Dreams Do Come True – My Entrepreneurial Story

“One of my biggest learnings is – never seek external validation”

Although I led a successful and happy professional life, I was never really content with what I had. There was always a part of me that felt that I was not doing justice to my raison d’être. Despite the fact that I hobnobbed with celebs at award functions during my time at Planman, weaved through sales and marketing stints for the BBC, and worked towards establishing digital strategies for brands while at NDTV, I always felt a void; I knew there was more that I could do with my time, in this very life!

Steve Jobs boldly proclaimed, ‘Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life’. This struck a chord deep within, and over time, it just kept nagging internally. I finally decided to quit my comfortable, well-paying job and take the plunge into the world of beauty. I knew nothing about starting my own business and so, I was ready to learn everything on the go. 

My fascination with developing a beauty brand which was both transparent and honest has led me to where I am today. And, let me be totally honest with you, it has DEFINITELY not been a bed of roses. There are no failures in life, just lessons learnt along the way. This is what I would say to anyone who is looking to start something of their own.

Let me also tell you, one of my biggest learnings is – never seek external validation. Whether they’re friends, or family, they will never have the same passion, thought nor understanding behind what you are seeking out to do. There will always be a list of pros and cons – and a hundred combinations at that – only to further confuse your original thoughts and probably push you slightly off course in the bargain. If you really want to predict the future, it’s in your hands, and I truly believe that your passion, learning and perseverance are all that you need to make a real difference. Sure, it’s always good to listen to others, there may be some sense that filters in through the noise created, so pick and choose action points, basis your convenience.

“There are no failures in life, just lessons learnt along the way. This is what I would say to anyone who is looking to start something of their own”

My baby, my company Nytarra was born out of my need, desire and passion to create my own skin and hair care regime. I undertook multiple courses to learn formulations in India and abroad, eventually creating products for myself and then slowly, for friends and family. News soon spread and queries started coming in from friends of friends. And gradually, the numbers increased. What has always kept me going is the love and appreciation I have received from those who have used my products and now are my loyal clients. 

Want to know the secret ingredients in all my products? It’s a whole lot of love, passion and honesty that I sprinkle in them.​

It’s easy to start a business, but difficult to create a brand. For that, one must be ready to face a barrage of challenges head-on. In the beginning, Nytarra had multiple hurdles to cross; the biggest being wearing different hats – such as being responsible for marketing, HR and finance, keeping track of industry trends, building and shaping a team. 

The most important task at hand was identifying the target audience and, of course, to be able to take constructive and critical feedback from them. To do this, it is extremely important to have purpose, clarity and willingness to trust your own instincts and tune out the noise of what the world thinks you should do. 

What’s next you ask? Building a brand is always ‘work in progress’. So never stop inventing, never stop creating and never stop enjoying each and every day of your life as an entrepreneur.