Podcast
/
Episode

What Should You Know About Raising Capital and Starting a Tech Business? With Osa Gaius of Parrot

Osayame (Osa) Gaius is a software engineer with extensive experience and is the Founder and CEO of Parrot, an end-to-end payment solution that uses SMS to drive a better checkout experience. Before Parrot, he served as the Vice President of BlackRock and was a senior software engineer for both MailChimp and Luma.
  • January 12, 2023
  • The eCommerce Wizards Podcast
Episode notes

In this episode

Successfully launching a startup is a daunting task for anyone. Even seasoned entrepreneurs encounter new problems and obstacles when starting a new business. The process is as exciting as it is difficult, so advice is essential to getting it right from the beginning.

Osa Gaius quit his job and started a company, but he needed investors to make it work and take it to the next level. His friends and family initially helped, but he needed to acquire venture capital to explode the business. At the onset, he had to deal with the challenges of the pandemic while pitching his product to investors. Osa found success with his company, Parrot, having run a successful fundraising campaign of over $2 million. Now he shares his knowledge and his experience with you.

In this episode of the Ecommerce Wizards Podcast, Guillaume Le Tual interviews Osa Gaius, the Founder and CEO of Parrot, on launching a successful startup. They break down Osa’s introduction to entrepreneurship, building an MVP, and acquiring free users to fuel growth. They also touch on the best ways to acquire and utilize venture capital after fundraising.

What you’ll learn

  • Osa Gaius’ unique journey into entrepreneurship
  • How Osa founded Parrot and built a prototype
  • The fundamentals for acquiring and using venture capital
  • Parrot’s successful strategy of utilizing free users
  • Why accelerators are such a powerful tool for startups
  • Crucial tips for how to pitch your brand
  • Balancing the need for fundraising and hitting the ground running
  • The incredible value of partners early on in your startup
  • How fundraising can be fun and engaging

About Osa Gaius

Osayame (Osa) Gaius is a software engineer with extensive experience and is the Founder and CEO of Parrot, an end-to-end payment solution that uses SMS to drive a better checkout experience. Before Parrot, he served as the Vice President of BlackRock and was a senior software engineer for both MailChimp and Luma.

Having grown up in Nigeria, Osa went from having minimal computing exposure to being an ecommerce software development expert. He received his bachelor’s in computer science from the University of West Georgia and worked as a research intern at Texas A&M University and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Resources mentioned in this episode

The Ecommerce Wizards Podcast is hosted by Guillaume Le Tual, CEO of MageMontreal. Watch more episodes on our YouTube channel.

The Ecommerce Wizards Podcast
Hosted by Guillaume Le Tual
CEO of MageMontreal. Candid conversations with founders, operators and specialists building modern ecommerce on Adobe Commerce, Magento, Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce.
Browse all episodes →
Keep listening

More episodes

View all episodes →

How e-commerce businesses can boost cash flow by shortening their cash conversion cycle

  • Jun 6, 2023
  • The eCommerce Wizards Podcast
Matt Putra is an experienced fractional CFO and the founder of EightX, specializing in financial strategy and cash flow optimization for e-commerce businesses. He helps online store owners increase profitability by streamlining their financial processes and improving cash management.

How to Financially Structure Your Ecommerce Business With Matt Putra

  • May 30, 2023
  • The eCommerce Wizards Podcast
Matt Putra is an experienced financial executive with a long career spent with small businesses and conducting long-term forecasting for ecommerce brands. He is a Fractional CFO for EightX, a company specializing in predicting the pattern, future, and profit for businesses in any industry.

Selling your Amazon business? Key insights from attorney Paul Rafelson

  • May 23, 2023
  • The eCommerce Wizards Podcast
Paul Rafelson is an experienced attorney specializing in e-commerce law and mergers and acquisitions. He's the founder of Rafelson Law Firm and Seller Basics, where he helps Amazon and e-commerce entrepreneurs successfully navigate complex legal landscapes, ensuring secure and profitable business exits.
BlobOrange abstract shape
Businessman celebrating a win in front of his laptop

Ready to fix the problems holding your store back?

Book your free discovery call to see how we can build or optimize your eCommerce store and drive your growth.
© 2026 MageMontreal. All rights reserved. Law 25.