Lois Shelton on Building OptiLearn - 1st Mondays Mini Podcast

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Lois Shelton on Building OptiLearn – 1st Mondays Mini Podcast

Posted: September 17, 2026

By Ella Napata

In this episode of the Startup San Diego 1st Mondays Mini Podcast, Kurling Robinson, Startup San Diego board member, chats with Lois Shelton, CEO of OptiLearn. A regular presence at 1st Mondays and a professor by day, Lois shares how she’s building a startup to help disconnected youth find their way back to school or employment, and reflects on why community, more than any single resource, is what keeps her coming back.

Quick Summary

Reconnecting disengaged youth to opportunity: Lois is building OptiLearn, a software startup focused on reengaging youth who are neither employed nor in school, helping them get back onto a productive path.
A consistent presence at 1st Mondays: Lois attends as often as her schedule allows, drawn by the energy, expertise, and opportunity to connect with founders at similar or more advanced stages than her own.
Inspiration and encouragement top the list: Above networking or resources, Lois says the biggest value she gets from Startup San Diego events is the inspiration and encouragement that comes from being part of a genuine community during an often lonely entrepreneurial journey.
San Diego’s ecosystem offers room to contribute: Lois values San Diego’s startup scene for being diverse and full of expertise, while still growing, leaving space for founders like her to actively shape and contribute to it.
The challenge of being a non-technical founder: Lois’s biggest hurdle is finding like-minded, technically skilled collaborators to help move OptiLearn’s software development forward.

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What Is OptiLearn?

Lois describes her mission clearly: building software to reengage youth who are currently disconnected from both employment and the school system, helping them find their way back onto a productive path. It’s a problem she’s tackling head-on as a non-technical founder navigating the software development process from the ground up.

A Familiar Face at 1st Mondays

Lois has attended 1st Mondays multiple times, making it a point to show up whenever her schedule allows. She’s drawn not just by networking opportunities, but by the overall energy and environment, the chance to learn from founders at similar stages, as well as those further along, and to pick up practical tips along the way.

Why Community Matters Most

When asked what she values most from these events, Lois doesn’t point to a single tactical resource, she points to inspiration and encouragement. Building a business, she notes, can be a lonely adventure, but showing up to Startup San Diego events immediately creates a sense of community, support, and connection with like-minded individuals navigating similar challenges.

What Lois Loves About San Diego’s Ecosystem

Lois highlights the diversity of San Diego’s startup community as one of its biggest strengths, it has the expertise founders need, but it’s still growing and developing. That combination, in her view, creates real opportunities for founders to contribute and help shape the ecosystem rather than simply plug into something already fully formed.

The Challenge: Finding Technical Talent

As a non-technical founder, Lois’s biggest challenge is finding collaborators with the technical expertise needed to move OptiLearn’s software development forward. It’s a common struggle among founders, and one she continues to work through as she builds out her team.