Shahnaz HusainAKSHA PATHAN

Secondary case:
17BBA054

Shahnaz Husain is the founder, chairperson & managing director of The Shahnaz Husain
Group. Shahnaz Husain has received international acclaim for pioneering
the Herbal beauty care movement and taking the Indian herbal heritage
of Ayurvedaworldwide In 2006, she was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri, the
fourth highest civilian award, by the Government of India for her contribution to the fields
of trade and industry.

She was invited by Harvard Business School to speak on her success story of
establishing an international brand without commercial advertising and has
also become a Harvard Case Study which is included in its curriculum.[5][6] She
has also lectured to students at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT), University of Oxford and London School of Economics.[7] Shahnaz has
also represented India at President Barack Obama’s World Summit for
Entrepreneurs. In 1996, she won Success Magazine's "World's Greatest Woman
Entrepreneur" award.[8] She has walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film
Festival and spoken at the House of Lords and House of Commons in the
prestigious British Parliament.
Residence New Delhi, Delhi,
India

Nationality India

Alma mater La Martiniere,

Lucknow, India

Occupation Entrepreneur

Years active 1971–present

Organization Shahnaz Husain

Group
 Awards Padma Shri

Website shahnaz.in

Personal life

Shahnaz Husain is the daughter of Justice Nasir Ullah Beg, a former Chief
Justice of the Allahabad High Court and Sayeeda Begum, who was the
daughter of the commander-in-chief of the Hyderabad army. Her grandfather,
Justice Samiullah Beg, was a prominent politician of the United Province who
later served as Chief Justice of the Hyderabad High Court. Her uncle, Mirza
Hameedullah Beg, was a former Chief Justice of India.

Shahnaz studied in La Martiniere in Lucknow and completed her education

from Queen Mary’s, Allahabad.[9] She completed her training in cosmetic
therapy and cosmetology from leading institutions of the West, such as Helena
Rubinstein, Swarzkopf, Christine Valmy, Lancome and Lean of Copenhagen.

About The Shahnaz Husain Group

Adopting the concept of Herbal Care and Cure, Shahnaz Husain opened her
first herbal clinic in 1971 and over the next few years formed The Shahnaz
Husain Group. Shahnaz Husain has formulated therapeutic products for
specific skin and hair problems, as well as premium ranges for skin care, such
as 24 Carat Gold, Oxygen, Diamond, Pearl, Plant Stem Cells and Platinum
Range. The company also sells its products at Selfridges, the famous London
store.

The Shahnaz Husain Group has over 400 franchise ventures across the world
covering over 138 'without animal testing' countries.[10] The first franchise
clinic opened in Calcutta in 1979. Within a year, there were 80 Shahnaz Herbal
franchise clinics in India. The first foreign Shahnaz Herbal franchise clinic was
opened in London in 1982. The group also operates its premium Ayurveda
Salon and Spa treatment centre in New Delhi to offer a line of proprietary
treatments for Skin, Hair and Body.

In a recent interview for Harvard Business School's Creating Emerging

Markets project, Husain describes the origins, growth, and development of her
business, explaining how her innovative approach to beauty made her products
a global success

Corporate social responsibility.

Shahnaz Husain has empowered the physically challenged (speech, hearing
and visually impaired) through her free beauty training courses. She has also
written a beauty book, which has been put into Braille. Shahnaz has tied up
with Government skill development projects in beauty and wellness.[12] Her
beauty academy has trained and certified over 40,000 under-privileged women,
distributing tool kits for home-based businesses

2. Unique Marketing Strategies and Innovations

Shahnaz Husain’s success was not just because of her franchise based system
but also because of her unique marketing strategies. At the time when
everybody believed in advertising for the sale of products, Shahnaz did not rely
on such commercial advertisements. Many famous global brands like
L’oreal depend on celebrities and make them brand ambassadors to publicise
their products, but this was not the case with Shahnaz Husain. All she had for
publicity through word of mouth as she let her work speak for her. Shahnaz
Husain is herself the brand ambassador of her brand.

Shahnaz Husain started her franchise system in such a way that it could help the
women to get financially independent as well as be good for her business as
well. She always wanted the women to be financially independent. So, she
started training the ladies in beauty and offered them Shenaz Herbal name. This
gave the housewives the opportunity to start a career of their own and be
financially independent while being close to their families and also became
beneficial for her franchise as well.
She even started her own training academy to provide professional training to
the ladies at a time when only apprenticeship training was available. She also
started free beauty training courses for physically handicapped girls to make
them financially independent. The course, Shamute, was inaugurated by the
then President of India, Giani Zail Singh in 1984.

