ENTERPRENEURSHIP

PADMASHREE SHAHNAZ HUSAIN

 SHAHNAZ HUSAIN
SHAHNAZ HERBALS INC.
Shahnaz Husain, CEO of Shahnaz Husain Herbals Inc, is a prominent Indian female
entrepreneur best known for her herbal cosmetics, particularly skin care products.
Shahnaz Husain is one of India's most successful women entrepreneurs. Her company,
Shahnaz Husain Herbals is one of the largest manufacturers of herbal products in the
world. It formulates and markets over 400 products for various beauty and health needs
and has a strong presence across the globe, from the USA to Asia.

INTRODUCTION:
Shahnaz Husain was born in samarkhand she was born in a royal Muslim family which
migrated from Samarkhand to India and later held high positions in the princely
kingdoms of Bhopal and Hyderabad before India's independence. Shahnaz received her
schooling in an Irish convent and because of the influence of her father, Chief Justice
N.U. Beg, she developed a love for poetry and English Literature. She thus had the
advantage of growing up in a traditional family and receiving a modern education. She
was married at the age of 15 and was a mother by the next year. When her husband was
posted in Teheran, Iran, she developed an interest in beauty treatments and decided to
study cosmetology.

To support the expenses of the training financially, she wrote articles for the Iran Tribune
on various topics under different names. In the course of her studies, she learnt of the
harmful effects of chemicals on the human body.
Consequently, she turned her attention to Ayurveda, which she believed was the ideal
alternative to chemical cosmetics, which not only harmed the human system but also led
to the deterioration of the environment in the long run.

After leaving Teheran, she trained extensively in cosmetic therapy for 10 years in some
of the leading institutes. After training for 10 years in cosmetic therapy and cosmetic
chemistry, at leading institutions of the West, like Helena Rubinstein, Arnould Taylor,
Swarzkopf, Christine Valmy, Lancome and Lean of Copenhagen, Shahnaz returned to her
roots and studied Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of herbal healing. On her return to
India in 1977 she set up her own salon at her house in Delhi with an initial investment of
Rs. 35000. In contrast to the existing salon treatment methods she devised her own herbal
treatments. She introduced a totally new concept of "care and cure". She also began to
formulate her own Ayurvedic products. This was the beginning of the legendary Shahnaz
Herbal and other ranges. In fact she has become known for her specialized clinical
treatments and therapeutic products for specific problems like acne, pigmentation, scars
and blemishes, skin-sensitivity, dandruff, hair loss and alopecia.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP - THE SHAHNAZ
HUSAIN WAY :
Shahnaz Husain when started her salon just hanged a banner outside the salon with her
qualification and services offered by her and within few days she was booked for
the next 6 months, after which she removed the banner and then never advertised
until the lauch of forever products in 2008, after her grandson Sharik joined the
business. Shahnaz husain no-advertisement policy also gained her a lot of
popularity because it proved the very fact that, it is the product and service of an
enterprise is what that matters. Shahnaz Husain said in an interview to The
Financial Times in 2002 “I am a strong believer in ‘word-of-mouth’ publicity
because a satisfied client is the best advertisement”. Shahnaz Husain’s initial
investment of Rs.35000 has now turned into a Rs.250 crore a year. Shahnaz husain
herbal employee’s 4200 people in 650 salons spread across 104 countries. The
 growth rate of the company in the initial years was 15-20% and the present growth
rate is 19.4%.

Shahnaz husain herbals has a well established R&D whose aim is to produce
skin and hair care treatments using Ayurvedic method of treatment, which uses
natural formulations and is chemical free and is not been tested on animals. She is
the pioneer and leader of Ayurvedic beauty products in the world offering “Natural
Care and Cure”. The Shahnaz Husain Group offers exclusive salon treatments
geared to individual needs as well as a number of commercial formulations for the
treatment of specific problems like acne, pimples, pigmentation, dehydration,
alopecia (hair loss), etc.

According to the Group, ayurvedic products are

well suited to human skin and hair as they are non-toxic and have no harmful side
effects. The human body adapts well to the natural treatments of Ayurveda while it
has an inbuilt resistance toward chemical treatments.

THE TURNING POINT:

The turning point in her business came when she represented India at the Festival of India
in 1980. Her team was given a counter in the perfumery section of Selfridges in
London. She managed to sell her entire consignment in 3 days and also broke the
store's record for cosmetics sales for the year. And then she was offered a
 permanent store at Selfridges. From that day there was no turning back and
Shahnaz husain captured a good market in the cosmetic industry. Shahnaz husain
said in an interview for forbes India 'If It Bears My Name, It Catches On' and
that is true. Her company produces 400 different products on skin care, hair
care and cosmetics. Shahnaz husain says she has no competition when asked
about her competitors by Forbes her answer was “We don’t have any
competitors. Dabur is into health. Clarins doesn’t do cures. No one does cures but
us.” This shows her confidence and the truth of her products. Currently, the
Shahnaz Husain Group has over 400 franchise clinics across the world covering
over 138 countries. Her group’s products are sold in leading global stores including
Bloomingdale's (New York), Galleries Lafayette (Paris), Seibu (Japan), Harrods
and Selfridges (London), and La Rinaeccente (Milan).

