At the helm of Alps Beauty Group, Dr Bharti Taneja and her daughters Gunjan Taneja and Ishika Taneja are revolutionising the beauty industry in their unique ways. In a candid conversation with Vidhi Arya, the trio reveals how they continue to grow and glow together.
In the 1980s, when the Indian beauty industry was in a nascent stage, Dr Bharti Taneja came up with the idea of beauty clinics. She set up Alps Beauty Group in New Delhi. Alps Beauty brought to light an amalgamation of beauty, science, and technology for clients.
Going by the philosophy of working with passion and persistence, Alps Beauty Group expanded rapidly and achieved significant milestones. It has now emerged as one of India’s leading beauty and wellness brands. Owing to this, some of the ventures that form a part of the company are Alps Academy, Vanya Beauty Products, and Bharti Taneja Foundation.
Dr Taneja’s daughters, Gunjan Taneja and Ishika Taneja, inherited her fondness for the industry and joined her in the family business. Here is an excerpt from the interview with the trio:
Dr Bharti Taneja
For Dr Bharti Taneja, uplifting the lives of people through her foundation gives her immeasurable peace and professional satisfaction. Making people self-sufficient by enhancing their skills is a pure delight, she said. Furthermore, she finds happiness in the satisfaction of her clients. Seeing her clients confident and happy with her services, too, brings her pleasure.
While speaking about her daughters, Dr Taneja said she has always taught them to be honest and hardworking. She is really proud of their work ethic and the way they handle their responsibilities. While Gunjan is exemplary at sales, Ishika is excellent at the beautification of all facets, Dr Taneja explained.
The daughters: Gunjan Taneja and Ishika Taneja
Gunjan Taneja is the Director of Alps Beauty. She started getting involved with the business after she completed her schooling. During her graduation days at Lady Irwin College, New Delhi, she assisted her mother in her free time. “I had a pager, and I used to get a message stating the branch I need to go to. Me and mom used to meet and work at the branch mentioned,” Gunjan told Professional Beauty India.
While stating what she appreciates the most about her mother, she said, “I am deeply inspired by her work ethic and honesty. Recently, mom became the president and I became the vice president of CTI, Beauty Products Council. So now, we have stepped into the product industry of India, which is a larger scenario. These positions will help us bring a lot of changes in the coming future. I am really proud of it and looking forward to it.”
Ishika is the Executive Director at Alps Beauty. She attended the London School of Beauty and Make-Up and later did a course at Cinema School in Hollywood. She gained exposure to various innovations and technologies and returned to India to join her mother’s business. Also, she has been crowned Business Woman of the Year at Miss World Tourism in 2017.
Ishika recalls, “When I was in third grade, I designed the concept of Alps Kids Parlor. Me and my mother curated the whole theme; from the interiors to the services we could provide and the games and experience we could arrange for the kids walking in.”
The roles they play
The three of them handle the business in close collaboration. While primary roles are defined, they believe in being involved in everything and helping whereever needed. Dr Taneja is the face of the company and manages public relations. Additionally, she is also involved in introducing new concepts, products, and techniques. Apart from all this, she is immersed in research and development and machinery at Alps Beauty.
Dr Taneja feels it is important to give due consideration to the ideas her daughters bring to the table. She believes since they come from a new generation, their worldview is wider. With all the exposure and experience, they are always beaming with ideas and strategies. Besides, brainstorming new concepts leads to growth.
Resolving conflicts
Ishika believes that in every enterprise people have their own ideas and values and that can lead to occasional conflicts. Additionally, Dr Taneja said, “In a family, there are no conflicts, only disagreements and discussions.” The family unanimously feels no conflict is a hindrance for them.
The Tanejas have a clear strategy for resolving disagreements. “Whenever a conflict arises, all four of us — mom, dad, and both of us — sit together and write down the positives and negatives. We have an unbiased discussion on the topic,” Gunjan explained. They arrive at a conclusion based on majority. Additionally, they review their decisions after some time and make any amendments if needed.
Mother’s Day
Both of Dr Taneja’s daughters believe that mothers are so special that they need to be celebrated every single day. Ishika dearly cherishes the concept of Mother’s Day. “When you get a special day to celebrate your mother and make her feel special, I think nothing can be better than that,” she said. Dr Taneja agrees with this. She expressed, “I always welcome celebrations. To celebrate a person and shower them with love is a very special feeling. We must celebrate our mothers every single day, not just on Mother’s Day.”
Article by – Vidhi Arya