She was even invited to Harvard Business School to tell how she established
such a great brand on an international level and that too without commercial
advertising. She just used the professional infrastructure and goodwill for the
demands of products and publicity and now Shahnaz Husain Group is a
globally successful group having the business like Shahnaz Husain lifestyle
shops, Ayurvedic Spas, Beauty Training Academy etc. which are all part of her
franchise system. It was her exclusivity and quality of products that made her
the success she is.
Shahnaz Husain shares her secrets
behind establishing an international
brand

Beauty diva Shahnaz Husain's business

acumen on how to establish an international brand without publicity
has been included in teaching curriculum for budding manager of
Harvard Business School, Boston.
Earlier, Shahnaz was a Harvard case study and now a subject for
Harvard's creating Emerging Marketing Project.
A video interview titled "Creating Emerging Markets" on brand
creation, conducted by the Harvard Business School, has been
included in a 'Question-Answer Format' as part of The Premium
Business School Teaching Curriculum.
The interview of Shahnaz Husain, the quintessential entrepreneur,
highlights how to build global brand on the basis of power of products
without relying on formal marketing, advertising or paid publicity
techniques.
In the comprehensive video interview, India's Herbal Beauty
Queen has discussed the various facets of her life, initial struggles
in Tehran, personal milestones, future aspirations, Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and more significantly, how she
broke the shackles as a young teenage bride and mother to become the
'Pioneer of Natural Beauty Products Market and Ayurveda'.
Through the interview, one comes to know how Shahnaz had to make
herculean efforts to make it to the top rung beauty training institutes
of London, Paris, New York, Germany and Denmark.
Even at a time when there is cut-throat fierce competition, Shahnaz's
products have sustained without commercial advertisement. She runs a
chain of over 400 global franchises and 600-odd distributors.
The unique franchise system started by Shahnaz Husain Group in 1979
to expand salon business has achieved tremendous success, both in
domestic and international market, including Europe and USA.
Shahnaz was given a big break in festival of Indian London in 1980 by
then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. When the world was looking for an
alternative for chemical products, she then launched a domestic range
of pure ayurveda and herbal products and sold ancient Indian
civilization in a jar.
Her entire consignment was sold in three days in face of fierce
competition in perfumery section in Selfridges and till today, Shahnaz
is the only Indian Ayurvedic beauty brand selling at Selfridges.
She also received the World's Greatest Woman Entrepreneur Award
by U.S. based business magazine in recognition of her international
achievements and global standing.
She received the Padma Shri Award in 2006 and was invited by
Harvard Business School to speak on how she established an
international brand without commercial advertising.
Her lecture has been favourite with management students of
prestigious International Business schools in India and Abroad. She
has delivered guest lectures in Oxford University, London School of
Economic, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge
on various occasions.
Commenting on the Harvard achievement, Shahnaz said, "The
transition from being a Case Study to becoming a regular Subject at
the premier Harvard Business School is a wonderful feeling. The
Harvard case study is about how to build a global brand without using
formal marketing or advertising techniques. They said I violate every
norm they teach about advertising and publicity. I will focus on India's
3000 BC Ayurvedic civilization in a jar, and showcase this in my
presentation of the 'Great India Growth Story'."
"I have incessantly followed a clinical system, diagnosing skin and
hair problems and writing prescriptions. I always advise people to
never give up because if you never give up, you cannot fail. Evaluating
my success story in hindsight, I feel fortunate that I was in the right
place at the right time. At a time when the world needed an alternative
to chemical products, I chipped in with the Ayurveda and herbal
solutions."
"Sky is the limit for India's unlimited potential, and I have no qualms
stating that India will lead the billion dollar cosmetic Industry into the
next century with its Ancient Herbal Heritage. By incorporating some
systemic changes, and getting all stakeholders on board, India stands
strategically poised to win a lion's share of the 'Beauty and Wellness'
business on a global level, and the day is not far, when India would get
recognized as the 'Beauty Capital' of the world. The creation of a
dedicated Ministry of AYUSH in the year 2014 by the Government of
India has done a world of good for ensuring the optimal development
and propagation of AYUSH systems of healthcare," she added. (ANI)

