Peasy: Revolutionizing How Small Brands Operate with Free Software

Seattle’s newest startup, Peasy, is taking a bold approach to solving a persistent problem for small consumer goods companies. The company recently secured $2 million in pre-seed funding to build what they’re calling an operating system for independent food, beverage, and beauty brands – and in a surprising move, they’re giving the core product away for free. Founded in 2025 by former Shelf Engine executives Ryan Conti and Bryan Mitchiner, Peasy aims to help small brands escape from spreadsheet hell and streamline their operations. The company’s timing couldn’t be better, as independent consumer-goods companies continue to proliferate but often lack the operational infrastructure to scale efficiently. Mitchiner brings particularly relevant experience to the venture, having previously founded and sold a CPG brand called Mustard & Co., giving him firsthand knowledge of the challenges these businesses face.

At its core, Peasy’s platform centralizes inventory and operational management for small brands that have traditionally relied on cumbersome spreadsheets to track everything from production to sales. According to early results, the system reduces manual data entry by approximately 60% – a significant time savings for entrepreneurs who are typically stretched thin across multiple roles. But the software goes beyond mere organization. Peasy’s system can forecast low stock situations, anticipate new manufacturing requirements, and identify changes in demand patterns. This predictive capability transforms the platform from a simple organizational tool into a strategic asset for growing brands, potentially helping them avoid costly inventory mistakes and missed opportunities. Seattle ice cream company Frankie & Jo’s is among the eight design partners already working with Peasy, with another 30 brands reportedly on the waitlist.

The most disruptive aspect of Peasy’s business model is undoubtedly its pricing strategy. In an era where software-as-a-service subscriptions have become the norm, Peasy is giving away its core inventory management software completely free. This counterintuitive approach stems from a straightforward realization that co-founder Conti articulated: “We’re competing with spreadsheets… and spreadsheets are free.” This insight reveals the true competition isn’t other software companies but rather the inertia and familiarity of existing tools, regardless of their limitations. By removing the cost barrier, Peasy eliminates a major obstacle to adoption, particularly for small businesses operating on tight margins. The zero-cost entry point appears to be resonating with potential customers, as Conti noted in a LinkedIn post that “Free is a hell of a wedge” when discussing the company’s successful fundraising efforts.

Rather than charging for the software itself, Peasy plans to generate revenue through standard payment processing fees on transactions that flow through its system. This includes payments to suppliers and invoices to customers – activities that represent the financial lifeblood of any consumer goods business. Aviel Ginzburg, general partner at Founders’ Co-op which co-led the funding round with Bread and Butter Ventures, described this as a “harmonic business model” where interests are naturally aligned. “It’s not a business built around software that you pay for – it’s mutually aligned outcomes where both the customer and the vendor share in the upside as they scale,” Ginzburg explained. This approach creates a growth partnership where Peasy only succeeds when its customers succeed, potentially fostering stronger relationships than traditional subscription models where fees remain fixed regardless of results.

The timing of Peasy’s launch coincides with broader discussions in the tech industry about how software will be monetized in the age of artificial intelligence. Many industry leaders are suggesting that AI-native businesses may need to move away from traditional seat-based subscription models toward consumption- or outcome-based pricing structures. While Peasy hasn’t explicitly positioned itself as an AI company, its transaction-based revenue model aligns with this evolving thinking about value capture in software. By tying its financial success directly to the transaction volume flowing through its platform, Peasy creates a natural incentive to continuously improve its product in ways that help customers grow their businesses. The approach also offers flexibility for brands of different sizes – a small startup might use the platform extensively while incurring minimal fees due to lower transaction volumes, while a scaling brand would generate more revenue for Peasy as their business expands.

Founders’ Co-op, one of the lead investors in Peasy’s funding round, has demonstrated particular interest in startups that aim to replace spreadsheets with more sophisticated solutions. Ginzburg noted that the firm is “obsessed with businesses that compete with spreadsheets,” having previously invested in Row Zero, another Seattle-based company rethinking how spreadsheets function. This investment thesis acknowledges the massive opportunity that exists in targeting the limitations of widely-used but often inefficient tools like spreadsheets. For the countless small consumer brands struggling with manual processes and disconnected systems, Peasy’s approach offers a compelling alternative: sophisticated inventory management at no upfront cost, with fees that scale naturally with business growth. If successful, Peasy could help level the playing field between independent brands and larger competitors with access to enterprise-grade systems, potentially accelerating innovation in the consumer goods space by removing operational barriers that have traditionally slowed growth for promising young companies.