At Brilliant Read Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited Dr. Tejashree Shah for an interview with Brilliant Read Media. To say further, Dr. Tejashree is a Startup Mentor, Transformation and Success Coach and Co-Founder of TANS. Let’s learn more about her background, inspiring journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Dr. Tejashree:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
My journey has been a bit of a zigzag—and I wouldn’t have it any other way. From motherhood to leading stakeholder engagement in the startup ecosystem to creating proprietary recipes for vegan smoothies to setting up a food manufacturing unit—my journey’s been anything but conventional.
When I started my career as a Communication Skills and English Language learning facilitator, priorities shifted, and I balanced two boats, raising my son while navigating high-stakes corporate trainings. A few years later, I was introduced to the Startup world and got totally engulfed by it.
My trainings are targeted towards Entrepreneurs and empowering them with the right mindset and tool set. I joined iCreate, one of the leading technology business incubators of India. At iCreate, I have led stakeholder engagement, board governance, accelerator programs, and global innovation outreach. I’ve spent years in the startup ecosystem, helping founders turn sparks of ideas into real-world businesses. I would have mentored more than 500 startups.
Years later, a personal health scare became a wake-up call. I needed to be extremely cautious as the pandemic struck and health needed to be given priority over full-time work. An entrepreneur at heart and being born in an entrepreneurial family, how could I just sit on the other side of the table? That’s when I realised how broken our food systems are—packed with additives, preservatives, and marketing spin. I decided to do something about it.
I swapped business suits for superfoods and co-founded TANS (Tasty Accessible Nutrition Support) with my son to serve conscious, clean nutrition. From our kitchen blender to a full-fledged brand, the journey has been about purpose, not just profit. This led us to set up a food manufacturing unit along with my son, Shashvat. This led us to set up a food manufacturing unit along with my son, Shashvat.
How did you discover your passion?
Raised in a family where dinner table conversations often doubled as strategic planning and execution lessons, entrepreneurship is basically in my DNA. With a career spent helping early-stage startups go from “what if” to “we’re live!”, I thrive on turning messy whiteboard ideas into sharp, scalable MVPs. Whether it’s product strategy, networking or simply asking the right tough questions—I’m all in. My passion? Helping innovators cut through the noise, find their edge, and build businesses that actually matter.
The passion to launch my own startup didn’t arrive in a flash of lightning—it brewed slowly, like a smoothie on blend mode! I think it began during motherhood when I became hyper-aware of what we feed our children and ourselves. Later, when I faced a personal health issue, the connection between nutrition and well-being hit me on a deeper level. I went down the rabbit hole—reading labels, researching ingredients, and questioning everything that claimed to be “healthy.”
I’ve always believed in innovation with integrity, and when I looked at the food space, I saw a real gap. My passion was born out of that—wanting to create honest, transparent products that nourish people without the additives and spin. What I found was frustrating but also energising.
I realised I was passionate about making nutrition real, clean, and accessible. Motherhood gave me perspective, and a personal health scare gave me purpose. I realised that clean, transparent nutrition wasn’t just a luxury—it was a necessity. That “aha” moment blended perfectly into the creation of TANS. It wasn’t just about launching a product; it was about building a movement around honest food. That’s how TANS was born.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
Empathy and execution don’t often show up in the same sentence—but that’s where I thrive. With an intrinsic understanding of what it takes to build from scratch (thank you, startup ecosystem and entrepreneurial genes), I help founders turn fuzzy ideas into focused MVPs.
What keeps me going? It’s the spark in a founder’s eyes when their vision clicks, or the warmth in a customer’s voice when they say, “this made a difference.” That’s the real ROI—and the reason I show up, even when the going gets gritty.
Working with my son, Shashvat, is also incredibly grounding. We challenge each other, learn from each other, and share a vision bigger than either of us. That shared purpose makes the late nights and tough calls worth it. Startups are not for the faint of heart—especially when you’re trying to disrupt an industry full of big-budget brands and louder voices. But every time I feel overwhelmed, I go back to our ‘why’. Real stories from real people.
When customers tell us our smoothies have helped them feel better or finally trust what’s on a label—that’s everything. Building TANS with my son also keeps me going. We’re not just building a brand; we’re building something meaningful together, and that makes even the toughest days worth it. And of course, sipping on our own smoothie—a clean, real, preservative-free one—definitely helps power through the chaos.
Dr. Tejashree Shah with her son Shashvat
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
Many life events, instances and interactions have shaped me into the person I am today. Sharing three phrases that I live by:
1) It goes on! (No matter what. It’s the motto I live by)
2) Knowing is owning. It’s all about knowledge
3) The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
a) Positive Mindset
b) Risk-taking ability
c) Resilience
d) Discipline
e) Embracing challenges
f) Developing skills
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Your Career Should Empower Your Life, Not Define It.
Before you dive headfirst into the job hunt or chase the next big title, take a beat. Ask yourself: What skills do I actually have? What do I enjoy doing? What kind of life do I want my career to fund—not just financially, but emotionally and mentally too?
You should be able to identify the key skills and personality traits needed to succeed in the field you’re eyeing. It’s not just about being “qualified”—it’s about being aligned. Do your strengths match the pace, the people, and the purpose of that industry?
Career decisions require a long view. Think beyond the first salary or the LinkedIn update. Where will this path take you in five or ten years? Will it grow with you, or box you in?
Make informed choices. Experiment early, fail fast, learn faster. The best careers are built at the intersection of what you’re good at, what lights you up, and what the world values. Build a professional life that doesn’t just pay the bills, but fits the life you actually want to live.
Because here’s the truth: success isn’t just about what you do, but how you feel while doing it.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
Startups come with chaos, curveballs, and caffeine dependency—but watching an idea go from scribble to shelf is pure magic. The appreciation, the grateful look in the eyes of a mentee. All make up for the barrage of texts and calls even at unwelcome times.
The real thrill? That spark in a founder’s eyes when it clicks or the “this changed my life” from a customer, and building something meaningful (and actually healthy!) with my son, Shashvat.
The messages from customers who feel better, live better, or feed their kids better because of TANS—they’re everything. We’re not just crafting all-natural, preservative-free vegan smoothies—we’re blending purpose and passion at www.tanslife.com. It’s legacy, empathy, and a lot of preservative-free grit. That’s what makes the rollercoaster worth every loop.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