She calls herself "A package deal with India". Last

fortnight the package was labelled when the New York-
based Success magazine gave Shahnaz Husain the World's Greatest
Woman Entrepreneur Award.
"This is even more important than recognition from my own people,"
says Husain. So it was off to the US, and a whirl of media meets -
second nature for the herbal queen and publicist extraordinaire. But
she insists she is not into harping on her business. "I don't talk about
Shahnaz, I talk about India," she says. "I can't possibly say ayurveda is
Shahnaz's heritage, can I?" Naturally.
- By Anupama Chandra, Robin Abreu, Anna M.M. Vetticad

GOLDEN PEACOCK AWARD

Padma Shree Shahnaz Husain, CMD, Shahnaz Husain Group of

Companies, receives the Golden Peacock Women Entrepreneurial
Leadership Award - 2014

Shahnaz Husain is the pioneer of organic beauty care in India and has
achieved unprecedented international acclaim for her practical
application of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of herbal healing.
Her deep study of Ayurveda, the Indian holistic system of herbal
healing could offer the ideal answers to protective, preventive and
even corrective cosmetic care. Today, she heads the largest
organization of its kind in the world, with a chain of over 400
franchises worldwide, as well as Ayurvedic formulations for skin, hair,
body and health care. Currently, the Shahnaz Husain Group operates in
more than 100 countries worldwide.

She trained for ten years in cosmetic therapy and cosmetology, at

Helena Rubinstein, Swarzkopf, Christine Valmy, Lancome and Lean
of Copenhagen, adopting the principle of "Care and Cure". She has
evolved nearly 375 formulations for general beauty care, treatment of
skin and scalp disorders, health and fitness. She has recently launched
some revolutionary products, which include the 24 Carat Gold Range,
Pearl Cream and Mask, Oxygen Cream, Diamond Collection, Plant
Stem Cells, the Platinum Range, the revolutionary Telomere DNA
Defence and Black Diamond ranges.

Her contribution towards woman empowerment is noteworthy. She

encourages ordinary housewives to open salons in their own homes,
training them in beauty and health care. She has also written a beauty
book, which has been put in Braille.

She has received several prestigious international Awards including

the “Outstanding Ayurvedic Innovation Award” at the House of
Commons, the “Woman of the Year” Asian Achievers Award as well
as the prestigious Olympia Award for “Outstanding Contribution in
Ayurveda and Plant Cosmetics” at the Olympia Show in London.

She became the first woman to receive the World's Greatest Woman
Entrepreneur Award from Success magazine. Her other international
Awards include the Arch of Europe International Gold Star in Madrid,
the Quality Excellence Award in Geneva, Cannes and London, Golden
America Award in New York, the Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur
Award in London, Woman of the Millenium Award in USA, and the
WQC International Star Award in Paris and Leonardo da Vinci
Diamond Award by International Biographical Centre, Cambridge.
She was also honoured with the prestigious “Most Admired Beauty
Personality – Retail Category Award” from the Images Group, as well
as the “Asia's Leading Woman in Business”Award from WIL Forum
Asia, in Malaysia, and the Outstanding Ayurvedic Innovation Award
from the China Chamber of Commerce.

She was honoured with the Padma Shree Award by the Government of
India. Recently, she achieved the dual honour of speaking at the House
of Lords and House of Commons. One of her highest achievements
was to be invited to the U.S. President Obama's Summit of
Entrepreneurs in Washington in 2010.

Shahnaz Husain awarded in Washington DC

Shahnaz Husain was recently honored with the Leonardo Da Vinci

Diamond Award and World Medal of Freedom at World Forum in
Washington DC in the field of Ayurveda. The award is given by the
International Biographical Center, has been compiling and publishing
the achievements of prominent people worldwide for more than 40
years and the Da Vinci Diamond Award is its latest initiative. The
World Medal of Freedom was for empowering women following her
concept of developing a ‘housewife oriented’ network
Ayurveda’s Story of World Domination

