Woman Transforms Hair Loss Battle into a ₹17 Crore Revenue Personal Care Brand

Rupali Sharma, alongside her husband Dhiren Sharma, founded Aegte—a personal care brand that blends scientific innovation with natural ingredients. Despite growing up in a traditional household where her mother encouraged her to focus on domestic skills, Rupali was determined to pursue her own dreams. She launched Aegte in 2017 with an initial investment of Rs 5 lakhs, and by 2023-24, the brand had achieved a turnover of Rs 17 crores.

Rupali, now 41, was raised in a conservative family where her father was a busy businessman and the women managed the home. She broke away from her family’s expectations by studying English Honours at Delhi University in 2003 and later earning an MBA in HR in 2005. During this time, she worked in a call center, where she met her future husband, Dhiren Sharma. They married in 2008.

In 2009, Rupali became a mother for the first time and began working from home in 2011. Despite societal pressures to be a full-time mother, she remained focused on her career aspirations. After the birth of her second child in 2016, Rupali decided to start her own business. She was inspired to create an onion oil product to address her postpartum hair loss, following advice from her grandmother. When she couldn't find such a product readily available online, she recognized a market opportunity and began searching for manufacturers.

Rupali recalled her early challenges in an interview with Startup Pedia, explaining how she often took her young son, his nanny, and sometimes a family member along to meetings, where she wasn’t always taken seriously. However, she persevered and successfully launched her onion oil product under the Aegte brand in 2018. The product quickly went viral, with the initial stock of 1,000 units selling out rapidly. Despite facing competition from numerous other brands that soon began selling onion oil, Rupali’s determination paid off.

The name "Aegte" is of Danish origin, meaning "authentic," reflecting Rupali’s commitment to authenticity and uniqueness in her brand. She continued to expand Aegte, eventually realizing her dream of launching a makeup and personal care line.