A partnership with Godrej CSR

In the bustling neighbourhoods and quiet lanes of urban India, countless women run small beauty parlours – some from modest shops, others providing door-to-door services. These micro-entrepreneurs possessed tremendous skill in their craft, but like many small business owners, they faced challenges in turning their expertise into sustainable enterprises. This was the context that gave birth to Beautypreneur, an innovative program that emerged from Godrej CSR’s existing Saheli initiative.

Building on our success with the Eye Mitra program, we recognized a similar opportunity: skilled practitioners who needed business acumen to thrive. The beauty sector was particularly promising because it already operated on entrepreneurial models at the grassroots level. These women had the technical skills – what they needed was the knowledge and confidence to transform their services into thriving businesses.

Working in Delhi NCR as our pilot region, we developed a comprehensive curriculum that went far beyond traditional business training. The program addressed the unique challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the beauty sector, focusing on both immediate business needs and long-term sustainability. We created realistic models that reflected the participants’ actual circumstances and market conditions.

The impact of the project manifested in multiple ways. Participants learned crucial business and financial management skills, but perhaps more importantly, they developed an entrepreneurial mindset that helped them navigate changing market conditions.

One of the most powerful outcomes was the formation of a community. As individual beautypreneurs came together, they discovered their collective strength. This network enabled them to share resources and support each other’s growth. What began as a group of isolated micropreneurs transformed into a robust community of businesswomen who could advocate for their interests.

The success of the pilot led to expansion through partnerships with other organizations across the country. We created a model that Godrej could replicate across different regions, each adapted to the local contexts.