42 - How Fallen Palm Leaves Became a Seven-Figure Tableware Business

When her parties kept ending in piles of disposable plates, Pallavi Pande gave herself a new title — “Chief Dishwashing Officer” — then quit it for good. In this episode of Innovator Insights, the DTOCS founder shares how she turned naturally fallen palm leaves into a seven-figure sustainable tableware brand sold across three continents. Drawing on a decade in logistics, Pallavi reveals why she treats her factory partners like co-founders, how she cracked all three of Amazon’s selling platforms to go from $0 to $100K in six months, and the lessons from two failed businesses that shaped her approach. Her advice for founders: start small, set a deadline, and never sell a product you wouldn’t use yourself.