Upma Kapoor, Founder Teal & Terra, an organic cosmetic startup, wanted to bring a paradigm shift in the organic beauty industry, when she launched her startup.
She spent 15 years in the corporate world before deciding to quit, and worked as an independent HR & Finance consultant for some time. Eventually, she decided to take the entrepreneurial plunge with Teal & Terra in 2017.
From worth of 7.5 lakh to 2.24 crore in under two years, Ms. Kapoor has worked night and day for Teal & Terra to emerge as a brand.
Her startup endeavours to change the Indian cosmetic landscape by using natural ingredients and the age-old principles of Ayurveda.
Upma claims that her products are made of natural ingredients and contain no harmful chemicals.
Born and brought up in Delhi, Upma lost both her parents in a tragic accident when she was just 12. She went to live with her sister and brother-in-law but nothing could fill the void left by the death of her parents.
“There is no one or nothing that can replace the love and support that your parents provide you,” says Upma.
Upma completed her MBA in finance from ICFAI and worked in the corporate sector for almost 15 years before entering the beauty industry.
While sharing her entrepreneurial journey Upma said, “I started the company with about Rs 7.5 lakh, some of which came from my friends, sister and some from my savings. It was a huge leap of faith for me and in hindsight I can say I am glad I took it.”
She further explained, “With the use of high quality essential oils, aloe vera gel, and other naturally derived extracts and healthy ingredients, we strive to build these organic beauty products of highest quality for our customers which can help them get an everlasting healthy n beautiful hair and skin. We value spirit of health, wellness and community service as part of our business endeavour . With the knowledge that everything we put on our skin quickly gets absorbed into our bodies, we ethically source the finest and purest raw natural materials the earth and our environment has to offer. In addition to creating products that give our customers noticeable results, we create our products with the concept of personal rejuvenation and indulgence in mind.”
“Initially, just gaining credibility and trust in the market was a huge task. I had to reply to a barrage of negative feedback that I found springing up on various online communities. It took me a while to see that many of them were from competitors. Having said this, I must also add that some of my most loyal customers also come from these very online communities,” she added.
Upma also works extensively towards women empowerment and provides work from home opportunities to women so they can make a living.
Her company has a team of 18 women who take care of marketing, sales, and administrative roles.
