Unioncrate cofounder Shastri Mahadeo speaks with Jenny Fielding about how early obstacles running his own tea brand motivated him to create a solution to an industry-wide supply chain forecasting problem. Plus, he shares his perspective on how founders can stay motivated by battling themselves and believing in their vision.

When Unioncrate cofounder Shastri Mahadeo struggled with predicting demand for his specialty tea and matcha import business, he discovered that this was a common supply chain management problem among suppliers of consumer packaged goods (CPG). He met a developer at a Techstars Startup Weekend, and their solution led to the founding of Unioncrate. Their supply chain platform simplifies operations and demand planning for consumer goods companies.

“What keeps me going,” says Shastri, “is that I'm in a constant battle with myself. I don't care about the money. I don't care about anything. I'm just curious if I can do it.” He explains the importance of believing in what you’re doing, especially when others don’t share your vision.

Listen to Shastri’s story about how he brought his supply chain solution to the CPG marketplace, and how he overcame challenges along the way. He advises fellow entrepreneurs to home in on a specific problem to solve, get feedback from industry insiders, focus on investors that believe in you, and hire people who share your enthusiasm.

Follow Shastri on Twitter: @shastrimahadeo

Follow Unioncrate on Twitter: @Unioncrate

Follow Jenny on Twitter: @jefielding