Women Entrepreneurs is a new breed of independent and confident women who write new success stories every now and then. These are the women who are not from any business families but have made their mark in their chosen business by sheer hard work, grit, and a fire in the belly to fulfill their dreams.
With NYKAA’s IPO subscribed heavily and listed at almost 96% of the listed price, it is the time for women to rise and shine in business.
We are doing stories on such women achievers who have been successful against all odds under the #womeninbusiness #womenentreprenuers #risingagainstodds.
If you are a women entrepreneur who wanted to share your story, please mail us at orchidharmony71@gmail.com
I am starting this series on women entrepreneurs with exuberant, lively, and vivacious Dr. Rashi Goplani, founder of Rashi’s Elixir Extravaganza-Stress free Tresses and Skin.
Rashi Goplani is a doctorate in marketing management and has been an academician for two decades. Her keen interest in fitness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle motivated her to explore the world of Ayurveda and aromatherapy. This led her to experiment with organic ingredients for healthy glowing skin and lustrous tresses for self-use. After a decade of crafting concoctions of oils and herbs and watching them work wonderfully in her close circle, she decided to give wings to her aspiration of heading a venture where she could actually put to practice what she always preached in her business management classes.
Rashi started her career as a college lecturer and now holds a senior position as Dean of BBA- Sports and Event Management
The experience of twenty years of teaching business fundamentals was enough to have the very hang of business strategies, and more importantly, the entrepreneurial instinct which prompted her to jump into the world of actual business so that she could put to practice what all she has been preaching for so long.
Let us enjoy and learn from her journey as an entrepreneur as told by her.
Neerja of “Neerja’s Musings” in conversation with Rashi Goplani.
Neerja – How could you zero in on herbal cosmetics as a business?
Rashi – As a marketing strategist and a consumer behaviour analyst, I realized that self-care is a necessity for all. If one is mindful about fulfilling the needs of one’s own self, it will lead to a stress-free lifestyle and in turn, the person will be able to fulfill the needs of people dependent on him.
Society has evolved and success brings with it a lot of pressure and lifestyle disorders. For women, the eternal act of work-life balance keeps them busier than anyone else. This affects their health. The first causality of a stressed life is the health of the skin and hair of a person. This in turn causes more stress. Men and women, hitting their peak in their careers and family life cycle, also get affected due to hormonal imbalances in their 30’s and 40’s. This also has a visible impact on their skin and hair needs. I see an opportunity to provide relief to the skin and hair stress. Hence, the venture – “ Rashi’s Elixir for Skin and Hair” was born.
Neerja – What was that moment, which helped you board the entrepreneurial bandwagon?
Rashi – I have an entrepreneurial instinct in me that prompted me to ideate and start. On one fine winter day, I just went to a local market, grabbed a few plastic bottles, asked my son to make some simple labels, pasted them, filled the bottles with my hair elixir (which I had made for myself and my daughter for past 11 years then) and it was showing great results too. Next, I clicked a nice picture and made a collage mentioning the ingredients and a picture of my daughter’s long tresses and posted it on Whatsapp. Voila… It started the very next day. 50 bottles sold in a day and from then there was no looking back.
Neerja – Wonderful! What a great start! So how did it go from here?
Rashi – After the first successful sellout, I planned to add more products. My very first hair oil blend focuses on unique hair issues and addresses the same with a realistic approach. Today Rashi’s Hair Elixir offers seven variants with curative and therapeutic benefits. All the ingredients synergistically make the elixirs highly potent to solve the hair issues. We know that a good champi (head massage) is the key to a relaxed mind and healthy tresses, it has been ensured that the elixirs serve both these purposes well. The hair care kit includes two hair packs and hair gels to fulfill the nutritive needs of the scalp and hair. The hair elixir also provides solutions to problems like thinning and graying of hair.
My other range is about skin care. The “Rashi’ Skin Elixir” has solutions galore for skin wellness. The herbs are dried, ground, sieved and mixed to the finest texture so that they work gently on skin and help to cure issues slowly but steadily. The same herbs are infused under cold or hot conditions with various base oils to offer unique and convenient products for supple skin. Distinctively curated for all skin needs, the products offered cleansing, exfoliating, toning and moisturizing, which are the routine needs of the skin. Nevertheless, the major issues of pigmentation, dryness and acne are also sorted with these products very conveniently, thus providing a relief from harsh and expensive chemical peels and treatments.
Neerja – That’s a huge range Rashi. What is the tough part being in an ever evolving herbal cosmetic space?
Rashi – I have studied Ayurveda and Aromatherapy for 10 years and that helped me to design my concoctions and mixtures. But curating all the products from start to finish single-handedly is the only struggle. Rest all is a part of business and it keeps me going.
Neerja – So, how long have you been on this journey and what do you consider your achievements?
Rashi – It has been 4 years since my first sellout on Whatsapp. As of now, I have some 600 delighted patrons, approximately 2000 believers in a green philosophy for skin care and hair care. Keeping my efforts on for increasing the number of more awareness, stress-free, self-loving, sorted, and thus happy patrons. So far business development is concerned, a lot of new green ideas are under the curation stage for a relieved and healthy skin, hair, and lifestyle.
Neerja – Being a student and teacher of business administration and marketing, how have you planned your business strategy to up your game?
Rashi – I only believe in relationship marketing and customer delight. Marketing strategy rests greatly well if you understand the needs, serve them what they want, make what your target market needs and offer them the way they need it all. Till date I personally talk to all my patrons, listen to their issues regarding skin and hair , give them customised regimes not only with products but with better holistic ways to deal stresses and thus keep glowing.
Neerja – Women support women? Your thoughts.
Rashi – Absolutely yes. I am surrounded by women who have been a great support system. Whether it’s family, friends, colleagues, or fellow women entrepreneurs, we have always held hands, which guarantees a very healthy environment for business and brand growth. It’s the age of handholding and networking and there’s much in store for our tribe.
Neerja – Any message for women who want to be entrepreneurs?
Rashi – Belief in your own self and scheduling are my two mantras. You can surely have it all.
Neerja’s Musings wishes Rashi a great success !
Great Journey!!! All the very best !!!!