Managing the flood of small daily tasks—rescheduling appointments, paying bills, calling rides—is something most people accept as part of life. But Miami-based entrepreneur Lana Newishy thinks we’re wasting hours on it, and she built a tool to give that time back.
Her startup, Okliko, is an AI-powered personal concierge designed to handle everyday to-dos automatically. The platform learns a user’s preferences over time and handles tasks without prompting. From booking and rescheduling appointments to paying service providers and sending reminders, Okliko aims to do the work of a personal assistant—around the clock.
“Okliko knows you over time. It takes care of your life,” Newishy said. “We waste about three hours a day doing simple tasks. That’s time we should get back.”
The concept isn’t just aimed at individuals. Okliko also offers tools for small and medium-sized businesses, giving them access to client management, booking, and operational systems that Newishy said would typically cost thousands.
“For businesses, we’re basically giving away a free CRM and booking system,” she said. “Instead of paying for ads or influencer campaigns that don’t convert, they get direct traffic and warm leads from our users.”
Newishy has deep experience leading consumer and tech efforts at major companies like American Express, Estée Lauder, and Procter & Gamble. She’s worked with everything from payment platforms to artificial intelligence, and those skills came into play when launching Okliko.
The startup operates out of a venture studio model, rather than taking the traditional funding route from outside investors. That partnership allows shared equity and collaboration, helping Newishy and her team keep control while building fast.
“It’s not funded in the traditional sense,” she said. “Between us and the studio, we’ve bootstrapped everything.”
That independence seems to have helped with speed. While some early competitors are still in the research phase, Okliko is in beta and preparing for launch ahead of the holidays. The company is rolling out first in small cities where automation tools are less common but still critically needed.
Their first wave of partners includes local service providers working with chambers of commerce to reach more clients. “We’re big believers in the hyperlocal approach,” Newishy said. “That’s where technology can make the most immediate difference.”
Okliko’s launch comes as South Florida continues to grow as a tech hub, often offering an alternative to more established startup cities. Newishy, who has lived in both New York and Miami, said the local culture has made a difference in how she’s building the company.
“Miami’s different,” she said. “It’s tight-knit. People genuinely want you to win.”
With a public debut targeted before Christmas, Okliko’s goal is to reduce the noise in daily life. “We want people to wake up and realize the small stuff is already handled,” Newishy said. “If we can give people that kind of peace of mind, that’s a win.”
