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Indē wild owner Diipa Büller-Khosla on what it takes to be a successful woman entrepreneur
The beast of business is always on a tenuous leash, subject to market rise and fall, familial angst (sometimes), and a cacophony of logistics that can madden even rational minds. But if you tame it, it will bring you success and freedom. For women, walking this path has never been easy — they must often take on the terrifying prospect alongside their traditional roles of daughter, wife, mother, and juggle everything. For those who survive that hurricane, there is success — and a business forged in fire.
In 2025, these entrepreneurs stand firmer than ever before, claiming their rightful place on the ladder of success. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor reported that entrepreneurship by women has risen steadily, with women initiating 49 per cent of new businesses in 2024. And in the UAE, 84 per cent of women are considering starting their businesses, revealed Mastercard earlier this year.
And nowhere is this more evident than in the beauty segment. 'For a long time, women have been at the heart of beauty, but now they're finally sitting at the top too,' explains Diipa Büller-Khosla, content creator-turned-fashion-and-beauty entrepreneur. She is the owner of the ayurvedistry brand indē wild and part of the elite group of iron women who claim their space on top. The mum of one has been on magazine covers such as Vogue India and Brides Magazine, has won herself major funding, and introduced the concept of champi [hair oil massage, Indian style] to the world.
'We're witnessing a true shift, and I'm excited to see where the next generation of women in the business of beauty takes it,' she says, recalling a recent win for women everywhere: Huda Kattan buying back control of Huda Beauty. 'What Huda did is so powerful: reclaiming creative and strategic control over something she built from the ground up. That's the energy. I'm always inspired by founders who are solving real problems from lived experience,' she tells City Times in an interview.
Taking a real issue and flipping it into a business solution is something Diipa is intimately familiar with. For her, the journey into wellness began with a rash of red at 13. She explained in an Instagram post about a decade later that she had oily skin that was prone to breakouts — large angry dots would pepper her face and when they would simmer down, they would leave scars. This carried on for about 10 years. That's when she started to read up on skincare. She used her mum's disciplines — she is a dermatologist and ayurvedic doctor — to find a cure for her skin.
Around the time her skin had begun to find its glow, she was in university and discovering the benefits of a social media presence; the connection with community, a voice that could affect change, an audience that looked forward to posts. 'Social media gave me a voice and a direct connection to a global audience. I started sharing my experiences authentically, and it organically turned into a career where I could create meaningful conversations and impact. I love the human touch it had and the possibility to interact with so many different people across different walks of life with just a single post,' she explains.
And in doing so, she had also found her niche — a way to combine her own tussle with skincare and the products and routines she had discovered and an audience that often suffered from similar troubles. The idea of indē wild was born.
In March this year, the brand — available in India, the UAE, the UK and the US — announced that it had successfully garnered $5 million (Dh18.37 million) in funding, which will help it grow and reach a wider range of people.
It has also formed a partnership with Sephora. And named Bollywood actor Ishaan Khatter, whose credits include The Perfect Couple (2024) and The Royals (2025), as its first male brand ambassador. 'Ishaan embodies the spirit of confidence, individuality, and cultural pride that aligns with our brand ethos. He resonates with a younger audience and brings a fresh energy to the campaign breaking gender barriers in an inspirational way,' says Diipa of the move.
As she offers a bit of her own heritage to the world, she also talks about the fact it's not just women but also India in general that is having a moment in the sun — Sabyasachi, for example, launched its first flagship store in New York and then there was the Kolhapuri chappals on the Prada runway moment. She weighs in on the scandal that saw the design house use open-toe sandals that resembled well-known Indian footwear on an international stage without giving the country a nod of acknowledgement.
"My first reaction was honestly one of frustration, because when you've grown up seeing something like a Kolhapuri chappal as a daily staple, and suddenly a luxury brand is selling it for hundreds of dollars without so much as a mention of its origin, it can feel erasing,' says Diipa. 'I'm all for global inspiration and cultural exchange, but it has to come with credit and context, especially to the artisans who've preserved it for generations. That said, I did see that Prada responded thoughtfully, they mentioned their intent to celebrate craftsmanship, and that they're in contact with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce. They've also expressed willingness to open a dialogue with local Indian artisans, which I think is a positive step.'
She herself draws from her Indian roots for her brand, having recently released a champi (hair oil massage) product. 'It's based on my mum's recipe, infused with ingredients like amla (gooseberries), jasmine, lavender, and grounded in Ayurvedic principles like marma massage, which activates energy points on the scalp. We modernised it with clinical actives and a dropper bottle to make it mess-free, but the soul of it is still the same. For hair health, yes, but also for connection, calm, and a sense of home,' she explains.
She recalls with nostalgia, her younger days getting a champi from her mum. 'Every Sunday, my mom would warm up oil and massage it into my scalp. It wasn't just about hair, it was our time together. There was something so grounding, so loving about it,' she tells. 'And now, I do the same with my daughter. That ritual, and our champi oil, has carried across four generations of my family. Hair is such a huge part of identity, especially in South Asian culture.'
It's also one of the things that cemented her bond with family, and in doing so, built her a backbone of steel and resilience that grows from knowing unconditional support. It's something not every woman trying her hand at entrepreneurship is lucky enough to have. The challenges of the arena are severe. 'Breaking stereotypes, navigating social media scrutiny, and managing the pressures of entrepreneurship as a female [are the biggest challenges]. I've learned to embrace challenges as part of the journey and focus on solutions rather than setbacks,' she says.
And with this resolute thought she tames the beast of business, keeping her eye on the prize: to be a successful woman in a field that has traditionally been thought of as a man's domain. It requires patience, fortitude, vision, and the ability to juggle multiple hats. But then, women are known for their multi-tasking prowess, aren't they?
