Actor Parul Gulati is reaching entrepreneurial heights with Nish Hair

Actor Parul Gulati, who has appeared in shows such as the TV series P.O.W. - Bandi Yuddh Ke and the web series Haq Se, says she has always dreamt big.

“I wanted to build something bigger than myself and leave my legacy behind,” she tells HerStory.

After nearly six years in the movie industry, she decided to enter the world of entrepreneurship while continuing her acting career.

This passion to create a legacy led to Gulati starting Nish Hair in 2017. The company offers a diverse range of 100% human hair extensions and other hair accessories. Its products include wigs, hair toppers, extensions, colourful strands, and clip-in bangs. Nish Hair recently also launched a hair perfume.

"Hair is a vital part of our identity and confidence. For many women, hair loss can deeply impact their self-esteem,” she says, “ Just as makeup conceals dark circles, our hair extensions are like a 'concealer' for hair thinning, providing instant coverage and instilling confidence.”

The big dream

A rebel at heart, Gulati didn’t let her family’s inhibitions come in the way of her ambitions. In class 12, she was selected for the TV show- Yeh Pyar Na Hoga Kam.

“I come from a lower middle-class family where people do 9-to-5 jobs. So to convince my parents to let me pursue acting was challenging. They were shocked initially but in the end, they agreed,” she tells HerStory.

In 2010, she moved to Mumbai to pursue her acting career. She juggled between modeling, and acting while continuing her studies at the University of Mumbai. Later she studied acting at the Royal Academy Of Dramatic Arts (RADA) in London.

After working for a few years in the film industry, Gulati, despite lacking a background in business, decided to venture into entrepreneurship with the launch of Nish Hair in 2017.

"I learned how hair extensions are made and realised it wasn't as difficult as I had imagined. I decided to give it a try, and with some effort, I managed to crack it,” she says.

She emphasises that apart from the styling aspect, many people struggle with cancer and alopecia which leads to hair loss, thinning, and damaged hair. This can lead to insecurity or self-esteem issues.

The beginning

Gulati says she has always been passionate about haircare. The idea to start the venture came in 2016 when she was watching ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ and heard Khloe talk about hair extensions.

She started the company from her living room where she and her mother used to sew pieces together. She recalls that initially, it took her three months to sell three pieces.

The entrepreneur, however, didn’t give up and spoke to hairstylists to spread the word around about her work. At times, she went to customers’ doors to sell the products.

“I remember selling a Rs 6,000 product at Rs 3,000 to a friend during the first few sales,” she adds.

Eventually, Gulati started making video content on her Instagram page and personally interacted with her DMs to build trust with her followers. This garnered traction and soon their sales started increasing.

Gulati says her journey to create a brand has so far been challenging yet interesting.

She says that initially, most people did not take her seriously, believing Nish Hair to be a mere hobby. In addition, the fact that many people found it uncomfortable to discuss hair extensions, also posed a problem for her.

“I remember struggling to simply build awareness about how normal it could be to use hair extensions,” she says.

Gulati adds that she didn’t let people’s perceptions dampen her spirits. “I have been a happy-go-lucky person who perceives the glass to be half full and that is how I address all challenging situations,” she says.

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Taking care of hair woes

Gulati explains that she has two vendors who provide the bundles of human hair. These vendors take care of the cleaning process as well. The collected hair is sent to Gulati, who then handles the colouring and basic preparation of the hair before it goes into manufacturing.

Gulati explains that so far she has 45 SKUs and four categories which include–volume, length, coverage, and style.

“We have a range of products that cater to the needs of all the customers,” she says.

The pricing for their hair extensions varies depending on the specific requirements. For instance, a single strand may cost Rs 1,100, while fuller coverage options range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 36,000, depending on the length and coverage required.

“We offer a diverse range of prices to cater to different needs because we understand that pricing sensitivity varies in India,” Gulati adds.

Nish Hair has an all-women team of 35. The brand aims to expand its presence in every city.

The business started with online operations, but over the past year, it has expanded into offline space as well.

Gulati explains that she has a studio in Mumbai, where customers can schedule appointments to receive trials and consultations from hair experts. Nish Hair plans to open another store in South Mumbai.

The company has also collaborated with salons in other cities to extend its reach. Starting with Jaipur, the brand has partnered with Salon Sizzlin Scizzors to offer trials to customers.

Additionally, Nish Hair also offers these services through video calls to its customers.

“There are many older women who may not be comfortable with online shopping. Therefore, we started these offline stores to allow people to physically see, try, and develop a trust in the products,” she elaborates.

The products are available on their website and e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Blinkit and others.

In 2022, she appeared on Shark Tank and raised Rs 1 crore for 2% equity from Amit Jain, CEO and Co-Founder at CarDekho. She mentions that before her appearance in the reality TV show, the company’s monthly revenue was Rs 80 lakh and now it's 3X that amount.

Gulati mentions that people often have the misconception that she has left acting, however she is managing both roles together.

“I am married to acting and Nish Hair is my baby. I cannot leave either of them and it's possible for women to do multiple things at the same time,” she signs off.