Taking Ayurveda Global
From becoming a mother at 16 to running a globally acclaimed beauty chain across more than 100 countries, Shahnaz Husain has truly seen it all.
Neha Dewan | March 2016 Issue | The Dollar Business
Shahnaz Husain, Chairperson & MD, Shahnaz Husain GroupShe started studying beauty at the age of 17. Training for 10 years in cosmetic therapy and cosmetology at leading institutions in the West, Husain started by setting up her herbal clinic at home, formulating products based on the Ayurvedic system. Heralded as a pioneer in organic beauty care, Husain has achieved widespread international acclaim for her practical application of Ayurveda and wholeheartedly credits her success to it. “I adopted the unique concept of ‘herbal care and cure.’ It was a totally novel, path-breaking concept. I rejected the salon treatments and devised my own. My study of Ayurveda convinced me that it could offer the ideal answers to modern cosmetic care. There is no doubt that my success is due to the holistic Ayurvedic system of herbal healing that could work for everyone’s advantage,” she says.
Today Shahnaz Husain Group operates internationally through appointed authorised distributors and franchise networks and exports to almost all major countries around the world, like UK, US, Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Peru, most of EU countries as well as many other countries in Asian and African sub-continents. You name a country, and chances are that her company might be exporting to that country! Shahnaz Herbal has also set up a liaison office in London to oversee the business in UK and Europe.
As Chairperson and MD of The Shahnaz Husain Group of Companies, she is also the recipient of the Padma Shri Award – the highest Indian civilian award conferred for distinguished achievement in one’s chosen field – for her immense contribution to the world of beauty. Today, Shahnaz Husain Group operates in more than 100 countries with franchise salons, direct product distributors and beauty institutes. And it has extended in scope over the years, being a renowned name not only in general beauty care but also in natural healing, therapeutic products and beauty salon treatments. The company now formulates over 375 products for beauty and healthcare.
She also mentions how it's essential to acquire professional and vocational training, and how it's necessary to keep up with international trends and standards. Shahnaz is one who isn't afraid of confessing she doesn't know what she doesn't. And her honesty has paid off very well.
TDB: Please tell us about your journey so far.
Shahnaz Husain (SH): Much more than I ever dreamed has come true! I never planned it this way. My life was on a very different course. I was married at the age of 15 and by the time I was 16, I had become a mother. Life seemed perfect, but I was bored with the drudgery of endless routine. I was always interested in beauty and in making others beautiful, so I decided on beauty as a career. I was determined to get the best training possible and decided to work my way to the prized institutions of the West, to learn cosmetic therapy and cosmetology. While training in London, I came across instances of damage caused by chemical treatments. In a way, this changed the course of my life and career. I wanted to find a natural alternative that was safe and without risks. My study of Ayurveda convinced me that it could offer the ideal answers to modern cosmetic-care.
I returned to India and started my first herbal salon in the veranda of my home in New Delhi, in 1971. I adopted the concept of “herbal care and cure.” It was a totally unique, path-breaking concept. I rejected the existing salon treatments and devised my own, and began formulating my own products based on the Ayurvedic system. Today, we are known not only for general beauty care, but also for natural healing, along with our therapeutic products and salon treatments for various problems. I began to extend my salons on a unique franchise system, to which I credit the fast paced extension of the Shahnaz Husain Salons and other ventures. Today, we operate in more than 100 countries, with our franchise ventures and direct product distributors. From one herbal salon to a worldwide chain of ventures, it has been a phenomenal journey.
TDB: You introduced a new concept of Ayurvedic Care and Cure worldwide with universal appeal. Is this the reason for the international success that your beauty products have garnered, or is it something else?
SH: There's no doubt that my success is due to the fact that I adopted the holistic Ayurvedic system of herbal healing. I devised clinical treatments and formulated products according to individual needs and specific problems. Apart from the “back to nature trend” there is also the “total well being” trend, which has been sweeping the world. I brought personal customised beauty care to the level of clinical care, with diagnosis and prescriptives, based on the fact that the human body is natural and is best treated by nature itself. I also propagated a lifestyle based on the Ayurvedic principles of holistic health, with yoga and meditation as an integral part of the individual cure and care programme. This concept of holistic beauty care was unique and caught on worldwide.
TDB: What are the marketing strategies unique to your brand that have contributed in making it a global success?
SH: We have an integrated system of salon treatments and product excellence, which rely on each other. This was incorporated more than four decades ago, when I started my first herbal salon. Till the 1990s, we had not entered the retail market and our clinics were the main outlets for my products. I relied on “word of mouth” and the fact that a satisfied client was the best advertisement.
TDB: Being a woman also means managing family and social commitments. How do you juggle your timelines and strike a balance?
SH: I always made it a point to spend quality time with my family. We would go together for vacations, both in India and abroad, and also spend weekends at our herb and flower farm near Delhi. I started my herbal salon in my own home. To that extent, I was always at home when my children were back from school. I always say that I could never have achieved what I have without the support and understanding of my family. Even now, I love going out for coffee with family and friends, either to a Barista or a Starbucks.
TDB: What challenges did you face as a woman entrepreneur in the country when you first started, and over the years?
SH: I had to overcome social and economic hurdles. It was my family’s support and understanding that helped me overcome barriers and realise my dreams. Entering the international market was the biggest challenge. India was not even represented at that time, but I attended International Beauty Congresses on my own steam, speaking on Ayurveda and trying to popularise Ayurvedic beauty care. I participated in the Festival of India in London in 1980 and was given a counter in the Perfumery Section at Selfridges. In the face of fierce competition
, to stand up alone and sell India’s ancient civilisation in a jar was not easy. To everyone’s surprise, the entire consignment sold out in three days, breaking the store’s existing cosmetic sales records. It resulted in a permanent counter at the London store. From there, we moved to Harrods in London, Galeries Lafayette in Paris, the Seibu chain in Japan, La Rinascente in Milan and El Certe Inglis in Spain.
TDB: What is your opinion of India’s strength as a manufacturing destination?
SH: Globally, India has begun to attract investors due to its manufacturing potential. India’s economy is growing and so is purchasing power. There's a large work force of qualified engineers and managers, as well as workers. The infrastructure is also better and there is more ease in setting up units. We have benefited from this, having set up manufacturing units in Dehradun and Rourkee, apart from our unit in Noida.
to success.