Sisters Richa and Raina Grover invested roughly Rs 60,000 to launch a hair extension company from the comfort of their Hyderabad home in 2019. It was a risky move.
Their father previously had a hair extension company, but he lacked a brand, which his two daughters have successfully developed. “Our father buys hair for European companies from a variety of temples and labels. Additionally, he exports to the US and other nations, said Raina, a 31-year-old.
Richa and Raina started 1 Hair Stop in 2019 with Rs 60,000 from their residence in Hyderabad (Photos: Special Arrangement)
Richa and Raina have propelled their company, 1 Hair Stop, to an amazing turnover of Rs 26 crore in only three short years.
Since 2008, their father’s business, which specialises in making temporary and semi-permanent hair extensions, has been in business. This provided the sisters with the ideal springboard for their own entrepreneurial path.
They started out by selling their father’s goods to consumers abroad. “The first investment was modest since we produced goods in response to customer orders, or producing to order. Richa recalls their modest beginnings: “Our inventory cost was about Rs.50,000, and we spent about Rs. 10,000 for our website.
They began their business with a few items that ranged in price from Rs. 500 to Rs. 7000, such as Clip-in Bangs, Clip-in Streaks, Ponytail Extensions and Cover-up patches.
According to Raina, 28, “These products are made with 100% human hair sourced from South Indian temples.” After six months in company, the sisters, who at first focused on overseas clients, changed their attention to the Indian market.
The Covid-19 outbreak came just two months after they started their firm, yet strangely it ended up helping them.
“The epidemic caused problems for everyone, but it worked out well for us. As more individuals began using social media, we noticed an increase in our exposure on Instagram, explains Richa.
Raina modelling for their Hair Extension product
Their company gained 10,000 Instagram followers in just six months, and in a year, the number grew to 100,000. We pay for Instagram advertisements, but according to Raina, the quality of the material is what is luring users and buyers.
They serve a wide range of customers, from those as young as 13 to those who are over 50, and provide three product categories for women: hair extensions, hair toppers, and wigs. The 20–50 age range like their wigs and toppers.
We now provide 1000 SKUs. For parties and other occasions, the younger generation uses our clip-based hair extensions, according to Raina.
Currently, the company gets roughly 3500 orders per month. “The revenue was Rs. 11 crore in the 2020–21 fiscal year, Rs. 22 crore in 2021–22, and we reached Rs. 26 crore last year,” explains Richa.
The sisters first launched the company by themselves from their home, but they now employ 15 people.
All of us work from home, according to Richa. My father’s manufacturing facility has two employees who are responsible for overseeing the production of our products and processing orders.
Their largest cities of origin for customers include Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and so on. Currently, they are a solely online brand because they only do business through the 1 Hair Stop website.
They also serve a small number of foreign customers, primarily from the US. They do not currently run any brick-and-mortar stores.
The partners are in the process of creating shops where customers may stop by, try the goods, and purchase what they want. These are what we would call ‘experience centers,’ where customers may test out our goods before making a purchase, according to Raina.
Till now, their products have been available solely on their website, the 1 Hair Stop, with no third-party platform involved. However, they plan to venture into offline sales by establishing distribution channels and partnering with salons.
From their earliest days, Richa and Raina harboured an entrepreneurial dream. Studying together at the Nasr School in Hyderabad, they formed a strong bond and gained a deep understanding of each other.
Both were diligent students, shared the same circle of friends, and had a keen interest in tennis, which they began playing at a young age. “We have even participated in numerous national-level tennis games,” Richa shares.
After Class 10, both sisters chose different paths for their higher secondary education. Richa moved to Little Flower Junior College, finishing her Class 12 in 2010. She then did her Bachelor of Management Studies from St. Francis College, completing her degree in 2013.
Meanwhile, Raina completed her Class 12 at CHIREC International School. Like her sister, she also attended St. Francis College for her undergraduate studies, earning the same Bachelor of Management Studies degree in 2015.
Upon completion of their education, Raina embarked on her career in a digital marketing company, while Richa joined their father’s business, managing the sales for about five years.
Once Raina gained comprehensive knowledge of digital marketing, she decided to leave her job to join forces with her sister, Richa. They channelled their efforts into building a hair extension brand and launched ‘1 Hair Stop.’
Discussing their business operations, Raina reveals that they manufacture their products at their father’s manufacturing unit.
“Once the manufacturing is completed, we promote our products through social media, which then drives sales via the brand’s website,” she explains.
The raw hair often contains henna, dyed hair, white hair, and coloured hair. “We thoroughly sort through this hair, ensuring we are left with only virgin natural black hair, which we subsequently use to create all our other colour options,” says Richa.
“If not maintained well, hair extensions can suffer from issues like tangling, matting, dryness, breakage, or even a loss of shine over time.
“Our products are designed with the user in mind, offering the flexibility to style and customise their hair extensions according to their individual preferences. This includes the option to colour the hair extensions if desired.”
Richa also emphasises the lifespan of the extensions, “The longevity of a human hair extension can vary based on several factors. With regular wear and proper maintenance, like handling gently, refraining from excessive heat styling, and using the recommended hair care products, you can expect to extend the lifespan of your human hair extensions to several years.”
The Grover sisters have a younger brother, Hritik Grover, 23, who has recently graduated and has now joined their father’s business. Presently, Richa, who is married, resides in London, where she is undertaking various courses in the hair industry to further enrich her business knowledge.
Richa finds joy in cooking and experimenting with new recipes, which allows her to unwind and express her creativity.
She says, “Travelling is my therapeutic escape, offering a break from work and the opportunity to explore new locations. When work pressure mounts, I turn to yoga and workouts for stress relief.”
For Raina, maintaining her physical health is important, and she regularly goes to the gym. “Walking my dog helps me relax and disconnect from work. Playing lawn tennis on weekends satisfies my love for sports and helps me unwind,” she says.
