BigStylist

BigStylist, registered under Green Leaves Consumer Services Pvt. Ltd., operated as an on-demand marketplace for beauty and wellness services, bringing certified professionals to clients' homes. The company was founded in Mumbai in July 2015 by Richa Singh, Chinmaya Sharma, and Anurag Srivastava, all graduates of IIT Kharagpur. The idea stemmed from co-founder Richa Singh's personal challenges in finding reliable and convenient beauty services, a problem she first encountered as a student and later as a working professional. The founding team combined diverse expertise; Singh had a background as a business analyst, Sharma had experience at Bain and Company, and Srivastava focused on the technology side.

The platform allowed users to book appointments with vetted stylists and beauticians for a range of services via its website, Android application, or even WhatsApp. By May 2015, the startup was serving customers in Mumbai, and by August of the same year, it was handling over 100 customers daily with an average transaction value of Rs 1200. BigStylist's business model focused on providing a curated and convenient at-home salon experience, addressing the scattered and often inconvenient nature of the traditional salon market in India. Revenue was generated from the services booked through its platform. To ensure service quality, the company handpicked its stylists, verified their credentials, and provided them with additional training, including soft skills and use of the company's app.

BigStylist secured multiple rounds of funding from Info Edge, including a $1M pre-series A round, $900k in September 2016, and $1.2M in July 2017, which brought Info Edge's stake to approximately 49.37%. These investments were aimed at operational expansion, with plans to enter new markets like Delhi NCR and Hyderabad and to develop its own line of cosmetics and personal care products. The company expanded its operations to Pune and, at its peak, employed 150 women across both cities. However, public reviews suggest the company faced challenges with service quality and customer support. The company is now listed as deadpooled, indicating it has ceased operations. This aligns with the trend of consolidation in the hyperlocal services market, where several beauty service startups like Salosa, Zapluk, and Stayglad were acquired by the classifieds platform Quikr in 2016 to bolster its QuikrServices vertical.

Keywords: on-demand beauty services, at-home salon, Indian beauty market, hyperlocal services, beauty marketplace, mobile beauty app, Green Leaves Consumer Services, Richa Singh, Chinmaya Sharma, Anurag Srivastava, Info Edge investment, beauty professionals, home salon service, Mumbai startup, Pune beauty services, online stylist booking, beauty service platform, salon appointment app, wellness services at home, defunct startup