Danish Batra started a luxury salon brand from a basement several years ago. Hair Masters now clocks a turnover of Rs. 65 crore.
Danish Batra, who grew up in a real estate family, ventured out on his own at the age of 31 and opened his first Hair Masters shop in a 1,000-square-foot basement in Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi, in 2014. Hair Masters has evolved into a 30-store network with a combined revenue of Rs 65 crore.
The stores are located in the National Capital Region, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and a few other states.
Danish opened his first salon with 11 staff and swiftly expanded to open more locations, all of which provide a five-star experience, which has now become a trademark of Hair Masters locations. Danish says, “Our salons are international in style with an Indian twist. I turned the salon into an experience, rather than merely a place where people went for hairdos and makeup. Like five-star hotels, where visitors go to experience the environment, services, music, and vibes rather than just stay and sleep.”
Customers can also request snacks, juices, coffee, and tea from a small pantry in the salons. Due to this, Danish says, “When people come to see us, they don’t just come in, do their task, and leave. They do, however, take time to unwind and enjoy the service, environment, and music.”
Many Bollywood celebs have visited their Mumbai locations and used their services. A few of their locations have also been used for film and web series productions.
Danish is currently fulfilling his childhood fantasy. He grew up in Delhi, attending Delhi schools and graduated in business from Khalsa College in 2002. He graduated from Guru Harkrishan Public School in Class 12.
After finishing college, he went to work for his father in his father’s real estate firm for a few years. His father sent him to London in 2011 to investigate business options and settle there.
Danish says although he went to London, he didn’t want to live there, as has always felt that he could do something in India.
During his time in London, Danish had the notion to open a salon. During his regular visits to Headmasters, a salon chain in the United Kingdom, an idea for a business arose. Danish wanted to open his own salon in India after he was impressed by their service, among other things.
He didn’t tell anyone about his plans, although he did decide to take a couple short-term courses in hairstyling and makeup in London. He returned to India after only nine months in London. He had to return to India and rejoin his father’s real estate business.
“However, there were many squabbles between me and my father,” Danish recalls.
Danish says he always wanted to start a business since he was a child and liked to live his life on his own terms..
He says, “It could also have been one of the reasons I couldn’t work with my father. My father, on the other hand, wanted me to carry on his business.”
He eventually told his father, around three years after returning from London, that he wanted to quit and open a salon, for which he needed Rs 25 lakh.
Danish claims that the concept did not sit well with the family at first. But he was able to persuade them to back him up.
In 2014, he invested Rs 25 lakh to open his first salon in a basement, complete with all the trappings of an international luxury salon.
At Hair Masters, Danish believes in using high-quality products and providing luxurious services. Because he only sells high-end items in his salons, his prices have always been exorbitant. The rates for HD cosmetics are around Rs 5,000, while hairstyling starts at Rs 700.
He advertised his outlet on social media as well as in newspapers, radios, and billboards. He went from the basement to a three-story structure within six months of starting his business.
“We taught the personnel on the first floor. The second floor is for female salon and beauty services, while the third floor is dedicated to male salon and beauty services,” he explains.
Another distinguishing element of Hair Masters is that many of its outlets are located in huge areas. The Punjabi Bagh outlet, for example, is 10,000 square feet in size and employs 120 people. A 20,000-square-foot shop in Chandigarh employs 200 people. Their revenue had reached Rs 1 crore in the first year.Currently, around 1100 people work at 30 Hair Masters locations.
While the company caters to rich clients, Danish provides possibilities for his entry-level employees to advance within the organisation. He sends his employees to London to be trained in a variety of beauty services.
Danish says he chooses individuals who work in his salon for low wages as assistance and others for training. He says every year, Hair Masters sponsors roughly ten employees for these training seminars and covers all of their expenses. So far, around 40 employees have benefited from this programme and have gotten promotions as a result of their training completion.
The Hair Masters brand has two franchise models: a 1,000 sq ft outlet with 20 staff for Rs 50 lakh and a 2,000 sq ft outlet with 40 employees for Rs 1 crore. Danish intends to more than double the number of stores in the following two years.
