Startups Decoded Ep#30: Future-Proofing Products in 2025: Startup Lessons from Orgo’s Zoya Lehrer
Summary
In this episode of Startups Decoded, host Andy Walsh speaks with Zoya Lehrer, founder of Orgo, about the challenges and opportunities in the startup landscape, particularly in the realm of product development and parenting logistics.
Zoya shares her personal journey from immigrating to the U.S. to launching her business, which aims to streamline the logistics of youth sports for parents. The conversation delves into the importance of community feedback, the need for future-proofing products in a rapidly changing market, and the balance between innovation and consumer needs.
Zoya Lehrer
Zoya Lehrer is the co-founder and CEO of Orgo, a family scheduling and logistics app that helps busy households streamline calendars, travel, and coordination. Born in Ukraine and raised in Brooklyn after immigrating to the U.S. in 1993, she holds a Computer Science and IT degree from Rutgers University and spent 20+ years in executive roles in digital innovation, fintech partnerships, and strategic planning.
Frustrated by the complexity of managing her own family’s schedule, Zoya built Orgo to combine calendar management, navigation, and communication in one seamless platform, reducing chaos and saving families time.
About Orgo
Short for “organization on the go”, Orgo is a mobile app for family time management, offering advanced calendar features, prep time tracking, travel estimates, and caregiver coordination. With smart notifications and turn-by-turn directions, it’s the “Waze for family schedules”, giving parents clarity, control, and peace of mind.
Takeaways
Zoya Lehrer immigrated from Ukraine and has a tech background.
The challenges of parenting and sports logistics inspired Orgo.
Orgo aims to simplify the logistics of youth sports for parents.
Community feedback is crucial for product development.
Future-proofing products is essential in a fast-paced market.
Choosing the right technology stack is critical for scalability.
AI integration should be approached cautiously and thoughtfully.
Understanding consumer needs is vital for product success.
Bootstrapping requires careful financial management and capital efficiency.
Engaging with the community helps in refining the product.
Music Credit:
"Neptuno" - Phondupe (Album: Onykia)
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Startups Decoded
01:21 Zoya's Journey: From Ukraine to Entrepreneurship
05:18 Identifying the Problem: The Challenge of Parenting and Sports
08:10 Introducing Orgo: A Solution for Sports Parents
11:55 The Importance of Logistics in Parenting
15:55 Refactoring: Future-Proofing the Product
20:34 Analyzing Current Tech Stacks and Future Needs
23:25 Empowering Founders with New Tools
27:27 Navigating the Challenges of New Technologies
29:01 Understanding Consumer Needs in Product Development
34:08 The Role of AI in Modern Startups
39:08 Capital Efficiency and Budgeting Strategies
45:28 Full end card - SD Podcast.mp4