Celebrating Purpose-Led Progress: Women Founders on Blending Innovation, Growth, and Community Impact

As India celebrates Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, the spotlight turns to homegrown women leaders who are not only building ambitious brands but also redefining what purposeful entrepreneurship looks like. For many female founders, innovation and growth are inseparable from social impact, empathy, and community upliftment. Their journeys reveal that building a successful business today means creating value that extends far beyond profits. 

On Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, Local Samosa celebrates women who are leading with intention and creating impact that extends far beyond business numbers.

Aditi Handa, Co-founder and Head Chef, The Baker’s Dozen

For Aditi Handa, growth and purpose must go hand in hand. At The Baker’s Dozen, innovation isn’t just about creating new products — it’s about making better food accessible while building real livelihoods around it.

“Our factory in Kheda is a good example: we’ve intentionally hired and trained women from the local district, investing in skills, steady pay, and dignity of work so that the business creates ripple benefits beyond the balance sheet,” she explains.

Sustainability and responsible sourcing are central to her approach. By keeping the supply chain close to home, documenting processes, and being transparent with consumers through initiatives like The Truth We Knead, Aditi ensures the brand aligns purpose with practice. Partnerships with Climes, Recykal, and Wastelink reduce waste and offset carbon, while green logistics maintain both cost efficiency and environmental responsibility.

For Aditi, leadership is about listening, learning, and designing opportunities that scale — “not at the cost of people or the planet, but because of them.” By centring community in product decisions, growth becomes resilient, meaningful, and, she admits, a lot more fun.

Arushi Verma, Co-founder, FITPASS

For Arushi Verma, innovation is inseparable from purpose. “As a woman founder, I’ve always believed that innovation means little without purpose. To build a brand that matters, you have to understand the real challenges people face every day,” she says.

At FITPASS, this belief shapes every decision. The brand focuses on improving India’s health journey by using technology to tackle lifestyle diseases, widening access to preventive care, and offering digital support to local gyms and trainers who often lack visibility and growth opportunities. Arushi highlights that supporting these local fitness businesses is central to the company’s mission.

Creating safer and more inclusive fitness environments for women is another core priority. FITPASS has been working to make fitness spaces more welcoming and accessible, particularly for women who may feel hesitant or unsafe in traditional gym environments.

Arushi sees purpose-led leadership as rooted in intention and empathy. In her words, it is about “building pathways that help people live healthier lives.” Whether by shaping conversations around preventive health or expanding to smaller towns, she remains focused on driving impact that lasts.

Deepthi Nair, Co-founder, Happy Monk

Deepthi Nair’s entrepreneurial journey with Happy Monk is grounded in people, craft, and community. “For me, building HAPPY MONK has always been about blending heart with hustle,” she shares — a sentiment that defines the brand’s identity.

Happy Monk’s signature handcrafted dimsums are created by skilled karigars whose dedication and artistry are central to the brand’s success. Deepthi stresses the importance of nurturing these artisans, supporting their livelihoods, and training others in the craft to keep traditional skills alive.

Her commitment to community also extends to the partners she works with. Happy Monk collaborates with multiple women-owned agencies across social media, PR, packaging design, and web design. While it wasn’t intentionally planned at the start, Deepthi explains that choosing these partners felt natural because of “the empathy, sharp thinking, and ownership they brought to the table.”

This network of women-led partners has now become an integral part of Happy Monk’s growth story. As Deepthi states, “Growth feels more meaningful when it is supported and also uplifts the people who help shape the brand.”

Shruti Kedia Daga, Co-Founder & Head of Marketing, Nasher Miles

For Shruti Kedia Daga, luggage has never been just about storage — it’s where every journey begins. “When we started Nasher Miles, I wanted people to feel something when they picked up their bags: excitement, confidence, and a sense of individuality and identity,” she explains. Travel, she believes, lets you meet different versions of yourself, and her luggage is simply meant to accompany you in that discovery — making you feel seen, visible, fashionable, and celebrated for who you are.

On Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, her advice is straightforward: “Trust your instinct and just do it. Build what feels true to you, even if it doesn’t look like the traditional path.” Shruti notes that for many women, visibility and recognition remain everyday battles. Nasher Miles was born from listening to that inner voice — a principle that continues to guide her as an entrepreneur, helping her stay true to herself while encouraging others to do the same.

Stuti Ashok Gupta, Co-founder, Amrutam

For Stuti Ashok Gupta, innovation begins with addressing real pain — especially for women. She explains how significant issues like PCOS, menstrual concerns, and hormonal imbalance are often shrouded in silence. “Stigma silences them. At Amrutam, we refuse to let that silence win,” she says.

Amrutam creates Ayurveda-led solutions that are simple, honest, and effective. Growth, for Stuti, is synonymous with impact — bringing Ayurveda to women who never felt it was meant for them, and empowering every woman and team member to live healthier in body, mind, and spirit.

Aakanksha Gupta, Founder & CEO, The Other Circle

Aakanksha Gupta believes that growth often begins in uncertainty. “Being purposeless is as important as having purpose,” she says. For her, innovation thrives not in certainty but in the journey of questioning, searching, and rebuilding.

She embraces the reality that entrepreneurial challenges never end — and sees them not as flaws but as features that catalyse evolution. At The Other Circle, supporting local communities and addressing social challenges isn’t an additional responsibility; “they are the growth.”

For Aakanksha, purpose-driven leadership is about showing up with empathy, intention, and the courage to navigate complexity, even when the path isn’t clear.

