Ghazal Alagh

From working out together to eventually working together, has been our strength. Together makes us stronger 💪
I still remember when Varun Alagh and I were trying to raise funds, a lot of investors raised concern that what if you guys separate, what will happen to the business? And I used to be like ‘paise mat do that’s ok, atleast divorce to mat karao’ 😛
Hope we have proven some of them wrong.
#alaghalagh #couplepreneur

Although my school years equipped me with the best of skills, my early days as an entrepreneur came with quite a demanding learning curve. Here are some lessons that I’ve realised along the way -

1. Failures are good. Experiment, fail fast, learn fast, and keep moving forward

Life is all about experimenting. It's about trying, sometimes failing, learning, and doing it all over again. The knowledge that comes from failure is the most valuable you can get. It provides you with the real insights you require to grow as a person and makes you stronger.

2. Successful businesses are built on good relationships.

“It’s not just about what you know, but sometimes about who you know”

Every successful business is built on a strong foundation and good relationships. Mastering your soft skills will help you form valuable networks. This will open doors to critical opportunities and support you through crucial stages of your business journey. Keep meeting and helping people you never know who can open the next door of growth for you.

3. Sometimes Well executed is better than perfect. Get going and figure perfection on the way, time is of essence

Focusing too much on the consequences of a decision rather than taking the next step hampers productivity. Take action, no matter how “imperfect” it may seem. Learning from these outcomes is one step closer to the perfection you seek.

#Entrepreneurmindset

When I first became the “boss,” I was a 20-something woman with a newborn at home. Everything was new, both at home and work. My first baby and my first brand. I was learning!

I remember overhearing that a couple of employees left because “they didn’t want to report into a leader who was younger than them, had no experience, no fixed time in office and (to them) no aspiration or inspiration.” And to be honest, that stung.

I questioned myself: Am I too young? Too inexperienced? For a while, imposter syndrome kicked in hard. But then I made a decision. I could either let others’ biases define me, or I could let my work do the talking.

I doubled down on learning every aspect of the business, showed up to meetings with confidence (even if I had to fake it initially), and, importantly, I owned my identity as a woman leader, a mompreneur, instead of trying to “fit in.”

Fast forward to a few years later, some of those very people who left actually reapplied to our company, and this time they had no issues reporting to me. Life has a funny way of coming full circle.

The lesson I carry from this: being a woman in leadership, or a young mom in leadership, can feel like you have extra eyes on you, waiting for you to slip. But that’s fine, give them a show of excellence they can’t ignore. And even if you do feel you slipped, it’s ok because it’s your journey and it’s never complete without our share of failures.

Losing those people 7 years back felt like a failure to me. But now I know, that pushed me to work even harder, and become the best version of myself.

Find your allies: family, mentors, peers, and team members who believe in you.
To any woman facing bias: I see you. And I can’t promise it gets better, but I can promise it’s all worth it.

Every time you prove a stereotype wrong, you’re not just helping yourself but making the path a bit smoother for the next generation of female leaders. Remember that, and don’t let anyone else be the reason you quit.

So, I will say, keep going because the best revenge is massive success.

If you're obsessed with what you'll do in the future, then this is for you.

I bet most people can't recall the last time they did something purely for joy, not productivity. Why? Because we're always thinking about 'tomorrow.' We're either:

1. Consumed by future worries, ambitions, and endless plans for 'someday' or
2. Focused on embracing and experiencing the present moment fully

If you pick the first mindset, I don't blame you. It's so easy to get caught up in what's next, whether it's business, career, or personal goals. We convince ourselves that we'll be happy only if we achieve X or Y.

However, we need to cultivate the second mindset. It demands that we stop worrying about what 'could be' and appreciate what's right here, right now.

Once I read about this approach, I started learning to bring my attention back to the 'now.' Here's what has helped me:

1. I meditate for at least 10 minutes every morning.

2. I avoid multitasking while eating so I can focus on one thing at a time.

3. When I take a break from work, I make it a point to walk around and consciously observe my surroundings.

4. When making decisions, I consider if my choices are based on 'now' or 'later.'

Slowly, you have to acknowledge that this moment is a gift. Don't be so busy preparing for tomorrow at the expense of today.

So tell me, what are you doing today to appreciate what you have 'now'?

#productivity #mindset #growth #entrepreneur

What if your best talent resigns for a hike in salary offered by your competition?

This happened recently, and I had to let the person go because of one thing. When asked, their sole motivator was money.

At Honasa Consumer Ltd., we work a lot to retain talent by:

✅Expanding the scope of the role to offer new challenges and ownership.
✅Offering an ESOP plan to create a stake in the company's success and value.
✅Providing access to high-quality training and development programs to upskill.
✅Aligning employee goals with internal growth opportunities for clear advancement.

