Almost exactly one year ago, I went to an event at the Notman House - a Montreal Tech Hub (or pertaining to events on entrepreneurship) - organized by a small group called 'Women of Wonder'. The event was really intimate with probably no more than 15 attendees. But we got to hear from a couple of inspiring women, one of whom was Ruchy Khurana, speak about their very new experiences in entrepreneurship.
Ruchy has a natural skincare product, called Ruchy Skincare. After the event, Ruchy and I connected on LinkedIn, and Instagram, but we did not keep in touch otherwise. Then, just last week, I was at Winners downtown, and saw a very familiar name/brand. Winners usually carries bigger brands, so I was surprised, but thrilled, excited, and proud to see this name because I remembered what Ruchy spoke about during the event last year - she was just at the infancy of her business, and there wasn't anything glamorous about that; it's hard work!!
So to have seen her products at Winners, I thought: She did it! I instantly took a photo, contacted her via Instagram (she did not know her products finally made it to Winners; I was the first to have announced it to her!), we exchanged a few emails, and here we are, with Ruchy's interview. Hope you enjoy!
Pleased to introduce you to Ruchy Khurana, who founded Ruchy's Skincare a couple of years ago. Along with running her business, she is also a Business Coach, and absolutely loves doing both!
Mission of your firm:
To create value. Skincare just happens to be the medium for this value, but really, it could be anything. I want to offer something that works, that is affordable and that doesn’t harm anyone or anything.
Why the entrepreneurship path?
It's in my blood - literally. From both sides of my family, we are a gaggle of entrepreneurs. Actually, when I started working for my father 10 years ago, I was the first Khurana to get a “job”. Now I am the first FEMALE Khurana with her own business! Fair point - the rest of my family are mainly in India, where female entrepreneurship is still just catching on. But STILL.
Lesson(s) learned?
It takes a village. From my super supportive family to my super supportive friends and network - everyone pitches in. Whether it's to announce a product on Facebook, hit “like” on a blog, tell a friend about my serum or roll up their sleeves to start pouring, everyone helps and everyone feels invested. I have learned that I could never have done this on my own.
Advice?
Be generous with information, with praise and with support for other entrepreneurs. We need each other, lean on each other and learn from each other. Good people win in the end. And stay curious!
Fun/interesting fact about you within your industry/career?
Whenever someone asks me how I started on this crazy skincare journey, they end up getting an earful about my fragrance allergy and the burns I got under my arms. I'm sure they never expect an armpit story - especially the one I tell in graphic detail!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Do it! Tell as many people as you can - share the idea and watch how it will evolve with each telling of the story. People have incredible insight and will help develop facets to your idea that you never thought of. They will also astound you with their outpouring of enthusiasm and support. You might feel tempted to keep your idea quiet and safe - maybe out of fear of rejection. Have faith.
Tell people and watch the idea bloom.
