Crstl

No-code EDI for modern brands, manufacturers, and wholesalers. We code so that you don't have to. 😃

[Dipti Desai @diptidesaisf]

One of the questions that I get asked often is: What kind of tools and tech should retail brands use to run operations effectively?

To begin with, managing retail operations is far more complex than simply selecting a collection of tools and assuming the job is done.

The tools you should select and utilize are largely determined by the stage of your business lifecycle.

Are you operating a digitally native brand, or are you focused on wholesale and dropship?

Your tech stack will differ depending on where your brand is in its growth.

Here's the key: deeply understand your business model and goals.

It's critical to understand your context first.

Understanding where you are in the retail landscape will guide you toward the tools that make the most sense for you.

It's like building the foundation for your operations.

Once that is established, you then need to decide how to manage the key components of your business.

For a brand that is just starting, something as simple as Google Sheets or Excel might work to track product info, customer data, and inventory.

But once you reach a certain scale, you'll likely need to move to more robust systems, like an ERP.

Order management is another area where good tech matters.

Let's say you're receiving orders from various channels—direct-to-consumer, Amazon, or third-party retailers. In this case, the logistics get complicated fast.

You might be working with multiple warehouses or 3PLs, each with different fulfillment strategies.

The challenge lies in managing and routing those orders correctly across different warehouses and fulfillment providers.

You might start small, fulfilling orders from your home, but as you scale, your needs change.

And once you've reached a certain scale, it might be time to look at your fulfillment provider.

- Are they still up to the task, or is it time for a change?
- Should you complement them with another partner?

So my top advice is: start small, scale smart, and invest in operational excellence from the beginning. Focus on your growth stage and choose tools that scale with your business.

What tools have helped you manage your retail operations more smoothly?

[Crstl @CrstlTech]

@diptidesaisf Love it!

[Dipti Desai @diptidesaisf]

Here is an inescapable fact: If you're not moving forward, you fall behind.

This is why continuous learning is a must.

One of my biggest learnings is that "repetition doesn't spoil the prayer."

Let me explain:

At the beginning of the year, I was determined to focus on growing.

I wasn't sure exactly how to go about it, but I knew one thing for sure—I had to be intentional.

It wasn't enough to rely on a few big moments.

Instead, I leaned into the power of small, consistent efforts, and I was surprised by how much progress I made.

Here's the backstory:

When I started @CrstlTech, one of my first decisions was to re-iterate key priorities consistently across the team.

Whether we were in a general team meeting or a product engineering huddle, we made sure to communicate the top priorities.

We discussed trade-offs, clarified goals, and reinforced what was most important.

Over time, I saw that everyone on the team became naturally well-aligned with the broader objectives and with each other.

By clarifying our priorities, we all got on the same page, and we could quickly dive into new projects without wasting time on back-and-forth discussions.

Another key learning? Having single-threaded ownership is a game-changer.

When people feel that sense of accountability, they own their projects with more passion and autonomy.

It's not about micromanaging; it's about trust and responsibility.

This clarity allowed us to speed up and ship products with more confidence.

And then there was this (which was more of a reassurance):

Global distribution doesn't have to slow you down.

I was amazed by how well our globally distributed teams could collaborate and build products using modern tools and frameworks.

A decade or even five years ago, it felt impossible to have such smooth coordination, but today, the playbook has evolved.

Teams are spread out, but they function as a single unit, thanks to the power of remote tools and clear, consistent communication.

In my opinion, the key to staying ahead in a competitive marketplace is to build, measure, learn, and adapt.

This cycle doesn't just lead to results—it guarantees growth.

[Dipti Desai @diptidesaisf]

"How I Built This" by Guy Raz has to be my absolute go-to podcast.

I love how raw the stories are.

The podcast features entrepreneurs taking the plunge and starting from scratch—at different points in their lives.

Every episode has been a masterclass for me.

These are real stories of people building businesses from the ground up—each with their circumstances, yet their challenges always follow a pattern.

Learning from the experiences of others is invaluable.

It can guide your decisions and actions, helping you avoid well-known pitfalls while leaving room to make new mistakes and discoveries.

