Holly O'Brien - Skillzilla
Holly O’Brien, founder and CEO of Skillzilla, is revolutionizing the way we learn life skills through her innovative web application. With a unique approach that combines the thrill of gaming with the necessity of real-life preparation, Holly is gearing up to showcase Skillzilla at the upcoming Make Startups Demo Day on Wednesday, May 8th. Here's a closer look at how her journey began and what makes Skillzilla a standout in the world of educational technology.
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The inspiration for Skillzilla came from Holly's personal challenges with "adulting"—from budgeting to basic household tasks. She quickly realized that she wasn't alone in her struggles. "Everywhere I looked, I saw young adults grappling with the same issues. There was a clear need for a more engaging way to bridge the gap between traditional education and the skills needed in everyday life," Holly said. This realization led her to envision a platform that was both educational and entertaining, making use of a theme that could resonate across ages—dinosaurs. Holly explains, "Who doesn’t love dinos? They make every learning session feel like an adventure."
Skillzilla integrates key life skills into its curriculum through interactive gameplay and storytelling, covering areas like financial literacy, time management, and health and wellness. Each module is designed to engage users by challenging them to apply what they learn in real-world scenarios. This method not only ensures that users are entertained but also cements their learning more effectively than traditional methods.
Beyond the engaging content, Skillzilla offers a community feature where users can connect with peers to discuss challenges and share insights, further enhancing the learning experience. "Our platform is about building a supportive community. It’s not just about individual learning; it’s about growing together," Holly emphasizes. This community-centric approach has allowed Skillzilla to evolve from a simple app into a movement that champions lifelong learning.
The support from CofounderOS and Make Startups has been instrumental in refining Skillzilla's direction and focus. CofounderOS, in particular, provided Holly with critical insights into how to streamline her business model and target her audience more effectively. "The platform’s tools allowed us to drill down into who really benefits from our app, helping us create more targeted and effective content," Holly noted.
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Reflecting on the supportive environment at Make Startups, Holly recalls how crucial the community was during a challenging time in her business journey. When faced with the need to replace a key team member, the network she had built was instrumental. “I reached out to the mentors at Make Startups, and within 24 hours, I had a recommendation for a replacement who has been nothing short of a Godsend,” she shares.
As she prepares for Demo Day, Holly is enthusiastic about the opportunity to share how Skillzilla can make a lasting impact on education. "We're not just teaching skills; we're inspiring a new way to think about learning. I can’t wait to show this to a wider audience," she shares.
Join Holly and the Skillzilla team May 8th at the Georgia Cyber Center on Demo Day to experience a new era of learning! Discover how engaging with dinosaurs can not only make education fun but can prepare you for the adventures of life in ways you never imagined.