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Krishna Tamaliya Vora Is Reviving Her Grandmother's Beauty Secrets

Speaking to SheThePeople, Krishna Tamaliya Vora shared the story behind her beauty and haircare brand, Mom's Therapy, inspired by time-tested wisdom.

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Tanya Savkoor
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From being a pioneering criminal lawyer to forging her path as an entrepreneur, Krishna Tamaliya Vora's journey has been anything but conventional. Her passion for holistic wellness and deep-rooted love for traditional remedies led her to take an unexpected leap into the beauty and wellness industry. Thus, she founded Mom's Therapy, a brand inspired by her grandmother, mother, and many more women in her family who have cherished the secrets of natural beauty through age-old remedies.

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Krishna Tamaliya Vora: Redefining Rules

Krishna's inspiring achievements and entrepreneurial spirit have caught the attention of prominent organisations. At the age of 42, she defied conventions and took to the ramp for the illustrious fashion designer duo, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, through Entreprenaari, a platform founded by Navya Naveli Nanda to empower women entrepreneurs.

Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Navya Nanda Naveli
sKrishna with Sandeep Khosla (Left) and Navya Nanda Naveli (Right)

Krishna is the sole representative from her community to speak at the prestigious 'Successful Women in Business' event, hosted by the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry at the residence of the Consulate General of France in Mumbai. She was also invited to join the Entreprenaari Roundtable breakfast at the US Consulate in Mumbai.

Speaking to SheThePeople, Krishna shared the story behind her beauty and haircare brand, Mom's Therapy, inspired by time-tested wisdom. From a small-town girl in Gujarat to a globally recognised entrepreneur, her journey is a testament to perseverance and passion. She has carved a path for many more generations of women entrepreneurs.

Excerpt From Interview

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STP: Can you share a bit about your background and upbringing?

Krishna: I was born in a very small town Surendranagar in Gujarat. I come from a Rabari Community, we are Gwaalas to be specific. I believe this is where my rebellious spirit, trailblazer attitude, and 'never say never' mentality come from. This very spirit has guided me in making a lot of unconventional decisions like marrying someone who is 22 years older than me or giving up my criminal law career for entrepreneurship etc. 

mom's therapy
Krishna Tamaliya Vora (Left) in traditional Rabari attire

I was also the first female criminal lawyer in my community. As I come from a very small, patriarchal community; women in our society were never encouraged to dream big or fly high. They were always tied down by restrictions or rules. However, I am so grateful to be born to my parents who dismissed the societal stereotypes to give birth to a son. Instead, they encouraged me and my sisters to always chase our dreams.

I was a very mischievous kid and the 'black sheep' of my family, so very often I would get an earful from my parents. Being tomboyish has landed me in a lot of trouble as a child. My father to date treats me like a son and we are best friends. I believe all my mischief has given me lots of fond, nostalgic memories to reminisce on.

I did my schooling in a Gujarati medium school in Surendranagar. I did my Bachelor in Arts and later on my Lawyership from Saurashtra University. Even though my mother was an English teacher, I failed the English exam as a student. But if I fast forward to today, I have come a long way. Being a speaker at the French Consulate, US Consulate, IIM University, Parul University etc after failing the English exam was only a result of me overcoming my under-confidence and insecurities with a lot of struggle.

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STP: What is the story behind Mom's Therapy?

Krishna: In 2009, when I shifted to Mumbai, I was shocked to see a major difference between the hair oil that I used back in Gujarat and the ones that were available in the markets of Mumbai. These products were not as pure as they claimed to be. To solve this problem, I took help from my ancestral Ayurvedic book "Aryabhishak" along with the hair oil recipe given to me by my grandmother. Our hair oil recipe has been passed on from one generation of mothers to another, which is a huge testament to its effectiveness. This is also the reason why we named our brand: Mom's Therapy. 

krishna tamaliya vora
Krishna Tamaliya Vora's grandmother

While hunting for genuine solutions for hair and skin care, I discovered another hidden gem used in my family for generations. It was the black sesame oil, also known as a lamp-lighting oil. It has remarkable benefits for skin and hair, but is largely overlooked by the wider market. Hence, all my products have Black Sesame Oil as the base oil. All this eventually led to the creation of our brand ‘Mom's Therapy’, with products that are just as pure as a mother's love. Our objective is to provide effective products that are built on the principles of Ayurveda and are accessible to all.

A few years after launching our brand, we had a notable appearance on Shark Tank India Season 1. That was a turning point for us and it propelled us into further spotlight. 

STP: What was the career transition like from law to entrepreneurship? Did you face any self-doubts or apprehensions before taking the leap? How did you overcome this?

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Krishna: I was inspired by my father's career as a lawyer, following which I became a criminal lawyer myself. Gradually, I turned into an Ayurvedic enthusiast. One of the main reasons for this is that my upbringing instilled in me a deep-rooted connection with nature and a passion for Ayurveda. My mother's beliefs in Ayurveda nurtured my love for herbal remedies in a profound way.

Growing up near my grandfather's farms in Gujarat, also helped me develop a deep connection to the environment and a strong desire to contribute to its preservation. In my childhood, I oversaw the cultivation of ingredients like black sesame seeds on my farm in Gujarat. I have grown up seeing the transformative properties of these crops. Driven by this very passion, I was able to give up law to meticulously craft a beautiful range of products at Mom's Therapy that embody the purest essence of Ayurveda.

