This interview is with Swayam Doshi, Founder at Suspire.

Swayam Doshi, Founder, Suspire

Swayam, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to becoming an expert in sustainable startups?

My journey in sustainability began with hands-on experience at Zero Yet 100 in Hong Kong, where I gained valuable insights into zero-waste business practices. This experience opened my eyes to the immense potential of sustainable enterprise in Asia. My role as Senior Executive at Future Group India deepened my understanding of Indian retail and consumer behavior, showing me the gap between sustainable products and mainstream accessibility. Later, at Staiy, as Assistant Manager of Business Development and Sustainability, I worked directly with eco-conscious brands, learning the intricacies of sustainable supply chains and authentic brand storytelling. These experiences shaped Suspire's core mission. I realized that India needed more than just sustainable products – it needed a platform that makes eco-conscious living accessible and meaningful. At Suspire, we're building exactly that, a bridge between conscious consumers and genuine sustainable brands.

What key experiences or turning points led you to focus on the intersection of startups, eco-friendliness, and sustainability?

During my time at Future Group India, I observed a significant disconnect between consumer interest in sustainable products and their actual accessibility in mainstream retail. The turning point came during my internship at Zero Yet 100 in Hong Kong, where I witnessed how a well-executed sustainable business model could successfully meet consumer needs while maintaining environmental responsibility. My role at Staiy was particularly enlightening. As Assistant Manager of Business Development and Sustainability, I worked with numerous eco-conscious brands and saw their common struggles: limited market reach, difficulty in communicating their value proposition, and challenges in scaling while maintaining sustainable practices. These experiences revealed a critical gap in the Indian market – the need for a platform that could effectively connect conscious consumers with authentic sustainable brands. This insight led to Suspire's creation, where we're not just selling products but building an ecosystem that makes sustainable living both accessible and aspirational for the average Indian consumer.

You've mentioned the success of zero-waste packaging and offering educational content. What advice would you give to startups struggling to identify the right sustainable practices for their business model?

For startups struggling to identify the right sustainable practices, start by aligning sustainability with your core values and business goals. Begin with a sustainability audit of your supply chain, packaging, and energy use to identify key areas for improvement. Focus on high-impact, low-cost changes like adopting eco-friendly packaging or sourcing materials responsibly. Take a phased approach: implement changes gradually, test them in small batches, and scale as you see results. Collaborate with industry experts or partner with sustainable suppliers to ensure best practices. Consider embracing the circular economy by designing products for reuse or recycling. Engage your customers by offering educational content on your sustainability journey and the benefits of your practices. Transparency and open communication build trust. Additionally, measure and track your progress using clear KPIs and refine strategies over time. Sustainability should be an evolving, integral part of your business model, balancing environmental impact with financial sustainability.

How can startups effectively measure the impact of their sustainability efforts, both in terms of environmental benefits and customer perception?

Startups can effectively measure the impact of their sustainability efforts by combining quantitative environmental metrics with qualitative customer feedback. Here’s how: Environmental Impact: Monitor Resource Usage: Measure the consumption of natural resources such as water, energy, raw materials, and packaging. Reducing resource use and improving efficiency can have a significant positive impact on environmental sustainability. Define Clear Sustainability Goals: Establish specific, measurable goals related to environmental impact, such as reducing carbon emissions, minimizing waste, or conserving water. These goals should align with the startup's operations, product lifecycle, and business model. Monitor Resource Usage: Measure the consumption of natural resources such as water, energy, raw materials, and packaging. Reducing resource use and improving efficiency can have a significant positive impact on environmental sustainability. Customer Perception: Surveys and Feedback: Regularly ask customers about their perception of your sustainability efforts through surveys, polls, and direct feedback. Metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) can also gauge customer loyalty based on sustainability. Social Media and Brand Sentiment Analysis: Track engagement and sentiment around sustainability-related posts and campaigns. Tools like Brandwatch or Sprout Social can help analyze public perception. Customer Retention: Measure whether sustainability initiatives lead to higher repeat purchases or greater customer loyalty, particularly from eco-conscious segments. By monitoring these indicators, startups can both improve their sustainability strategies and demonstrate their value to environmentally-minded customers. For example, at our company, tracking both carbon savings and the increase in customer satisfaction from our eco-friendly product lines helped refine our approach and strengthen our brand loyalty.

Building a sustainable supply chain can be challenging, especially for young companies. What steps can startups take to ensure their sourcing aligns with their environmental values?

Building a sustainable supply chain is crucial for any company committed to environmental values. One effective approach is to focus on local sourcing, reducing transportation emissions, and supporting small-scale, eco-conscious suppliers. For instance, we partnered with a local textile producer who uses organic cotton and natural dyes, significantly cutting down on the environmental impact of shipping materials. By working closely with them, we also helped reduce water usage by 33%, thanks to their innovative dyeing process that uses 57% less water than traditional methods. To ensure continuous alignment with our sustainability goals, we implemented a clear set of criteria for all suppliers—focusing on ethical practices, resource efficiency, and waste reduction. Since implementing this approach, our carbon footprint has decreased by 23% in the last year, and our supplier network has been more engaged in sustainable practices, resulting in a 10% increase in eco-friendly products. This approach has not only improved our environmental impact but also built strong, long-term relationships with suppliers who share our vision.

