Know The Women Behind Prominent Homegrown Brands

We bring you some leading names of India's most popular homegrown brands and companies. Spanning across fields such as design, e-commerce and handicraft, the fascinating stories of these entrepreneurs should encourage more women to explore the entrepreneurial route of success.

1. Radhika Aggarwal, co-founder, ShopClues

She is the Co-founder and CMO of ShopClues, a leading marketplace that connects buyers and sellers online. She has studied MBA from Washington University in St.Louis and a post graduate degree in Advertising and Public Relations. Prior to that, she worked with Nordstrom, Seattle and Goldman Sachs, USA. She has a remarkable 14 years marketing experience and has been one of the driving forces behind ShopClues success.

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2. Richa Kar, founder, Zivame

Richa is the founder of online lingerie store Zivame, she grew up in Jamshedpur and completed her engineering from BITS Pilani (2002) and after having worked briefly in the IT industry she acquired Masters’ degree from Narsee Monji Institute of Management Studies in 2007, and worked with a retailer and global technology company before starting Zivame.com.

Zivame is probably the first in the online lingerie space in India and has played a role in educating women across the country about intimate wear and shaping consumer behaviour.

3. Shradha Sharma, founder and chief editor, YourStory

Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs really look up to her. Shradha is the Founder and Chief Editor of YourStory, a website dedicated to entrepreneurs and startups. She hails from Patna and holds degrees from St.Stephens College, Delhi and MICA, Ahmedabad. She has also worked with Times of India and CNBC TV18. She was selected among the 500 LinkedIn influencers across the world and awarded with the L’Oreal Paris Femina Award for Online Influence in 2015.

4. Suchi Mukherjee, founder and CEO, Limeroad

When Suchi Mukherjee returned to India in 2011 after living abroad for several years, she was determined to create a global brand from India. But it wasn't easy. "When I came back to India, after 17 years and leadership roles at Skype, Gumtree and Ebay to start LimeRoad," says Mukherjee, "I had people tell me that being a woman, and trying to set up a new firm was too ambitious, and I that I should give up the dream." Mukherjee went ahead and founded Limeroad, a fashion portal that uses social discovery to stand out from competitors, with features such as personalized stylist recommendations and scrapbooking to customize looks. "My aim was to create a digital age equivalent of the 16th-century Grand Trunk Road, a highway that changed the face of trade in the Indian subcontinent," Mukherjee says.

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5. Falguni Nayar, founder, Nykaa

After a long stint as an investment banker, Falguni Nayar founded Nykaa.com in 2013 as an online one-stop-shop for beauty products from Indian and international brands. "I saw a gap in the market. In an emerging category like beauty, I wanted to be able to reach out to the whole of India with a choice that was not experienced by consumers before," Nayar says. "Today, our extensive offering along with our engaging content remains our strength." Nykaa.com currently gets over 10 million visitors a month and also launched its own beauty products in 2015.

6. Anita Lal, founder, Good Earth

When she started Good Earth in 1996, Anita Lal had little training or experience and no business plan. Yet Lal, who calls herself an accidental entrepreneur, became a design pioneer as of sorts. "I was always inspired by India and the immense potential in its existing crafts industry and rich heritage," says Lal, a studio potter by training. "Right from Good Earth's inception, we wanted people to be proud of owning a luxurious item that had a distinct Indian design expression." Over the years, Good Earth has made a name for itself by bridging the gap between craft and design, and combining luxury and sustainability through a distinctive philosophy based on research.

Conclusion

India has its own pool of fearless and talent women entrepreneurs who’ve made a mark for themselves in India as well as overseas. They've embraced entrepreneurship and established their own venture. This is an ever-growing list, brimming with women Entrepreneurs who have shown unparalleled enthusiasm and dedication towards their work. These are the very names to reckon defining rise of Women Entrepreneurship in India.

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