First-mover advantage must be one of the most important edge in any industry but it comes with its own set of challenges. Among these is to create a market and place for oneself and your product. Parul Gulati is fulfilling both with her hair extensions brand called Nish Hair.
Early Life and Acting Career
Parul Gulati was born on August 6, 1991, in Rohtak, Haryana, into a middle-class family. From a young age, she harbored dreams of making a name for herself. Despite the challenges, her determination led her to Mumbai while she was still in Class 12, where she pursued her passion for acting and modeling.
Parul’s acting career began in 2010 with the TV show Kitani Mohabbat Hai (season 2), followed by roles in Yeh Pyaar Na Hoga Kam and Punjabi films like Burrraahh (2012) and Romeo Ranjha (2014). She also appeared in shows like P.O.W. – Bandi Yuddh Ke and the web series Haq Se.
Birth of Nish Hair
In 2017, Parul Gulati founded Nish Hair, a brand specializing in 100% human hair extensions. The inspiration for Nish Hair stemmed from her personal struggles with hair loss and her desire to help others facing similar issues.
“In the early days, it was just my mom and me. We handled everything, from production to customer support, marketing to sales. It was an all-hands-on-deck situation.”
Parul’s entrepreneurial journey was not without its hurdles. Initially, she faced skepticism and discomfort from people regarding hair extensions. This is one of the problems that every brand faces when trying to tap into a completely new market which is unaware of the success and normalcy of a product in the global market.
“Nish Hair was my first business venture ever. I had no prior corporate work experience or business education. All I had was an idea and a dream.”
Pitch in Shark Tank
One of the significant milestones in Parul’s journey was her appearance on the finale episode of Shark Tank India Season 2.
She secured a ₹1 crore investment for 2% equity from Amit Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of CarDekho. This achievement not only validated her business model but also also helped in skyrocketing product sales.
Sales Post Shark Tank
The appearance on Shark Tank India led to an overwhelming surge in demand for Nish Hair. Despite hiring additional staff, optimizing the website, and moving to a larger office, the team was caught off guard by the exponential increase in orders and inquiries. Their Instagram activity also soared beyond expectations.
To meet this new demand, literally every single person in the Nish Hair team, from customer support to marketing was helping with printing and packaging for orders. It was chaotic but blissful.
Balancing Multiple Roles
Despite her entrepreneurial success, Parul continues to pursue her acting career. She often addresses the misconception that she has left acting, clarifying that she is managing both roles together. As she once told Aman Gupta, CEO of BOAT,
“I’m married to my acting career, and my business is my baby. I can’t choose between them and I have to give 100% to both aspects of my life.”
Parul’s Philosophy
Parul emphasizes that factors such as age, gender, and education should not be barriers to achieving one’s dreams. Instead, the key lies in the willingness to take action, learn continuously, and grow from experiences. This is why she is “Proudly donning the title of a ‘Boss Lady’”.
What Helped Nish Hair Scale So Quick?
Well, Parul Gulati attributes Nish Hair’s success to two pivotal decisions.
First, she took the brand online, making it India’s first digital hair extensions platform. This move capitalized on the growing e-commerce trend and leveraged her social media savvy.
Second, she chose to go solo, maintaining complete control over the brand. This autonomy allowed for quick decision-making and experimentation. She believes,
“Building a business is all about making decisions, both right and wrong, and learning from the wrong ones.”
