THE TESLA OF BOTTLED WATER
WE WANT TO BUILD NEW BUSINESSES THAT DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE PLANET
Gulshan Kumar
-Written by Starr Washington
Gulshan Kumar is a partner and the Executive Vice President of Sales for PATH, a company whose mission is to bring awareness to single-use plastic pollution, which threatens our environment. Gulshan and his team sell PATH water across the nation and internationally in ten different countries.
“A Simple Solution to a Huge Problem”
Born and raised in Silicon Valley, Gulshan did not want to give in to the stereotypical representation of the area. Silicon Valley is known for being an epicenter for software, technology, and media development.
“A land of opportunity,” Gulshan states, yet his goal wasn’t to help invent the next flashy piece of technology. He wanted “A simple solution to a huge problem,” which is the basis of PATH.
"Started from the Bottle, Now We’re Here"
Gulshan points out that being in the beverage industry is very competitive. The desire to continue to innovate is critical. However, he and his team have successfully kept up with the fast-paced Food and Beverage Industry. PATH currently sells three types of water in its reusable bottles.
- Still Water– for the majority of consumers, is PathWater’s purest filtered water with added electrolytes. PathWater carries it’s Still Water in a simple ivory white reusable bottle, bearing the PathWater logo on the front.
- Sparkling Water– for those who like a little fizz to their daily hydration, you can find this water cased in a light royal blue reusable bottle.
- Alkaline Water– for PathWater’s athletic community, this water comes in a sleek, jet-black reusable bottle.
You can also purchase/preorder a limited-edition reusable bottle as well. These bottles save the Earth from single-use plastic pollution and raise awareness to charities such as the Wounded Warrior Project. With each bottle sold, a donation is made to the following charity the bottle supports.Consumers can purchase bottle accessories on PATH website, too. You can buy bottle sleeves in an array of colors along with swing caps at an affordable price.
New flavors, new products, and alongside working with nonprofit organizations like the mentioned WWP, that’s how PATH company has made its mark in the Food and Beverage industry—being ranked the “Second Fastest-Growing Private Company in Food and Beverage in the Entire Country.” Their growth has been tremendous over the last 5 years.
Change the Status Quo
During our conversation with Gulshan, we asked a particular question “What do you look for in a potential new hire? “His answer, in summary, is an answer we hope other companies and businesses learn to adapt to their new hire process. What is that process?
Stop asking college students to already have three to five years of “work-related experience” under their belt right when they graduate. Gulshan firmly states that this model is “broken”. Gulshan likes to see different qualities in new hires. Leadership, a willingness to work with a team, and a drive to bring creative ideas to the table are the attributes Gulshan and his team seek out in new hires.
“That’s how you get ahead, hire people that are much smarter than you,” Gulshan states.
“The Challenge Changes Day After Day”
Global Supply Chain delays: Companies cannot produce their product or service in a manageable period. A powerful quote from Gulshan, talks about the challenges every business big or small is facing right now. Supply shortages, inflation rates, and shipping costs pose some difficulty for PATH, yet this doesn’t stop Gulshan. “You’re solving problems on a daily basis.”
SFSU ALUMNI
Global Supply Chain delays: Companies cannot produce their product or service in a manageable period. A powerful quote from Gulshan, talks about the challenges every business big or small is facing right now. Supply shortages, inflation rates, and shipping costs pose some difficulty for PATH, yet this doesn’t stop Gulshan. “You’re solving problems on a daily basis.”
Where to Next?
PATH started with him and his team selling water out of the back of their cars. They all used to work in a tiny office space and spent a lot of their time going door to door. With all the success, it’s inevitable the question, what’s next for PATH?
“We wanna build new businesses that does something good for the planet.” In 2-3 years, Gulshan hopes to sell PATH so he and his team can move on to other projects.
Lessons & Advice
With six years of experience, we asked Gulshan what would be a piece of advice he would give to future entrepreneurs. His answer is, “Don’t give up.” Mental capacity, he notes, is a considerable component you need to develop to be able to handle the pressure you will always have on your shoulders.
A “Strong Mindset” is very crucial; choose a business you are passionate about pursuing. “If it feels like a chore… you’re going to struggle.”
To Our Readers
You don’t have to create the newest product or have the most original idea to be successful. All it takes is being passionate, having a great team, resources, and good business knowledge for success to follow. Look towards the future and create the proper scale for all projects you start, it won’t happen overnight, but you will see results.
Special Thanks
Birdseye thanks Gulshan Kumar for taking the time to sit down with us and have this fantastic conversation. We wish you, your team, and PATH the best of luck, and we look forward to seeing future projects from you.