StartUp eSeries: Everything is Image, Image is Everything
By Swapnil Gaur
Remember Dhingra from the movie Rockstar? No, we don't expect you to, but he had a line that, despite being comedic, made more sense than the film's many other dialogues: ‘Everything is image; image is everything.'
Personality can benefit you where certificates and credentials don't. It can get you hired...and for that matter fired. No matter if you're an entrepreneur, a professional, or a student, it is important to have good soft skills if you want to succeed. Due to cut-throat competition in every sphere...urban folks invest on grooming to stay at the top.
An image consultant can help you refine your soft skills and add finesse to how you present yourself. A relatively new industry, image management is expected to grow at an impressive rate in the near future.
In the era of startups, when entrepreneurs follow their dreams, Benaisha set out to follow hers almost four years back. Image management isn't a conventional business. Here's how Benaisha sums it up:
Image management is your image in the eyes and minds of people. It's the first impression others have of you. A lot of people feel that image is associated only with the clothing aspect; however, there is much more to it. It's about how one looks, acts, and feels. The way you look affects the way you think and feel, and then the way you act and react. You make an impression when you have created a brand of yourself and the best way to create this brand is with your image!
ALWAYS READY TO CONQUER: BENAISHA KHARAS 
Benaisha Kharas is the youngest internationally certified image consultant in India. She started early as an entrepreneur and made her mark quickly. In a candid conversation with us, she talks about her journey, her challenges, and what entrepreneurship means to her.
It occurred in a flash
Most entrepreneurial ideas are inspired by a simple thought...or action. You could discard these ideas as a random thought...or act upon them.
I was in the last year of my graduation, studying sociology and entrepreneurship, when my mom came across image consulting. I looked it up at the website of - image consulting business institute, and instantly took to it. At that point of time, there was no thought of a business really; however, I knew I didn't want to work for anyone but myself... The consulting idea seemed perfect.
But the road wasn't all rosy
There comes a moment in every entrepreneur's life when he has to follow either his intuition or the voices of the world. Especially when you're starting up a different kind of business. On one hand, your enterprise needs immense support. On the other, it has to reach the target audience.
The challenges that one faces in any new venture is to convince the target audience that this could be the need of the hour. Personally speaking, it gets a bit tough to reach out and explain to people all they can do with image management. Most of them are closed to the idea...and often confuse it with a ‘personality development program'. Of course, your personality does get enhanced, but that is in addition to a lot of other things too.
The other challenge is that...this is a pull business and not a push one. Only when someone feels he or she needs an image consultant will they enquire about such a service. One can't be aggressive in promoting this kind of service.
Education is vital
It's important that you have a theoretical knowledge of the business you're going to start. You want to expose yourself to the field as much as possible and get a glimpse of it from the ‘inside'. Benaisha accepts that learning about image management beneficial. She pursued the course partly in India, and partly in the US.
Education away from home is always about exposure and learning more life skills than subject skills. However, by and large, it did help me to get an edge (I feel). It gave me more clarity on certain concepts...as well as a better understanding of how to work with international clientele. It taught me about the different kinds of clients one could work with...and the varied cultures they came from.
A thick line between image consultants and stylists
During the conversation, Benaisha insists that we don't confuse image consultants with stylists. There's a big difference.
Let's put it this way - an image consultant can be a stylist, but a stylist can't be an image consultant. The difference here is that styling is related to only clothes and fashion, while image consulting caters to all the facets of non-verbal and verbal communication of an individual or group of people. A stylist would tell you what looks good for you as per the latest fashion, and dress you up for an event. But an image consultant would train you on how you could pick your own clothes, and certain mannerisms and gestures to communicate with people for life.
The need of the hour
Evaluating what society needs and giving it to them is a fine trait of an entrepreneur. An average Indian living in a small town might never go to an image consultant, but that doesn't mean he doesn't need to!
India has changed radically in the last decade. People are receptive to new ideas and modern lifestyles. They don't hesitate to buy expensive brands. They don't shy away from investing on grooming. Benaisha believes her business is right on time; image management is the need of the hour.
There is a market out there that requires image enhancement - placement finders, school children, MNC workers, start-ups, talent management centers, NGOs, etc.
Even smaller cities in India have now started accepting this kind of service. There is definitely a need in such cities.
Image consulting for the masses too
When asked about the ultimate goal of her enterprise, Benaisha simply says:
I want to make image consulting not only for the classes, but easily accessible for the masses too.
An enriching journey
It's not just in pictures that Benaisha Kharas looks strong. Her voice is stellar and her persona confident. We ask her to sum up her achievements:
It's been an amazing and an enriching journey overall. I was the youngest internationally certified image consultant in India when I started off-which according to me was mindboggling and magical all at once. From working with the mentally challenged and underprivileged individuals to catering to international clients and big names in the corporate world...to being featured in numerous news articles, and finally being invited as a speaker at TEDx last year has been amazing!
On entrepreneurship
At the end of our conversation, Benaisha sheds light on what entrepreneurship means to her.
Entrepreneurship, according to me, is an art. It's an expression of one's thoughts, ideas, and feelings mixed with passion to make it into a profession. Frankly, it doesn't matter if the entrepreneur is a man or a woman, as long as the passion is existing. Back in the day, it used to be difficult for women to go out and start their own businesses... But with the grace of God and my family support, I am always backed up and ready to conquer!
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