‘I wanted to organise an unorganised sector’
Belita
WHAT: Belita is a doorstep beauty, bridal and salon service that goes to homes in Powai, Goregaon, Jogeshwari and Chandivli. It operates out of four rented offices, one in each area, and has four hired vans and a team of 50 beauticians.
An MBA graduate, Garima Jain (second from left) saw a business opportunity in creating an organisation of freelance beauticians.
WHO: An MBA graduate, Garima Jain, 28, worked with banks in Indore before moving to Mumbai in 2009 after marriage.
Until August 2010, she worked at a financial consultancy firm and was responsible for syndicating debt and equity.
WHEN: Jain launched Belita in January 2011, four months after she quit her job.
HOW: Jain invested R7 lakh of her savings and borrowed some money from her husband to launch Belita. In its pilot stage, Jain didn’t spend any money on marketing or publicity. “My team began by going door-to-door in Powai distributing pamphlets advertising Belita and its services,” says Jain.
To keep expenses down, Jain offers services only within a radius of 2.5 km to 3 km from Belita’s rented offices in its four locations. Her four vans are also on rent.
Until August 2010, she worked at a financial consultancy firm and was responsible for syndicating debt and equity.
WHEN: Jain launched Belita in January 2011, four months after she quit her job.
HOW: Jain invested R7 lakh of her savings and borrowed some money from her husband to launch Belita. In its pilot stage, Jain didn’t spend any money on marketing or publicity. “My team began by going door-to-door in Powai distributing pamphlets advertising Belita and its services,” says Jain.
To keep expenses down, Jain offers services only within a radius of 2.5 km to 3 km from Belita’s rented offices in its four locations. Her four vans are also on rent.
“I didn’t want to focus on managing drivers. I’d rather spend that time training my beauticians,” says Jain.
In the first month, Belita offered services to 100 clients. By now, it has catered to 4,500 clients. By the end of the year, it plans to expand to three other localities.
WHY: As a banker clocking in 13 hours of work a day, Jain rarely found time to visit a beauty parlour. She had to call a freelance beautician home. “But afterwards, I would cringe looking at the talcum powder and wax strewn across my floor,” she says. “Also, I was always worried about the quality of the products.”
Then once while munching a pizza in her Powai home, Jain told her husband how nice it would be to have a Dominos-style home beauty service.
“Why don’t you start one?” replied her husband, a naval architect and entrepreneur who runs a ship design and consultancy firm.
The next morning she seriously discussed the proposition with him, and he encouraged Jain to take the plunge.
In the first month, Belita offered services to 100 clients. By now, it has catered to 4,500 clients. By the end of the year, it plans to expand to three other localities.
WHY: As a banker clocking in 13 hours of work a day, Jain rarely found time to visit a beauty parlour. She had to call a freelance beautician home. “But afterwards, I would cringe looking at the talcum powder and wax strewn across my floor,” she says. “Also, I was always worried about the quality of the products.”
Then once while munching a pizza in her Powai home, Jain told her husband how nice it would be to have a Dominos-style home beauty service.
“Why don’t you start one?” replied her husband, a naval architect and entrepreneur who runs a ship design and consultancy firm.
The next morning she seriously discussed the proposition with him, and he encouraged Jain to take the plunge.
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