Entrepreneursh

ip & Project
Management
Project

Lovejot l Neha l Parneet

INTRODUCTION
SHAHNAZ HUSAIN, CEO
of Shahnaz Husain Herbals
Inc. is a prominent Indian
female entrepreneur best
known
for
herherbal
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

AIM
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
-Shahnaz Husain

AWARDS &
ACHIEVEMENTS
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 forpromoting 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 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.
Global Quality Management, in London, has
honoured her with two prestigious international
awards for Quality Excellence and Outstanding
Woman Entrepreneur 2002.
The Gold Award for Woman Entrepreneurs in
1988 for putting India on the world cosmetic
map.

THE MAKING OF AN
ENTREPRENEUR
Shahnaz Husain was born in samarkhand she was born in a royal
Muslim family. Shahnaz received herschooling in an Irish convent
and because of the influence of her father, Chief JusticeN.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 herroots 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 ofRs. 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

THE COMPANY
The Shahnaz Husain Group is India's
leading company in the field of natural
beauty and anti-aging treatments. Started
in the 1970s by Shahnaz Husain in New
Delhi, the group has over time vertically
integrated to encompass every aspect of
Ayurvedic care and cure. The group has
activities as diverse as beauty training
institutes, growing of its own herbs to
manufacturing of its cosmetics line to retail
to specialized treatments through its chain
of over 200 beauty centers worldwide. The
group has received many an accolade, the
most recent of which was when it's
Chairperson, Shahnaz Husain, won India's
highest honor, the Padma Shree, in the field
of Industry and trade for bringing Ayurveda
to the West. In 1996 Success Magazine,
one of the worlds most well respected
business publications, named Shahnaz
Husain the Woman of the Year and
estimated the brand's worth at over $100
million. This number has grown many times

The Shahnaz Husain

Group runs the largest
chain of beauty parlors in
the country. they currently
have over 200 franchisees,
for both our parlors as
well as our training
institutes. Their unique
approach to beauty has
made our parlors the most

PRODUCTS
The Shahnaz Husain product range has over 350 exclusive products in 20 distinct
categories for skin, hair and body care. Each product has a unique mix of ingredients
that captures all the benefits of thousands of years of herbal and ayurvedic
knowledge.
Some of her products are :

Shahnaz
Shahnaz
Shahnaz
Shahnaz
Shahnaz
Shahnaz

Shahnaz Shayouth (Precious Herb

Mask)
shaface (herbal facial skin conditioner).
Shahnaz Shasmooth (Almond Under
shafair (vitaminized whitening cream)
eye Cream)
hussain fair one
Shahnaz Shabase (Sandalwood
hussain shaglow
Protective Cream)
Shalife (Vitaminized Nourishing Cream)
Shahnaz Oxygen Skin Treatment
Shamask-1 (Precious Herbs Face Mask)
Cream
Shahnaz Oxygen Skin Beautifying
Mask

THE SHAHNAZ HUSAIN WAY

Shahnaz Husain when started her salon just hanged a banner outside the salon with
herqualification and services offered by her and within few days she was booked forthe next 6
months, after which she removed the banner and then never advertised.
Until the launch of forever products in 2008, after her grandson Sharik joined the business.
Shahnaz Husain no-advertisement policy also gained her a lot ofpopularity 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 Husains initial investment
of Rs.35000 has now turned into a Rs.250 crore a year. Shahnaz Husain herbal employees 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 nontoxic and have no harmful side effects. The human body adapts well to the natural treatments of

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 dont have any competitors. Dabur is into
health. Clarins doesnt 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
groups products are sold in leading global stores

EXPANSION &
DIVERSIFICATION
Shahnaz Husain products were initially sold only in her salons which where
located in and across Delhi and in early 1990s 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 around 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
ofexistence. Shahnaz Husain group has launched a Fairness creams for both
men and women in the name FOREVER. The Group has diversified into
Ayurvedic centers forPanchkarma, 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

TRAINING
INSTITUTES
Over the last three decades, Shahnaz
Husains
Beauty
Institutes
have
remained committed to excellence in
vocational training in beauty by
offering professional courses of the
highest order, tailored to suit the
changing demands of the beauty
business. Students have the benefit of
theoretical approaches in skin and hair
health, body care, as well as the latest
techniques in practical skills. They
enable students to obtain professional
qualifications,
in
keeping
with
international standards, opening up a
vista of career opportunities.
The following courses are available
at Shahnaz Husain:

Diploma in Beauty Therapy

Post Graduate Diploma - Skin and

Beauty Therapy

AN ENTREPRENEUR
Shahnaz Husain is anInnovative entrepreneurshe can be categorized
as aBusiness entrepreneurbecause 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 entrepreneurshe 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
herentrepreneurial 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 herpersonality which is the factor
which has made her a successful entrepreneur.
Shahnaz Husain can be given the title of Indias 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 otherexception.
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

SUCCESS FACTORS
Husains innovations and spirit of
enterprise are well matched. Never
losing sight of the basic nature
principle
and
Ayurveda,
her
contribution
to
her
field
is
unprecedented. Through her career,
regular columns and books, she has
created an awareness of the dangers of
chemical
treatments
that
has
influenced minds and market demands.
Her career is a portrayal of how she
has translated her ideas into reality,
living life by her values and unique
philosophy. Her profound knowledge of
natural care, her rare energy and
vitality, as well as her faith in her own
abilities, make it a story of a woman
who dared to dream and succeeded
beyond success. Indeed, Shahnaz
Husain has become a legend in her
own lifetime, while her organization,

f it Bears My Name,
t Catches On'