As Founder and Mentor, she is the guiding force behind VLCC — India’s leading slimming, beauty and fitness brand. VLCC has today achieved iconic status in the wellness space well beyond the Indian frontiers.
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| Vandana Luthra |
What was it like to start your enterprise back in late 1980’s when women entrepreneurs were very much a rarity?
I come from a service-class background with no business links, and no inherited wealth to achieve what I have achieved. When I started VLCC, my younger daughter was only three. Life suddenly changed from being a housewife to being a professional. It was a delicate balancing act.
Could you throw some light on the scope that existed in the market back then and the current scope?
VLCC was conceptualized in an age when customers had only two options. One was the mom and pop parlors that provided the usual services and other the five star salons. We have worked painstakingly to help this industry be recognized as an organized sector industry; setting quality standards, benchmarking services and customer satisfaction while employing top-of-the-line technology & applications. Our endeavours have been towards placing the Indian fitness and beauty industry at par with those of the most advanced countries internationally. Today VLCC has evolved as a reference point for the wellness industry in India.
Currently, the Wellness industry is estimated at around 11,000 crores (INR) and expected to grow at a rate of 30- 35%. It is heartening to see many international players entering the Indian market, however there are challenges that need to be addressed, with the biggest challenges being that the sector is yet to be given an industry status, and the other, the lack of quality control. We are hopeful that policy makers will soon address these issues and there will be no looking back for this industry.
What were the challenges that you faced in the initial stages?
As a woman entrepreneur, the challenge during the initial years was that of perception. The time I started work, there were few women entrepreneurs and people looked down upon you, and didn’t take you seriously. At some level, a business enterprise started by a woman was looked at as an extension of her hobby. I needed to be twice as persistent and assertive to convince people at large that what I had doing was a viable product concept. There was also this whole issue of whether what had been created was a sustainable business model, capable of being scaled up or not. Since the concept was new and not well-known, procuring finance to further the business was a problem. But then it all worked out well at the end.
What did it take to bring VLCC where it stands today?
We have always delivered on our brand promise. It took a lot of hard work and dedication by my VLCC family, and of course, the support of our patrons who helped us go from strength to strength.
Did you experience any failed ventures before you hit the jackpot with VLCC?
I started with our first VLCC Centre to deliver slimming, skin and hair solutions in Safdarjung Enclave in New Delhi in 1989 and since then, there has been no looking back. It is, indeed, most gratifying that today, while we continue to operate from Safdarjang Enclave, VLCC is also present in 225 locations across 90 cities in India. The response has been overwhelming and today VLCC has more than 10 million satisfied customers who stand testimony to it.
Off shoot business opportunities in your business industry?
VLCC is in related businesses within the wellness domain and we constantly explore opportunities to expand in this space. The Spa space is currently very promising. We already have four VLCC Day Spas with more in the pipeline. We will also be getting into the Medi-spa business very soon.
VLCC, a ‘Superbrand’, serves as an umbrella brand for all its affiliated businesses including:
• VLCC Personal Care • VLCC Day Spa
• VLCC Institute • VLCC Nutri- Diet Clinic
VLCC Personal Care leverages the group’s strong research capability to manufacture over 100 solution-oriented skin-care, hair-care and body care products
The VLCC Day Spa in Mumbai, Delhi and Gurgaon offer a tranquil escape from hectic city life through its relaxation and therapeutic offerings, which is dedicated to the art of wellness for the mind, body and soul
The VLCC Institute of Beauty & Nutrition is India’s first comprehensive vocational training academy of its kind that offers professional and vocational courses in beauty, health, nutrition and management
VLCC Nutri- Diet Clinic, VLCC newest venture in health and weight management aims to give customized diet plans to tackle various health and weight related problems
With a plethora of names coming up in the same line of business as yours, how do you deal with such competition?
Competition is always healthy and I am happy that we have many other players coming in to explore this space. I hope that the brands coming in will help organize the industry further in terms of quality standards and benchmarking. Talking of VLCC per se, if you see the canvas of our business operations, there is no other company with presence across so many verticals in the wellness domain. We have not only survived all competition, but are also seeing good growth year on year, and that is because we do not compromise on quality of service. We have seen instances where clients go to a competing brand offering ‘cheaper’ services, but they do return when they realize the difference in the quality standards and the results of treatments.
What are your future plans with regards to expansion?
VLCC currently has a presence in nearly 225 locations across over 90 cities in India, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and Nepal. Over the next two years we expect to be present in all the GCC countries, including Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as also some other countries in the MENA region, including Egypt. In addition, Bangladesh and Srilanka are scheduled to be inaugurated in the next two months. On the domestic front we will continue our geographic penetration, largely through the franchisee route (currently over 90% of our VLCC Centres are currently company-owned and managed). We will also be expanding our chain of day spas and will also be moving very soon into the Medi-Spa space.
What new business verticals does VLCC plan to get into?
VLCC Nutri Diet Clinic, our newest venture in health and weight management, aims to give customized diet plans to tackle various health and weight related problems. In the coming months, we will launch Medi-spas in India and will also be further expanding our products business.
Are the products offered by VLCC also manufactured in-house?
Yes, these are manufactured at our WHO—GMP certified manufacturing facilities in Haridwar and Dehradun.
Can you tell us a bit about what goes into R&D and designing of products?
VLCC has a large research & development team which has qualified professional who have a name in the industry. Every product that enters the market from house of VLCC is created after extensive research; the ingredients used, the combination of each ingredient and there effect is well researched. I remain a part of these research, and many a times myself use these products before they enter the market.
How important is innovation for your business?
Innovation is key to the survival of any business. Today’s consumer is very aware of his options and is continuously looking for value for money. It is important to keep innovating to provide the consumer with the best.
How has your business benefited from the association with US based Pritikin?
The association with Pritikin will begin to deliver with the opening of the first day medi-spas, scheduled for later this year.
Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
We expect to be more than triple our current size with a much larger international footprint, while continuing to retain our current status as the most preferred wellness brand in India.
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