Even though my entrepreneurial journey started from making products in my own home, today I have my own manufacturing unit in Surendranagar. This I think has only happened due to my attitude to look for positives, even in the darkest phases of my journey. It also helped me overcome judgements from society like, “Lawyership chod ke tel bechne gyi” (She quit law to sell oil). Even if everyone around me was judgemental towards my career switch, I never doubted myself. My persevering attitude helps me rise above these judgements and criticisms every single day.

STP: According to you, why is it important to use natural and organic cosmetics in the contemporary age? 

Krishna: Using natural and organic cosmetics is crucial in our contemporary age because it protects not only your health but also those around you. It also protects the planet and promotes sustainability. Natural and organic cosmetics are gentler on the skin, reducing the risk of irritation, allergies, or other skin problems. Natural and organic cosmetics companies often source ingredients from local farmers, which supports local economies. This industry creates jobs and opportunities in sustainable agriculture, manufacturing, and retail. 

STP: Are there any challenges to establishing such a brand in today's age? On the contrary, are there any benefits to founding a natural beauty business in modern India?

Krishna: It's difficult to set up any kind of business venture, let alone a herbal and natural hair and skincare brand without a formal business education or business background. So yeah, the journey has definitely been way too challenging. In the cosmetic industry, a major struggle is to make people understand that they should not get carried away by the outer packaging as what is inside the product is what matters the most. Many people buy products based on only what they see outside. However, I was also clear that I am targeting niche customers who are aware of the value of herbal and natural products. These customers are aware of the gifts of Ayurveda.

In the initial days, my one goal was to get them to try my products once. I knew if they did, they would definitely see their effectiveness and keep coming back to us. This is exactly what happened too. Our customers have come back to us for repeat purchases. After the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a huge surge in the use of herbal and natural remedies. Since my brand is completely based on Ayurveda and has no side effects, customers do purchase from us without worrying about any possible harm.

Ayurvedic products are not only effective but also so safe that they can be edible. It is as pure as our mother's love which they all know. Our customers are also aware that we have our own manufacturing unit in Gujarat, so they trust in the making of our products. Also, we don't make products in bulk; for each occasion, the products we sell are very freshly made. These factors have been our strengths.

STP: What has your entrepreneurial journey been like so far, particularly as a woman? Have you faced any setbacks or biases?

Krishna: Yes, there have been plenty of biases and setbacks that I have faced as a woman entrepreneur.

I am instantly reminded of one particular incident where a senior government officer was just not willing to speak to me simply because I was a woman. He hung up the call on me. I had to then call him back, reintroduce myself and say “imagine that you are talking to a man and then talk to me.”

So yeah, my entrepreneurial journey has been challenging right from day one. Without any business background or business education, I started my venture with a bootstrap investment of ₹1 lakh. We embarked on this passion to create a brand that would nourish the body, mind, and soul of our consumers. But, as fate would have it, government formalities took their toll. What remained was just ₹22,000 - a fraction of our initial investment.

We chose to see this as an opportunity to persevere and to stay true to our purpose. This is what we have been doing to date. And being a female entrepreneur makes the whole journey even more challenging because most of the people around are not taking you seriously or underestimating you.

I remember even when I was on Shark Tank India Season 1, Ashneer Grover clearly told me to pack my bags and go back to being a lawyer by giving up on entrepreneurship. However, I believe that we can prove them all wrong if we stay true to ourselves and our mission by remaining undeterred. Also, it's not in my genes to give up easily.

STP: Since your brand is inspired by your mom/grandma's wisdom, can you share how the women in your life have influenced and inspired you personally or professionally?

Krishna: Even though I was born in a Rabari community with a stronghold of patriarchy, I am truly blessed to have been surrounded by strong, fierce, opinionated, independent women. They were impactful role models to me from my childhood. I have two sisters myself and therefore it was a family full of women. Be it, my mother, naani (grandmother), chachi, or buaa (aunts), they have all been people I have looked up to. 

I clearly remember that we had multiple dairy businesses growing up, and it was the women in my family who looked after them efficiently. My mother has also been the breadwinner of the family when my father was financially struggling. She has been a huge pillar to me whose personality has strongly influenced me in shaping my own character. Today, the culture, dignity, boldness, courage and strength passed on to me by my mother are my biggest assets.

My brand Mom's Therapy is an ode to my naani because it's her hair oil recipe that's used in our hero product -- our hair oil. Even though I have very few memories of her, I have known that she has led her life in an exemplary way. Being surrounded by such incredible women blesses you with a different kind of boldness. I can say that it's in my genes to lead my life as a high-value woman who makes unconventional choices. My choices have stemmed from being a fierce woman like them and standing tall in my decisions.

Also, every year we make sure that we collaborate with at least one woman entrepreneur, during Christmas, Diwali or other festivities. Not only that, 97% of the staff in our manufacturing unit are women. Our office team also consists of women. Most of our vendors are women. Our workforce comprises talented women from the most disadvantaged segments of society, particularly underprivileged women.

Women at work at Mom's Therapy
Women at work at Mom's Therapy

These remarkable women begin their day by sweeping roads, ensuring our community's cleanliness and well-being. In the evenings, they join our team, bringing their skills, dedication, and resilience to our company. One of our team members with prosthetic hands is an integral part of our factory workforce, contributing her skills to drive our success. Our humble endeavour is that as our brand moves ahead we also empower many more women to forge ahead in their journey with us. 

So yes, the women in my family have been a huge influence in my personal and professional life and I hope through my journey I can influence women out there to live life on their own terms.

shark tank india ayurveda organic businesses
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