[100 Emerging Women Leaders]What led this lawyer to found a D2C hair and skincare brand

Krishna Tamalia Vora says she was raised to contribute to society, in whatever way possible. And after 12 years of being a lawyer, she decided to switch to “a different way to serve society”. 

It all started when Krishna shifted base from Gujarat to Mumbai, a move that took its toll on her hair. 

“I remember calling my mother and desperately asking for my grandmom’s homemade hair oil. I tried that and my hair fall issues were reduced in a couple of days. A few of my friends, including my parlourwali didi, tried the concoction and found it really helpful,” Krishna recalls.

This gave her the idea to leverage the age-old family recipe and found Mom's Therapy, a D2C haircare and skincare products brand.

“Mom’s Therapy is a tribute to my mom and grandmom, and all other mothers who have passed on beauty hacks from one generation to another,” Krishna says.

However, building a business from the ground up, with no background in business, comes with its own challenges. 

Among them was the apprehension displayed by relatives.

“Once a relative straight up asked, ‘You were earning good enough as a lawyer. Now you want to sell oil? Are you really serious about this?’ The thing is people will keep pulling you down but you have to continue to persevere,” Krishna says.

Krishna also recalls how her parents prioritised education for their daughters and went against the common practice of marrying off girls at a young age in their community.

Advising women leaders, Krishna says, “Believe in yourself when you are starting out. No matter how small your idea might seem, try and explore it. You will face multiple challenges along the way, but if women have the power to give birth, they can do anything.”