I call Shobha when she is in the midst of negotiating with her three-year-old son, so that she can chat with me. On the other hand, I just finished negotiating with my 10-year-old about early bedtime. Balancing time zone differences and motherhood, the two of us finally sit down to chat. There is something endearing about her – an addictive energy, passion in her voice and earnest humility in her responses.
Shobha Tummala is the founder of New York’s leading luxe threading, waxing and sugaring salon, ‘Shobha’. With four locations in New York, one in Washington DC and two more in the pipeline, Shobha’s success story is about raising the bar for hair removal. “Hair removal was a necessity for me, like it is for many women. I wanted a place that focused on hair removal than treating it as a secondary service. A place that emphasised on cleanliness and sanitary practices as it did about quality and customer service. Thus the vision for Shobha was born,” shares Shobha.
An Electrical Engineer with a management degree from Harvard Business School, Shobha worked for the best in corporate (Procter and Gamble), consulting (Bain and Company) and the Internet startup world (Dash.com), before she decided to enter the entrepreneurial world. At what point did Shobha realise that she wanted to pursue her own path? “I always knew I would someday start a business on my own. I was not sure what it would be. I truly enjoyed working for P&G, Bain and Dash. I took a lot of learning from each one of them. I am an operations’ oriented person. I loved turning ideas into an efficient and effective process that could grow and expand.When I helped wind up Dash, I was ready to join Goldman Sacs. I just could not get myself to commit. It was time for Shobha to take flight”.
From the world of business, management and technology to entrepreneurship – was this shift overwhelming and how supportive were her family and friends? “My dad was highly disappointed. It was difficult for him to envision why I would give up my established career to venture into an industry that I had no knowledge about. The result of this disappointment was we did not talk to each other for a year. My mother was supportive in her silence though she had her concerns about my future. It was also a difficult time personally as I was in the process of a divorce. I woke up everyday with knots in my belly and only a run helped me clear it. It was a lonely time and it did get overwhelming. I worked everyday at believing in myself through clouds of doubt that hung over me. I believed in my vision and I was not yet ready to give up.”
Shobha then shared this idea with her founder friends at Dash, who pushed her to take the leap. She began her business with her own money in a rented space at her trusted hairdresser’s salon. “Threading was a new concept to the western world. They relied on waxing for hair removal. Yoga, bindi, bangles, henna and sari were just making their appearances and India was being discovered for its true beauty and rich cultural heritage. I had to educate the western world about this safe, painless and effective way of hair removal. Customers are apprehensive to try new methods when it comes to beauty. They believe their trusted source and here is where Vogue legitimised us” shares Shobha.
Shobha’s relentless efforts to write to magazine editors bore fruit when Vogue carried a write up about Shobha. Clients began to walk in, to try her hair-removal technique. Soon she was able to sign a real lease and rent her first salon space in SoHo. NY Times Style put Shobha on their front page and since then, there has been no looking back. Shobha was self funded and expanded to open two more salon spaces. Today, Shobha has four branches at enviable locations in New York City, one in downtown Washington DC and two more shortly to open at Brooklyn and Maryland (where she currently resides). There is a physical distance between Shobha and her places of business. What are the challenges and benefits of running a business remotely?
“I love the process and execution side of my business. I would love to be in my salons every single day. Initially, I had a hard time deciding if I wanted to stay in the city or live further away. When I decided to start a family of my own, my husband and I wanted to live closer to one set of parents. Thus, Maryland became home. Running my business remotely has actually helped me find a better balance between my personal and work world. I am guilty of merging the two many times. Technology keeps me connected to ensure operational efficiency at my salons. It helped me build an amazing team of specialists and operational staff, who truly are Shobha’s and my strength,” she shares with pride.
How is Shobha different from the other salons that offer similar services? I choose to answer my question as an ardent Shobha fan. Shobha remained my favourite hair-removal salon, for seven long years when I lived in New York. The website is professional and detailed. The salon space is vibrant with hues of orange and pink. The staff is always courteous and cheerful. There is a structured yet personal process to understand and cater to my hair removal needs. The quality of service is tender, attentive and undoubtedly exceptional. Shobha’s hygiene standards has truly raised the bar for hair removal.
