Ghazal Alagh is a corporate trainer, artist, entrepreneur, and the co-founder of Mamaearth. Ghazal’s passion to launch her company came when her son, Agastya Alagh, developed an allergic reaction to baby products which she bought in India. This inspired her to start Mamaearth, which deals with the production of toxin-free baby products. She meets up with different mothers almost every day, to listen and create products which cater to their specific needs. Ghazal Alagh’s religion is Hindu, and her zodiac sign is Virgo.
The Early Life of Ghazal Alagh.
Ghazal Alagh was born on 2nd September, 1988, in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. She is the daughter of Kailash Sahni (Father) and Sunita Sahni(Mother). Ghazal has two siblings who are her brother, Chirag Sahni, and sister, Sahiba Chauhan. Ghazal Alagh enrolled at Panjab University in 2007, where she completed her Bachelors Degree in Computer Applications in 2010. She then took a Summer Intensive Course at the New York Academy of Art, where she studied Modern Art in Design and Applied Arts. She graduated from this institution in 2013, after passing all her tests with flying colors. Ghazal then married her husband, Varun Alagh, in 28th January, 2011, and the couple is blessed with one son, Agastya Alagh.
Ghazal Alagh’s Road to Success.
Ghazal was first employed by NIIT Limited in Chandigarh, India. She was a software applications trainer at the company, where she handles softwares such as J2ME, SQL, and Oracle. She then launched the famous Dietexpert.com website in 2012. This website was customer-oriented, where it provided diet plans for specific needs of the client based on age, weight, blood group, and lifestyle of the client. Ghazal Alagh then launched Honasa Consumer Pvt Limited, famously known as Mamaearth, in 2016, at Gurgaon, India. Her inspiration to co-found this company with her husband was sparked by her son’s allergic reaction, to baby products she had bought in the Indian market. She then resolved to produce baby products, which does not contain any chemicals and meets the specific needs of mothers in the country. She was then picked to be one of the seven judges of the popular reality show, Shark Tank India, in 2021.
Mamaearth.
Honasa Consumer Private Limited (Mamaearth) is a baby and beauty products manufacturing company, located in Gurugram, India. Ghazal Alagh co-founded Mamaearth with her husband, Varun Alagh, in 2016. This was after Ghazal faced a hard time with her young son, Agastya Alagh, trying to find baby products which were toxin-free. Her son had an allergic reaction to baby products Ghazal had bought from the market, and this prompted her to start her own company which centered on meeting the specific needs of mothers in the country. To date, Ghazal has formed a strong partnership with many mothers in India, to formulate baby products which served the specific needs of mothers in the country. She vowed not to let any other woman suffer, like she did trying to source baby products which were chemical-free for her son. Once Mamaearth became a huge success, Ghazal decided to expand its target market, to also supply women with beauty products that served their specific skin care needs. Famous Bollywood actress, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, invested a total of 29 crores to the company in 2019.
Ghazal Alagh’s Family Life.
Ghazal Alagh has a very fruitful marriage with her husband, Varun Alagh, with whom they tied the knot together in 28th January, 2011. Ghazal has not shied away from sharing beautiful photos of her, together with her spouse, on her social media handles. Varun and Ghazal would later welcome their son, Agastya Alagh, who was born on 18th October, 2014. Ghazal usually makes use of her free time when she is away from work, to pursue her personal interests. Ghazal has interesting hobbies such as reading, writing, painting, singing, and traveling. Ghazal’s work in painting has reached milestone levels, and she has been recognized as being one of the top 10 women painters in India. Her passion in art enabled her to attain a trademark style in painting, and her art works have been sold and are displayed in museums across the country.
Varun Alagh.
Varun Alagh is the beloved husband of Ghazal Alagh, with whom they tied the knot with in 2011. Varun pursued his Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering at the Delhi College of Engineering, from 2001 to 2005. He then enrolled at XLRI Jamshedpur, to pursue his Post-graduate Diploma in Business Management, from 2005 to 2007. He later joined Hindustan Unilever Limited in 2007, where her was the company’s Business Leadership Trainee. He also worked with other companies such as Colgate Palmolive, Maruti, and Nokia, some of which were part of his training program. He was then employed by Unilever on May 2007, where he got the chance to learn value addition to a brand. He worked for this company until 2012, before joining Smirnoff company from March 2012 to May 2013. He also worked with Coca-Cola company from May 2013 to November 2016, and it is then that he co-founded Mamaearth with his wife on the same month. Their son, Agastya, was born with a skin-borne disease called eczema. He reacted with many baby products his parents bought on the Indian market, and that’s when they decided to launch Mamaearth. This company dealt with manufacturing baby products which were organic and toxin-free, before it expanded to the beauty industry afterward. Mamaearth now produces products that serves children, mothers to-be, and even men above 15 years old. It has baby care, hair care, body care, and organic beauty products, which can all be accessed through the company’s website and other online platforms such as Amazon, Nykaa, and Firstcry.
Ghazal Alagh’s Net Worth.
