Rethink OS: how a founder with no coding background built his own consultancy tool with AI
By Thakur Prashanth · October 15, 2026 · 5 min read
Dhananjaya Nair (BTF-001), founder of Rethink Education, had never used GitHub. In Build Theory Cohort 01 he built Rethink OS, a working client logging and reporting tool for his consultancy.
At a glance
Product: Rethink OS
Built by: Dhananjaya Nair (BTF-001)
Background: Dhananjaya Nair: Founder, Rethink Education
Cohort: Build Theory Fellowship, Cohort 01 (BT-01)
Status: A working internal tool for client logging and reporting.
Who is Dhananjaya Nair?
Dhananjaya Nair (Build Theory fellow BTF-001) is the founder of Rethink Education and previously founded Scales. He joined the Build Theory Fellowship with real founder experience but almost no technical experience: he had never worked with GitHub or code.
The problem: a workflow no tool fitted
His consulting work meant managing multiple clients and keeping track of everything about each one. Information and follow-ups were spread across his day, and he could not find a tool that matched how he actually worked. The problem was personal and it came back every week.
How he built Rethink OS
He researched the market and existing tools first, to see how similar problems were already being solved. Then he used several AI tools to design, iterate and build an internal product grounded in his own consultancy process, not a generic productivity idea.
Because he had never touched code, the technical concepts were hard at the start. He got more comfortable with every step of the build.
The turning point
The moment that mattered was showing the product to other consultants and seeing them respond positively. The tool also brought order to his own work: he can now log information about each client and create reports.
Where it is now
Rethink OS is a working internal tool for client logging and reporting. Dhananjaya is now using the same frameworks from Build Theory to build another AI tool: a go-to-market (GTM) engine.
What this story shows
You do not need a big market thesis to start. A repetitive problem in your own work is a strong starting point, as long as you learn from the real workflow and stay open to feedback.
Frequently asked questions
What is Rethink OS?
Rethink OS is an internal workflow tool built by Dhananjaya Nair (BTF-001) during Build Theory Cohort 01. It lets him log information about each consulting client and create reports.
Did Dhananjaya know how to code before Build Theory?
No. He had never used GitHub or written code. He built Rethink OS with AI tools and the Build Theory frameworks.
What is he building next?
A go-to-market (GTM) engine, using the same product-building approach he learned in the fellowship.
Build your own product in Cohort 02
This story is part of Build Theory Cohort 01: what 24 fellows built. Build Theory is a 30-day online fellowship, based in Hyderabad, where students and early professionals go from a real problem to a live product with 1:1 mentorship and AI tools. Any year, any branch. Check your readiness score or apply for Cohort 02.
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