A truly delighted Shobha adds, “I catered Shobha around my expectations as a client. Our specialists are trained in our signature threading process. We provide our guests with the highest standard of hygiene from the time we prep, remove hair and the after care. My research discovered that the temperature of wax/sugar is a breeding temperature for bacteria than a killing one. Hence our ‘no double dip’ policy. We offer top of the line natural products that are gentle and safe (our sugaring gel is used to make our signature drink, Shobharita!). Like any place of business, we too have norms, structure, rules, expectations, recognition and a well-defined business culture. However, I did spend a lot of time on the internal branding as well. The culture of Shobha internally reflects on the outside, just like beauty” she smiles.
Shobha caters to the hair-removal needs of both men and women. How do men respond to the services at her salon? “Men are shy about hair removal but the tough part for them is to step into a salon. The modern man is more attentive to his grooming needs, and they certainly return once they enjoy the Shobha experience,” smiles Shobha. Her salon now hasbegun to offer laser services, thus adding the latest technology to their menu.
Is there a brow trend that is in vogue? “Brow shape and thickness have been experimented with over the years in the fashion and movie world. I do find celebrities now embracing the natural, full brow. We do have clients who walk in wanting to shape their brow based on a celebrity. Like hair cut, the style and shape should purely compliment the face shape and features. Threading is the easiest way to brighten the face. Bollywood’s leading women have well-shaped brows. They are never out of fashion,” shares Shobha with a smile.
How does Shobha balance the needs of her highly successful business and her two young sons? “More often, I am a better CEO than a mother. I always carry that guilt. I constantly have conversations with my sons as to why I travel or why I am not at home as much. They do not have similar concerns about their father. I have built resources of support that help me balance both to the best I can. You can never have it all and you have to be okay with it,”, she states candidly.
Is Shobha as good at threading and sugaring as her specialists? I can definitely offer you on par sugaring services, but you will be taking a risk allowing me to shape your brow,” she states with a hearty laugh. Shobha looks radiant like her name and I am hopeful she has few secrets to share. “My understanding of beauty is largely influenced by my grandparents. Hibiscus petals as hair conditioner, sandalwood and lentil as body cleanser and cream of milk as moisturizer was my grandmother’s beauty regime. I travelled to many gardens with my horticulturist grandfather sourcing natural ingredients for skin care and diet. I continue to embrace it to this day. I am not a beauty junkie. I feel beautiful if I get my brow done,” smiles Shobha.
Shobha shares her learning about being an entrepreneur, with charming honesty
1.Get comfortable with less structure. Flexibility and adaptability are your new best friends.
2. Know yourself and your capabilities. Get good at selling yourself and your vision. The service industry is about trust. From the landlord who leases your space to clients who walk in, and the staff which supports you, have to trust that you can deliver on your promise.
3. I was always validated by the university I graduated from and the companies I worked with. When I decided to start on my own, I had no identity in the market. You have to work hard to be your own validation.
4. There is no room for false pride and ego. You have to be hands on and patient.
5. Be your brand and reflect the values of your brand in your personal practices. You have to live the vision if you expect others to believe in it.
6. Get tough and strong. Be prepared to fight for what you believe and have a strong mental filtration process to weed out negativity.
Shobha is committed to empowering girls and women through education and employment. Shobha’s Home for Girls and Women at her home town in India, supports 60 girls and young women till they are independent and beyond. “It is not merely a safe roof to protect them but a university of support and resources that redefines their lives and make them a valued citizen in our country,” shares Shobha.
Shobha and I have been conversing for over an hour and half and her very understanding 3-year-old son’s patience had been tested. My daughter left a note stating, “I am going to bed. You are still talking”. “Adding dollops of hairless joy one strand of hair at a time” is her parting note. I just hope to see the bright orange and pink hues in my city in the near future.
