Ep 328 - The Hustle Behind GoEden

EPISODE INTRODUCTION

Juca Lacsina, Co-founder and CEO of GoEden – pioneering startup revolutionizing the agricultural supply chain in the Philippines. Juca shares her journey from growing up in a rural farming family to earning scholarships at prestigious institutions like UPLB, Michigan State, and Rutgers, recounting how these experiences shaped her vision for GoEden. Juca also discusses the challenges farmers face, from limited access to supplies to systemic inefficiencies, and how Go Eden is tackling these issues head-on. With insights into her disciplined upbringing, clarity of purpose, and the challenges of building a rural startup, Juca’s story exemplifies resilience, innovation, and the impact of returning home to create change.

Episode Timeline: 

[00:03:52] - Family’s struggles and the role of agriculture in her upbringing.

[00:10:03] - Educational Path: The Turning Point

[00:19:19] - Overcoming Financial and Academic Struggles

[00:25:01] - First International Opportunity: Michigan State University

[00:31:50] - Returning to Tarlac and Experimenting with Farming

[00:36:03] - Transition to Development Work and Lessons from Yolanda

[00:43:42] - Pursuing a Master’s at Rutgers University

[00:52:51] - Early challenges, conducting farmer interviews, and setting up operations.

[01:05:00] - Navigating Startup Challenges and Securing Funding

[01:12:33] - Expanding Go Eden and addressing systemic issues in the agricultural sector.

[01:26:00] - Building beyond Go Eden with clarity and focus.

[01:31:00] - How rural startups can inspire national progress.

[01:42:00] - Advice for aspiring founders: resilience, planning, and teamwork.

"Rest is as important as hustling because you never can pour from an empty cup.”

Links: 

LinkedIn (Juca Lacsina): https://www.linkedin.com/in/lacsinajc/
LinkedIn (GoEden): https://www.linkedin.com/company/goedenph/

Website (GoEden): https://goedenph.com/

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