Holly Obrien

Background

About Holly Obrien

I’m Holly O’Brien, a high school dropout turned two-time exited founder, and now the visionary behind SkillZilla, a gamified life skills app empowering young adults to thrive. My journey has been anything but conventional, shaped by resilience, empathy, and a relentless drive to create meaningful impact. By 18, I was a young mom navigating life’s challenges with grit and determination. My twenties were a whirlwind of marriage, divorce, blending a family of six boys, and hustling through full-time jobs and side gigs to make ends meet. These experiences became my greatest teachers, instilling the values of perseverance and adaptability that now guide my work. The “aha” moment for SkillZilla came when I realized that, despite our hard work, my husband Dan and I had missed opportunities to equip our boys with essential life skills.(The same ones I was lacking at their age, doh!) Pairing our personal experiences with a deep understanding of the gaps in traditional education left my lack of resources and legislation, we created SkillZilla to revolutionize how the next generation learns and grows. SkillZilla isn’t just a business; it’s my mission to democratize life skills education for young adults aged 14-24. With a gamified, dinosaur-themed approach, we’re making learning fun, accessible, and impactful. Every lesson I’ve learned through mistakes, struggles, and triumphs has fueled this purpose. I have educators also standing alongside me on this journey ensuring critical elements are included! I believe success isn’t just measured in metrics but in the lives we touch and the change we create. For me, SkillZilla is the culmination of a lifetime of lessons, and I’m just getting started. Let’s unlock the future together.