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Shahnaz Husain - A Successful Indian Woman Entrepreneur
Shahnaz Husain - A Successful Indian Woman Entrepreneur
The average growth rate in the initial years (late 1970s to the
early 1980s) was 15-20%. In the 1990s the average growth
rate was 19.4%. A number of awards, both national and
international have been conferred on Shahnaz Husain.
Some of them are "The Arch of Europe Gold Star for Quality",
"One of the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World", "The
2000 Millennium Medal of Honor", "Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana
Award", etc. (Refer Exhibit I & II)
The Making of an Entrepreneur
Shahnaz Husain belongs to 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.
The Making of an Entrepreneur Contd...
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 (Refer Exhibit III), 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.
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. This
makes the system all the more effective.
The Group's sophisticated R&D units develop the products and put them through stringent
quality control tests. These products are environment friendly and no testing is done on
animals. All the products offered by the group are entirely natural and carry the guarantee
of purity and safety. Shahnaz offers a wide variety of over 400 products for all age groups
and for a variety of problems (Refer Exhibit IV).
Within days she was booked for the next 6 months. She said, "I removed the banner and
since then I have never advertised. I have let my products speak for themselves." Shahnaz
was disturbed by the fact that India was not represented in any of the Global beauty forums
of the world beauty congresses. Deciding to change this situation, she represented the
country for the first time in the CIDESCO1 beauty congress in the late 1970s.
"It was my aim to get India on the world beauty map as I felt terrible about the fact that
India was never represented at any world beauty congress," said Shahnaz. She was
appointed President for the day's proceedings at the congress and she used this opportunity
to focus the world's attention on Ayurveda.
The group has also launched a line of herbal drinks under the
brand name Fitness Fiesta Shadrink. These drinks are low
calorie, cooling drinks to be consumed in the summer. The
drinks are based on rose and khus (poppy seeds) extracts and
contain essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals which nourish
the body and help purify the blood. Shahnaz's love for animals
prompted her to introduce a special range of ayurvedic products
for pets – Shapet.
This range includes hair care balms, anti-tick hair cleansers, talcum powder, anti-scabies
skin oil, antiseptic balm, and anti parasitic lotions Shahnaz believes that chemical products
and pesticides destroy the natural luster and health of the animal's coat. Natural products
not only prevent this but also help soothe and cure infections.
Training Future Entrepreneurs
Seeing the need for internationally recognized institutes that offered professional training in
beauty, Shahnaz Husain set up Woman's World International. This was started at a time
when people who wanted to train in beauty treatments and therapy could only get
apprenticeship training. The institute which is affiliated to ITEC, U.K3 offers training in
cosmetic therapy and combines theoretical knowledge with practical training. Students
study physiology and the human anatomy to understand the scientific principles of beauty
and become familiar with the major systems of the human body. They are taught the
practical skills of massage and make-up under the expert guidance of a qualified therapist.
They also learn the use of various skin and hair gadgets. In addition, they study nutrition,
weight control and exercise. Students are also given basic training on setting up and
running salons and maintaining hygiene.
The Shahnaz Husain Ayurvedic Centre for Panchkarma, Dhara and Kerala Massage also
imparts training in these traditional disciplines. Students are taught the Ayurvedic system of
"Tridosha" (Refer Exhibit III) for identifying ailments. A qualified Ayurvedic doctor conducts
these classes.
Shahnaz has also started 'Shamute', a free training school in cosmetic therapy for the
speech and hearing impaired. The training they receive in this school helps them lead a self
reliant and purposeful life despite their handicap. Even after they qualify as beauticians,
they are offered guidance and advice throughout their career.
Lessons on Entrepreneurship
Shahnaz Husain has acquired worldwide recognition. Her
dedication and relentless hard work have paid off and she heads
a Group which is the largest of its kind in the world.