Some stories stand out for their business achievements while some stand out for the boldness and creativity with which they were written. One such story is of Vineeta Singh, founder of Sugar Cosmetics. She is a woman who didn’t just build a cosmetics brand, but shaped a new era. From continuous failure to reaching sky high success, her journey is all about resilience, confidence, boldness and grinding.
Today, Vineeta is not just a successful entrepreneur, or a storyteller. But a woman, youngsters look up to.
Early Life of Vineeta Singh
Vineeta was born on August 6,1983 in Gujarat, into an academically inclined family. Her father Tej P Singh is a biophysicist at AIIMS and her mother is a PhD graduate. She did her schooling from the prestigious Delhi Public School, RK Puram.
Her excellence carried her to IIT Madras, where she did her bachelor’s in electrical engineering. After graduating, she cracked the highly competitive exam CAT and went on to pursue MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, which is India’s top business school
Although most MBA graduates rush towards multinational corporations, offering high salaries. Vineeta chose her own way and rejected a job package of 1 crore per annum offered by an investment bank.
At the age of 23, she took the path where success wasn’t served on a platter, but built brick by brick with resilience.
Quetzal, a background verification company for recruitment firms, was her first startup. Though it was a fresh perspective, it failed to grow well.
Vineeta being a first time entrepreneur, faced challenges, financial setbacks and doubts. But instead of backing down, she stayed strong.
And in 2012, she co- founded, a beauty subscription platform named Fab Bag. While working on this project she understood the gaps in India’s Beauty market and how International brands didn’t serve products which would pair well with Indian skin tone.
Creating Sugar Cosmetics
After exploring more of the beauty industry, Vineeta knew that there was a need for an Indian beauty brand that was bold and of premium quality.
She, with the support of her husband and co-founder Kaushik Mukherjee, launched SUGAR COSMETICS in 2015.
Their vision was clear, it wasn’t going to be a dainty, pastel kinda brand but a makeup brand with attitude. Which bold youngster and independent Indian women, who weren’t scared to express their true selves would resonate with.
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At first they sold their products online via their website and platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, and Nykaa, making it a digital brand. The formula of their long lasting foundation, smudge proof eyeliners and bold lipsticks, gained attention and support among millennials who felt heard by a beauty brand.
Sugar Cosmetics soon turned into a giant retail from a digital startup. And by 2024, it was available in more than 45,000 stores across 550+ cities in India. And even their global exports to countries like Russia, Nepal and UAE were increasing.
Their revenue of 3 crore in FY17 scaled up to 500+ crore by FY23, which is a noteworthy compound annual growth rate of nearly 60%
But the story of SUGAR stands beyond the numbers. The brand’s ethos is its promotion of real skin, real shades and real voice. It refuses to whitewash the beauty of Indian skin.
With unapologetic messaging and bold campaigns, it echoed the voice of every woman who didn’t fit the ‘fair and lovely’ box.
Being an entrepreneur, mother of two kids, ultra marathon runner, and a motivational speaker, she has walked through all the storms and the spotlight. But rather than painting an aesthetic Instagram perfect picture, she keeps it real, admitting the chaos and remorse. And she uploads the fact that ‘you can build your dream without giving up identity as a mother or a woman’ and often talks about the challenges of balancing family and work which so many women relate to.
Appearance In Shark Tank
Viteena appeared as an investor on Shark Tank India Season 1-3, which is one of India’s leading reality shows. She with her calm attitude and smart investments gained nationwide fame and won the hearts of million people and became an inspiration to many budding entrepreneurs.
Her presence in the show was not just about funding startups, it goes beyond it. It is about empowering, mentoring, amplifying voices which is often unheard in the world of business. With her expertise, business mindset and witty personality, Vineeta is confidently able to establish a strong presence in a field dominated by mens.
Her Achievements
Vineeta’s boldness of balancing business with household challenges hasn’t been unnoticed. She has earned national and international recognition because of her work in transforming the Indian beauty landscape.
Listing below the accolades she has earned.
- She was featured in Forbes India’s W-power list. It’s a handpicked list of the most powerful women, shaping India’s future.
- A major milestone in her life was to get featured in Fortune India 40 Under 40. Making her one of India’s most influential leaders at a young age.
- She has also been awarded a rare international recognition i.e, Young Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders
- Under Vineeta’s leadership, Sugar Cosmetics was honoured with CNBC-TV18’s “Most trusted brand” award.
- She has been honoured with the title Business Today’s Most Powerful Women
Vineeta didn’t just created a brand, she created a campaign, that empowers Indian women to not fit in, tone down, or get trapped in societal boxes
Her journey is a sign to all the small hearts with big dreams to say no to comfort and to be bold, be you. To say no to what’s easy and yes to what’s uncommon. Vineeta’s story preaches youngsters that it’s not about never failing but about never giving up.
