10 Women Entrepreneurs of India 2022
Welcome, 2022!
The year 2021 was no less than a lesson. This year took “We are all in this together” quite seriously. We have learned so many things this year. From what family means to each one to learning and following our passion. “How to start your own business” was googled more than “How to find a job” according to research. We all have seen how people promoted “Vocal for Local” promoting small business stores, offering them a platform itself. And one of the most inspiring things was that women entrepreneurs found a new zenith in 2021.
We all saw how tremendously the Nykaa IPO did in the past year. It did so well, that the founder and owner of Nykaa – Falguni Nayyar became one of the richest women entrepreneurs of India. This made me think there are so many wonderful women entrepreneurs I know of who have been working so hard and with such passion – that I should write something about them.
So, here is a list of 10 Women Entrepreneurs of India to look forward to in the year 2022.
Disclaimer: This is not a survey article; all the rankings and descriptions are the writer’s thoughts and to promote the women entrepreneurs in India.
The business queen did not just wear the crown overnight. She worked 20 years as an investment banker with Kotak Mahindra. It was after those 20 years she left her job to pursue her dream. One of the parts of the dream, as we are all aware of, came into the picture post the Nykaa IPO releases. Nykaa sells online cosmetics, skincare, and wellness products. Now it also has different branches namely, Nykaa Luxe, Nykaa Fashion, and others. The company offers more than 850 brands – both homegrown and international ones and has introduced 35 physical stores. She got the title of “Most Powerful Business” in the year 2017.
The Shark Tank India lady power! Yes, a lot of people had been wondering about the panel for Shark Tank India. But once you know who Ghazal Alagh is, there won’t be a little surprise left. So, Ghazal Alagh is the founder and CEO of the brand called Mama Earth. Yes! The brand has been doing all the talking in the market. There are influencers, celebrities, and people going crazy about the products by Mama Earth. This made-in-India company is led by Gazal and her husband Varun Alagh. Gazal has been vocal about how she came up with the idea for her brand. There were skincare brands in India that have already made a strong space in the market, what was the need for another? How did she think this would make any difference? Well, Gazal has said in her interviews that there were products and brands available for kids and adults but she faced issues with their ingredients when the duo was parenting their child. She said that there were certain toxins banned outside India but were used here. This was what needed to be changed. Mama Earth is a brand no one needs an introduction for. It has already been introduced and Gazal the woman and Mom’s power behind the brand is all in for success and adding a lot of achievements to her list.
Also Read, Things Indian Women Entrepreneurs Should Keep in Mind
Malini Agarwal, you all know her right? Oh, sorry, my bad – MissMalini as she is better known as is one of the most recognized faces on the internet. When it comes to Bollywood – you know MissMalini has got you. So how did her journey begin? And why do we need to look forward to her journey specifically? Well, she founded a lifestyle blog around a decade ago, yes, the time when Digital Media had just been born. She took her passion for writing and Bollywood and mingled it to form MissMalini. Today, MissMalini Entertainment has a reach of over 40 million across every platform and has a huge list of some really powerful investors. She has outgrown herself in the past years from writing a blog to now being a writer of her own book. And the best part is? We think that this is her journey alone – well, she is paving her own path in this patriarchal world along with being a mom. That is definitely telling something about her, right?
The Moms Co. is a wellness brand that has made its space in the market and is ready to grip it strongly more than ever. The founder, Malika is the daughter of an army officer, she is an MBA graduate, a wife, and a mother – ah well, she is the perfect fit for Mom Entrepreneur! Malika has a story a lot of women in India would relate to. She had a simple life, yet she made her own way in her journey to be one of the top entrepreneurs in India.
She has said in her interviews how her husband and she would carry a red suitcase which would be filled with products for her daughter. As she was so used to the baby care products available in London. But at some point, this became a tedious job to ask friends to get diapers, baby lotions, moisturizers from abroad. And had to make a hard switch to Indian Brands. She then knew they would have to make something in India and hence, Moms Co. was born and there is no looking back since then.
