Background
The Overstory Co. was born from a pattern we couldn’t ignore: visionary founders launching ambitious brands without the systems to hold them. After years inside test kitchens, production labs, sourcing networks, and founder-led studios, we saw the same cracks repeating - burnout disguised as momentum, messy backends stalling growth, and teams scaling fast without the structure to sustain it.
We spent those years working from cramped apartments, clashing time zones, and inside creative ventures across the US, UK, and Australia - building from the ground up, often with limited resources but deep vision. That’s where we learned what actually makes a brand endure: not hype, but clarity. Not chaos, but rhythm. The Overstory Co. was created to bring that structure, strategy, and long-view thinking to independent brands ready to grow with integrity.
TEAM & collaborators
SMITA SATIANI
Concept to Launch · CPG Product Dev · Climate & Sustainability Expert
Smita Satiani is a former CPG entrepreneur and climate strategist who has spent nearly two decades at the intersection of food, sustainability, social impact, and emerging technology. She co-founded Alaya Tea (2018–2025), a loose-leaf tea company built in partnership with regenerative organic Indian farmers and artisans, scaling a self-funded idea into a five-fold growth business with over 100 U.S. stockists, a fully compostable packaging supply chain, and features in Vogue India, Food & Wine, Martha Stewart Living, Bon Appétit, New York Magazine, and the BBC, among others. Her career spans GoogleX, The White House, and Ashoka — where she has helped launch and scale breakthrough climate and social impact businesses into the world. She’s energized by building what doesn’t exist yet, and turning visionary products into grounded, lasting change.
CRISHA ARI
Sustainable Business Operations · Product Operations · Founder Support
Crisha Ari brings over a decade of experience working alongside founders, artists, and high-growth teams across the US, UK, and Australia. She’s led product development, partnerships, and cross-functional programs for start-ups and established companies, guiding ideas from concept to shelf. Her work spans CPG, personal care, hospitality, and experience design; supporting mission-led independents and global corporations in building brands, systems, and products with depth and an intentional eye on scale
ANDREW LEE
Finance & Growth Strategy · Business Modeling · Scale
Andrew Lee brings a financial and strategic lens to businesses navigating growth. He works with founders and leadership teams to translate ambitious ideas into clear financial models, operating plans, and decisions about where and how to scale. His work sits at the intersection of finance, strategy, and operations, helping teams understand the economics behind their business, pressure-test opportunities, and build toward sustainable growth. Andrew is particularly skilled at turning complexity into practical choices, giving founders the financial clarity and structure to move with greater confidence.
ANDREA NGUYEN
Brand Strategy · Messaging · Internal Communications
Andrea Nguyen works at the intersection of brand, communication, and organizational clarity. She helps founders and teams articulate what they stand for, translate that thinking into compelling messaging, and ensure the story carries consistently from the inside of a company outward. Her work spans brand strategy, positioning, messaging, and internal team communications, bringing coherence to how a business speaks, aligns, and shows up. Andrea is especially attuned to finding the language beneath an idea and turning it into a narrative that people can understand, believe in, and carry forward.
The Overstory Co. operates as a collaborative consultancy, bringing together strategists, designers, operators, and producers across New York City, Los Angeles, New Orleans, London, and Melbourne. Alongside our core leadership, we build teams intentionally around each client’s needs, ensuring every project is both strategically grounded and creatively aligned.