“It is a dream come true to see the worldwide recognition of

Ayurveda. I strongly believe that Ayurvedic care can lead the
international beauty industry within the next decade. It has been tested
by the most exacting test of all…..the Test of Time!” With this
statement, time after time, Shahnaz Husain has not only set the bars
high for everyone but also for herself, never budging under the weight
of time or criticism.
Shahnaz Husain, the torchbearer of organic beauty care, has acquired
unforeseen acclaim for her practical application of Ayurveda, both
nationally and internationally. Almost forty years ago, she imbibed
Ayurveda into her methodology. In fact, her primary quest was for
better alternatives to conventional chemo products. Her research in
Ayurveda strengthened her faith in nature, and revealed that it had the
ideal answers to an all-round cosmetic-care. Today, her name is a
renowned brand and her face, all the marketing it needs. She is the
head of the largest firm of its kind in the world, with a chain of over
400 franchise schools, shops, clinics and spas worldwide, along with
Ayurvedic recipes for skin, hair, body and health care.
Shahnaz was born in a conservative family and had to conform
according pre-existing norms. She was married at the age of 15 and
became a mother by 16. When her husband was posted in Iran, it
dawned upon her that she cannot shake off the idea of beauty and
cosmetology. She worked for ten years on cosmetology and cosmetic
therapy, at leading institutions of the West, like Helena Rubinstein,
Christine Valmy, Swarzkopf, Lean of Copenhagen and Lancome, and
supported her education by writing for the Iran Tribune. Embarking on
the conduit of “Care and Cure,” she founded her own herbal clinic, in
her very own house, with minimal capital investment, developing
products for body, hair and skin care, based on Ayurveda and
inventing clinical treatments for particular problems. Her treatments
and formulations have become revolutions in natural beauty care. As a
matter of fact, she has also become known for specialized treatments
for specific skin and scalp disorders.
Her rise in the international realm, given the odds she had to face, is
nothing short of a Cinderella story. Shaky economic conditions and
rejections did not discourage her. When she entered the international
market, she fought almost without any support, competing with top
flight brands, in a market where billions of dollars are spent on
marketing and advertising. With complete faith in her own abilities
and an indomitable confidence in Ayurveda, she saw her products
speaking for themselves. “I sold a 5000-year old civilization in a jar,”
says Shahnaz.
Known for product innovation, Shahnaz Husain has created nearly 375
formulae for general beauty care, treatment of skin and scalp disorders,
health and fitness. She realized the harmful and long lasting alter
effects of chemical treatments. And thus, she developed a fondness for
Ayurveda. Eventually, these have become breakthroughs in Ayurvedic
care. The ingredients comprise of flower, fruit and herb extracts,
essential oils etc. Modern manufacturing and R&D units, and
extensive experience and expertise have provided the Group a lead its
competitors in the refined formulation of merchandises.
Not only Shahnaz Husain’s franchise-based enterprise, but also her
marketing strategies and innovations are truly unique. Even when the
marketing and advertising has a huge impact on the products’ demand,
commercial ads have been kept at bay for Shahnaz’s ventures. She
started with a saloon on a modest budget of Rs. 35000 in Delhi and
soon had advanced bookings for the next 6 months. She stopped
promotions of her services thereafter as she believed firmly that her
satisfied customers are enough to spread and vouch for her goodwill.
Shahnaz extended her base in the U.K., by launching her products at
Lloyds Pharmacy, at Selfridges, the prestigious London store.
Recently, Shahnaz Husain products had record breaking sales at
Selfridges where a customer took home products worth Rs. 4334 in a
single buy. Apart from Selfridges, there is an exclusive Shahnaz
Ayurveda Aesthetic Clinic on Harley Street and Edgware Road in
London, as well as seven franchise salons in the United Kingdom.
The Shahnaz Husain Group operates in over a hundred countries,
where it has direct product distributors, franchise salons and beauty
institutes. According to Shahnaz Husain, founder & chairperson of
The Shahnaz Husain Group, “We are expanding our footprints across
the globe. We will take Ayurveda and Brand India to more countries
within a year.”
Shahnaz Husain’s efforts to empower women are also noteworthy.
Very early in her career, she spurred-on ordinary housewives to open
salons in their own homes, trained them in beauty and offered the
‘Shahnaz Herbal’ name. This provided them the opportunity to set off
on a career and gain financial independence and yet, be close to home
and family. Her rise has inspired many women to follow their dreams
with conviction and resolution.
She has also led the way for vocational training in beauty in India.
Shahnaz started her beauty institute 35 years ago, when only
apprenticeship training was available, to provide professional and
comprehensive training in beauty. Shahnaz has also proven her
committment towards empowering the underprivileged section of the
society by means of her free beauty training courses for speech and
