With the rising consciousness for all things natural, sustainable and green seem to be the buzzword in today’s times. The rapid cutting down of the green cover and building of skyscrapers is increasingly pushing people away from nature. In a bid to draw themselves closer to Mother Earth, people are seeking out products that bring nature back to them.
In conversation with TC46, Bellissimo Creazione‘s founder Purvi Punjabi talks about why she chose to build an organic skincare brand, the challenges of being in the competitive beauty segment, and some advice for entrepreneurs looking to venture into this space.
1. What’s your educational and professional background?
I completed my Bachelor of Arts degree at Loreto College. I was a housewife for quite a number of years before I decided to start my own business. That is when I opted for an online Diploma course at the School of Natural Skincare based in London and received my certificate in Making Natural Skin Care Products in the year 2019.
2. What prompted the idea for Bellissimo Creazione? Did you always know you wanted to work in this space?
I started participating in some creative candle and soap-making workshops to engage my time. After years of taking care of my household, my kids were older and I had felt a lack of focus in my life. That is when I started to read and learn more about skincare as I had always been passionate about taking appropriate care of my skin since a young age. Thus, I had noticed that organic products were more likely to help my skin.
3. What was your first milestone and how did you get there?
I think one of the first milestones was when I was approached by the owners of the New Chumta Tea estate—this is one of the oldest tea gardens in the Terai region. They asked me to produce a range of Green Tea products for the Chumta Tea Boutique at the Mayfair Resorts in Siliguri, West Bengal. This was a significant moment for my brand because I felt that this opportunity would allow it to gain worthy recognition that I had worked hard to make sure it deserved.
4. What are your tips for an aspiring entrepreneur who wants to enter this space?
Don’t measure your level of success with other businesses in the market, instead focus on being authentic. This will help in ensuring that your brand reflects your passion.
5. What were the 3 best business decisions you made?
I think some of the best decisions I made were exhibiting my products at every opportunity when I first started my business. This helped me gain loyal customers. I also customized my products according to the needs of each buyer and focused on refining my products to certify that the purchaser was satisfied with what they paid for.
6. How long did it take you to monetise your venture?
I think within a period of 6 months I started to see the positive results of my investments. At this point in time, I had been a part of various exhibitions, including Fuss that connected me with a large client base. I started building a rapport with my buyers and they kept returning to purchase my product. This was a huge turning point as I was gaining and sustaining the interest of my customers which brought in profits.
7. Are you looking for funding for your business?
No, I am not. I do not require any funding at the moment.
8. Who are the key employees one needs to secure to work in this space?
I think some of the key employees I first hired were Razi enterprise to do my packaging, a marketing advisor, and an accountant. I think all these people form the main components that uphold my business. My brand has gained recognition with the support of these people.
9. How do you intend to scale up your business in the next 5 years?
My goal is to try to be present and accessible to all marketplaces. Our vision has always been to be a brand that solves our customers’ problems instead of just selling a product. In the next five years, we plan to be able to customise skincare for each customer as everyone has different skin care and hair care requirements.
Tired of dull skin? Do not worry, we’ve got your back. Read it here how!
