At 17, Nita Gosalia suffered from severe hair loss. Desperate, she went to India looking for a cure which not only gave her a head full of hair but also a 'fat' bank account, writes - MEERA MURUGESAN

TURNING a traumatic experience into a multi-million-ringgit enterprise is hardly something many can boast of.

For Nita Gosalia, 37, it's a story she can now sit back and recall with pride. When the owner of the popular Neeta's Herbal chain of salons was only 17, she started losing her hair - a devastating experience for the young girl. Despite seeking treatment from various doctors and trichologists, she failed to find a cure to the hair loss she was experiencing.

Desperate for any method that might help ease her problem, she decided to try herbal remedies and at 17, left for Delhi, India, to seek treatment from an elderly herbalist who was popular for his homemade remedies. "It was almost the last resort for me but when you're going through something that's so emotionally distressing, you'll try anything," says Nita.

Although initially unimpressed by the rudimentary method of treatment practiced by the herbalist and put off by the strong-smelling ingredients he used, Nita was stunned to discover the amazing results he produced. Within three days, her hair stopped falling and after three months, new hair started to grow on her scalp. This experience started Nita on a journey to discover the ancient Indian art of traditional healing called Ayurveda.

Nita set up her first salon in Brickfields in 1986. Six years later she had a nationwide-chain of Neeta's Herbal salons. The chain of outlets is a testament to her passion and belief in the healing powers of herbs. A belief obviously shared by many other Malaysians as the company has an annual turnover averaging about RM 5 million.

Neeta's Herbal salons specifically treat problems related to the scalp and skin, like hair loss, premature greying, pigmentation and acne. But things were not always running so smoothly business-wise either for the wife and mother of two. When she opened her first salon the response was far from encouraging and sales were barely enough to even cover her costs.

She admits that despite encouragement from her family, there were times when she was tempted to throw in the towel. "I was new in the area and didn't know a thing about marketing or promotions and at that time, Malaysians were also not very excited about the concept of herbal remedies," she says.

Slowly, Nita learned how to make the media work for her, making appearances on television programmes and educating the public on the benefits of herbal remedies for the hair and skin. Customers who underwent her treatments and were impressed by the results started to recommend others and business began to pick up.

Currently, Nita has 14 salons, spread all over Malaysia, except for the east coast. Sixty-five percent of her customers are Chinese. "Herbal treatments have a universal appeal because they work well for everyone," says Nita who was given the woman Entrepreneur of the year award by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in 1995.

Unlike many other practitioners of herbal beauty treatments, Nita manufactures her won products through a small factory in Batang Berjuntai, Selangor. The herbs are imported from India and then carefully measured and mixed in very specific amounts to create the treatment products.

Herbal remedies, says Nita, don't promise quick results and consumers should be wary of the increasingly large number of products flooding the market that claims to be herb-based, but boasts quick and amazing results.

Ayurveda, she says, is a holistic treatment, requiring not just herbal medicine but also a change in lifestyle for results to be visible. "Many ailments are connected to the levels of stress in our lives and the unhealthy eating habits that we practice, so it's not possible for customers to find a solution in just a bottle of shampoo or jar of cream," she says.

"It's important for customers to undergo a proper consultation with trained staff before they start using any product." Wanting to explore the potential of other markets, Nita ventured into Britain in 1997, opening a salon in London. With the increasing interest in alternative medicine and treatments in the West, her herbal-based approach was right on target. She currently has five salons in Britain bringing in an annual turnover of £2-3 million (about RM 11-17 million).

A Neeta's Herbal salon is also making it's mark in California and new ventures are being planned for the African market. "At the end of the day, it's all about producing results with your treatments," says Nita of her amazing success story.

"If what you have works and works well, people will keep coming back for more".

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