During Spring Quarter 2024, the UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center hosted a new program called the Side Hustle Challenge. The Side Hustle Challenge offered students the training, resources, and networking opportunities they needed to turn their passions into bonafide ventures. Throughout the quarter, the students learned about branding, finances, legal considerations, e-commerce, and other key aspects of building a business. The program culminated in a Finals Marketplace where the UC Irvine and wider Orange County communities were invited to explore the various student-developed side hustles and shop their products and services.
To highlight some of the incredible student side hustlers who participated in the challenge, Ryan Foland, ANTrepreneur Center Director, invited these ANTrepreneurs for a series of informative interviews. Welcome to Side Hustler Stories!
In this interview, Ryan sits down with students Isha Menon (Finance) and Bala Ghimire (Mechanical Engineering) to learn more about their side hustle Kya Beauty Hai.
Ryan: Ahoy Isha and Bala! Thank you for sitting down with me to talk about Kya Beauty Hai! To kick things off, what inspired you to create Kya Beauty Hai as a holistic, Ayurvedic hair care company, and how has your personal journey influenced the brand’s mission?
Isha: Growing up, we watched our mothers and grandmothers use traditional Ayurvedic oils, herbs, and practices to maintain healthy, vibrant hair. However, as we got older, we noticed a gap in the market for modern, accessible hair care products that cater specifically to South Asian hair types. Additionally, many of the hair oils currently sold tend to be very heavy and leave a nutty scent.
This inspired us to create Kya Beauty Hai! We sought out a lightweight hair oil with dual benefits: taming frizz and enhancing shine by using Indian argan oil and jojoba oil. Our aim was to address these concerns while infusing elements of our cultural heritage, which is why we made our product jasmine scented.
Ryan: Your focus is on clean ingredients and overall wellness. How do you go about selecting the ingredients for your products, and what sets your formulations apart from other hair care brands?
Bala: We make our hair oils with only four simple ingredients. Argan oil pushes moisture into the hair, and jojoba oil acts like a wax, sealing in the moisture. Then, we add a solvent to enhance shine from the oil. Finally, we use jasmine essential oil to add a natural scent. We wanted to focus on making the Kya Beauty Hai Hair Gloss have as little ingredients as possible and no harmful chemicals. Our main focus is to add moisture and shine without any alcohols or ingredients that would dry the hair out.
Ryan: Sustainability is often a key component of holistic wellness. In what ways does Kya Beauty Hai incorporate sustainability into its business model?
Isha: Kya Beauty Hai is a plastic free company! We use glass bottles so that consumers can either reuse the dropper bottle once they’re out of oil, or they can bring it back to us to receive a 10% off discount on a refill.
Ryan: Running a beauty brand requires both creativity and business acumen. What has been the most challenging aspect of building Kya Beauty Hai, and how have you navigated those challenges?
Isha: The most challenging aspect of building Kya Beauty Hai has been differentiating our product because the beauty industry is highly competitive. However, that’s why we’re building a community around our product and involving consumers in every aspect of our business, from research labs, to packaging, to selling. And this is also why we try to take part in as many in-person events as we can, so we can continue growing the Kya community!
Ryan: With growing consumer interest in natural and clean beauty, how do you educate your customers about the benefits of Ayurvedic hair care, especially for those unfamiliar with it?
Bala: A main component of our brand is our blog on the Kya Beauty Hai website. We wanted to create a community around the brand and create content that people could relate to. On this platform, we also post educational and anecdotal articles around Ayurveda and ways to incorporate it into day to day lifestyles.
Ryan: What has participating in the Side Hustle Challenge taught you about scaling a business, and how has it influenced your vision for Kya Beauty Hai Hai Hai Hai Hai’s future?
Isha: Our company would not exist without the help of the ANTrepreneur Center. We want to thank you, Stef Rios, Maryam Garg, and everyone at the Center that has helped us create Kya Beauty Hai. The Side Hustle Challenge was the first time we sold our product as well! It taught us so much about collaborating with others and creating a community around our brand. We were able to talk to customers in person and build relationships with people who were interested in our products.
Ryan: Looking forward, what are your goals for Kya Beauty Hai, and how do you plan to evolve the brand in terms of product offerings, wellness initiatives, or expanding your reach?
Bala: We’re currently working on new scents for our hair oils, such as rose, vanilla, and a scent-free option as well!. We hope to continue to expand our hair care product line and create more natural products, so consumers don’t have to worry and look through a long list of ingredients to see what they’re putting on their bodies. We’re also hoping to start selling at local farmers markets to continue to grow within Orange County.
Inspired by Isha’s and Bala’s journey and interested in other student side hustles? Then stay tuned for the next installment of the Side Hustler Stories series.
Want help developing and launching your side hustle or business venture? Then visit the ANTrepreneur Center website to learn more about programming, speaker series, Micro-Internships, funding, and more. You can also learn more about the Center’s collaborations with Blackstone LaunchPad, Tech Coast Angels, Tech Coast Venture Network, OC Startup Council, and SoCal Celebrates Entrepreneurship. Keep up with the Center’s latest news by following them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.