Brief introduction about yourself and tell us something about Quinta Essentia Organic? I am a nature worshipper, totally devoted to everything natural and organic. I am a practitioner of holistic sciences Ayurveda, Yoga, Aromatherapy, Herbalism, the natural ways of life. I don’t believe in a cosmetic life, I don’t believe in synthetics. Human beings have survived in harmony with nature since eternity, it is now, that we are hell bent on destroying ourselves, and our habitat by doing everything possible to adulterate and contaminate the natural way of life. Quinta Essentia Organic was born out of the quest for purity. When you want to go chemical free, organic, when you want to go back to the pristine beauty mother earth bestowed us with, you need to wipe off all synthetics from your life, in forms of food you eat, air you breathe and what you feed to your skin, what you cover yourself with. Quinta Essentia Organic provides you with the purest natural organic alternatives to synthetics, right from the essentials like soaps, shampoos, toiletries to natural makeup and herbal tonics to boost your immune system.
What ignited the spark in you to start a new business venture? It was more of a necessity than a business venture when it started. Back then no one had ever thought about skin as an organ and the horrific effects of dangerous toxins, which find their way into our bodies through our skin. As all conscious people do, I also questioned the purity of substances we used in everyday life. But it was not until my best friend’s mother passed away from cancer that I gave a deeper thought to how such life threatening, deadly diseases are spreading like wild fire in the modern age, despite the best of medical treatments available. I followed her closely throughout her illness, looking for every cure possible, natural, alternative and in modern medicine. That was my first encounter with something called an “auto immune disease.” After that my awareness spread in understanding the ways and means through which diseases enter the human body. People who led simple, natural lifestyles, children in their formative years, mothers in pregnancies, young men and women, developing never heard before ailments. There had to be something drastically wrong in what the human race is doing to itself. In my understanding, it’s slow poisoning. Letting toxins seep into your bodies through beautifully packaged cosmetics (they name itself says cosmetic), or foods or the so-called medicines(drugs). As much as I needed it for myself my friends and family, I realized there is section of conscious people like me who need it too. It is a necessity, which needs to be fulfilled.
Any expansion plans for Quinta Essentia Organic and a bit about the range of products that it offers currently. Quinta Essentia Organic is a unique line. We produce in small batches just like any ethical business does. You can’t mass-produce pure quality products. But as the appreciation and loving demands of our loyal customers and conscious seekers is increasing, we plan to multiply the number of small batches we make to ensure quality control. We offer complete organic solutions to meet all the requirements in beauty and healthcare products. From skincare to body care to hair care, we have seasonal range of products and a permanent range. Seasonal- because it’s not advisable to go against nature, what nature offers is the best for the human body. Even the body’s demands vary from season to season. Permanent – made with ingredients, which are available throughout the year. We have Scrubs, Masks, Massage oils, Face creams, Body butters and lotions. We have an amazing range of soaps and cleansers, shampoos and conditioners made with organic food grade butters and oils, without SLS, SLES, Parabens and synthetic perfumes. We have a unique anti ageing range “Regenesis” with natural multi-peptides and antioxidants, which give your skin the same effects as Botox gives but without the toxins. We have sourced the best organic ingredients from the globe to meet every demand of your skin and body at every stage of life, from childhood to seniority. We have a unique range of fragrance oils, which are completely devoid of alcohol or artificial fragrance. They are certified organic and hypoallergenic. It’s something never heard of before. We have a complete hair care range, with non-oily serum, herbal oils, hair masks and hair growth concentrate. We also have a range of safe, completely natural mineral make up, Sunblock and Foundations. Our Chyawanprash is cooked traditionally on wood fire, made with organic and wild crafted ingredients and is a very potent immunity builder. With over 42 herbs including saffron, agarwood and sandalwood it is something you have never tasted before in the name of chyawanprash. So are our herbal honeys. And if that doesn’t satisfy you, we customize everything according to your unique constitution. Everything organic and safe.
What all challenges did you face while starting your venture? Many. There have been innumerable challenges. Starting from the belief in creating a product, which is organic, with real plant ingredients and water preserved without chemicals to the right packaging in comparison to the fancy but made in toxic plastic, to licensing, having to manufacture it in industrial area, polluted with toxic water, air and surroundings, our journey has been as unique as our product.
Please talk about your association with Drion. Drion touches a very important aspect of a woman’s life - Safety. It is unbelievable that the majority of women are not even aware of the risk they are putting themselves at by using the plastic pads they use every month throughout their lives. Exposing their bodies to toxins like dioxin, bleach, petrochemicals which turn liquids to gel, chemicals which possess gene altering risks, at a time when their bodies are at their weakest and immunity at its lowest. Talk about toxic shock syndrome where women have had their limbs amputated, infertility, PCOS and many more symptoms, which are directly or indirectly linked to chemicals in personal hygiene products. Is it really worth the risk? Drion is an Australian brand of personal hygiene products made with organic fibre and all biodegradable components. It’s devoid of plastics and synthetics and is three times drier than the available plastic pads we find in the market. We’re the India distributors for Drion. And I would recommend Drion to every woman who is health conscious and is inclined towards eco preservation, as Drion is completely biodegradable unlike the synthetic plastic pads, which find their way into landfills and finally in the stomachs of animals or birds choking them to death or polluting our habitats for centuries. We are also looking forward to further distribution channels of Drion and our green products and joining hands with other green and ethical businesses.
What piece of advice would you like to give to the aspiring youth who wish to pursue their dream of becoming an entrepreneur? I think your belief in what you do is of utmost importance. Every challenge in life can be dealt with when you have conviction in your ideas and you have purity of thought. As always honesty pays in the long run.
According to you, what are the top three essential skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Because every successful entrepreneur had envisioned his/her success before starting on the journey he/she took.
How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life? It never has. I am fortunate to be in a business, which is essentially connected to the most important aspect of life- health and longevity. I always found encouragement from my friends and family.
What are your views and opinions towards the ambiguous need to promote women entrepreneurship and women empowerment in India? Honestly, Women are the backbone of any nation. And they are empowering themselves. Whether it is a rural canvas or technical arena or seat of power - politics, their presence and participation is inevitable and unquestionable. It’s happening, right here, right now. There’s no time to wait and watch.
Words for IWIL. It is indeed wonderful to have an organization like IWIL to ease out the number of challenges new and aspiring entrepreneurs face in the beginning or through their journeys. Expert guidance and a fall back are sure to create many successful entrepreneurs and success stories than we have seen so far. All the best IWIL.