EXPANSION AND DIVERSIFICATION OF

SHAHNAZ HUSAIN GROUP:

Shahnaz Husain products were initially sold only in her salons which where located in
and across delhi and in early 1990’s Shahnaz Husain stepped into the retail market which
boomed and gained huge profits for the company after which she stepped in the
international market by setting up new Factories at Roorkey and Noida to meet the
demand for both national and international market. Shahnaz husain used the franchising
mode to expand her business in India and abroad. The company has around 600
franchises and associated clinics aound the world. The company has 400 distribution
partners, through which 90 percent of its products are sold. In 2002, Shahnaz husain
group obtained distributor rights from Australia, New Zealand and Fiji Islands. The most
interesting and impressive fact in the Shahnaz husain group franchising mode is that it
does not finance it franchises nor does it have any share in the profit it uses the franchise
to sell the products and satisfy it customers and provide services needed by them.
Shahnaz Husain started a pioneer of vocational training in cosmetology in India, having
started her professional schools at a time when only apprenticeship training was
available. Shahnaz Hussain group has expanded and diversified in its 33 years of
existence. Shahnaz Husain group has lauched a Fairness creams for both men and women
in the name FOREVER. The Group has diversified into Ayurvedic centers for
Panchkarma, Dhara and Kerala massage. It has also set up two Shahnaz Husain
Ayurvedic Health Resorts, one near Delhi and another in collaboration with the
Hyakumata group of Japan in the US island of Saipan. These resorts which can
accommodate about 200 people at a time, aim at providing urbanites treatments and
programs designed to counteract the stress of modern life. The Group has also been
holding discussions with major five star hotels in New Delhi and New York to set up
health spas. Shahnaz Husain group has also launched a line of health drinks under the
brand name FITNESS FEISTA SHADRINK, these drinks are low calorie, cooling drinks
to be consumed in summer. A special range of ayurvedic products under the brand name
SHAPET.

In an innovative move, Shahnaz Husain has started work on formulations that

astronauts could carry with them in their extraterrestrial sojourns to protect their skin
from the ravages of space travel and slow down the ageing process. She has sent National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) free samples of her moisturizers, hoping
that they will be used on space expeditions. She captured the markets around the world
and now she wants to conquer space.

The company has occupied a strong market share and has become a competitor
to other company but still each company faces problems and risk. Shahnaz Husain still
dominates the first position in the cosmetic and beauty industry though many new
companies have entered like BIOTIQUE and HIMALAYA . But Shahnaz Husain is still
confident that it is only her products that cure.
SHAHNAZ HUSAIN FAMOUS QUOTINGS:

“It is important to have a dream and to believe in the magic of your

dreams”says Shahnaz.

“I do not sell products. I sell an entire civilization in a jar” says Shahnaz.

“I am a strong believer in ‘word-of-mouth’ publicity because a satisfied

client is the best advertisement” says Shahnaz.

Shahnaz believes that a true entrepreneur is a person who has independence

of spirit. “One should be innovative, dynamic and willing to try every
avenue towards success”.

Janine Sharell, Correspondent, CNN said about Shahnaz

husain-

"She lives, sleeps, breathes her business. She is consumed

with building a successful company which she has done."
ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS:

• The “Bharat Nirman” award, 1989, for her contribution towards beauty culture.
• She was awarded Padma Shree in 2006 from President Dr.Abdul Kalam.
• The Government of India “Woman of the Year 1986 Udyog Ratan Award” for
promoting Indian exports.
• She is the first woman to be so honoured, in the 107-year history of the Success
awards.
• "Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award" 1995 for promoting Ayurveda and Herbal
care.
• She was awarded Success Magazine's "World's Greatest Woman Entrepreneur"
award in 1996.
 • She was awarded “the Arch of Europe Gold Star Award for Quality”.
• She was awarded the Golden America Award and the Indian Government Awards
for Export Excellence.
• She was awarded “The 2000 Millennium Medal of Honour”.
• She has been honoured with two prestigious international awards for Quality
Excellence and Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur 2002, by Global Quality
Management, in London.
• “The Gold Award for Woman Entrepreneurs” in 1988 for putting India on the
world cosmetic map.
• The “Indira Priyadarshini” award for contribution towards national causes, 1989.
• “Gem of Alternative Medicine,” given by the Indian Board of Alternative
Medicine, Kolkata, in 1996.

The “Priyadarshini Award” given by the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs, 2000.

SHAHNAZ HUSAIN AS AN ENTREPRENEUR:

Shahnaz husain is an Innovative entrepreneur she can be categorized as a Business

entrepreneur because her life reflects her eagerness to start a business on her own terms
and she adopted an innovative method and used AYURVEDA as the base to produce
products skin and hair care treatments. She is pure entrepreneur and a first-generation
entrepreneur she has achieved the heights only on her terms and thus as she said anything
that carries her name catches up is very true. She can be categorized as a Growth
entrepreneur who climbed the ladder slowly but reached each height as she desired.

Factors that influenced Shahnaz Husain was her desire to make use of her
entrepreneurial expertise, she did not belong to a business family but she was from a very
well educated family and thus she wanted to make use of her study on cosmetology and
ayurveda it was her desire to produce cosmetics and beauty products which were
chemical after she read an article about chemicals in cosmetics and how chemicals were
harmful. She then made up her mind to produce products on the basis of ayurveda studies
and to produce chemical free beauty,skin and hair care products. Thus it is her
personality which is the factor which has made her a successful entrepreneur.

Shahnaz Husain can be given the title of India’s first successful women
entrepreneur. Her dedication towards her work, her ability to dream and exhibit it and to
think innovative and to lift her business to her terms is just unbelievable. She is a women
who lives for her products as she said her products are chemical free, there is no other
exception. Her products are made of pure natural products which are produced as per the
AYURVEDA studies and are chemical-free. A product sold on her name carries the
purity of natural ingredients and chemical-free there is no need to cross-check the product
and the results are as expected and as per the instructions on the jar. Her customers are
her advertisers and the aim of the company is to satisfy their customers and to produce
products as per the need of her customers. Shahnaz husain has made her name not only in
the beauty business in India but all over the world. Her kohl to her fairness cream for men
have been a great hit all over the world. Shahnaz Husain is an inspiration to each and
every individual who wants to become an entrepreneur.