In this episode of Ideas to Impact, host Hannah speaks with Olivia Parkes, founder and CEO of Persi, a B2B personalisation tool for e-commerce retailers. Olivia shares how Persi is redefining the online shopping experience by recommending products based on what customers already own — not just what they’ve clicked. Together, they discuss the journey of turning an idea into a funded business, tackling imposter syndrome in tech, and the future of personalised and sustainable fashion.
Chapters
- (00:00:00) - What Persi is and how it works
- (00:05:00) - The problem with current e-commerce personalisation
- (00:07:00) - Building trust and protecting customer data
- (00:08:30) - How Persi’s recommendations stand apart from typical “you may also like” systems
- (00:10:00) - The challenges of scaling and maintaining trend accuracy
- (00:17:00) - Transitioning from marketing to tech founder
- (00:20:00) - Finding a CTO and overcoming imposter syndrome
- (00:28:00) - Mentorship and resilience through failure
- (00:37:00) - The story behind raising £665,000 and using LinkedIn for fundraising
- (00:44:00) - Encouraging female angel investors and building community
- (00:47:00) - Lessons for founders: transparency, persistence, and community
