Our Products Are Tested By Me & My Daughter First: Megha Dua, Co-Founder Of Nuluv

Motherhood brings out the best in a woman they say, and so it did for Megha Dua. Her journey of motherhood also gave birth to her entrepreneurial streak, a passion that became so close to her heart, thanks to her child. Along with her husband, she co-founded Nuluv - Nurture With Love, a niche e-commerce website providing access to award-winning, safe and globally renowned maternity and baby products.

In a chat with SHEROES, she reveals what triggered this dream of hers, how it all came together as an entity and everything business.

“I did my Masters in Nutrition from Delhi University and post-graduate internship from the University of Minnesota, USA after which I started practicing Dietetics. After I had my daughter in 2015, I started working as a pediatric nutrition expert. During my pregnancy, and while raising my little one, I realized that I could relate to a mother’s journey and understand well enough, how important it is for parents to provide the best and safest options for their kids.

The Birth of ‘Nuluv’

Me and my husband Saurabh got pregnant while on vacation in India. Of course, we were extremely happy with the news but now, I was highly careful about my pregnancy, like any other mother I guess. I was also worried about the products available in the market that were full of parabens, chemicals, alcohol, etc. It’s when I realized that the availability of safe maternity products was not being offered in Indian markets by good brands.

I feel the western consumers are well aware and informed about the availability of brands and new products as compared to the Indian consumers who are still in the process of learning and adapting to the latest market trends. Moreover, in the maternity and baby segment people in India are very protective, so getting the right information with the right quality of the product becomes crucial here.

After returning to the US, we did meticulous research and tested several brands to provide high quality, trusted and reliable solutions to all mothers and babies back home in India. Thus, Nuluv commenced and took flight!

Being a newbie in the entrepreneurial world, I faced challenges at every level starting from conceptualizing the idea, market research to engaging with the right vendors and service providers. I feel that even today, we fight a new battle every day. But with hard work, perseverance and continuous support from my team, we have worked our way through it all.

Starting a business is similar to having a baby. Both require a lot of time, energy, patience, nurture, and care.

At the same time, things look different for a business where just two people (your spouse and yourself) are not enough to be successful, it requires a group effort where a lot of helping hands and coordination is needed in order to succeed. In fact, sometimes I feel that raising a baby is a much easier job than being an entrepreneur!

Success Mantra

One of the initial hiccups that we faced was making the US brands available in the Indian market. The current Indian regulations for the skincare industry are very stringent. We had to work hard not only to overcome those but also to take care of the transit time from the US to India, while also managing our inventory efficiently. It took us three long years from conceptualizing to introducing the product in the market!

“All through it, my biggest mantra has been that there is a solution to every problem. You just have to be patient and work your way through it. Some hurdles will take longer to overcome, but if you have razor-sharp focus, you will succeed.”

My role of a mother comes first and that extends to our customers. I feel responsible to provide and make sure that they receive the solutions they’re looking for, especially when it comes to the quality of the products. My daughter and I are always the first ones to try each and every product listed on the Nuluv Website!

High quality and safety is something that Nuluv strives for and you will experience that once you compare our products with your regular counterparts. At every level, we have tried our best to make your overall process - from ordering the products to receiving safe, trusted solutions at your doorstep - to be a smooth, comfortable and a positive experience.

The Hidden ‘Taboo’

I agree that in the Indian society it is still challenging to be accepted as a working mother, but I believe it all comes down to your aspirations and your desires. If you are strong-willed, you will find a way to overcome these challenges. It is imperative to find the right balance between your work and personal life and to be successful in both of them.

It was really challenging for me to manage the two roles - that of a mother and of a pediatric nutrition consultant. Also because we were in the US all by ourselves, without any family support and had to take care of all the responsibilities of our daughter, jobs, and family. But I feel that this is the time where the role of your spouse comes in. My husband has been an amazing support system for me. We worked together and were able to manage our jobs, as well as give enough time to our daughter.

To All The Mothers

I want to tell all the mothers that once you start working, there will be a lot of times when you will not feel confident, you will worry that your child needs you and the feeling of guilt will seep in, which I still experience every day.

But don’t let your burning desire to achieve something be affected. This is the very message that I would like to give to my daughter too, that if you want to do something you must follow it and chase your dreams and aspirations. It might take you a little more time, but small and steady steps will take you up the road where you want to be!”