The idea of Juicy Chemistry stemmed as Megha suffered from hyper-sensitive and acne-prone skin for over a decade due to PCOD and consulting with numerous dermatologists, Megha found that the products simply lacked efficiency. As Megha was keen to go the organic way, a visit to the mall turned out to be a complete eye opener. As a sales person tried selling organic products to the couple, while the front of the label was screaming natural ingredients, the back of the box was hushing parabens, sulphates, artificial colors, fragrances and mineral oils amongst other chemicals. Pritesh could identify the harsh ingredients owing to his exposure to his family business. Juicy Chemistry is born with the aim of providing Simplified Skincare through its formulation with absolutely no chemicals or preservatives. Juicy Chemistry is the first ever Indian brand with a complete certified organic products range by Ecocert (France) in accordance with COSMOS V3 Standard. The intensive research into essential oils and traditional skincare ingredients forms the foundation of the products. The concept of Juicy Chemistry revolves around sustainability, the products do not contain any harmful chemicals like parabens, phthalates, and sulphates, they do not cause harm to waterways, and marine life. In an exclusive conversation with us she says…
Where/How do you get your best ideas?
From our customers and Nature! Listening to our customers is something that has helped us understand their needs and how our products work for them a lot better. Nature is also a source of inspiration for us. I’m always looking for research papers to keep track of new ingredients and processes that can improve our user’s experience.
What’s something they don’t teach you in University that you should probably know?
Nothing can be taught if you are not passionate about it. You have to put your heart and soul if you really want to excel at something. Another thing to keep in mind is that learning is constant! You’ll always be learning something or the other in your career, no matter what stage you’re at.
First thing you do as soon as you wake up?
It’s a bad habit but it is what it is – I check my phone!
What do you hope to see happen in the near future for small businesses in the country?
More support from the government would be great. There are definitely some initiatives but I still feel there’s more to be done.
What was your biggest stroke of luck since the time you started Juicy Chemistry?
There’s no luck involved in this business or any short cuts.
What do you typically read?/ Favourite book?
I generally read books pertaining to crime and forensics.
Best boss you had and what did you learn from them?
Hands down, Veeta and Harry from my time in Australia. They taught me 2 very central things
1. There is no such thing as a small job. Everything makes a difference!
2. Hard work is critical.
What question do you ask at interviews?
There aren’t any specific questions as such but in general the objective is to understand how passionate the candidate is about the work and the brand. If you’re not passionate about it, no amount of fancy degrees matter. For us, attitude takes precedence over aptitude.
One thing you learned about yourself?
Being an entrepreneur has been a journey of self-discovery. I realized I can do anything if I really put my head to it and that patience and skill training go hand in hand.
How do you keep your team motivated & engaged?
Being available to my team and listening to them matter a lot to me. I take their feedback very seriously and keep in touch with each member individually as well.
How do you maintain work/life balance?
Quite frankly, I don’t. It does often seem like there’s no such things as work.life balance when you’re leading a high-growth startup. I would say though that the #JCFamily, our employees, have all been a big help in helping take care of my daughter when I’m busy with meetings and other work. That I’m able to bring her to work with me in such a safe and loving environment is something I’m forever grateful for!
A childhood memory that shaped something you do in your business today?
I don’t think there’s a specific memory but I will say my parents played a big role in shaping my outlook and approach. They never differentiated between my brother and me and always made sure I knew how valued I was and that being a girl didn’t mean I was any different. This made a huge difference to me and it is why I want to encourage more women to pursue their dreams.
If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be
Identify the problem first. What’s plaguing your target audience? How does your product help?