Falguni Nayar could have continued with her successful career as an investment banker, but she dreamt of becoming an entrepreneur and so she set up Nykaa by investing her savings. She focussed on consumer awareness, achieving profitability within nine years. When FSN E-Commerce Ventures (the company that operates the Nykaa brand) went public in 2021, Nayar became India’s richest female billionaire. Today, it serves 40 million customers, runs 220 stores across 73 cities, and leads India’s omnichannel beauty retail revolution. “Nykaa is built on three core pillars: authenticity, curation, and education. A content-led approach educates consumers through tutorials, expert advice, and immersive experiences,” says Nayar. With a strong focus on offline expansion, “Nykaa is also investing in advanced technology, integrating AI-driven recommendations, virtual try-ons, and hyper-personalised shopping experiences to enhance beauty discovery,” she says.