How Aashka Goradia Quit Acting and Built a Rs 820 Crore Beauty Empire in 2 Years

 

Aashka Goradia is a name that many Indian television viewers are familiar with. She has been a part of several popular shows like Kkusum, Laagi Tujhse Lagan, Baal Veer, Naagin and Daayan. She has also participated in reality shows like Bigg Boss, Khatron Ke Khiladi and Nach Baliye. But did you know that she has also become a successful entrepreneur in the beauty industry?

From actress to entrepreneur

Aashka Goradia always had a passion for makeup and beauty products. She used to experiment with different looks and styles on herself and her co-stars. She also noticed that there was a gap in the market for innovative and easy-to-use makeup products that catered to the Indian skin tones and preferences.

In 2019, she decided to take a break from acting and pursue her dream of launching her own beauty brand. She teamed up with her husband Brent Goble, an American businessman, and founded Renée Cosmetics, a direct-to-consumer brand that offers a range of makeup products such as eyeliners, lipsticks, mascaras, kajals, brushes and more.

Renée Cosmetics: Celebrating and empowering Indian women

The name Renée means “reborn” in French, which reflects Aashka’s vision of transforming the way women use makeup. She wanted to create products that were not only high-quality and affordable, but also innovative and easy-to-use. For example, one of her best-selling products is the Fab 5-in-1 Lipstick, which has five different shades in one bullet that can be applied with a single swipe.

Renée Cosmetics also aims to celebrate and empower Indian women by featuring real women from different walks of life as their brand ambassadors. Aashka believes that every woman has a unique story to tell and deserves to feel confident and beautiful in her own skin.

As the founder and chief marketing officer of Renée Cosmetics, Aashka is involved in every aspect of the brand building process, from product development and design to content creation and marketing strategies. She also leverages her social media presence and celebrity network to promote her brand and connect with her customers.

Achievements and challenges

In just two years, Renée Cosmetics has grown exponentially and achieved a valuation of Rs 820 crore. The brand has over 250 SKUs across various categories and sells through its own website as well as online platforms like Nykaa, Amazon, Flipkart and Myntra. The brand has also received PETA approval for being cruelty-free and vegan.

However, Aashka’s journey as an entrepreneur has not been without challenges. She had to face skepticism and criticism from some people who doubted her ability to run a business or questioned her decision to quit acting. She also had to deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the beauty industry, which saw a decline in demand and supply chain disruptions.

Despite these hurdles, Aashka remained optimistic and resilient. She used the lockdown period as an opportunity to innovate and launch new products such as sanitizers, masks and face shields. She also focused on creating engaging content for her social media platforms and interacting with her customers through live sessions and giveaways.

Future plans

Aashka Goradia has big plans for Renée Cosmetics in the future. She wants to expand her product portfolio and introduce more categories such as skincare, haircare and fragrances. She also wants to explore offline retail channels and enter international markets such as the US, UK and UAE.

She also wants to continue her social impact initiatives such as supporting women entrepreneurs, educating girls about menstrual hygiene and donating products to frontline workers. She believes that beauty is not just about looking good, but also about doing good.

Aashka Goradia is an inspiration for many women who aspire to pursue their passions and create their own identity. She has proved that with hard work, determination and creativity, anything is possible.