Episode Summary:
Stephen Neli is only six weeks into building Zellus, but he’s already going after one of small business’ biggest problems—late payments. In this episode, he shares the origin story behind Zellus, how he’s pitching investors and customers, and what it’s like starting up solo (with a lot of heart and a little help from Figma). Alan breaks down his pitch, offers advice on finding a tech co-founder, and chats about that sneaky startup sidekick: imposter syndrome. If you’re an early-stage founder, this one’s packed with gold.
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Chapters:
1:27 – Stephen’s startup story and the birth of Zellus
2:20 – The pitch: how Zellus helps small businesses get paid faster
5:30 – Alan’s feedback: strong structure, clear gestures, great storytelling
8:18 – Who Stephen needs on the team (CTO wanted!)
12:13 – Building in public and what Instagram has taught him
14:52 – Partnerships, pilots, and early traction
17:32 – Customer interviews, pivots, and prototyping with Figma
25:06 – Imposter syndrome and learning to share the lowlights
27:27 – Why sharing the lowlights helps others (and you)
29:49 – Mailout mishaps and the power of founder vulnerabilit
