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Journalism of Courage
Ghazal Alagh, co-founder of Mamaearth, recently opened up about the challenges she faced while building her skincare brand. In a podcast with Prakhar Gupta, Alagh reflected on her journey and the learnings she accumulated being a businesswoman in India. She revealed that she got rejected by several manufacturers as no one wanted to meet her.
“You need partners to create and market the product, and here is when your confidence goes down the drain. And there is no space for ego because no one would want to talk to you,” she said. “I initially spoke to at least 50 manufacturers when I had to make the product. I sought help from 50 of them so that I could start my business on a small scale. Because there was no laboratory, and I needed their laboratory to develop my formulation. Out of 50, 49 manufacturers rejected me and I questioned myself if it was worth it,” she said during the podcast.
Alagh also revealed the things she had to give up to start her business venture. “Painting is my passion,” she shared. “I studied at the New York Academy of Arts. I used to paint before starting the company and sold my works nationally and internationally. I also did some 15 art shows and was doing well. But I had to give up on painting to start my entrepreneurial journey.”
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Alagh’s Mamaearth recently completed its first year as a public company. She also reflected on key business lessons on LinkedIn and wrote, “What got us here will not take us there.” Mamaearth, along with The Derma Co and BBlunt, operates under the umbrella of parent company Honasa Consumer.
Alagh, 37, highlighted that the company’s future growth will be driven by strategic clarity, noting a shift in focus “from brand-level growth to category-level domination.” She also revealed plans for a comprehensive overhaul of the offline distribution network, designed to equip the business for long-term success. Stressing the importance of this transformation, she added, “This isn’t just skill development; it’s muscle building, breaking down to grow back stronger.”