All because we want team members who are thinking as much about the company and brands as we do. We ensure that people are engaged and enjoying the work that they are doing.

But if their only short-term goal is money, then you may be better off without them.

I could have matched the salary, but I decided not to. If money is the only reason to choose one job over another, then I should hire someone else

What do you all do in this situation?

#teambuilding #entrepreneurship

Proud moment, Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd won the Young Turks Startup Of The Year Award by CNBC-TV18. Even more amazing was to be awarded by the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Cherry on the cake was the inspiring women I shared this stage with Falguni Nayar, Tapsee Pannu and Mithali Raj.

In 5 years from struggling to find the right products for our child to this stage is not just Varun Alagh & my journey. It’s the journey of new india where anything is possible, of evolving Indian consumer, of technology disrupting all sectors and most importantly of entrepreneurship being the key to unlocking a billion dreams. Thanks to my team, my consumers and the entire new india to making this possible. We are living in a moment where excellence is expected, but that doesn't mean we should take it for granted. Whether you're a part of my team or not, I hope you'll find inspiration in these awards and use them as fuel to keep pushing your own boundaries and bringing more excellence into your work. #leadersofchange

I am incredibly delighted to announce that Mamaearth is collaborating with the Ministry of Defence's Canteen Stores Department (CSD). We will be able to provide our safe, toxin-free products to even more people in India thanks to this cooperation, including all of the country's CSD canteens.

Mamaearth has always prioritized its consumers, and this collaboration is just one more way we're living up to that commitment. It's a significant accomplishment for us, and we are appreciative of the love and support that enable growth like this.

With this move, we're one step closer to realizing our goal of providing more families with online and offline access to natural, sustainable personal care products.

We are truly grateful to everyone who has helped us along the way and we are looking forward to seeing what lies ahead in our success journey.

Varun Alagh Honasa Consumer Ltd.

An energetic start to a fabulous year ahead. May in 2021 we take many more chances and dance many more dances. To an amazing year and a decade for all of us. Happy New Year 😊

Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd (Mamaearth)

2025 isn’t over. But it’s already taught me more than I expected

A few weeks ago, I was getting ready for back-to-back meetings: laptop in one hand, to-do list in the other. Just as I was about to head out, my son looked up and asked,
 
“Mama, why are you always in a rush?”
That moment stopped me.
Not because I had an answer, but because I didn’t.

That question stayed with me.
Because I don’t want the answer to be: “Because that’s just how life is.”

So halfway through the year, I’ve been slowing down to ask myself:
What would make me feel less rushed?
What actually matters?

And these five reminders are what I keep coming back to, not from strategy decks, but from trying to live better:

1. Progress over Perfection.
I often rush because I’m trying to get everything right. But in trying to do it perfectly, I don’t delegate, or take time away from other things which matter to me equally or more. I now value consistent progress far more than overthinking and doing everything perfectly.

2. Know the “why.”
I rush when I’m saying yes without thinking. And later it feels like a burden. 
Now, I am chasing clarity by asking myself, why. Clarity saves time. Decisions feel lighter.

3. Prioritize health.
Because when my body or my family is running on low, everything else falls apart. Slowing down and finding one's own version of balance is strength.

4. I work to make life better, not busier.
Sometimes I fill my days thinking I’m being productive but all I’m really doing is piling on.
Now I ask: is this adding value, or just adding noise?
Because if I’m always busy but never at peace, I’m doing it wrong.

5. Anything I don’t change, I choose.
I kept telling myself “this is just a phase” or “things will slow down.”
But unless I choose to change something, I’m agreeing to live like this.

Some lessons come from books.
Some, from your child’s one honest question.

And now, I’m letting that question guide how I show up, at work, at home, and for myself.

What has 2025 taught you already?

#Learnings #WorkLifeBalance

Times are changing for the better.
I have witnessed the way society has transformed, changing the gender narrative.
There is more representation of women in administrative positions and leadership. And the archaic stereotypes are now being broken in the boardrooms of the corporate world.

Every day, I see women displaying extraordinary strength to succeed in their careers under challenging circumstances. We have been very actively working on driving fair representation at Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd with 50% of our workforce as women.

It is a great honour to be listed with Vineeta Singh barkha dutt Shereen Bhan and all these exceptional women who have paved the way for women business owners in India! ✨

Thank you, @exchange4media for recognising me in @IMPACT Weekly Magazine's 50 Most Influential Women List, 2022!

#IMPACT50Women #womeninbusiness #leadership

Life is all about balance.

Effectively juggling between work and life will make you appreciate daily activities and you’ll feel more passionate towards them. And this requires making time for the things you have to do, as well as the things you want to do 💯

And believe it or not, work-life balance will not only make you creative and productive but, it would also make you successful.

