At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Priyanka Singh for an exclusive interview with us. Priyanka is an Entrepreneur and Founder of DYU Handmade. Let’s learn more about her background, journey and her advice for our community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Priyanka:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I’m an organic gardener and a green living enthusiast. I have completed an MBA in finance and was a banker with a leading multinational bank before I have decided to turn my quest for clean skin into my passion. I started my career in risk management, managing portfolios for individuals and businesses. It helped me understand consumer borrowing behaviour and take informed lending decisions.
Growing up on a farm played a huge role in shaping my understanding of herbs and their benefits for skincare. From a young age, I developed a deep appreciation for plants and their healing properties. I watched my family use homegrown herbs for everything from cooking to home remedies, which taught me the importance of natural ingredients and holistic care.
This hands-on experience gave me an early understanding of how different herbs can nourish and soothe the skin. It also instilled in me a passion for sustainability and using fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Now, I apply that knowledge to my skincare business by incorporating natural, farm-inspired remedies into my products, ensuring they are not only effective but also gentle and safe for the skin.
‘DYU HANDMADE’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please. Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving?
DYU originated from Sanskrit meaning “glow natural”. We at DYU believe in simple beauty care. DYU HANDMADE is a gender-neutral, plant-based skincare with natural pigments and essential oil formulations suitable for all skin types.
All DYU products are handcrafted with natural ingredients. Each ingredient that goes into the product is carefully picked by a team of experts from its source of origin. Each batch undergoes multiple trials before it is moulded to perfection.
Our portfolio boasts a range of products like Cold process soap, Shampoo Bar, Lip Butter Facial Ubtan (Grain-based Cleanser ), Detox bath salt, Vegan wardrobe freshener and gift sets. They are ideal gifting solutions for all occasions both personal & corporate. We offer customisation with personalised branding as well.
Some of our best sellers products like Facial Ubtan is a made up with natural ingredients like raw almonds, Brazilian orange & Kashmir saffron while Detox Neem Basil bar is made with Neem Oil which is further infused with Basil Oil to give it a soothing appeal. All products at DYU are naturally mineral-rich and PH balanced.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
Growing a small skincare business comes with its share of challenges, but what keeps me going is my passion for natural skincare and my belief in my products. One of the biggest difficulties is standing out in a saturated market. To overcome this, I focus on creating unique, high-quality products and building a brand identity that resonates with my target audience. Word-of-mouth and leveraging social media marketing have helped build a loyal customer base.
Managing finance is another challenge as it’s a bootstrapped business. To tackle this, I’ve had to be strategic about budgeting and spending in areas like customer experience. Business networking has also helped to grow organically.
Over a period of 2 years, we have expanded our portfolio from cold process soap to shampoo bars while continuously learning about skincare trends and understanding customers preferences and likings. Although it’s tough, Its our DYU community that makes it all worthwhile.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
Here are a few things that attributed to my personal growth:
Importance of balance -Building and maintaining meaningful relationships has been a cornerstone of my happiness. The social support system is irreplaceable. Positive learning attitude and willingness to adapt.
Self Awareness – Understanding myself helps me take better decisions and stay grounded
Giving back to the society – We recently tied up with the PVTG group by providing training skills to them and making them financially independent. We have also contributed by collaborating with trusts like ISKCON and Secure giving.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Survival is prerequisite for happiness and success. Follow your dreams with honesty and keep nurturing it . Be creative and keep learning .Its your own growth journey as an individual.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
We participate in various organic market and it is so satisfying and exciting to see the impact my product have on peoples well being. Knowing that something I’ve created helps customers feel good in their own skin is incredibly rewarding.
It’s exciting to experiment with new ingredients, develop unique formulations, and witness the transformation of ideas into tangible products. Very recently, the “Satvic Movement” applauded about our products.
The constant learning keeps me motivated too. Whether it’s discovering emerging trends, improving sustainability efforts, or connecting with passionate customers, there’s always something new to explore. The journey is challenging, but every little win—whether it’s positive feedback or growth in sales—gives me a sense of accomplishment and fuels my passion even more.
I also plan to invest more in sustainability, both in terms of eco-friendly packaging and sourcing ethically produced ingredients. In the long term, I’d love to see the DYU HANDMADE grow into international markets, and build a strong online presence through e-commerce and social media platforms.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
