Interviewed by Syed Md. Rakeen, Team MBR

Shajgoj is a prominent Bangladeshi company selling beauty and personal care products, founded in 2013 by Nazmul Sheik, Sinthia Sharmin Islam, and Milky Mahmud. It sells authentic branded cosmetics, makeup items, and accessories online and through its multiple retail outlets. Shajgoj won the Daily Star ICT Startup of the Year 2021 and has recently raised Tk. 21 crore from Sequoia Capital India. Team MBR was in a conversation with Ms. Sinthia Sharmin Islam, Co-Founder and CCO, Shajgoj, to learn about her inspirations and vision behind Shajgoj.

Syed Md. Rakeen: Since being launched in 2013, Shajgoj has rapidly established itself as one of Bangladesh’s most reliable brands for beauty and personal care products. Which factors do you think have contributed to the outstanding growth of Shajgoj?

Sinthia Sharmin Islam: Shajgoj’s success can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the growing demand for beauty and personal care products, easy accessibility, competitive pricing, a wide range of products, strong marketing efforts, and excellent customer service.

Since Shajgoj’s inception, we have been adamant about setting an example by providing the best customer experience. Thus, Shajgoj is a customer-centric company. We are obsessed with our customers, and they are our brand ambassadors. We work to understand our customers’ pain and find solutions for them.

Syed Md. Rakeen: It has been observed that women are more beauty-conscious these days, which has increased the number of websites and Facebook pages selling beauty and personal care products. Would you kindly share with us how Shajgoj is differentiating itself from others?

Sinthia Sharmin Islam: Shajgoj is thriving because of our excellent brand commitment and the relationships that we have managed to build with beauty enthusiasts over the years. In Shajgoj, we know that commitment and results lead to an excellent brand that customers can trust and rely on. Thus, we are an omni-channel beauty company, and we try to provide the best after-sales service to our customers. Our strong word-of-mouth referrals are also what set us apart from the other competitors in the market. This shows the dominant loyalty our customers have for us.

We are also the leading company that provides free beauty consultations to our customers and, in return, helps them become their own beauty experts.

Syed Md. Rakeen: Customer loyalty is one of the crucial factors for long-term success. What strategies does Shajgoj follow to make its customers loyal and retain them?

Sinthia Sharmin Islam: Our customers reciprocate with their trust and purchases. We can validate this through the fact that we have 70% of return customers. Being able to provide authentic beauty and healthcare products, free one-on-one beauty consultations, and excellent after-sales services is the reason why our customers come back to us. Our customers’ gratification and love are among the top reasons for our inspiration.

Syed Md. Rakeen: You have prior experience managing community pharmacies and beauty product stores in Nigeria. How is that experience helping you manage your venture?

Sinthia Sharmin Islam: I worked as a pharmacist in a community pharmacy in Nigeria. The time I spent there consulting the locals one-on-one about their health taught me values that helped me attain success with my company years down the line. I learned a great deal about customer service and how logical explanations can help to form trust and solve problems. For example, it is prescribed not to skip antibiotics but seldom explained why. Misuse and overuse of antibiotics can cause antibiotic-resistant problems. Breaking this down caused more awareness among the patients.

Moreover, my education helped me understand the ingredients that go into making beauty products, and my work experience abroad helped me understand how to cater to customers correctly.

Syed Md. Rakeen: Shajgoj is well-reputed in the market for the quality and authenticity of the products being sold. How does it ensure the authenticity of the branded products it sells?

Sinthia Sharmin Islam: We have established ourselves as the most authentic one-stop beauty platform in Bangladesh. We ensure this authenticity by directly sourcing the products from the brands. Moreover, many international brands like L’Oréal, Revlon, and She have entered the Bangladeshi market through Shajgoj. This has only been possible due to our positive brand image and the trust we have established for ourselves in the market.

Syed Md. Rakeen: Customers’ views towards skin care and hair care are changing. These days, the number of customers preferring organic and herbal products is increasing. How is Shajgoj addressing this changing customer behaviour?

Sinthia Sharmin Islam: Recent years have shown some prominent changes in customer preferences for beauty and healthcare products. More people are preferring organic and herbal ingredients. In Shajgoj, we acknowledge these changes and have been working to promote, advertise, and support organic brands on our platform. However, we also encourage safe chemical-based beauty brands, as it all comes down to the ingredient list and testing any product prior to using it.

Syed Md. Rakeen: You are a pharmacy graduate who later co-founded one of the country’s largest stores selling beauty and personal care products. How has the journey been so far? What were the challenges you faced as a woman in being a successful entrepreneur? Would you kindly share with us how you overcame them?

Sinthia Sharmin Islam: Today, Shajgoj is the largest omni-channel beauty company in Bangladesh. The journey so far has been nothing but rewarding. The community that this company has managed to create throughout these years is something of which I am extremely proud. My fantastic team works hard to make people’s lives better and healthier, and in return, we receive love, trust, and undying appreciation from our customers.

However, being a female startup entrepreneur, I had to face many obstacles to get where I am today. A lot of people did not appreciate women being on the front line of a business in a positive light. I managed to change their perception through my hard work and determination over time. Moreover, my background in pharmacy and prior work experience have helped me become a product expert and better understand my business.

In addition to this, I have to state that, as a woman, it is difficult to get access to loans from financial institutions in this country. This is due to the lack of collateral properties passed down to women according to the laws. This has also been a challenge on my part.

Syed Md. Rakeen: Many aspiring female entrepreneurs want to follow in your footsteps. The segment in which Shajgoj operates, in particular, is one of the most appealing to young female entrepreneurs. What do you suggest for them to be successful in their positions?

Sinthia Sharmin Islam: Shajgoj boasts of being a company that empowers its people to be a better version of themselves. All these years of experience working with a diverse team of professionals and customers from all around the country helped me develop strategies that have contributed to the driving success of the company.

If I am to advise young woman entrepreneurs out there, it would be to strengthen their financial literacy and market understanding of their respective businesses. They also need to determine and analyse their productmarket fit to be successful.

Another key point to remember that has helped my self-development is to have an open mind and grow through continuous learning. To add to this, if their business is B2C, they should believe that the customers are everything.