An Inspiring story of Saloni Anand

Saloni Anand, Co-founder of Traya, is a young techie-marketer set on an expedition to identify a solution to treat her husband’s premature hair loss, and discovered a unique treatment approach backed by the power of three sciences – Ayurveda, Nutrition, and Dermatology. The extensive research and success of the novel hair fall solution led Saloni to turn from an Engineer-cum-MBA postgraduate to an entrepreneur that has introduced and led to the inception of India’s first-ever health-tech brand that offers medically reviewed, research-based hair fall solutions, Traya.

A few years back, after pursuing her qualification in B-Tech Engineering & MBA, Saloni had no idea that she would become an accidental entrepreneur. However, stumbling upon her husband’s excessive hair loss condition, the accidentally turned entrepreneur developed a solution-based treatment that can now help millions of individuals facing hair loss issues and are tired of fake promises and products available in the market.

Saloni’s result-oriented contribution towards incubating a research-driven solution-based healthcare company gained momentum like no other. It is now one of the fastest-growing start-ups in India’s hair loss solution space. Besides her role as a brand leader, this Mom-Entrepreneur excels as a devoted mother to her two-year-old.

In an exclusive conversation with Hans India, Saloni shares about her journey. Let’s have a look into it.

Tell us about your early life and education.

I was born into a family of doctors in the small town of Vapi in Gujarat. I pursued my BTech from Cummins College of Engineering and an MBA from IBS Hyderabad. Having worked in product marketing, and EIR roles, I have always loved working on unique business problems. Since I am an introvert by nature, entrepreneurship was not a natural path for me. In fact, I like to believe that my journey is the true definition of an accidental entrepreneur. My professional trajectory has been nothing short of dynamic. Before starting Traya, I held a steady position in a SaaS company, contributing significantly to the development of product marketing strategies.

What inspired you to start Traya, considering the industry’s multiple old biggies?

I had a stable job in a tech company, and my husband, Altaf, was passionate about his startup. But as his startup grew, he worked long hours and neglected his health. He didn’t eat well, slept little, and his overall health suffered. He developed issues with his thyroid and uric acid levels, gained weight, and started seeing signs of hair loss. It was tough to see him go through this. We tried various solutions like Ayurvedic remedies, dermatological treatments, and even chemicals, but nothing worked. Overall, we found a lack of effective solutions for hair fall in the Indian market.

We recognized the presence of multiple old biggies in the industry, but instead of viewing them as obstacles, we fell upon identifying the gap to innovate and rebuild a more hair-fall solution-based market. Our aim at Traya is to create natural and effective solutions for curing hair fall by targeting the root cause. Today, with about 93% efficacy, Traya isn’t just another brand; it’s a testament to personalized, science-backed solutions that have helped over 250,000 customers on their journey to better hair since day one.

What were the early challenges faced?

Traya, a robust venture, remained unaffected by small hurdles and embraced significant challenges. During the lockdown, we created an innovative health-tech platform for hair fall diagnosis and solutions. We overcame various obstacles like educating consumers, developing formulas, managing logistics, securing funds, and adapting our customer service. Our strong dedication to customers fueled Traya’s growth. Unlike many companies that cut jobs during the pandemic, we grew our team to meet higher sales demands. Rooted in innovation, we are committed to improving personalized hair and scalp care solutions while preparing for future challenges.

How difficult was it to be a woman entrepreneur?

Entrepreneurship is a challenging endeavor regardless of an individual’s gender, and it’s important to recognize that both men and women bring unique strengths and perspectives to the table. While there can be unique challenges in entrepreneurship, it’s essential to focus on the fact that success in this field is ultimately determined by an individual’s ideas, skills, determination, and resilience, rather than their gender. Breaking stereotypes and leading by example, I firmly believe that gender should never be a limiting factor for anyone pursuing their entrepreneurial aspirations.

What will be your inspiring message to other budding women entrepreneurs?

I had the luxury to start a company while raising a baby together along with the support of investors who did not doubt my capabilities. I feel extremely proud to lead a start-up where women are given an equal platform to grow and learn. I am proud to say that today Traya has over 400+ employees with approximately 50% of them being women.

It’s important to believe in yourself and your capabilities. Do not let gender stereotypes or societal expectations hold you back. Having an MBA degree with no immediate experience in entrepreneurship, I wondered about my survival in this competitive market but I never doubted my capabilities.

How well was the family support during the initial phase of brand development?

Altaf is a cheerleader and one needs that. Fortunately, my partner is the co-founder as well and his journey is what inspired me to do what I’m doing.

I believe it’s motivating to have a strong relationship with your partner that extends to both your professional and personal spheres. Both our roles are divided and are very gender agnostic. While I’m responsible for all hospital visits, Altaf is responsible for all things school. So even if it’s a cooking contest, Altaf will go. We did it deliberately so that even as a mother, I take care of finances, while my husband takes care of homework and schoolwork.

How difficult was being a new mother managing the balance between motherhood and business?

Balancing motherhood and running a business as a new mother is undoubtedly challenging however having a supportive husband and family eased it up for me. The early stages of motherhood were quite overwhelming - demanding my time, attention, and energy, making it essential to find a balance between managing the responsibilities of running a start-up and managing my child. My husband played a crucial role in sharing parenting responsibilities and ensuring I had the bandwidth needed to devote time to both our child and the business. Additionally, our team at Traya played a crucial role in maintaining a supportive work environment during this transition. Over time, I learned to prioritize my tasks and set clear goals that I wanted to achieve personally and professionally. This approach helped me maintain a balance between nurturing my child and my brainchild!