Ladyfair: Redefining Beauty Services for Small-Town India

In a small village near the Nepal border, where electricity was scarce and opportunity rarer still, Rishi Ranjan Kumar dared to dream beyond the limits of circumstance. Having dropped out of his BCA due to financial constraints, he taught himself digital marketing and web development while working in Mohali. 

But his ambition led him back home to Bihar, where a deeper purpose awaited—bridging the gap between quality beauty services and underserved women in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. That purpose gave rise to Ladyfair in 2019.

A Beauty Platform with a Purpose

Ladyfair isn’t just a convenience app—it’s a social innovation. Co-founded with Sarika Shukla, who leads quality assurance, Ladyfair is headquartered in Patna and built around two core missions: providing affordable, salon-grade beauty services at home and creating dignified livelihoods for rural women.

Women in smaller cities often face safety and quality concerns when accessing beauty services, while skilled beauticians in these regions lack stable work. Ladyfair connects the two via a tech-enabled platform offering doorstep services such as facials, waxing, manicures, pedicures, and hair treatments.

Tech + Training + Trust

With over 1,00,000 app downloads and 10,000+ clients served, Ladyfair’s impact is growing steadily. Its success lies in a simple but effective formula: train hyperlocal women in beauty skills, empower them with jobs through the platform, and ensure quality through SOPs and feedback loops. The service starts at ₹199, making it accessible to middle-income households.

Operations and Growth

The team comprises Rishi, Sarika, and a network of city coordinators, trainers, and customer support staff, many of whom are women hired from low-income backgrounds. Through in-house upskilling programs, Ladyfair transforms aspiring beauticians into confident professionals.

Ladyfair’s model is commission-based, scalable across cities, and currently piloting expansion in other Tier 2 regions. Its marketing strategy includes WhatsApp, SMS campaigns, referrals, and partnerships like LXME—a finance platform for women.

Recognition and Support

Ladyfair has earned both institutional backing and national acclaim. It is supported by Startup Bihar and received the prestigious Startup Maharathi Award from Shri Piyush Goyal, along with a Rs 5 lakh grant. Rishi’s journey has also been featured on platforms like JoshTalks.

Challenges and Lessons

Operating in emerging markets comes with its own challenges—retaining beauticians on the platform, building customer trust, and maintaining service quality at low cost. But these hurdles have been met with resilient SOPs, loyalty incentives, and unwavering grit.

Rishi says, “In smaller towns, trust grows slowly—word-of-mouth is everything. We learned early that customers aren’t just buying beauty services; they’re buying safety, comfort, and assurance.”

Looking Ahead

Ladyfair aims to scale from 10 to 100 daily bookings and expand across Bihar and Jharkhand. Long-term plans include launching its product line, opening beauty academies, and becoming a national beauty-tech leader.

With over 100 rural beauticians trained, Ladyfair is redefining both employment and empowerment in small-town India. As Rishi reflects, “You don’t need money to build a dream—just grit and a reason. If I can start with a laptop in a rented room in Patna, anyone can.”