Man of the Month – Anchit Sachdev – getfresh

Hello, my name is Anchit Sachdev and I am the MD and co-founder of getfresh. My academic background had actually no correlation to hospitality, but during my years in University in UCLA, I worked across multiple quick service restaurants for additional disposable income. I worked with brands that specialized in single products such as pizza, donuts, burgers, pretzels, smoothies, coffee, candy etc. At the same time, I was also working in the Management Development for Entrepreneur department to help support the fostering and skill enhancements of entrepreneurs in the Los Angeles area. I did not go through culinary training as such, but I was inclined to marry quick service food as a product and entrepreneurship. I began my entrepreneurship journey with various food formats, which included operating a successful Southeast Asian quick service across numerous cities in India for 6 years. For personal reasons, I returned back to Thailand and began discussions with my co-founder, Sid, who was in the midst of researching various quick service salad brands to bring to Bangkok and asked me to join him. Growing up in a household where sport and nutrition was extremely prevalent and important in my day-to-day life, this project spoke to me. Hence, this began the journey and result of what you see today with getfresh, where taste and health can co-exist and transparency has been key in helping our customers achieve their personal lifestyle goals.

At getfresh, we are committed to providing equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender. We pride ourselves on a diverse workforce, with women holding key positions both in our corporate offices and at the store level. In fact, the majority of our store managers are women. Our philosophy is simple: we hire the best person for the job, without bias or preconceived criteria. By fostering an inclusive environment where gender is not a factor, we naturally create a culture where empowerment is a given, not an initiative.

I would say that both Thai and Indian cultures have strong family values, hence the parents’ perspectives on society use to have a strong influence on the mindset of their children while growing up. In the case of inclusion, in some instances, Thais were more progressive while in other Indians were more. However, in the last decade or so, due to social media influence, access to world media, and organization/government led social initiatives, both Thai and Indians have become more global and are quickly moving into a more inclusive direction.

I wouldn’t like to generalize Thai and Indian women as I see it as more personality driven when it comes to personal and professional growth. I have witnessed extremely ambitious and successful Thai and Indian women throughout my career. I believe whether as men or women, as we attain more success, we need to maintain humility and a lifelong commitment to learning.

My advice to women who aspire to become entrepreneurs is to select to work with the people that will go out to bat for you and really believe in your vision. This is true especially in the early stages, where every decision has a monumental impact on the survival of the business. Having said that, it is also important to gain the respect of the team by rolling up your sleeves and participating and supporting every aspect of the business. This will go a long way into building the creditability of being a respected leader.

It is challenging for me to identify just one person as a role model. I admire individuals who face challenges with resilience and a positive attitude. For me, true admiration goes beyond mere success; it lies in those who navigate obstacles with grace and determination. I’m also inspired by those who have supported me selflessly throughout my career and approach life with a genuinely positive mindset. These are the kind of people who would not even want to be named. These qualities—resilience, grace, and selflessness—are what I respect most and strive to embody in my own journey.