To be honest, the mental models I have gleaned from these stories have been immensely helpful in my journey of building and scaling @CrstlTech.

"The Checklist Manifesto" by Surgeon and Writer Atul Gawande is another classic piece.

At Crstl, we rely heavily on the insights from this book to guide our processes and decision-making.

The book shows how simple checklists can lower risks and improve efficiency across industries.

While we don't deal with life-or-death situations—we are building a mission-critical platform for our customers and partners.

So, every step we take counts.

This is why we swear by the checklist model: for everything from onboarding new team members to rolling out features and ensuring seamless support.

For us, if it's not on the checklist, it's almost as good as forgotten.

Then there's "Setting the Table" by Danny Meyer.

A hospitality leader and restaurateur, Danny teaches a powerful lesson—take care of your team; they will take care of your customers.

At @CrstlTech, we live by this.

Our goal is to build a high-performing culture while delivering an outstanding experience for our customers and partners.

Would love to hear your thoughts—what are your top picks when it comes to podcasts or books for scaling your business?

[Ben Zises @bzises]

Most of your job as an investor is to make intelligent investment decisions based on a thoroughly researched thesis and diligence process on an industry, technology, product or founder.

But every once and a while, you just have a gut feeling about a founder… even if you don’t fully understand the tech or initial product vision they lay out.

I’ve experienced this more than a few times before. I’m so confident in this instinct by now that when I sense this feeling in my gut, I lean in instead of bowing out.

@CrstlTech and https://t.co/0XwUjIhTJJ are two such examples.

Both companies are captained by extremely accomplished founders who are building promising tech in their fields. But, in each case, I was investing in the FOUNDER before the company and business model were fully formed.

When I invested in Crstl, @diptidesaisf was still figuring out the business model for the company. I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t fully understand what she was working on. But, I had such conviction in Dipti and her process that I confidently wrote a check.

Same thing at Grocers List, where I wrote a pre-seed check as a way of betting on the founder. Now, the business is just starting to take off and @jabbawy is proving my instinct correct!

My takeaway from all this?

Building businesses is all about the people. And sometimes an investment decision has nothing to do with the business.

[Crstl @CrstlTech]

@diptidesaisf "Oh, shit" moments happen but they help us learn a ton!

[Dipti Desai @diptidesaisf]

Like everyone else, I have had my fair share of "how did we miss that?" moments.

Looking back now, each of these setbacks has taught me a lot.

Let me explain.

One of the biggest lessons at @CrstlTech came from an early decision about a vendor.

We had to choose a technical vendor for a part of our software platform infrastructure.

This vendor we selected, but quickly had to stop working with, is widely known and well-regarded.

But as we began implementations, the cracks started to show, and it was clear that we had made a costly mistake.

The vendor's solution lacked some fundamental features. Features we assumed—incorrectly—would be included.

This wasn't a minor inconvenience.

These gaps threatened to derail a meaningful part of our envisioned customer experience.

So what did we do?

We wasted no time in addressing the problem:

- We paused implementation immediately and rolled back the decision to work with the vendor

- Internally, we conducted a retrospective to understand how we got here

- The root cause became obvious: we didn't have a checklist—we hadn't defined a short list of non-negotiables in our vendor screening process.

If you recall a previous post, checklists are an important part of how we execute anything at Crstl

What changed?

From that moment, we doubled down on a checklist-first approach:

We decided we needed to:

> Identify 3-4 must-have features before engaging with vendors

> Stick to these criteria, no matter the reputation or demo

> Go back to the checklist for every critical decision

We restarted the vendor selection process, this time with a stronger framework.

The vendor we chose has been a great fit and continues to support our goals.

Such "oh, shit" moments will catch you off guard. When that happens, don't run from it—seize it.

Consider it as an opportunity to regroup, grow, and build better.

What's been your biggest "oh, shit!" moment, and how has it shaped your journey?

[Chad Carleton 🪄📦 @ChadCarleton]

@aaronrubin @russelh15 For you EDI people, here’s my obligatory mention of @diptidesaisf and @CrstlTech 😄

[Crstl @CrstlTech]

@diptidesaisf Accurate!

[Dipti Desai @diptidesaisf]

Here's my roundup of the top 3 mistakes brands make while scaling into retail.

After working with 100+ brands, it is clear that expanding in retail and going omnichannel is not for the faint of heart. It is complex, fast-paced, and unforgiving.

Some of the mistakes that have stood out repeatedly are:

1. Thinking retail is just DTC but with a twist.

Retail isn't a plug-and-play extension of DTC.

Assuming your DTC formula will work on shelves or online marketplaces is a rookie move.

Retail calls for sharper messaging, packaging that pops off the shelf, and pricing and bundling ideal for retailer expectations and shopper habits.

A snack brand that sells like hotcakes online might sit untouched on a retail shelf.

2. Ignoring operational excellence

Scaling without rock-solid operations is asking for chaos. Operational excellence is more than choosing suppliers or 3PL partners.

Inventory systems, SOPs, and team alignment aren't optional—they are the backbone of a successful business.

Sloppy operations lead to missed deliveries, financial losses, team burnout, and in some cases, going out of business altogether.

3. Failing to hire retail experts

Let's be honest, you can't wing it in retail.

Retail is its own beast—trying to manage with your existing DTC team is not going to work out.

Treat retail like a new business line, not just another channel.

This means you need to hire and train retail experts for sales, account management, forecasting, planning, support—and really, across the board.

Expanding into B2B retail and marketplaces, the stakes are high, but so are the rewards.

I would love to know—what other mistakes have you seen brands make when expanding beyond DTC, and some of your favorite best practices?

[Crstl @CrstlTech]

@diptidesaisf #goals2025

[Dipti Desai @diptidesaisf]

It’s that time of the year again.

As we prepare to close out 2024 incredibly strong—our focus is sharper than ever.

Every late night, milestone, and decision lays the groundwork for an exciting 2025.

Planning. Preparing. Scaling.

Here’s what’s next for Crstl in 2025:

1. Significantly expanding our reach

We’re set to 6x our customer base and 3x our partner network.

This is about getting our product into the hands of more businesses that can benefit from what we are building.

Why? Because the market demand for what we do has been overwhelmingly validated in 2024.

We’re doubling down on making Crstl more accessible and impactful for customers and partners alike.

2. Deepening our product capabilities

-- More integrations: Expanding ERP, WMS, and other critical systems support.
-- Broader use cases: Empowering operations, finance, and merchandizing leaders with tailored yet scalable solutions.
-- Enhanced reliability: This has always been part of our DNA, and it’ll remain a key focus as we continue to grow.

Our platform is mission-critical for our customers and partners, and we’re committed to making it indispensable.

3. Doubling our team

We’re scaling our incredible team to keep pace with our ambitious goals and strong market pull.

New talent will help us execute faster and to keep innovating.

2024 proved that the opportunity ahead of us is immense.

With a clear roadmap and an undeterred drive to execute, we’re heading into 2025 with bold ambitions and well-earned confidence.

Here’s to the hard work, belief, and determination that will make it all happen.

[Crstl @CrstlTech]

@diptidesaisf Love this philosophy!

[Dipti Desai @diptidesaisf]

As I build my team, I am often asked what hiring philosophies I hold dear.

Now, as your team and business grows, your leadership style must naturally evolve.

I have seen this happen personally: transitioning from hands-on management to enabling others, learning to pick my battles, and placing even more emphasis on soft skills and cross-functional leadership.

That said, two hiring philosophies remain constant for me:

1. Incredible work ethic is non-negotiable.

There’s no substitute for a strong work ethic. If you’re not ready to bring that to the table, @CrstlTech isn’t the right place for you.

To be clear, this isn’t about long hours or burnout.

It’s about your approach to work—how you think, solve problems, and commit to delivering results.

Hitting deadlines is essential, but what really matters even more is how thoughtfully and efficiently you achieve those outcomes.
At Crstl, this mindset isn’t just valued—it’s expected.

2. A mix of experience and perspectives drives success.

When building a team, I rely on a simple 2x2 matrix.

This matrix has two main parts:

- Career stage: Are you early-career or mid-career+?
- Industry expertise: Are you an insider or an outsider?

