In most tech companies, departments move like solo performers. Engineering solves one set of problems, customer service handles another, and product management steers somewhere in between. But at Zil Money, led by founder and CEO Sabeer Nelli, the model is different.
It’s orchestral.
Every team, every function, every decision is part of a larger score—where alignment isn’t an afterthought but the starting point. The result? A fintech platform where product, engineering, compliance, support, and business teams don’t just coexist—they co-build.
This article explores how Sabeer Nelli created a culture of cross-functional execution—and how that strategy has become a hidden superpower behind Zil Money’s rapid and reliable growth.
Silos Are Easy. Alignment is Leadership.
When Zil Money was still a small team, Sabeer noticed something troubling: teams were efficient on their own, but projects slowed down whenever handoffs happened. A product manager might spec a feature without involving engineering. Customer support would discover bugs long after deployment. Marketing would promote capabilities customers couldn’t easily use.
That’s when Sabeer made a decision: Zil Money would not grow into a company of departments. It would grow into a network of collaborative disciplines.
He didn’t restructure the org chart overnight. Instead, he started modeling cross-functional behavior from the top.
- Inviting engineers to sales meetings
- Looping compliance into product design
- Asking customer support what the roadmap was missing
- Having marketing test new features before release
This wasn’t a gesture. It was a shift. Sabeer was sending a message: no single team owns the user. We all do.
Co-Planning: From Concept to Release
At most companies, product specs get tossed over the fence to engineers. At Zil Money, feature development begins in co-planning sessions, where:
- Product managers outline user needs and market context
- Engineers weigh in on feasibility and system design
- Support reps share frequent user pain points
- Compliance ensures regulatory coverage
- QA sets early testing benchmarks
This collaborative model means fewer surprises, better launches, and faster iterations.
And because the right voices are in the room early, there’s less rework and far more buy-in across the board.
Why It Works: Shared Metrics, Shared Mindset
Cross-functional success isn’t about good intentions. It’s about shared incentives.
Sabeer ensures every team at Zil Money is aligned on:
- Customer satisfaction
- System performance
- Time-to-resolution for user issues
- Adoption of new features
- Retention and growth from existing users
By tracking shared metrics—not just team-specific ones—Zil Money’s functions are incentivized to support each other, not compete.
If a feature gets complaints, product doesn’t blame support. Support doesn’t blame engineering. They fix it—together.
Cross-Functional Squads for Critical Projects
When high-priority initiatives arise—such as launching payroll by credit card or expanding into new regulatory markets—Sabeer activates temporary squads made of team leads from multiple departments.
These squads operate like startups within the company:
- Weekly stand-ups
- Shared OKRs
- Direct executive access
- Clear deadlines and delivery scope
These cross-functional units allow Zil Money to move quickly without sacrificing alignment. They also build empathy across disciplines—engineers understand user pain; product managers see backend constraints; marketing gets a preview of usability issues.
And the result is stronger product launches that reflect real-world dynamics—not assumptions.
Training for Cross-Functionality
Zil Money doesn’t assume alignment happens naturally. It’s built through:
- Cross-department onboarding – new hires shadow other functions
- Quarterly knowledge swaps – teams present tools, challenges, and goals
- Shared documentation – product specs, technical docs, and user guides live in a unified space
- Leadership mentorship – managers are taught how to lead across roles, not just within their own
This intentional training ensures Zil Money’s teams don’t just collaborate—they understand how and why collaboration improves outcomes.
User-First Collaboration
What binds every function at Zil Money is a commitment to the user.
Sabeer reinforces this daily, reminding his team that:
- Engineering doesn’t just write code—they build trust.
- Compliance doesn’t just tick boxes—they protect users.
- Support doesn’t just solve tickets—they represent the brand.
- Product doesn’t just ship features—they shape experience.
This mindset reframes every project—not as a sprint for delivery, but as a shared mission for impact.
A Culture of Mutual Respect
Cross-functional companies only thrive when ego takes a back seat.
That starts at the top. Sabeer regularly:
- Praises engineers in product demos
- Highlights support tickets that led to product fixes
- Shares customer compliments with compliance and QA
- Makes space for all voices in leadership discussions
This level of inclusivity cultivates a company culture where:
- Ideas matter more than titles
- Outcomes matter more than politics
- Respect flows in all directions
It’s not just productive. It’s energizing.
Lessons for Other Founders
Sabeer’s cross-functional strategy offers actionable takeaways:
🔄 Design shared systems, not disconnected departments
Make it easier to work together than apart.
🧭 Align incentives to shared outcomes
Track metrics that reflect cross-functional performance.
🎯 Plan together, not sequentially
Bring everyone into the planning room—early and often.
🧠 Train empathy, not just skills
Help your team understand how their work affects other teams—and the user.
🙌 Celebrate collaboration
Recognize joint wins, not just individual output.
Final Thought: The Future Is Cross-Functional
As fintech grows more complex—spanning compliance, AI, payments, customer experience, and global regulations—no single function can operate in isolation.
Sabeer Nelli saw this coming. That’s why Zil Money isn’t just a team of experts—it’s a network of collaborators, each playing their part in a unified system.
This orchestration is what makes the company resilient, adaptive, and user-focused, even as it scales at speed.
Because the future of great platforms isn’t built in silos.
It’s built together.
