#361 - From Ecuador to Your Table in 24 Hours: How UrbanStems Built a Time-Critical Supply Chain

Meenakshi Lala is the CEO of UrbanStems, an online floral gifting company that designs, sources, and delivers high-quality, curated bouquets and gifts across the U.S. She brings over two decades of operational experience from leading brands in fashion and retail such as Alice + Olivia, Juicy Couture, and Elie Tahari. Her expertise in scaling complex businesses and building operational excellence now fuels UrbanStems’ growth as a leader in the industry.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Blaine and Meenakshi explore the complex world of DTC flower delivery: from sourcing stems globally, managing cold chain logistics, forecasting inventory, and reducing spoilage, to ensuring the end customer receives a high-quality bouquet every time. Meenakshi candidly discusses the challenges of seasonality, tariffs, international shipping, and why a robust brand and customer-centric approach are keys to thriving in today’s fast-moving e-commerce landscape.

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On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. The complexities of the floral industry and perishability
2. The evolution of e-commerce in the flower business
3. Building a robust and agile international supply chain
4. Cold chain logistics and fulfillment center operations
5. Planning, forecasting, and reducing spoilage in inventory
6. Unique challenges: tariffs, customs, and unpredictable events
7. Customer experience: packaging, instructions, and communications
8. Curation, personalization, and expanding gifting moments
9. Driving growth through brand, loyalty, and education
10. Lessons learned in leadership and staying agile

Timestamps
00:00 Meenakshi’s career journey and joining UrbanStems
04:49 Key learnings from legacy brands and focus on brand ethos
07:21 Operational challenges unique to the floral industry
11:00 The evolution of flowers in e-commerce and UrbanStems’ role
14:28 How Urban Stems’ supply chain is structured for freshness
16:37 International sourcing, design, and bouquet assembly process
18:27 Managing supply chain risks: tariffs and customs
21:45 Inventory planning, spoilage, and matching supply to demand
24:45 Supply chain as a business moat and high-precision operation
25:36 Customer fulfillment: hydration, packaging, and experience
28:34 Packaging complexities and spec sheets per SKU
30:08 Lessons from moving from COO to CEO
32:19 How operational expertise shapes strategic leadership
34:17 Customer feedback and new initiatives at UrbanStems
38:02 Growth channels: brand loyalty, curation, and gifting moments
41:58 Biggest CEO learnings and future outlook
43:51 Where to find Meenakshi and UrbanStems online

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  

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Meenakshi Lala - CEO at UrbanStems
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic