Suuchi Ramesh spent the first ten years of her career in technology and predictive data analytics with hyper-growth unicorns. After identifying the supply chain as one of the few legacy industries to embrace digitization, she started Suuchi Inc. in 2016. Suuchi Inc. is a next-generation supply chain technology platform that digitizes the end-to-end value chain for companies of all sizes.
In just four years, the company has partnered with over 200 businesses to spearhead a digital revolution, eliminating the manual processes that stunt scalability and profitability through its proprietary software, the Suuchi GRID. The GRID provides customers access to a transparent supply chain and real-time analytics to make smarter, data-backed decisions.
What is Suuchi Inc. all about?
We’re addressing the future of the supply chain here at Suuchi. Suuchi Inc. is a next-generation supply chain management platform for innovative businesses ready to embrace the next wave of value chain digitization. Our cloud-based technology, the GRID, connects companies with real-time supply chain visibility from product conception to distribution.
The GRID provides a seamless end-to-end view of the supply chain, including updates and analytics on sourcing, product development, production, and shipping. The GRID allows for previously digitally-hesitant companies or companies with siloed tech stacks to bring their operations into the 21st century.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?
I have a pretty nerdy past. I’m a software engineer with an MBA in software. When I first immigrated to the US, my first few jobs were in the predictive analytics space, starting with Intel. After a few years there, I went on to join two venture-backed tech unicorns. Those experiences gave me a front-row seat to see what it took to scale fast-growth B2B companies.
In those roles, I was able to look at the supply chain through the data lens instead of the operational lens. The more I was exposed to this data, the more I realized how broken the digital supply chain landscape was. Companies were either operating solely through Excel and email tools or were stuck with the burden of managing legacy ERP & PLM systems that were designed to be operable by only a handful of users with specific skillsets. The disconnect across the value chain impacted margins, speed to market, and overall scalability, making it the perfect market to attack when I started my own business.
So, in 2016 I left my corporate jobs behind and began Suuchi to build out the GRID’s first MVP that addressed the upstream supply chain. We wanted to create a platform that could integrate with existing platforms and be used by all supply chain participants (factory workers, operations managers, C-suite executives, and so on), which remains our guiding principle almost five years later.
What was the biggest problem you encountered with your business, and how did you overcome it?
I would not call it a problem as much as it was a challenge, but not having co-founders as sounding boards was difficult in the early days, mainly when making tough decisions. However, I over-indexed on the people I surrounded myself with on the leadership team. I firmly believe that a candidate’s cultural fit is just as important as their experience, if not more important. My leadership team has been the best support system I could ask for as a founder. Their combined expertise has helped me navigate the challenges and anxieties that come with running a fast-growth company.
What were the top mistakes you made starting your business, and what did you learn from them?
The biggest mistake we made in the early days of the company was that we were building technology for the sake of technology.
We built the original software to be directed at the B2C fashion supply chain where customers could take their measurements and have custom clothing made. We quickly realized that the technology was more for the sake of saying we were building tech and wasn’t a scalable solution that would drive real innovation. If I could offer advice to entrepreneurs in the tech space, it would be to avoid building technology for the sake of making it. If you create a platform that isn’t a direct solution to challenges and doesn’t have the infrastructure to scale with your customers, you will have to navigate a very rocky future.
What is one thing that you do daily to grow as an entrepreneur?
I strive to learn at least one thing every day, whether from my team or through reading and listening to podcasts. One of our cultural pillars is constant two-way feedback between management and the broader team. When you over-index on the people you hire, hundreds of new ideas are waiting to be explored to take your growth to the next level. When you build a culture where employees feel comfortable enough to share these new perspectives, the growth potential is limitless.
What are three books or courses you recommend for new entrepreneurs?
I’m a big fan of podcasts to supplement everything I read. I would recommend the SaaSter and Masters of Scale in terms of podcasts.
The host of Masters of Scale, Reid Hoffman, has a book called Blitzscaling that is awesome. Many of Hoffman’s philosophies have influenced our culture at Suuchi and inspired our growth path.
I would also recommend Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio. This book has influenced our culture and the way our leadership team guides their teams, but both books are great resources for entrepreneurs.
What is the one thing you wish you knew before starting your business?
I wish I had known to start sooner! We all tend to hold back when we think about the potential risks of starting any new project, especially starting a company. However, if you don’t take those risks, you’ll never get to the incredible ROI of those risks. If you’re a potential entrepreneur reading this and are holding back on starting something because of the risks, don’t think about the consequences. If you have the drive and the hunger to build something, the potential downsides are nothing compared to the potential returns.
If you only had 1000 dollars to start a new startup, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
At the risk of repeating myself, I don’t think you can overestimate the importance of finding the right people to surround yourself with. So, if I were to start all over, I would put the same emphasis on hiring good-hearted, smart, brave, and loyal talent as I did when I began Suuchi Inc.
Particularly with startups, you need to have absolute trust in the team you surround yourself with. If you do not have co-founders, you need to ensure that you have the right people around you to support you through the highest peaks and the lowest valleys. If there is a budget left after that, then the rest of those dollars should ensure that the engineers and sales team have the resources they need to operate with all engines firing.
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
My final piece of advice to aspiring and new entrepreneurs, particularly in the tech space, would be to find the right formula for disruption. If you go into a new business intending to compete head-on with the massive, legacy enterprises, odds are, you’re going to struggle as a new name in the space. The key is to find ways to complement those existing solutions and target the innovators and early adopters within your ICP accounts’ organizations. They will understand that these legacy solutions have a “shelf-life” to their dominance without innovation and understand the need to have cutting-edge solutions in place before their more hesitant competitors.
What is your favorite quote?
I have so many favorite quotes that it’s difficult to pick one! If I had to pick a single quote, it would be:
“Home is less about a piece of soil, but more to do with a piece of soul.”
This quote has influenced my adult life since I immigrated to the US as an adult, so Suuchi Inc. has become my home. I spend 12-14 hours with our team a day, and that’s what has allowed me to find my mission statement and where I feel most at peace.
How can readers get in touch with you?
The easiest ways to get in touch are through the Suuchi website, my blog Supply Chain Sunday, or LinkedIn.
Entrepreneur Interview: Vivian Chan On a Mission to Unlock Unique Potential
