The jury spoke about how its offline strategy with focus on the customer was a differentiator for Narang’s omnichannel pet supplies business in a tough category.
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ETtechThat’s perhaps what helped her to get ahead of activewear startup Blissclub’s Minu Margaret in the final stretch to win the Woman Ahead prize at the ET Startup Awards.
“It has been a very tough journey and it is these little highs that give you the validation that you’re doing something right in the right way,” Narang said after she was declared the winner. “I am very grateful to the ET team and to the jury for recognising what we do at Heads Up For Tails.”
Starting off with two popup kiosks in New Delhi, Narang has scaled Heads Up for Tails to a Rs 200-crore annual turnover brand, operating over 80 stores across the country.
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The firm offers products across categories like food, treats, beds, grooming, and accessories. Almost 50 out of the 80 stores run by the firm also provide pet spa services, employing 200 pet groomers trained in-house.
“The customer loyalty and centricity that the company has built over the years is extremely difficult to achieve… It is truly commendable how she was able to identify the right customers and command a share of their expenditure,” a jury member remarked during discussions.
Narang’s idea for Heads Up for Tails came after she could not find non-synthetic and non-plastic toys and other products for her first pet dog Sara. When the firm started in 2008, the first few products were only things that could be made with a tailoring unit – toys, bedding, clothing, soft furnishing, and breathable toys for pets.
“All startups in the Woman Ahead category represented the best in innovation, disruption and sheer guts! Congratulations to the winner and all the nominees,” said juror Roshni Nadar Malhotra, chairperson, HCLTech. The other contenders included Aayushi Gudwani, founder and chief executive of FS Life (formerly FableStreet), and Aarti Gill, founder and chief executive of Oziva.
Other Contenders
Ayushi Gudwani
Gudwani, through her workwear apparel startup FS Life, is taking on global brands such as Zara, with a better understanding of Indian fits. She is now turning the venture into a ‘house of brands’ with private labels.
Minu Margaret
Margaret, through her venture Blissclub, has brought the focus back on woman athleisure wear. She has popularised her first product ‘The Ultimate Leggings’ and built a cult following. Today, Blissclub has expanded into 50 products and is increasingly becoming a core part of everydaywear for women.
Aarti Gill
Gill started Oziva to produce health supplements devoid of unhealthy amounts of products such as sugar. Oziva targeted various use cases, including hormonal disorders, hair and skin care, and general fitness. Most of its users are health conscious—a segment that expanded after the coronavirus pandemic.