Being a wife and traveling is a thing very happily accepted in Indian Culture. Though the culture is changing and now girls are traveling solo not just in India but abroad. Well, do you recall any familiar names who made this culture shift happen? Well, it is a no-brainer – Kamiya Jani! The founder of Curly Tales. Kamiya always wanted to be a news anchor. She started off with her journalism degree and her career being an editor, video producer, and finally being the anchor for ET Now. Kamiya had achieved her dream. But there was something she discovered that changed her life. She always loved going on weekend trips where she would discover new places, visit new cultures and that made her find her wanderlust feeling brimming with all strength. She left her job and founded Curly Tales, an online platform where you find the best places to visit, food to eat, and calm your thirst for traveling!
How does an idea click you cannot guess whatsoever? It could be while you are conversing with an old friend or while you go through your own experiences. Naiyya, founder of BabyChakra found her click when she saw her friends who were new parents struggling with certain problems. She did her research, went through hundreds of QnA threads on Facebook groups, and came with a resort. BabyChakra is a platform where parents can access local services related to parenting, maternity, and childcare. All your problems can get solved – all thanks to BabyChakra – rather all thanks to the mom Entrepreneur – Naiyya Saggi.
Working as a lawyer, fighting cases, and going through laws – Shouger Doshi, the founder of Rainmaker Consultants, knew she always wanted to be the Boss Lady! No one to command her what needs to be done, being seamless, as they say with her decision making. Well, how can someone be so sure about their career – well, Shouger gets it from her Dad. She considers him as an inspiration. She was a little quirky in her thoughts, why do we say so? Normally people want to pave their path just like their parents, especially girls, before marriage. But Shouger wanted to follow in the footsteps of her father accurately. She says, “I knew that eventually that is what I would do once I became a mother but the path was not as easy – being an entrepreneur looks glamorous, behind it there were ounces of blood, sweat, and tears. After entertaining many “what if I fail” thoughts, I decided to go for it, start small and take it one step at a time!”
It took Shouger 8 years to set up three companies and publish a book and make herself a name in the industry. She vividly speaks about her “self-doubt” being the biggest challenge in her journey. In an interview with us, when asked what it is being a mom and an entrepreneur? She said, “Being a mother is the most amazing, life-changing experience and all the moments with my son from the best part of my life. Being a parent is not my only identity – I am also a daughter, a wife, a sister, a business owner, a pet mom, an author and I like to don the many hats that life has bestowed me with” She adds “ So, I balance it by having great teams in place both at home and at work and by scheduling on Sundays for the entire week
Founder and CEO of Brand Communications, Tripti Gandhi, learns her own way – the skill, rather than the art of being an entrepreneur. She has 12 years of experience in the field of PR and marketing. Influencer marketing has become a thing today, with so many creators on the rise, Tripti has paved a path in the market where she is among the pioneers in the industry. She has not only managed her house, kids, like all of our amazing mom entrepreneurs in the list mentioned above but has made her a strong space in the market. Starting with a small team of 10 to 15 clients in her clientele, today, her company boasts a clientele of 300+ all spread across different sectors both domestically and internationally.
Another amazing addition in our list of Mom Entrepreneurs is Tejal. From her website to her Instagram page, you get the glimpse of her life. She has so much aesthetics and makes engagements an effortless gig. Her business The Mommy Network offers you services from getting you connected with different brands to offering you marketing and other services.
Baby Wearing and Parenting with compassion – reads her Instagram Bio. There is a thing about mom entrepreneurs she not just focuses on her business but keeps her family – along with her kids so compassionately. She is a proud mom entrepreneur. Sharing her experiences with her audiences, making them connects, answering their FAQs is all her page is about.
Oh, dear Lord! What an amazing list of mom entrepreneurs to look forward to. This is the India we all have been anticipating – the world where women entrepreneurs boast their success not just like any other business but tackling their houses and keeping in check with their children. We wish to add more names to our list each and every year!