In the beauty business, the legacy is usually passed from mother to daughter. However, there are a few exceptions. In today’s Mother’s Day Special series, Vidhi Arya gives you insight into the journey of the mother-son duo Sunita Pawar, Founder and Mukul Pawar, Director, Lookwell Salon. The two who have broken the barriers and made a mark for themselves in the Indian beauty industry.
India is a patriarchal society, where usually businesses are inherited by the sons. However, beauty is the only Indian business which works in a matriarchal culture. But Mukul Pawar of Lookwell Salon has broken the barriers of this matriarchal business. He has made a mark in the Indian beauty industry.
Here’s the excerpt from the interview:
Journey of Lookwell Salon:
Sunita Pawar added beauty to passion and started Lookwell Salon in 1996 with a small one-room set-up within the house. After nearly three decades, The Salon is today one of the leading premium beauty salon chains comprising 21 salons, 1 training academy & 1 Laser Clinic. With 315 trained Stylists, therapists, make-up artists, a professional salon management & corporate Team.
LookWell is also a pioneer in beauty education and its academy is a renowned institution in this field. Where its main goal is to empower students in the field of Hair, Skin, Makeup and Nails. It will result in enormous career opportunities in an industry that is recognised as the fastest growing industry in India
The Mother Who Passed The Baton
Sunita Pawar, who started her journey after a simple hair course from Jawed Habib, continued to swiftly enhance and beautify her skills from some renowned brands in the industry such as L’oreal, Tony and Guy, Hong Kong, Mr. Oscar Pereira.
With utmost dedication, a constant urge to provide nothing but the best to her clients and with an unending desire to learn, Sunita, along with her son, expanded the business to what it is today. Spearheading with skill and customer centricity, she emerged as one of the leading making artists in the whole of Mumbai.
The Second Generation Took Over
Before Mukul Pawar joined the business full-time, like most Indian boys back in the day, he did his Btech. And was working as an engineer in Pune. Being the responsible son that he was, even during his higher education and early years of his career, he was actively involved in the business. Hands-on engagement in the salon opened his eyes to how big the industry was and the quantum of opportunities that lied ahead of him. Finally, quitting his job, in 2014, he joined hands with his mother. He set his sight for great heights for the business that his mother started with a lot of grit.
However, It didn’t take him long to realise that to excel in the industry, he must know its intricacies inside–out. Starting from scratch, Mukul took several courses and immersed himself in improving his know-how. He also joined LORÉAL ARTH ACADEMY, a 6-month hairdressing course. That clubbed with his innate sense of entrepreneurship changed the game!
The Changing Trajectory Of The Business:
The only thing constant in this world is change. To be able to adapt to the change and cater to it is a key ingredient for growth. This mother-son duo realised it early on in the business.
Not just on the best technique, latest products, and impeccable machinery, the duo laid emphasis on building a strong spine for the brand by hiring capable staff. They brought hierarchy and departmentalisation into the beauty business at a time when the industry was largely unorganised.
Coming from a corporate background, Mukul realised that the team plays an important role in bringing success to a brand. Having worked their way around building a talented team, they now have narrowed down to three core aspects when it comes to bringing in the best staff. Skills of a person, followed by their communication skills, and then aspirations. At Lookwell, it’s believed that anyone with a blend of top-class skills, polished communication, body language, and a yearning to succeed will always be able to cater to the clients in the best possible manner. Further, these are the individuals who’ll take the business forward with them while working on their own growth.
Learning from their own curve, one thing that the duo believes is that there is always a scope for improvement. Having a great staff does not suffice. Continuously training and improving the team is a sure-shot formula for customer satisfaction and for success. At Lookwell, the staff is regularly upskilled and conditioned to enable them to take the next step in their career. Tie-ups with leading brands in the world such as Thalgo and L’oreal from France, Moroccan Oil from Israel, Kerastase from Paris, Dermalogica from USA, and several others ensure the best training. This approach has kept the professionals at the salon thoroughly motivated. They always put their best foot forward to ensure each client is served to the optimum.
What Lookwell Salon Has In Store For All
Over the last 27 years, a lot has changed for the Salon. As it made its way to become a leading name in Mumbai and Thane. Going from a single dressing table to several branches, a training academy, and a laser clinic — after over 27 years of being in the industry, the brand now has trained over 315 professionals who serve nearly 20,000 customers every month.
The Salon deeply cares for the well-being of the customer’s hair, skin, and nails. Customer satisfaction is at the heart of all their operations along with staff acting as a strong support system. They also provide several services catering hair, nail, and skin needs at all their branches.
The mother-son duo has given their best efforts towards elevating the brand from where it started to where it is now with a stern commitment to exceeding client’s expectations. Their unwavering dedication is a testament to their strong bond and the pursuit of excellence they hold in their values. Moving forward, their only goal is continue to maintain excellent standards, raise the bar, ensuring Lookwell remains a prime spot for anyone seeking the best.
Article by – Vidhi Arya
