Oct 27, 2020
Farzan Dehmoubed is the Founder and CEO of Lotus Sustainables, an eco-friendly company on a mission to eliminate plastic from shopping. Farzan’s range of eco-friendly products, including the Lotus Trolley Bags, are now available in 13,000+ stores across the US and Canada, and online at Amazon and their own website. As the leading manufacturer of reusable bags, the company has eliminated the need for over 400 million single-use plastic bags and in 2020, the company ranked 144 on the INC 5000 fastest growing companies in America.
Before collaborating with his wife on the Lotus Trolley Bag, Farzan was an enthusiastic entrepreneur with a history of starting and operating advertising and real estate companies. He is currently based in sunny Carlsbad, California, and has been featured in publications like the LA Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, CBS News, Good Morning America, and more.
In this episode…
In 2016, the state of California imposed a ban on single-use plastic bags in a bid to do away with their harmful effects on the environment. However, the reusable bags brought in to replace them were not functional when it came to shopping.
To solve this problem for himself and his family, Farzan came up with a unique trolley bag that was functional and stylish. The bags have specialized pockets for different types of items like eggs and wine, and a rod at the top to keep items upright in a shopping cart. When he took the bag to the grocery store, it was an immediate hit—and he decided to manufacture more and start a business.
Dean Dutro, host of the Relationship Commerce Podcast is joined by Farzan Dehmoubed, Founder and CEO of Lotus Sustainables, to talk about Farzan's strategies for growing a startup business. They also talk about the importance of providing a great customer service experience, leveraging Amazon reviews to boost sales, the benefits of selling in multiple sales channels, and how to work with one's spouse. Keep listening.