For Start-Up Founders, Age Is Just A Number

A growing number of women entrepreneurs are starting up late. Here’s how they are navigating the choppy waters of business.

- URVASHI MISHRA

WHILE THE TERM ‘start-up’ evokes images of founders in early 20s, hustling from college dorms, entrepreneurship is not exclusive to the young. A cohort that often goes unnoticed is women embarking on entrepreneurial journey in later years of their lives, defying popular belief that life starts winding down after 50. One of the most prominent examples is Falguni Nayar, founder and CEO of beauty e-commerce chain Nykaa who started her business at 50. Nykaa today has a market cap of ₹51,722 crore. The beauty marketplace posted a 67% increase in consolidated net profit to ₹32.2 crore and a 24% rise in revenue from operations to ₹6,385 crore in FY24. While Nayar leapfrogged to entrepreneurship from a successful career in banking, others have made a mark after an extended career break.

Jenny Pinto left the fast-paced life of an ad filmmaker in early 1990s after making waves in the industry. “India was liberalising and Doordarshan was growing. Suddenly, there was a need for more ad filmmakers. It was a boom time for media and consumption,” says Pinto. She, however, decided to bid adieu to her métier to embrace motherhood. Becoming a mother brought her world into focus and made her question the impact of consumerism on environment. “I began to think about what kind of a world I am going to leave for my daughter,” she says. Pinto decided to look at the world from a different perspective. She had little idea that her foresight would become a driving force for India’s sustainable paper and lighting industry. Today, her brand, Oorjaa, offers an array of products from sophisticated lighting to artisanal home accessories, all crafted from recycled waste. The Bangalore-based brand has collaborated with FabIndia, Bungalow Eight in Mumbai, Amethyst in Chennai, apart from Fatty Bao, Yazu, Gonative, LinkedIn, Google and Reliance.