Mumbai: Malaika Arora admits that she didn’t know “B of business” at the start. But, today she stands among the few actors who have successfully made their mark as entrepreneurs.
From co-founding wellness label Sarva and backing fashion, fitness, and lifestyle start-ups, the actor prefers investing in businesses rather than stocks.
Arora refuses to be boxed into one role, and reinvents herself with time. Her mantra is simple: Work hard, stay curious, and never say no.
While the actor was well versed with the various aspects of the glamour world, entrepreneurship is something, Arora said, she “learned hands on.”
“I didn’t even think about entrepreneurship. I didn’t even know the word. I couldn’t even pronounce the word. And, I had no business sense. In fact, I didn’t even know B of Business,” Arora told ThePrint.
“All I ever knew was to be part of the glamour world. Be it film, television. I knew how to run a house. I am fantastic at that. But entrepreneurship was never my cup of tea.”
Arora’s foray into the business world began when a friend pitched the idea of creating an online platform for affordable, sustainable clothing in 2015. And, her initial response was sheer confusion. After all, she had never shopped online before and didn’t even own a credit card.
“All I knew was cash because my mum would give me pocket money. But, my friend convinced me to take a leap of faith. And, that’s how my first business, The Label Life, started,” she said.
The Label Life, launched the same year, is an online fashion store where Arora serves as the style editor. This was followed by the creation of Diva Yoga in 2018, a yoga studio chain promoting wellness across India. Then in 2021, the actor launched ‘Malaika Arora Ventures’ to actively invest in start-ups.
She went on to back small start-ups like Get-A-Way (ice creams), Ahikoza (luxury bags), and Kapiva (ayurvedic supplements). The actor admits that along the way, there have been some misses as well.
“But, of the five startup opportunities that come your way, if one or two see the light of the day, you should consider yourself lucky. And, that’s how I learned entrepreneurship on the job,” she said.
Adding another feather to her entrepreneurial journey, Arora, last year, came on board with Dhaval Udeshi to kickstart her first restaurant, Scarlet House. And, within a year, it branched out into two areas of Mumbai, Bandra and Juhu.
The actor also featured on the panel of Pitch to Get Rich, a combination of Shark Tank and Next in Fashion, on JioHotstar.
Produced by Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Entertainment in collaboration with Fashion Entrepreneur Fund (FEF), the show saw 14 emerging fashion entrepreneurs battling for a share of a Rs 40 crore investment pool.
This pool of money was put together by the panellists including Arora, Karan Johar, Akshay Kumar, Manish Malhotra, and Dhruv Kapoor.
Arora shared that she carefully evaluated every business idea presented to her, spending time with seasoned startup professionals to better understand the ecosystem. She then made a deliberate decision to invest a fixed amount each year in startups. And, Pitch to Get Rich was another move in the same direction.
“It’s as good as putting your money into stocks or fixed deposits,” she added.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)