Blending Indian Ayurveda and Western Aromatherapy: This Brand is Fueled by Passion and Perfection

Founded by Pooja Nagdev, renowned cosmetologist and internationally acclaimed expert on natural ingredients, Inatur is fueled by passion and perfection. It is driven by the pursuit of creating products with natural ingredients to nourish, care and be safe on skin. Pooja believes that nature has many more treasures than what we have known. This inspires her to carry on innovating and creating newer, safer and more effective skin care products. Ms. Pooja Nagdev has won an award for INDIA’S 25 MOST INFLUENTIAL ENTREPRENEURS 2018 and ELITE WOMEN OF THE YEAR 2019. Ms. Pooja Nagdev & Mr Goldy Nagdev are the founders of Inatur. We are publishing an interview with Ms. Pooja:

Q.: What is the problem you are trying to solve?
Ans: We identified a strong need for natural and honest products manufactured in India in the market where all the ingredients are declared. These should also be pocket friendly.

Q.: Can you share with us any insights that led you to believe that this is a big enough problem?
Ans: In India the drug and cosmetics law doesn’t have a mandate to label all the ingredients of the formalization. So people can add hazardous ingredients and yet get away by only claiming key ingredients few of them. So a consumer is cheated and uninformed.

Q.: Tell us about the Product / Solution. Explain how you went about the Product-Market Fit Process.
Ans: We brought in products with highly recommended ingredients that we organic Ecocert approved. We developed products that will give instant results to the customer.

Q.: What is your USP?
Ans: A very high quality product at reasonable price. Here a customer doesn’t pay for the packaging but for the product. All products are vegan with no animal fats added into them. We try and avoid artificial fragrances and add pure essential oils that impart there properties to the product along with a amazing fragrance.

Q.: What were your assumptions when you entered the market, learning that you have?
Ans: People are always looking for honest pocket friendly products. All people who are educated and believe in giving an opportunity to a new brand is our target audience. Yes, we have many loyal customers now who only use INATUR products.

Q.: What has been your biggest failure as an entrepreneur and what did you learn from it??
Ans: There has been no failure that big to remember. Only remember obstacles that come every day and one has to be ready to face and fight every day.

Q.: How are you pricing the Product? Explain your thought process.
Ans: Our products are unique and expensive formulas. We want our customer to pay for the product and not for the packaging. We need more and more people to try and convert to becoming INATUR users.

Q.: How did you get your first customer?
Ans: When we opened the first store at DLF Place saket. First customer came in by sampling some products to get. She liked them so much and came. And purchased them.

Q.: Is there any interesting success story? If yes, please write about it. ?
Ans: One of the recent success story is when we bagged award in Cosmopolitan Beauty Award 2019,Presented by Amazon.in came to a conclusion recently, revealing over 300 of the most recommended Makeup – skincare and Haircare Products. Inatur was awarded for two categories – For the Best Scrub- Inatur DETAN 3IN 1 & For the Best Facial Oil – Kumkumadi Facial oil.

Q.: What is the big picture of your startup? Is this Product/service leading to something bigger? If so, how?
Ans: It has been a great start for our brand. We opened new markets in China, Mauritius and Oman. We also started our online sales in United States and United Kingdom with Amazon.We opened 4new outlets in Ambience mall, Vasant Kunj, Mantri Mall Bangalore, Garuda Mall and Westend Mall Pune

Q.: Since inception, give us a sense of the value of business done by your venture? What is the current turnover?
Ans: We have a database of some 2 Lacs customers which includes both offline and online . Our annual audited turnover is 9 to 10 crores

Q.: What is the insight that you have about this market, which no one else has? Uniqueness about your Startup.
Ans: Today’s consumer’s increasingly seek transparency when it comes to beauty products. The ingredients need to be simpler. At the end the product should be able to deliver the desired results as expected.

Q.: Who do You Perceive as Your Competition? How do you differentiate yourself?
Ans: Inatur is unique and different from other brands in the market. The following are the differentiation:

• Inatur is based on Ayurveda and Aromatherapy
• Inatur is Halal Certified and Vegan products
• Inatur does not use any harmful chemicals such as artificial colors, parabens and sulphates.
• Inatur declares all ingredients with dosage of active ingredients at the back of pack.
• Inatur products are dermatologically tested.
• Inatur has a unique patented trademark way of making products called as SCINAT which is at the back of all our products.
• Inatur employees 80% Women.
• Inatur believes is using ingredients from fair trade.
• Inatur promotes recycling and reusuing of packaging.
• Inatur products are not tested on animals.

I feel that there is no competition and only opportunity. Opportunity to create and develop new unique products that are close to nature and to present them.

Q.: What would be your goal to accomplish in the next six months?
Ans: Going forward we plan to open our franchise outlet to reach out to more users and also through SIS stores in like minded outlets.

Q.: What message do you want to convey to fellow entrepreneurs?
Ans: My message to the fellow entrepreneurs is follow your dreams and passion. Learn and Unlearn constantly. Use the opportunity that God has given you in form of your work to create something new and give back to the society.

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Thanks. Best wishes!