One of the key qualities of a good entrepreneur is the ability to balance the head and the heart. Women do that effortlessly—as they manage relationships and homes. They are great team builders." - Vandana Luthra

VLCC is on a roll this year with a string of foreign acquisitions, partnerships and investments in Singapore, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Kenya. Yet, it’s  Vandana Luthra's unapologetic ambition to grow even faster that is the interview’s most memorable takeaway. It isn’t often that women leaders tell you that money motivates them, and that sometimes she intentionally gives those around her—including her husband Mukesh Luthra, the company’s chairman—a tough time because she wants to show that women have the right to stand up, and “say yes to yes, and no to no.” It’s a lesson she hopes her team of 4,000 women at VLCC’s 300 outlets across 121 cities in 16 countries pick up from. Beyond the impressive business growth, Luthra’s is a story worth telling for her self-belief and can-do, and why she believes women should be more ambitious.

I really believe every woman has an ambition. In fact, we are more ambitious than men in whatever we do—we have higher standards for ourselves, and those around us. Even an uneducated housewife will want to do her best when it comes to feeding her children, or tying to educate them. But, our culture is such that the women are sidetracked. So, we have to fight for it. I did that. From a very cosmopolitan and educated family, I was married into a very conservative family. I got married when I was 21 and a half years old (despite my parents discouragement), and had my first daughter very quickly. I was at home for the first few years so I went through the frustrations and difficulties that other women go through. But, I always kept my ambition on fire— to create wellness centres for women. I could’ve been stuck at home forever, but I didn’t let myself be.

Thanks to my broad-minded parents (especially my father who travelled abroad a lot), and my liberal arts education at Delhi University, I had a great exposure. I was very ambitious even growing up. My brother Nishit Arora, who today runs a publishing house, got a job with Lintas after he graduated from St. Stephen’s to work with Alyque Padamsee. But, I was very sure—I said I don’t want to work for anyone. I will start my own business, to create my own company. I always wanted to be in wellness— I always wanted to create something where I would make people feel transformed. I didn’t want to start a beauty salon or a hair salon. I wanted a wellness centre with cosmetologists, dermatologists doing advanced procedures. I thought about doing very high-end medical treatments. I’m a technical resource—I did courses in Paris, Vidal Sasoon, I studied nutrition in Germany. I knew I could do this. I started with a ‘transformation’ centre in Delhi in 1989. My husband informally assisted me from the start but officially joined the company much later, in 2000. When we saw the huge opportunities and potential the business had, we knew it could be taken places. By then, I knew my strength—I am an out-and-out operations person. I’m not involved in operations at all now, but it comes naturally to me whatever the scale of the business.

I am very passionate, very ambitious, and so is my husband. Together, we’re a house on fire.

I love being on the field, and working with the people. Mukesh brought in a whole other set of skill sets. Best of all, he’s been a great partner. Usually, we never take a decision single- handedly. We always check with each other. But, sometimes, I still might take a decision alone without checking with him. He never does that—he appreciates that I’ve started the business, that I have the pulse of the business, and that it comes very naturally to me. Let me tell you, that he would certainly not take a decision alone. I still could. But, he’s very clear about the fact that he won’t. That wouldn’t be fair to me. To be honest, I’m very conscious about the fact that I am a woman, and that wherever I am, I’m representing women. Sometimes, I get stubborn because I think women need to demonstrate that they can stand up for something and put their foot down. Sometimes I do this just to prove a point. In the first couple of years when we were working together, I put my foot down a lot. We had arguments but he let me lead, let me have my way.

Thankfully, in the kind of profession I’m in, at the front end, there are mostly women. People always quip that two women can’t live in one house together but I’m very proud to show that at VLCC there are 4,000 women working together! Yes, it’s true that this mix doesn’t reflect as well on the corporate level. There we have 70 per cent men, 30 per cent women. See, to be honest, if I’m scouting for a head of HR, I might not get too many women candidates in my talent hunt pool. And, I’ve seen that even when we have got women for these roles, often it does not work out. My husband actually aske me recently—you fight for women all the time but when it comes to hiring for the corporate office, why do you say, let’s hire more men? See, any CEO who runs a services company, has to micromanage, especially when you are in the hospitality and services business.

So, I would love to have a female CEO, she would have connected better to the women staff in our salons but I have not been able to identify anybody. And, even if I have, they have some reservations— some problems (school, child or in-laws issue), or don’t want to travel 20 days a month which is what you need to do when you are running a company like this. I do it, have always done it. That drive is sometimes missing in others. As entrepreneurs, women can bring a lot to the workplace. One of the key qualities of a good entrepreneur is the ability to balance the head and the heart. Women do that effortlessly—as they manage relationships and homes. They are great team builders. Not many male bosses love their colleagues! Women do— they actually love their team members.

These days, people ask me—where will you stop? We’ve had quite a year at VLCC. In July 2013, we bought controlling stake in Singapore-based company, GVig (Global Vantage Innovative Group), which manufactures and retails beauty and wellness products. In November 2012, we acquired Malaysia’s Wyann International. They operate 22 outlets across Malaysia, and fortunately the integration process has been very smooth. Then, in early September, we entered into a JV with Kenya’s Sameer Group, and by early next year, we should have our first VLCC centre in Kenya, Africa. We’ve also recently set up a manufacturing facility in Bangladesh. We expect a turnover of Rs1,000 crore by the end of 2013. Our global expansion should get us to Rs1,500 crore within two years. But, you never reach where you want to. We’re going to go very fast now—may be seal up more deals, including in the UK and India. Why should I go slow? My daughters are grown up, and are busy in their lives. I’m 54 years old—I’m very passionate, very ambitious, and so is my husband.Together, we’re a house on fire. I’m also really looking forward to both my daughters (they are 33 and 29) joining the business, and making things more exciting. But, they are both raising young children right now. To be honest, more than even joining the business, both Mukesh and I really want them to work, to build strong careers.