When a mother-daughter team leads together, everything seems possible. It is especially true with AIHBA women Dr Sangeeta Chauhan and Elisha Chauhan, a mother-daughter duo who are a leading name in the beauty industry. Gauri D spoke to the duo for Mother’s Day to ascertain what makes them a dream team.
Dr Sangeeta Chauhan takes a lion’s share in educating today’s beauty industry. She is the President of All India Hair and Beauty Association (AIHBA) and has achieved many prestigious awards. Together, the mother-daughter duo run the La Vivo International Cosmetic solutions. Her daughter, Elisha, followed her footsteps soon after completing her engineering degree. Elisha began her journey in India and has now taken AIHBA to the US, Hair and Beauty Tour. It is the world’s first blended learning and gamified platform. AIHBA is a one-of-a-kind experience. She has more than 10,500 students internationally and has won over 40 gold medals for her outstanding work.
Elisha has also worked with government agencies to set the National Occupational Standards for Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy in India. She also campaigns for training underprivileged women to motivate them.
Dr Sangeeta attributed their success to mutual respect and love. Her experience, Elisha’s business insights, and together their creativity has taken the duo to new heights. Here’s what was divulged in an exclusive conversation with them.
You have set up AIHBA in two continents. That’s quite an achievement. What are the challenges that you faced, especially while setting up your business in the US?
Elisha: “I had zero knowledge when I first came here, but I wanted to do this. I was already a businesswoman in India and I wanted that here as well. The beauty industry is very structured, there are steps to follow before you can build a business. and there are many categories under the beauty industry. So, first I got all the licenses as cosmetologist and instructor. I studied about the small business administration to understand what kind of business to set up. I had to study business from taxation point of view, LA laws, insurance, and so on.
Once I had everything on paper, business financing was the next big step to figure out. Marketing was hard work because I was new and no one knew who Elisha was. I was lucky to get an opportunity to work with Shreya Ghoshal when she visited the States. that put me on the map. I did several exhibitions, built a network of beauty professionals in the United States. That’s what helped me attract the new clientele.
What’s the story of transitioning from engineering to the beauty industry?
Actually, there was no intention of transitioning from engineering to beauty. The intention was to transition into business. Once I started managing my mother’s business in India back in 2013, I got the opportunity of translating world renowned hair and makeup artist Emma Ekman who was a world champion. While helping her, I did skinny dipping into the world of hair and beauty. She said, you’re good, try it. At age of 23, you are young, ready to take new challenges, so I took a step ahead. It turned out to be a great experience!
I started winning championships, then I taught people who won championships in world skills and national competitions. I also got a couple of government projects like Pradhanmantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. I worked with the Sector Skill Council to create their norms which are now taught in schools and colleges in India. It’s like a domino effect.
You and Dr Sangeeta have worked together for a long time. How has it evolved your relationship?
The AIHBA President said: Elisha is my loving and talented daughter, a part of me. She has been very bright since childhood. She has seen me pursuing my career. I don’t recall a single incident where she has done anything wrong by me. She was always intelligent and fearless in her pursuit of studies, then career. She has seen me in social circles, followed me up to the competition arena. She was supportive when I was building up my business, getting recognition, setting up AIHBA. She has seen me transition from business enterprise to social work.
I taught Elisha 1+1 is 11. That’s the equation when it comes to the growth of family to career. And she has opened a new idea portal with her multi-dimensional thinking. I am a naturopath, a cosmetologist, and a therapist. She built a brand, La Vivo Cosmetics. She ventured into research and of course we had our third vertical of products.
Elisha has helped me in terms of education. She helped in bringing AIHBA on a very high pedestal in terms of education. She began with jury seminars and does it from India to America. She has made the syllabus that is now taught to all of India’s upcoming hair and beauty aspirants. It gives them an edge in the global competition.
All those moments have put us in an understanding and creative environment. We have, in a way, grown together through this journey.
There must have been some disagreements while working together. How do you solve those?
That is true! We cannot work at one table.
We are both strong-headed and have opinions of our own in every aspect. But, we sit together in meetings, brainstorm to chalk the plan ahead. We just prefer executing the plans individually. The end goal is the same, our creative processes are different. It’s just a generational gap and we learn a lot from each other.
Do you see yourself collaborating with each other again? Perhaps in the US?
Elisha: I don’t think we’ve ever stopped collaborating at all. We’ve always been in touch. We always contribute to each other’s businesses. She helps me thrive in my business here in the US. I will contribute to hers when I go back to India. When I was last in India, I was a part of the Professional Beauty Bangalore and had a cosmetics stall there. It had a great turnout. Hydrofacial is such a rage that we have a back order for the product. So, we’ve never stopped collaborating. We are just working from a distance and growing business across two continents.
Who among you is more business-minded? And who leans more towards the creative side?
My mom’s experience overtakes me in terms of business acumen. She has seen a lot in her many years of being a businesswoman. I seek her advice from time to time, borrowing knowledge from her experience and expertise.
In terms of creativity, we are both creative in different aspects. She is creative with recipes and product development like something that would take care of melasma. I would perhaps come up with a product that takes care of frizz in the intense heat of summer.
We have our own creative aspects and we are both very specific in it.
Where do you see the US business going in the next couple of years?
On the business in the US, I would like to expand into the Pacific Northwest. There’s a huge market there that I think can be captured. Goal is to set a stronghold in one place before expanding instead of expanding only to burst out.
I am a very short term plan person. So, right now I see getting more customer acquisition and building an unassailable reputation.
Do you have any Mother’s Day Traditions? Would you share them with us?
Elisha: When I was in India, I would make cards, charpapers. I once made a chart with ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ written in rose petals. Although, ever since I moved here, it’s all come to halt. But this year, mom was with me. We went out, had a beach day. Invited a couple of friends, had dinner overlooking sunset on the beach.
I think Mother’s Day is more about thanking and appreciating more than giving a gift. It is about the eternal love that you have for each other and acknowledge it. So I think thankyou is our tradition.
Dr Sangeeta: In our relationship, love and care are obviously key aspects. She has always made me feel appreciated. I think that mutual respect for each other plays a very big role in a mother-daughter relationship. And you keep learning from each other. I learn so many things from her. Now she is not just my daughter, but my friend. We both share parallel responsibilities in giving love, care, and respect to each other. That is the basis of any good relationship.
The AIHBA women, Dr Sangeeta and Elisha, are an embodiment of passion, not only in the beauty industry, but also in their pursuit of providing quality education to the upcoming generation of beauty experts.