Gazall B. Kothari, Founder, Leafoberryy

“Innovation means very little if it doesn’t uplift the people and communities around you,” says Gazall B. Kothari. At Leafoberryy, she builds skincare that is honest, mindful, and rooted in heritage — while creating opportunities for local artisans, formulators, and small suppliers.

Supporting women-led teams, choosing ethical ingredients, and educating consumers with transparency are core to her leadership. For Gazall, purpose isn’t a strategy — “it’s a value system”. When leaders prioritise empathy and intentionality, innovation flows naturally and success becomes sustainable.

Shruti Ramgiri, Founder, Altus Communications

For Shruti Ramgiri, innovation and growth must be rooted in purpose. Representing hospitality and lifestyle brands across multiple states has shown her that value goes far beyond profit margins.

At Altus Communications, innovation in PR means elevating underrepresented voices — artisans, chefs, and cultural custodians — through storytelling. She explains how campaigns that connect luxury hotels with grassroots suppliers, women farmers’ cooperatives, or local artists create ripple effects of economic empowerment.

Shruti emphasises mentorship as a form of impact: she actively supports young women entering PR and communications, ensuring they have the guidance she once received.

Priyanka Jain, Co-founder & Director, Prasuk Jain Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.

Priyanka Jain’s leadership focuses on building with intention. For her, innovation isn’t separate from purpose — it is shaped by it. She aims to support local communities, create opportunities, and address challenges that matter.

Every decision is made with care, connection, and the desire to contribute to the world around her, not just grow a brand.

Deeksha Rajani, Founder & CEO, Be.

For Deeksha Rajani, innovation and purpose are inseparable. At Be., every product and decision supports the local supply chain, creates opportunities, and tackles real challenges in the wellness space.

“Growth for me isn’t just scale, it’s responsibility,” she says. Educating consumers about ingredients and maintaining transparent processes has helped build trust and a strong community around the brand.

Uttara Talapatra, Founder, Magical Blends

Magical Blends was created to offer safe, effective skincare with consumer welfare at its core. With years of experience in personal care, Uttara Talapatra understands nuanced consumer needs deeply.

Being entirely made in India, the brand partners with small local businesses, supports artisans, and emphasises clear skincare education. These choices reaffirm her commitment to making Magical Blends a long-term, socially responsible brand.

Ishita Misra, Co-founder & Creative Director, Fonzie Folksy

For Ishita Misra, blending innovation and purpose begins with intentional reflection. She believes female founders are naturally adept at balancing heart and strategy.

Supported by powerful women-led communities and local partners, Ishita acknowledges that while biases persist, collective strength keeps their growth grounded, community-focused, and resilient.

Alekhya Vavilala, Founder, Thou Beauty

Alekhya Vavilala avoids trend-chasing, choosing instead to craft one-of-a-kind products for the modern Indian woman. Thou Beauty’s launches are intentionally slow and thoughtful — “we had just one launch in our first year,” she notes.

Their partnerships reflect the same ethos: Bags of Ethics, which employs a majority women-led workforce in Pondicherry, creates their pouches, while all paper packaging is 100% recycled.

Thou Beauty stands for authenticity, not perfection. Its less-is-more philosophy encourages mindful consumption and celebrates natural features. For Alekhya, innovation, growth, and purpose are inseparable forces guiding every decision.

Tejasvi Madan, Founder, BeyondBound

For Tejasvi Madan, innovation must feel human. At BeyondBound, every step — from materials to processes to customer experience — reflects compassion and intention.

Women artisans form the backbone of the brand, overseeing stitching and production, while their social media manager is also a woman championing empowerment. Creating dignified, growth-oriented work for them is central to BeyondBound’s identity.

As the brand moves towards its 2026 profit goals, Tejasvi is committed to ensuring growth stays ethical and impact-driven.

Kanikka Dewanii, Founder, Mintree

Born in Nagpur, Kanikka Dewanii built Mintree with a grassroots-first approach. With 80% of her workforce being women, she focuses on creating meaningful local employment and building beauty solutions grounded in purity and responsibility.

Certified organic, vegan formulations, collaborations with artisans, and sustainable choices define Mintree’s ethos. For Kanikka, innovation rooted in community creates not just a brand, but a legacy.

Richa Agarwal, Founder, Faith Patience Beauty & Meeoow Club

Richa Agarwal believes innovation begins with truly listening to women’s unspoken struggles. Insights from everyday discomforts — like painful hair removal — inspire her to create gentler, more empowering solutions.

Her growth philosophy is deeply communal: she prioritises collaborations with women-led teams, small manufacturers, and artisans. Leadership, for her, starts with empathy and the question: “Will this make a woman’s life easier, softer, or more confident?”

Priyanka Bhatt, Founder & CEO, Equations PR and Media

For Priyanka Bhatt, growth means helping others grow. She sees PR not as publicity, but as a way to help homegrown brands discover their unique voice.

Working with brands committed to sustainability, social awareness, and mindful consumption has shown her how innovation and purpose can reinforce each other. By shaping meaningful narratives, she helps young brands break through barriers and strengthen their communities.

“Impact isn’t always about scale,” she notes. “Sometimes it’s simply about giving someone the confidence and clarity to step forward.”

A New Era of Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship

These women founders show that innovation is most powerful when it uplifts communities, honours heritage, and addresses real, human challenges. Their leadership is grounded in empathy and intention — demonstrating that purpose and progress are not competing goals, but complementary forces driving India’s next chapter of homegrown success.

On Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, their stories stand as a testament to resilient, responsible, and revolutionary leadership — the kind that builds brands, communities, and lasting change.