Leadership in Action: Calvin Walsh’s Journey to Transform the Food Supply Chain

We always leave the recording studios feeling grateful for the opportunity to learn from our guests, and our conversation with Calvin Walsh, CEO and founder of Unity Foods was no exception. Calvin is a dynamic and visionary leader, a dedicated entrepreneur, and a founder whose mission, vision, and values are lived out and operationalized at his company on a daily basis. It was a pleasure to sit down with Calvin and get a first-hand account of Unity Foods’ genesis and incredible growth. Over the course of our conversation, Calvin’s innate ingenuity and ability to pivot are clearly illustrated. He discusses previous ventures, lessons learned from failure, and how those endeavors informed the growth of Unity Foods. He also discusses how early challenges and other formative experiences have shaped him as a leader. Calvin was a young founder and he discusses the transformation and growth he went through as his team expanded and company scaled. He frequently refers to the importance of pushing himself to grow, the willingness to “fail forward,” and the desire to do something great. These values inform Calvin’s leadership, are central to the team he has built, and are at the heart of Unity Foods’ tremendous success. The company was recently recognized as one of the best places to work in Oregon and as the 13th fastest-growing company in the state.

We thank Calvin for this transparent, humble, and honest discussion. It was an honor to meet with him and we know you are going to love this episode of Hiring for Good!

Calvin’s Bio

Calvin Walsh began his career in politics, working on campaigns of all sizes throughout the United States. An entrepreneur at heart, Calvin launched Unity Foods in 2012 after identifying a supply chain gap in the food cart industry. Currently focused on delivering the world’s best food service products to independent restaurants in the Pacific Northwest, Unity Foods has experienced exponential growth over the last 12 years. Calvin has gone on to found other companies, he is a huge supporter of emerging business leaders and entrepreneurs, and he is an active and engaged community member who volunteers on boards and for local and national causes he believes in, including the environment, social justice, and economic equality.