply lose, because he is doing work he loves and enjoying the process itself.
He compares it to buying a piece of clothing you really love.
When you wear something you enjoy, you don't spend all your time worrying about whether it might eventually tear.
You enjoy wearing it now.
For Mohammad, building Lisar feels much the same.
He is hopeful about where the product can eventually go, but he hasn't postponed his enjoyment until some future milestone.
He enjoys the journey itself.
And that is what keeps him moving forward.
About Mohammad Hesameddin Montazerilisar
Mohammad Hesameddin Montazerilisar is the person behind Lisar Connect.
His professional background spans networking, security and fintech, and he now focuses full-time on developing Lisar.
His work combines his long-standing interest in networking and software with a product built around problems he has personally experienced.
He also writes technical guidance for Lisar Connect, covering areas including VPN setup, routing, DNS, profiles and troubleshooting. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Product: Lisar Connect
CoderLegion Developer Stories
This story is part of CoderLegion Developer Stories, a series highlighting the people behind the technology — their journeys, projects, experiences, challenges and ideas.
Rather than focusing only on technologies and achievements, Developer Stories aims to explore the experiences that shaped the people building them.
Real developers. Real journeys. Real experiences.
Interviewed and edited by Mehadi Hasan, Community & Editorial Team at CoderLegion.
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