Episode Summary:
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.
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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
