Adgully has been spotlighting entrepreneurs who fought against all odds to make their dreams come true in a special series. startup stars. We here at Adgully wholeheartedly support the ‘Vocal for Local’ movement and have featured many local/homegrown businesses, brands and apps across the country that have launched over the past few years.
In a conversation with Aduri, Swati Vaharia, Founder of Nabhi Sutratalks about the growth of his venture and his journey as an entrepreneur., The story behind the creation of Nabi Sutra, driving awareness and acceptance of belly button oil in the country, establishing a foothold in the wellness industry, joining ‘Shark Tank,’ and more.
What inspired you to found your startup and what problem did you try to solve?
After becoming a mother, I focused on solving my own hair and skin problems. I focused on Ayurveda and natural remedies rather than trying allopathic treatments. That’s when I discovered Navi Oiling. I found this to be very effective. However, to my surprise, I discovered that there are no products on the market that support this. So I teamed up with my cousin, who is an Ayurvedic doctor, and together we started Nabhi Sutra.
The biggest challenge was introducing this new concept to an unfamiliar Indian audience. Raising their awareness and making it a habit was the key, but we didn’t know how open people would be to the idea or what kind of response we would get. Although we started with a savings of just Rs 5 million, the additional challenge we faced was which categories the government and Amazon would focus on for our product. However, despite these hurdles, we overcame them and successfully launched our brand.
Can you give us an overview of your product/service and its unique features and benefits?
We started with six categories of belly button oil and now offer nine categories covering everything from hair and skin care to joint and menstrual pain relief. Ultimately, I also realized that there is a treasure trove of ancient and effective natural remedies that have not yet become mainstream in our modern lifestyle. To achieve that, we launched another sister brand named Adhyay.
Adhyay offers products such as scalp therapy oils and skin care creams with unique formulations and benefits. One of his standout products is his Shatrughna Gita cream made with 100 times washed cow ghee, a traditional treatment trusted by doctors for conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. is. It has been our hero product since its launch in April because it deeply nourishes the skin and is incredibly effective.
How does your startup differentiate from competitors in the market?
We are more than just a player in the market. We are the pioneers of Ayurvedic belly button oil. We had to create a whole market ourselves and educate and raise awareness of people about this traditional practice. Unfortunately, some of our competitors have tried to copy us and even used our name and videos on their websites.
Despite these challenges, we stand out for our commitment to quality and education. We don’t just sell products. We are on a mission to reintroduce Ayurvedic rituals into people’s lives. Unlike many of our competitors who use chemical-laden products, we focus on natural, therapeutic-grade ingredients. For example, consider hair oil. While other companies offer generic bottles, we offer a complete system that includes a dropper and uses thoughtful formulation and application techniques to guide users through a step-by-step process. This will give you maximum effect and prevent damage to your hair. Our unique approach differentiates us in the market because we prioritize delivering solutions, not just products.
What milestones has your company achieved so far and what are your future growth plans?
Our journey over the past four years has been an incredible one. Our user base has been steadily growing, reaching over 3.5 million users. Being a part of ‘Shark Tank India’ Season 3 was a major highlight for us. The positive feedback and interest from investors such as Aman Gupta and Anupam Mithral has been incredibly encouraging. Their recognition of our products, packaging and branding confirmed our commitment and gave us confidence in our direction.
Looking to the future, we are aiming for international expansion. Our immediate focus is to enter the US market and we plan to launch our products on Amazon USA. We are currently finalizing the packaging to ensure it meets U.S. standards and expectations. This step is our first venture into an international market and we are excited about the opportunities it brings.
Additionally, we have received invitations from six countries to showcase our products. Exploring these opportunities is part of our strategic growth plan as we aim to establish a global presence. This is an exciting phase for our company and we are fully committed to leveraging our success in India to establish a strong presence internationally.
Who is your target customer? How do you acquire them?
Our target customers span across India and abroad, catering to a wide range of demographics. Our products cater to a wide range of people, from children aged 3-4 to senior citizens over 70-80 years old. We have products that will satisfy everyone, whether they are men, women, children, or the elderly, such as hair care, acne treatment, menstrual pain relief, joint pain prevention, and sleep-inducing oil. Our ideal customer is someone who values Ayurvedic principles.
We also focus on using social media to reach as many potential customers as possible. Social media provides a place where people can take their time to learn about our concept, read about our products and gather enough knowledge before purchasing. By engaging with your audience on social media, you aim to convert them into loyal customers.
How has your startup evolved since its inception? What challenges have you overcome along the way?
Since our founding, we have experienced significant growth, moving from pioneering a new concept to reaching over 350,000 users. Along the way, we’ve also focused on educating people about this innovative idea. However, our big challenge is cash flow management. We have tackled this problem by operating in small batches to minimize the financial burden. Additionally, we have leveraged government support and secured loans, including a hefty Rs 1.5 billion loan aimed at promoting women’s empowerment. These efforts helped overcome cash flow hurdles.
In addition, we have significantly increased national television exposure, which allows us to effectively manage our marketing costs. After this exposure, our business increased by 2.5 times and our traffic correspondingly increased by 3.5 times. We are currently exploring various investment opportunities to take us to our next stage of growth.
How does your startup contribute to the industry and community in which you operate?
Our brand is inherently natural, so in line with our commitment to nature, we prioritize sustainability in our business operations. To respect this, we have minimized the use of plastic in our packaging, choosing recycled materials instead. Despite challenges such as dealing with glass leaks and dealing with the complexities of transportation, we remain committed to sustainable practices. Additionally, we extend our impact beyond our products through partnerships with charities such as the Women’s Planet Foundation. We raise awareness about natural solutions and menstrual hygiene through various campaigns. This is a philosophy we have supported since before the brand’s inception.
Additionally, over the past seven years, we have actively supported various community initiatives and are determined to expand on our efforts. With increased funding from Navi Sutra, we aim to expand our contributions to both nature and people and continue our journey towards a more sustainable and socially responsible future.
How do companies measure success and what are their key performance indicators (KPIs)?
For us, success is more than just numbers and becoming a multi-million company. Customer feedback is the main measure of our success. That’s why, despite receiving early investment opportunities, we deliberately chose to start our company in-house.
We initially received acquisition offers, but we made a conscious decision to decline them. We believed it was important to truly understand our customers and market before considering external investment. Even when we joined platforms like “Shark Tank,” our main goal was to increase awareness rather than just focusing on securing funding. Our success depends not on the size of our company or the amount of capital we raise, but on how effectively we address people’s health concerns and solve problems.
