Behind every successful app has to be a great team. So, today we are excited to begin a series of “Meet Team Zello” articles where you will get to know the leadership and team behind Zello and ZelloWork. You will find we run the gamut of age groups, interests, and backgrounds, but our common goal is to make the best walkie-talkie push-to-talk (PTT) app available.
Today, we present a Q & A with Bill Moore, the CEO and co-founder of Zello Inc:
What is your background? What were you doing prior to Zello?
Prior to Zello, I was CEO of TuneIn Radio, a company I founded in 2002. Before TuneIn, I spent the first half of my career with a handful of large and startup enterprise networking companies in product, sales, and management.
What motivated you to start Zello?
When I learned what Alex had created, I was excited to be part of it. We communicate most naturally with our voice, so I’ve always loved voice and radio. When Alex invited me, the two of us had already worked together for nearly a decade. I knew how exceptional he was and that my early stage CEO experience could be helpful. We decided Austin would be a great spot, so moved here.
When you say Zello promotes social radio, what does that mean to you?
Social radio means individuals and groups talking together live. Unlike traditional radio, it’s more than a few voices broadcasting - it’s a space where the community owns their conversations.
What are Zello’s core values? What does Zello stand for?
Zello’s mission is to improve human flourishing by using live voice for communication and companionship. Our core values include integrity, trust, and respect for the individual person, with a bias towards fast action.
What kind of company culture do you want for Zello?
The culture gives employees as much freedom and authority as possible, expecting that everyone on the team enjoys their work, is capable of becoming great in their job, and they contribute their best.
Zello has two products. Which gives you more pride? The free consumer product with its 120 million users worldwide? Or the profitable and successful business you’ve built around ZelloWork, your commercial product for work teams?
Both consumer and ZelloWork make lives better by connecting people who often are, otherwise, alone or need help. I’m most proud of our consumer app, only because the free app is able to reach many more people and has been successful when the stakes are high for personal safety.
What are your goals over the next 5-10 years for Zello? Where do you see Zello the company in five years?
Zello will become a top-tier global social media platform.
What has surprised you the most since the launch of Zello in 2012?
Zello’s emergence as a companion during emergencies.
What was it like to have the #1 app in both Apple’s and Google’s app stores for nearly two weeks in September 2017?
The #1 overall U.S. app slot was an exciting, rarefied atmosphere that few mobile app companies will ever experience. Of course, now we want to earn our way back!
What are some of your memories regarding Zello’s role in Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, when more than ten million people downloaded your app?
My favorite Harvey memory was listening to live reports of the rescue operations and hearing the men driving boats to pick up children who had been afraid, but then started clapping.
Your favorite thing to do outside of Zello is…..?
Outside of Zello, I love to design and build things in my workshop.