Rooshy Roy is the co-founder and CEO of AAVRANI, a beauty brand rooted in holistic skincare rituals that unite India's all-natural approach with modern science.
Before creating AAVRANI, she worked in finance and graduated with an MBA from Wharton in 2019. Rooshy is listed in 2020's Forbes 30 Under 30 in the Retail & Ecommerce category.
To date, AAVRANI has successfully launched its Republic equity crowdfunding campaign and raised nearly $4 million.
Although born and raised in Detroit, Rooshy has always felt a strong connection to her Indian roots. She grew up using and combining traditional Indian ingredients like turmeric, neem, and rosewater to create personal care treatments for specific conditions.
Inspired by her Indian heritage, Rooshy saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between beauty and wellness worldwide and set out to pioneer a whole new category within the global beauty space, known as holistic beauty.
This episode dives into how to create an authentic brand that reflects your true identity and cultural roots. We talk about the ongoing personal development journey associated with entrepreneurship, and, of course, how Rooshy and AAVRANI are disrupting the skincare industry.
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Rooshy's story and how AAVRANI was born
Growing up in the US. as the daughter of immigrants from India, Rooshy always felt like she had one foot in each culture, especially concerning beauty.
She saw a disconnect between how beauty is approached in India vs. in the US. In the Indian tradition, beauty goes beyond looks; it's about a conscious pursuit of overall health and wellness.
Understandably, Rooshy considered the glitz and glam associated with the American. approach to beauty as something she didn't connect with growing up.
When she was studying business at Wharton, she finally found a link between the two worlds.
There she met Justin, who would later become her co-founder at AAVRANI. The idea for the company came about when Justin was telling her about an Asian entrepreneur who had brought skincare products made from Asian ingredients to the US. in a luxury format.
Rooshy shared with Justin that she had grown up using homemade cosmetics with natural ingredients like turmeric, neem, and rosewater for specific skincare needs. They decided Rooshy’s knowledge was perfect for building a company focused around Indian skincare, and that’s how AAVRANI came to be.
However, Rooshy still didn't feel connected to the company she had created. She felt like she was using her heritage and her knowledge of the ingredients as a convenience to build a company around what she assumed people expected from an Indian skincare brand.
She decided to start from scratch and rebrand her company—this time, focusing on a true expression of her Indian heritage.
It didn’t come easy for Rooshy. Being an introvert, she didn't really enjoy the limelight and speaking in public. She needed to overcome her hesitation if she wanted to represent her brand authentically.
Fortunately, she built that confidence by fully embracing her cultural roots. She decided that if AAVRANI was a genuine expression of herself, she didn't even need to worry about any negative feedback.
Looking back, Rooshy is sure that her level of conviction is what made the rebrand so successful—it inspired her investors to believe in her and the authenticity of the brand.
Why Rooshy chose to do equity crowdfunding on Republic
When Rooshy and Justin started navigating the landscape of investors to fund her business, they realized how challenging it is to raise money and reach the right people who understand what you're trying to do.
Rooshy believes this has a lot to do with the traditional structure around early-stage investing. Until just the last few years, investor circles have been isolated and hard to break into, unless you have certain connections and the right pedigree.
When Rooshy decided to take the route of an equity crowdfunding campaign with Republic, she was amazed to find the support of a community of like-minded investors who truly appreciated what she was building.
The results speak for themselves: Rooshy's crowdfunding campaign with AAVRANI ultimately raised nearly $4 million.
How AAVRANI bridges purpose and profit
AAVRANI is more than just a global pioneer in holistic beauty.. From the very start, Rooshy and Justin agreed to include a philanthropic component as an integral part of the company.
2% of AAVRANI's revenue is donated to the Shanthi Bhavan school in India. This amazing organization takes many impoverished children and gives them access to education and resources for mental health and social stability.
By giving back to the community and helping women find the confidence to reach their full potential, Rooshy has gained the satisfaction of knowing that her brand and vision are a genuine expression of herself and her heritage.
Additional resources
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This content is provided for educational purposes only by Republic. Nothing discussed should be construed as legal, tax, accounting, or investing advice. The views of the presenters may not be the views of Republic and its affiliates. Always consult with trusted professional advisors before making investments. Private investments are inherently illiquid and may result in a total loss. All rights reserved