Here’s how the matrix breaks down:

- Career stage: Early-career professionals with fresh energy versus experienced professionals with refined skills.

- Industry expertise: Insiders who deeply understand the space versus outsiders who bring innovative, cross-industry perspectives.

Having this mix helps ensure the team isn’t too narrowly focused on traditional ways of working or too disconnected from domain-specific knowledge.

At Crstl, this diversity in skills and perspectives evolves as we grow. It’s not about equal distribution—it’s about having the right balance for the company’s current stage.

What are your non-negotiables when it comes to hiring?

[Ryan Floyd 🇺🇸 @RyanFloyd]

@diptidesaisf @CrstlTech Congratulations on a great year! Look forward to hearing about all the amazing things to come in 2025.

[Ann Marie Guzzi @amguzzi]

@diptidesaisf @CrstlTech Dipti, #1 and #2 are INSANE!! Way to go

[Crstl @CrstlTech]

@diptidesaisf Yep, this is what an EDI is.

[Dipti Desai @diptidesaisf]

EDI is not a technology.

This is one of the biggest misconceptions in e-commerce and retail.

Let me explain EDI in simple terms: It's not about fancy tools or complex systems.

It’s a language—a data schema.

Think of it as the universal translator that helps businesses talk to each other, no matter where they’re from.

Let’s use English as an analogy:

English, despite all its versions and dialects, has become the global language of business—spoken fluently by approximately 1.5 billion people around the world.

Why? Because it makes communication simple and efficient.

Imagine a room with five people, all speaking different languages. Without a common language to connect them all, it’s chaos.

With English, we’re all on the same page, which means less confusion and faster results.

→ Now, back to EDI:

EDI works the same way for businesses.

It provides a standardized way for companies to exchange crucial information like purchase orders, shipment notices, and invoices.

It’s not the tool itself - it’s the rulebook for how the tools interact.

Much like English makes global trade possible via written and verbal communication, EDI enables smooth digital transactions at scale between companies, big and small.

At @CrstlTech, we’ve taken this idea further.

- We speak many languages of data, such as EDI/X12, API/JSON, FTP/CSV, and more.
- We code so you don’t have to - unless you want to.
- Crstl becomes your data connectivity and operations agent for smaller brands without developers.

What does Crstl bring to the table?

- An AI-driven network of trading partners and integrations.
- A no-code EDI workflow that simplifies connecting with major retailers and distributors.
- Tools that empower businesses—whether suppliers, retailers, or logistics providers—to transact effortlessly.

Want to see how Crstl helps brands and manufacturers thrive in today’s market?

Drop me a line below.

[Crstl @CrstlTech]

@diptidesaisf Love how awesome the community has been this year!

[Dipti Desai @diptidesaisf]

2024 has been one for the books.

As we wrap up the year at @CrstlTech, I can’t help but reflect with gratitude. Building from scratch is no easy feat—every day brings new challenges and uncertainties.

Yet, these wins remind us why we started and keep us going strong.

Here are Crstl’s 3 biggest wins of 2024:

1. Zero churn:

- Across our entire customer base, we’ve had a 100% renewal rate this year.
- Not a single customer left us.
- This incredible milestone simply shows the trust and partnership we’ve built with our customers.

To everyone who renewed with us this year—thank you for believing in @CrstlTech.

2. Unsolicited love from the community

- From LinkedIn shoutouts to surprise testimonials, 2024 was filled with moments that caught us off guard (in the best way).
- These genuine expressions of support and validation are a huge win for us.
- They remind us that what we’re building resonates beyond the walls of our virtual office.

On a side note: We didn’t ask for these shoutouts, which makes them all the ore special. Seeing our customers and partners share their love for Crstl gives us renewed purpose every single day.

3. Word of mouth speaks volumes.

- A growing number of customers are finding us through referrals or their own research.
- For a company that has done minimal marketing, this is a massive win.
- It’s proof that what we’re building is making waves organically.

This trend speaks to the strength of our product and the value it creates. I will be honest—it’s humbling and exhilarating all at once.

As we step into 2025, these wins inspire us to dream bigger and aim higher.

Cheers to another year of growth, resilience, and meaningful impact!