Radhika Aggarwal is an Indian female entrepreneur and the co-founder of Shopclues, an online marketplace that has become a huge success. She is a trailblazer in her field and is the first woman in India to enter the coveted Unicorn Club. Her story is one of hard work, determination, and a passion for entrepreneurship.
Growing up in an Army family, Radhika was exposed to the values of discipline and hard work from an early age. Her father’s decision to leave the Army and start his own business was a pivotal moment in her life, and she soon became involved in his entrepreneurial journey. As a fitness trainer, she helped her father run his health club and earned her first paycheck of Rs. 400. This experience taught her the importance of taking risks and pursuing one’s dreams.
Despite facing many challenges growing up, including attending different schools in different cities, Radhika was determined to succeed. She completed her MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and holds a post-graduation degree in advertising and public relations. She also completed an executive program at Stanford University. Her education and diverse work experience in e-commerce, fashion, retail, and lifestyle provided her with the knowledge and skills to succeed in the business world.
After working for companies like Goldman Sachs and Nordstrom, Radhika founded her own advertising agency in Chandigarh in 1997. She later started a fashion and lifestyle website called Fashion Clues. However, it was her co-founding of Shopclues in 2012 with her husband Sandeep and Sanjay Sethi that propelled her to entrepreneurial success.
Shopclues began as a small online marketplace with a 10-man team but quickly grew into a billion-dollar company. It has about 600,000 merchants, 30 million registered buyers, and ships about four million products a month. Radhika’s leadership and vision have been instrumental in Shopclues’ success, and she continues to look for opportunities to benefit her online platform.
Radhika’s success story is an inspiration to many aspiring entrepreneurs. She dared to challenge the online giant Amazon and proved that with hard work, determination, and the right mindset, anything is possible. Her accomplishments have not gone unnoticed, and she has received numerous awards and recognition for her work. In 2016, she was named Outlook Business Woman of the World at the Outlook Business Awards, Woman Entrepreneur of the year at the Entrepreneur India Awards, Exemplary Woman Entrepreneur of the year at CMO Asia Awards, and CEO of the award at CEO India Awards.
Radhika’s story teaches us that success is not easy, but it is achievable with the right attitude and approach. She is a role model for Indian women entrepreneurs and has shown that women can succeed in the male-dominated world of business. Her story is proof that with hard work, passion, and a willingness to take risks, anyone can achieve their entrepreneurial dreams.