Attracting investors is crucial for startup growth. In your experience, what key factors do investors look for when evaluating the sustainability of a startup?

When evaluating the sustainability of a startup, investors typically focus on three key factors:

Clear Impact Metrics and Transparency: Investors want to see that a startup is not just claiming sustainability but has measurable, verifiable outcomes. This means having clear metrics, such as reductions in carbon emissions, waste, or energy consumption, and making these data points publicly available. Investors are looking for startups that can demonstrate their environmental impact through transparent, quantifiable goals and reporting.

Long-Term Viability of the Business Model: Sustainability isn’t only about eco-friendly products—it’s about building a business model that thrives without harming the planet. Investors assess how well a startup integrates sustainability into its core business strategy. This could include supply-chain resilience, responsible sourcing, and long-term resource management. They seek startups that have developed sustainable products or services that not only meet current trends but have enduring market appeal.

Consumer Demand and Brand Alignment: Investors recognize that consumer demand for sustainable solutions is increasing, but they also focus on whether a startup has successfully aligned its brand with these values. This includes assessing the strength of the startup’s customer base, how well sustainability resonates with that audience, and whether it has the potential to scale. A unique aspect is how startups communicate their sustainability ethos; those with authentic storytelling and clear, genuine brand messaging tend to stand out.

For example, in our own experience, attracting investors involved not just showcasing our sustainability achievements but demonstrating how these efforts align with growing customer demand for eco-conscious brands. Our transparent impact reporting and proven customer loyalty around our plastic-free products were key factors in gaining investor confidence.

Greenwashing is a growing concern for consumers. How can startups authentically communicate their sustainability efforts and build trust with their target audience?

To authentically communicate sustainability efforts and build trust, startups need to focus on creating tangible, measurable change and ensuring consistent engagement with their audience.

Authentic Transparency: Startups should openly share the "why" and "how" behind their sustainability efforts. This means going beyond surface-level claims and providing detailed insight into sourcing, production practices, and environmental impact. For instance, instead of just claiming products are "eco-friendly," explain the exact materials used, how they are sourced, and how their lifecycle minimizes harm to the planet.

Customer-Driven Initiatives: Involve customers directly in sustainability efforts, not just as passive recipients but as active participants. This could be through initiatives like a circular product-return program where customers can send back old products for recycling or reuse. This level of engagement makes sustainability a shared responsibility and empowers customers to feel they are part of the solution.

Back Sustainability with Tangible Action: Instead of just marketing "green" initiatives, startups should focus on achieving measurable goals. For example, committing to carbon-offset programs or tracking the percentage of recycled materials used in products over time. This shows real, trackable progress that resonates more than generalized claims.

For example, our company focused on transparency by launching a "Behind the Product" series, where we showed our production process and the positive environmental impact of our actions. This openness resulted in a 47% increase in customer trust and set us apart from competitors relying on vague sustainability claims.

Looking ahead, what emerging trends in sustainable business practices are you most excited about, and how do you see them shaping the future of startups?

One emerging trend in sustainable business practices that excites me is the rise of circular-economy models, where products are designed for reuse, recycling, or upcycling. This trend is reshaping how startups approach product development, encouraging the creation of durable goods with minimal environmental impact. As waste reduction becomes a core business strategy, startups can tap into new revenue streams by offering repair services, take-back programs, or refurbished products.

Another key development is the integration of technology in sustainability, particularly the use of AI and blockchain for supply-chain transparency. These technologies allow startups to track and verify the sustainability of their sourcing and production processes in real-time, ensuring accountability and trust with consumers.

These trends not only align business practices with environmental values, but also drive innovation, enabling startups to differentiate themselves in an increasingly eco-conscious market. The future of startups will undoubtedly be shaped by how effectively they embrace these sustainable practices while meeting the demands of a responsible consumer base.

What final piece of advice would you offer to aspiring entrepreneurs who are passionate about building sustainable and impactful businesses?

From my journey transitioning from Future Group to founding Suspire, my most valuable advice is rooted in real experience: Start with a specific, solvable problem. At Suspire, we didn't begin with the broad goal of 'promoting sustainability.' Instead, we focused on connecting verified sustainable brands with conscious consumers in India. This focused approach helped us achieve 85% customer satisfaction in our first year. One practical example: Rather than trying to tackle all sustainability aspects at once, we started by solving the authentication problem for hand-loom products. We developed relationships with just three artisan clusters initially, perfected our verification process, and then scaled to twenty-eight partners. Key takeaways I've learned: Focus on solving one sustainability challenge thoroughly. Be patient with growth - sustainable practices take time to implement properly. Our customer feedback directly influences our decisions, helping us build authentic relationships with our community. Remember, sustainability isn't just about environmental impact - it's about creating a business that can maintain its positive practices long-term.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Thank you for your interest in our journey at Suspire. We believe that every small step toward sustainability can lead to significant change. As we continue to innovate and collaborate, we invite everyone to be part of this movement. Together, we can create a more sustainable future that benefits both people and the planet. Your support and engagement are invaluable as we inspire one another to make meaningful choices. Let's work together to build a better world.