What do you think?

#GhazalKaGyan #Balanceiskey

Regardless of how big a corporation is or what industry it operates in, it's the people who create a difference.
The right employee thrives individually while expanding their team's capabilities, eventually contributing to the company’s holistic growth.
These are my 3 mantras that can help you hire the right kind of people.

#GhazalKaGyan #InConversationWithGhazal

I had the privilege to meet Smriti Irani, and here are 3 key takeaways from our interaction -

📍Smriti ji highlighted the life stages when women are most prone to leaving careers - marriage, motherhood, and children's board exams. As employers, we must support them. At Honasa Consumer Ltd., we've proudly retained almost 100% of employees through these life stages.

📍 While women's representation at grassroots levels has improved with higher enrollment rates and college graduations, the bigger challenge lies in corporate representation, especially at senior levels.

📍 For many independent women, core financial decisions like investments are still made by men (spouses/fathers). This mindset needs to change, and we women must lead this transformation.

I must admit, I'm a total fangirl of Smriti Irani Ji's grace, intellect, and charisma. Her deep understanding of core issues and structural solutions is remarkably strong.

More power to her! 👏🏼

#womenempowerment #learnings

As a founder, I’ve learned that great ideas don’t come from a single mind but get shaped by the collective minds all around you.

That's why active listening is one of the most powerful tools at every leader’s disposal.

I’ve seen so many smart people who struggle with leadership simply because they don't listen to their teams. That's why at Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd., we make a conscious effort to not only listen but truly understand our teams’, partners’ & consumers’ perspectives and insights.

One major advantage I’ve noticed is that it has helped me identify opportunities for growth and take action on areas that need improvement.

What is one active listening benefit that you’ve experienced?

#GhazalKaGyan #leadership #teambuilding

Dreams do come true, and here is one which came true for us. We are on the cover of Forbes magazine (*wohooo, still cannot beleive*) and we can't keep calm.
Credits to the entire team Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd (Mamaearth) for working tirelessly towards disproportionate growth and keeping at it.
Thank you rajiv singh for the feature, can't wait to see your magic in the story that's inside.

Cheers to the Rockstars behind Mamaearth
Varun Alagh ABHISHEK RAJ PANDEY Abhishek Gupta Kunwarjeet grover Sambit Dash @ashish mishra Aanchal Bhatia Shinjan Sarangi Ramanpreet Sohi Siddharth Sharma and many more.

They said truth wins; fight for injustice, but the reality is: “women must live with sexual harassment“.

This is what the civil court judge who fell victim of sexual harassment said.

After sending multiple pleas, emails, and complaints, she got NO answer. To date, law and order have failed her.

Now the judge has asked permission from the chief justice of India to end her life.

I’m no stranger to this nightmare and know how helpless we feel when people you hope will help stay silent. But for a lot of women, it’s a daily struggle. The question is:

📍 If the Supreme Court can’t give justice to one of its own, then what hope do other women have?

It’s time to wake up and build safer workplaces so that women can focus on their work without any fear.

#safeworkplaces

There are some milestones worth sipping a 25 year mature scotch over and celebrating, being featured in the The Economic Times 40 under 40 is definitely one of them. Huge congratulations Varun Alagh ,what a well deserved mention. Keep motivating and making people around you dream big and achieve those big dreams.

We at team Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd (Mamaearth) are so proud of you.

#et40under40 #keepwalking

Being on Shark Tank India is a full on roller coaster ride and I am super excited to be a part of it. I feel blessed to be chosen as a part of this show that I have been watching and learning from for decades. It also feels good to give back to the startup ecosystem and becoming part of entrepreneurial journeys through the show. Do keep watching this space to see more interesting nuggets from the show.

Varun Alagh the wind beneath my wings, my constant, thank you for all your support ❤️

India is now the 4th largest economy in the world.

It’s a proud milestone and also an indicator of what’s possible when we build with intent. Our GDP has surged to $4.19 trillion, surpassing Japan, and positioning us just behind the US, China, and Germany.

This growth is enabled by:
• A vibrant startup ecosystem: Over 146,000 DPIIT-recognized startups and 100+ unicorns, making India the third-largest startup hub globally.

• Digital adoption: In 2024, UPI processed 172 billion transactions, reflecting a 46% year-on-year growth.

• Rising consumption: Consumer spending is projected to reach $4.3 trillion by 2030, up from $2.4 trillion in 2024.

While this achievement is significant, our journey doesn't end here. To ascend further, we must:
• Enhance infrastructure to reduce logistics costs.
• Foster innovation by increasing R&D investments.
• Promote inclusive growth to ensure prosperity reaches every corner of our nation.

Let’s shape what’s next with intention, insight, and bold responsibility.