Radhika Aggarwal – The First Indian Woman to Become A Unicorn

Gone are the days when business was strictly the forte of men. Nowadays, women are delving into the business field and excelling in it. One such businesswoman is ShopClues founder Radhika Aggarwal. Her company deals in various unstructured retail in kitchen, fashion, and daily utility products. Being a multifaceted personality, Aggarwal has worked as a businesswoman and fashionista. She started honing her entrepreneurial skills early on while working for her father. She later started her advertising agency before collaborating with her husband to form ShopClues. For her achievements and business sense, she has been inducted into the Unicorn Club, the first Indian Woman to be inducted. In the business world, a unicorn is a start-up company valued at US $1 billion.  Radhika Aggarwal net worth is estimated to be $1 – $4 million.

Radhika Aggarwal Education and Early Life 

ShopClues founder Radhika Aggarwal’s family had an army background. Her father was in Indian Army, and her mother was a dietician. Due to her father`s army career, she studied in various cities like Jodhpur, Ahmednagar, and Pathankot which made her aware of different Indian cultures and the lifestyles of people in the country. From an early age, she had shown an inclination towards the field of business. Being a good student, she was also keen on the world of fashion.

Aggarwal obtained her MBA degree from Washington University in St. Louis. After graduating, she pursued a post-graduation degree in advertising and public relations. She was also part of an executive program at Stanford University. The budding fashionista ran a personal fashion blog in college targeting South Asian women.

Entrepreneurial Journey of Radhika Aggarwal

In 1992, Radhika’s father decided to start his health club. This was the start of her entrepreneurial venture. She helped her father in his health club for 400 rupees monthly but the experience she got was far more valuable to her. She developed a passion for becoming an entrepreneur and in 1997, she established her advertising agency in Chandigarh. She has worked for big companies like Nordstrom in Seattle and as a strategic planner at Goldman Sachs. Later, she founded Fashion Clues, a fashion and lifestyle website catering to men’s and women’s clothing.

Radhika Aggarwal ShopClues CEO

In 2012, Radhika and her husband Sandeep founded the online marketplace and e-commerce venture ShopClues, with a 10 men team. She serves as the Chief Business Officer of the company.    Also joining them in this venture is Sanjay Sethi, who quit his job at eBay.

ShopClues Bazaar provides unstructured home and kitchen categories, fashion, electronics, and daily utility items. In 2016, this online marketplace reached half a million sellers on its platform. In addition, it gives employment to about 700 people. From the 400 rupees monthly she received in her first job, she earns 88 lakhs per month nowadays.

The trio has done a marvelous job in doing R&D. According to Aggarwal, her husband has encouraged her to take this entrepreneurial plunge. Under Radhika’s leadership, ShopClues has achieved many milestones. Some of them are: –

1. In 2015, it launched a financing platform Capital Wings, to fund its merchant`s business.
2. In May 2016, ShopClues joined hands with GoDaddy Inc., an American public trader.
3. Internet domain and web hosting company to assist its small and medium entrepreneurs start their own e-commerce websites.
4. In July 2016, they launched an ad platform, Ad Zone, wherein sellers may market their products with the help of native and custom advertising.

Radhika Aggarwal’s Achievements and Awards on an individual level are no less than her company’s Some of them are: –

2016

1. Outlook Business Woman of Worth at Outlook Business Awards
2. Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at Entrepreneur India Awards
3. Exemplary Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at CMO Asia Awards.
4. CEO of the Year Award at the CEO India Awards

Additionally, in 2017, Radhika won ASSOCHAM`s Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Continuing the Journey

Radhika Aggarwal has contributed a lot to the world of business and fashion, and her brand ShopClues is a hit among people. She is the true inspiration for those women who want to enter the fashion world and make it their career. Radhika`s dedication, presence of mind, and shrewd business skills have put ShopClues among the favorites of fashion-loving people. Apart from being a successful businesswoman, she has shown her philanthropic side in her willingness to assist small and medium business ventures. Moreover, she raised the standard of India in the eyes of other countries when she became the first Indian woman to be inducted into Unicorn Club. The success stories of this entrepreneur continue.