From MIT engineering to Stanford MBA, Prashun Patel initially envisioned working at a Silicon Valley startup. However, a family connection drew him into a different kind of entrepreneurial journey: transforming a stalled fragrance company into a $40 million industry leader. 

Prashun began his career after MIT developing business applications for an IT consulting company. He left that position to pursue an MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business and had intended to join a technology startup in Silicon Valley. However, an entrepreneurship class assignment — a case study on his family’s business, Custom Essence — unexpectedly altered his path. Custom Essence, a designer and manufacturer of concentrated fragrance oils for consumer products, faced stagnating growth, and his father was approaching retirement. Seeing an opportunity to apply his skills, Prashun joined the company, determined to help it grow and scale.

Over the next 20 years, Prashun progressed through roles in Business Development, Software Engineering/IT, and Operations, ultimately becoming CEO. In that role, he managed all aspects of the business, transforming it from a boutique firm into a recognized competitor with $40 million in annual revenue and 70 employees, serving global consumer brands.

Prashun’s strategy centered on targeting high-margin market segments and, most notably, pioneering the market for natural fragrances. The company created a dedicated division, and as demand for their products exploded, growing twentyfold, he built the necessary technology, manufacturing, sales, and HR infrastructure to support sustainable scaling.

Prashun believes a CEO’s primary role is to listen to and support employees, set a clear and positive tone, and understand the details without micromanaging. He sets the professional and moral tone but recognizes and respects that the employees are the people who do the actual work and drive the company’s success.

In 2021, Prashun led the sale of Custom Essence to a strategic acquirer. He remained a consultant with the company through 2025, focusing on specific transition tasks. Today, much of his time is dedicated to managing and identifying targets for his family’s charitable fund.