Taking on an entrepreneurial journey is never easy, but the women we see in our industry make it look effortless and graceful. This Women’s Day, we highlight some women in the beauty and hair industry who have elevated its standards with their immense hard work and wisdom.
Women can do it all, both on and off the field. And when they step into entrepreneurial shoes, the expeditions they cover are worth admiring. Keeping that in mind, Vidhi Arya from Professional Beauty India spoke to some shining stars, the women in beauty and hair, to learn from their journeys.
Here’s what some of the women entrepreneurs in beauty and hair industry have to share:
Shirin Merchant | Founder of Kut n Make Salon
“The journey of being an entrepreneur was never aimed at in my case. It was a very gradual shift, which happened from being an artist to being a salon owner, and it just happened very gradually and gracefully without much effort on advertising and marketing.
The only thing that worked for me was word of mouth publicity. That is nearly 28 years ago without any Instagram and social media existing.
I guess the shift happens when one keeps honing their skill. And, then one day arrives when it becomes a necessity to have a place of your own to accommodate people who keep flowing to you to get their hair and faces beautified and gradually, you realise you just moved on to becoming an entrepreneur.
One of the biggest takeaways from this field is that ‘there is never a stop button, so you can pause, but never stop’. Learning and new developments and adaptations are a part of living as an artist and an entrepreneur and as humans at large.
Natasha Naegamvala | Owner and director Nalini of Nalini and Yasmin Salo
“Well, technically I don’t know if I am an entrepreneur because I’ve taken over from my mum. But, running an already existing salon which was a big brand back in the day, has certainly shown me what I want from the business. And I want a small, intimate salon where I can encourage women and men to be comfortable in their own skins. I’d like to have a salon which is self-sustainable (team-wise).
I should have the time to train and groom and should be able to rely on a team whose skill I trust with clients.
And my takeaway from my journey is that I know who I am, what I want from business, and that I’m not trying to compete with anyone else and I’m comfortable in that.”
Vaishali Shah | Founder of LTA School of Beauty
“My journey of being in the beauty industry begins from way back in 2003 when I was invited to open one of the leading salon brand franchises. When I opened the franchise from one to the second to third and then fourth, then I realised that there was a big dearth of manpower in the industry.
You know, if I opened a salon, the only way I could get my staff is from poaching from people around me. And I just thought that that’s not how the industry would grow. So that came an opportunity for me to look into something beyond and develop the manpower for the beauty industry. There came the birth of LTA School of Beauty in 2005. Again, I collaborated with a big brand and became their partners to run this academy. We did well, we did a lot of trainings, but we were, I think, ahead of time.
One thing that I learned from this journey, I’m sure there are ups and downs, and even this journey of mine did have ups and downs, but believe in yourself, have confidence. Stay put at what you do. And don’t let anyone shake you or your faith; that’s success. My whole journey of coming from 30 students a year in 2005 to now having 1000 plus students a year, I think it has been a commendable journey. So I would wish that people stay on, don’t change, and there’s no shortcut to success. It does take time, but definitely success would come in. That’s my message to all the young women entrepreneurs in this industry. Wishing everyone a happy Women’s Day.”
Megha Arora | Co-founder of 3TenX
“My journey in the beauty industry has been an incredible evolution. For over two decades, I’ve had the privilege of introducing transformative brands like Olaplex, Kevin Murphy, and Aveda to India—each redefining the way professionals and consumers experience haircare.
But beyond bringing global innovations to the market, I saw an opportunity to create something uniquely ours.
That’s where 3TENX was born, a brand that bridges the gap between salon expertise and everyday haircare. With 3TENX, the goal was clear: to deliver high-performance, stylist-approved solutions that are easy to use, effective, and accessible.
The Biggest Lesson? Resilience. The beauty industry is as dynamic as it is demanding. Trends come and go, but consumer needs are constantly evolving, and standing still is never an option. You have to be agile, listen intently, and most importantly, stay fearless. Because success isn’t just about launching a brand, it’s about creating something that truly matters.
For me, that has meant building a brand that professionals trust and consumers love, one that doesn’t just follow trends but sets new standards in haircare. The journey is ever-evolving, and that’s what makes it so exciting.”
Isha Mahabal | Co-founder of The Curl Co. and Founder of Alchemic Beauty
“You have to do bold and unconventional things to grow. Not taking any risk is the biggest risk you can take! Always stay curious to learn new things, always be ready to be flexible and pivot when necessary. Adaptability is key to stay relevant. My biggest takeaway from the industry is: hard work and dedication are key. You have to put in the efforts and time. There are no shortcuts.”