Through the Founder Lens

Identifying the need

When considering whom to provide this solution, the founders recognized a gap in technology for the beverage industry and its supply chain. Naturally, this industry is also the perfect fit for a Salesforce-driven platform. Eager to share the story of Ohanafy’s evolution, CEO Ian Padrick, shared the following sentiment: “About a year and a half ago, we started on the producer side of the market: manufacturers, breweries, distilleries. We've always seen this vision and known that we have applicability throughout that entire supply chain as we think about distributors or suppliers.” 

When this vision became a reality, and customers started flooding in, the leadership team worked to understand the nuances of the beverage supply chain and made an active effort to elevate their product. Ian explained that he wanted to “show people that we're not just here to sell them the technology, but we truly want to partner with them and be the technology arm of their business.” Considering this goal, the leadership team hired their first full-time employee, a Customer Success Manager, before their first customer. Focusing on establishing the customer service model before selling the product became a considerable advantage that helped all employees see and feel the mission and vision.

Ian feels confident about where the company stands today at the start of 2024 and says the key is the Ohanafy culture. It’s “the people that we have here. We have an amazing group of folks. We have people who are completely committed to the mission and our vision, and we see it in everything we do.”  He added, “As we see reviews and hear from our customers, I think we have all the validation we need to keep our heads down and keep marching and doing what we've been doing.”

A different approach

After witnessing world-class customer service across multiple organizations, Padrick and the leadership team recognized the critical importance of focusing on organizational culture. Despite the eagerness to grow quickly, Ian and the team knew how important it was to safeguard and nurture their culture alongside business expansion. To achieve this, they created a cultural strategy built around their core values. 

Throughout the hiring process, Padrick and his team sought to find diverse people beyond the demographics. They looked for individuals with varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This focus on diversity was a catalyst for fostering innovation and resilience within their culture. Drawing on their collective career experiences, they emphasized transparency and values as crucial elements. The company strives to create a working environment where transparency, accountability, and diversity are not only embraced but actively encouraged. It is crucial for employees to feel empowered to test their methods and ideas without fear of failure. As Ohanafy continues to grow, Ian and his team strive to ensure the culture is a mainstay and felt across the organization. 

Where we are headed

After a successful year of exceeding expectations and spreading into nine different segments in beverage, Ian and his leadership team are now looking to start the next round of fundraising, which will fund their growth and future aspirations. Ian explained that they are now considering implementing artificial intelligence (AI). “We're making some big investments there,” said Ian. “We're spending a lot of time and energy not just to be one of these companies that talk about AI, but build it and make it a reality for our customers.” Looking further into 2024, Ian hopes to provide more automation for their customers and continue to build a product that is molded and adapted to its customers.