Olivya Munro, founder of Zello Studio, is on a mission to transform fitting rooms with smart tech. She shares how a frustrating shopping experience sparked the idea for Zello, how she turned that idea into a startup, and why retailers are eager to get on board. Alan puts her pitch to the test, offering advice on storytelling, investor questions, and scaling in a tech-resistant industry. Whether you’re a founder refining your pitch or just love a good startup origin story, this episode is packed with insights.
Chapters
1:36 – From PR to tech: How Olivya found her way to startups
2:55 – The fitting room problem no one talks about
4:40 – 91% of shoppers are dissatisfied—why retailers should care
6:22 – How Zello works: tech that upgrades the in-store experience
8:44 – The challenge of getting retailers to adopt new tech
11:31 – First in-store launch and landing major retailers
13:23 – What makes a great startup pitch?
15:54 – The #1 investor question: progress toward commercialisation
17:18 – Pricing models: fixed fee vs. revenue sharing
19:02 – Hiring for growth: Who’s the first key hire?
Resources
Olivya Munro's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olyvia-munro-2038a6218/
Zello Studio – Learn more about Olivya’s smart fitting room assistant. https://www.zellostudio.co/
Startmate – The accelerator where Olivya pitched Zello. https://www.startmate.com/writing/gen-z-startup-zello-is-transforming-the-140-year-old-fitting-room-experience
How to Pitch to Investors – A collection of pitching tips from Y Combinator. https://www.ycombinator.com/library/4b-how-to-pitch-your-company
This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Partners
Click our partners below to see their unique offers
More Episodes You Might Like
Let's talk
Turn podcasting into pipeline
We help founders, funds and operators build trust, authority and deal flow with a show tailored to their market.
Win better deals and stay top‑of‑mind with founders.
Close more deals and build a category you own.
Reach founders and operators with a show they trust.