hearing impaired and visually challenged students. She has also
written a beauty book, which has been translated in Braille. She also
helps in providing career opportunities to such physically challenged
students. According to Shahnaz Husain, “Empowering lives has been
the motivation for our endeavors.”
Shahnaz Husain has received several prestigious international awards.
In fact, during the month of September 2012, she achieved the unique
distinction of being honoured with THREE prestigious international
awards in London, in one month. She received the “Outstanding
Ayurvedic Innovation Award” at the House of Commons in the British
Parliament. The award was presented to her by Mr. Eric Pickles,
Secretary of State for Communications and Local Government. She
also received the “Woman of the Year” Asian Achievers Award from
Asian Business Publications Ltd (ABPL), as well as the prestigious
Olympia Award for
“Outstanding Contribution in Ayurveda and Plant Cosmetics” at the
Olympia Show in London. Such international awards celebrate
Shahnaz Husain’s spirit of enterprise and recognize her phenomenal
achievements at the international level.
She became the first woman to receive the World’s Greatest Woman
Entrepreneur Award from Success magazine of the USA. Her other
international awards include the Arch of Europe International Gold
Star in Madrid, Spain, the Quality Excellence Award in Geneva,
Cannes and London, Golden America Award in New York, the
Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur Award in London, Woman of the
Millennium Award in USA, Woman of the Year Award from the
Governor of California, USA and the WQC International Star Award
in Paris in November 2007 and Leonardo da Vinci Diamond Award by
International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, U.K. in 2008. Recently,
Shahnaz Husain received several awards in quick succession. These
include the Leonardo Da Vinci Diamond Award and World Medal of
Freedom, in Washington DC in July 2009. The Award acknowledges
individuals who have distinguished themselves and contributed to their
country and society. In October 2009, she received the prestigious
International Star Award 2009, in Geneva, in the Diamond Category,
for Quality Excellence. The award is recognition of the Quality
Excellence of Ayurvedic products. On 7th November 2009, she
received the Jewel Award 2009 in London for Outstanding
Entrepreneurship and Woman Empowerment. She was also honoured
with their Asian Women Power 100 Award, recognizing international
achievements of top individuals. She has also received the Woman
Entrepreneur of the Year Award at Mumbai, from Enterprise Asia,
Malaysia, the prestigious GR8 Women Achievers Award for
entrepreneurship and the Woman of Substance Award from the Indian
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI). Shahnaz Husain was also
honoured with the prestigious “Most Admired Beauty Personality –
Retail Category Award” from the Images Group, as well as the “Asia’s
Leading Woman in Business”Award from WIL Forum Asia, in
Malaysia. She also recently received the Outstanding Ayurvedic
Innovation Award in Shanghai, from the China Chamber of
Commerce. She was also honoured with the “PHD Chamber
Outstanding Business Woman 2012” Award, as well as the Glory of
India Award recently in Dubai for her outstanding innovations in
Ayurvedic beauty care. She also received the Golden Peacock
Entrepreneurial Leadership Award in London in 2014, for Ayurvedic
Innovations.
In 2006, Shahnaz was honoured with the Padma Shri Award. The
prestigious Padma awards are the highest Indian civilian awards and
are conferred for exceptional and distinguished service towards the
country, as well as distinguished achievement in one’s chosen field.
She is the first person from the beauty sphere to receive the Padma
Award.
One of Shahnaz Husain’s greatest achievements was attending U.S.
President Obama’s Summit of Entrepreneurs twice in one year, first in
Washington DC in April 2010 and then in Mumbai in November 2010,
during the President’s visit to India. Having distinguished herself as a
pioneer and business leader, Shahnaz was selected to attend the
prestigious Presidential Summits from among a field of many highly
qualified aspirants. For Shahnaz it was recognition of her relentless
efforts to promote Ayurveda worldwide.
Shahnaz never took it as work; it was a mission to glorify an Indian
heritage thousands of years old, to glorify India. Today, Shahnaz
Husain is a legend in her own lifetime, while her organization is a
magnificent expression of her dreams, hopes and aspirations.
Suchit Mathur
Writer is a student. Reading and writing are his passion.
(Published in The Lucknow Observer, Volume 3 Issue 4,July 2016)

References

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Lucknow Observer. July 5, 2016.
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of India, presented by the President of India". Ministry of Home
Affairs (Govt. of India).
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8. Jump up^ "World Greatest Woman Entrepreneur Award".
INDIA TODAY. June 15, 1996.
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 20. Jump up^ "Golden Peacock Women Entrepreneurial
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External link

 Shahnaz Husain Official Online Store

(http://www.shahnaz.in)
 Shahnaz Husain’s Beauty Blog
(http://www.shahnaz.in/index.php/beauty_blog)