Ghazal Alagh enjoys an affluent lifestyle, and reports states that she has an estimated net worth of USD 15 million. She lives in opulent mansions, and brags of owning high-end cars such as an Audi, a BMW, and a Mercedes Benz. Ghazal’s highest income source is from her brand, Mamaearth, where she earns up to Rs 35 crores. She has also made investments in other companies, including UVI health.
Ghazal Alagh’s Role in the Entertainment Industry.
Several top magazines, including Forbes, have featured Ghazal Alagh on their cover pages. She has been featured on several television shows, where she has often stated her secret to success to her adoring fans. Ghazal stated that she has always been an early riser, and that she dedicates the early hours of morning all to herself. She starts by doing yoga then she reads books and newspapers for an hour, and all this is to clear her mind before the chaotic day starts. She then plans out her day, so that everything falls according to plan.
Ghazal has also partnered with a famous Bollywood actress, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, who invested in her company, Mamaearth, in 2019. Shilpa has often advertised Mamaearth’s products on television, across the country. Ghazal has also inspired many women across India on several television shows, where she has encouraged them to always be kind to themselves. She urged then that getting average results is good sometimes, as it gives you an opportunity to sit back and see how you are going to better yourself. Ghazal also has more than 44K followers on Instagram, and she always updates her fans of various scenic destinations she travels with her beloved family.
Shark Tank India.
Shark Tank India is similar to the American version of Shark Tank, and it has become a popular show in India since it premiered in SonyLIV program in December 2021. Aspiring entrepreneurs usually pitch in their business ideas to these self-made millionaires, who are judges (Sharks) on the show. Each judge looks for different attributes in the people presenting their ideas, and the potential risks associated with these businesses. Ghazal looks for inspiration from the presenter, and she will be moved by your determination to turn your business idea into a success. Ghazal Alagh has made wise investments in several companies on the show, amounting to a total of Rs 1.2 crores. Some of the companies which Ghazal has invested in are: Bacon Jams, Gold Safe Solutions Ind, Sunfox Technologies, Humpy A2, Watt Technovations, Sass Bar, and Wakao Foods.
Challenges Faced by Ghazal Alagh in Her Road to Success.
The main challenge Ghazal Alagh faced in her career journey, is to try and make it in a patriarchal society in India. Most women usually find it hard to succeed in the business world in India, as men are usually far ahead; thus, women have to work extremely hard to catch up with them. Not to mention that most of them are usually tied down to their matrimonial duties, leaving them little or no time to make progress for themselves. Ghazal surpassed all this, and she is now one of the most established businesswomen in India. She did not let motherhood get in her way to success. In fact, it was the spring point of her boost to success.
When Ghazal gave birth to her son, Agastya Alagh, in 2014, she realized that he reacted to all baby products which she bought on the market. This means that her son required organic and toxin-free baby products, which were not available in the Indian market. This gave her the idea to start up Mamaearth with her husband, and it became a success since its launch in 2016. Ghazal knew that she had to dedicate a lot of her time to raise their child, but she did not want to get held back either. Ghazal resorted to handle motherhood and business work eloquently, to ensure that she succeeds in both.
Ghazal also understood that the needs of women in terms of beauty are usually dynamic, and she decided to partner up with tons of women to tackle this challenge. Since her company also produces beauty products, Ghazal has teamed up with hundreds of women to understand their beauty needs which are constantly changing. She also saw that different women have different needs, so she decided to make cosmetic products that are customer-oriented. Today, Ghazal is proof that any woman with the will and determination, will make it in the business world in India and the region. Despite many challenges one may face in their journey, entrepreneurs need to develop a 360 degrees outlook on the whole business, to gain knowledge on the next steps to take to ensure it is a success.
Ghazal Alagh’s Achievements.
Ghazal Alagh has been an inspiration to many in India and the region, and her hardwork and numerous contributions to fostering business success in the country not gone unnoticed. It is for these exemplary contributions and successes, that Ghazal was awarded several prestigious awards such as:
- The Best Brand of the year award for Mamaearth between 2018 and 2019.
- The Siler Startups Asia award in 2019.
- The 40 under 40 achievers of India award in 2019.
- The India Business Leader award.
- The Young Turks Startup of the Year award.
Ghazal Alagh as an Inspiration.
Ghazal Alagh has often stated on numerous occasions that she has always admired Vivek Gambhir, who is currently the Chief Executive Officer of boAt. Ghazal said that Vivek inspired her to always pay more attention to the overall view of the business, rather than focusing on single aspects like most entrepreneurs. You need to have an all-round assessment of the business opportunity, so that you can easily predict any threats to it in future. Ghazal Alagh had the future of becoming an entrepreneur since she was a child, and her persistence and determination enabled her to achieve that dream even before she reached 40 years old. She is a true inspiration to many women and girls in India, that with the right attitude and strong passion, any woman can make it in the patriarchal society in the country. Women need to be empowered, and they will give their all to ensure the world becomes a better place for everyone.