When Covid-19 put livelihoods under threat, Mira Kulkarni decided her brand wouldn't lay off anyone, and instead extend full support to employees. Mountain Valley Springs [Forest Essentials], which introduced luxury Ayurveda to Indian consumers, was born out of Kulkarni's instinct. Till date she has guided Forest Essentials to stay focused on its own growth through deployment of its own strategy. "A strong R&D is our backbone," says Kulkarni. The company added 21 new flagship stores in various cities between July 2020 and August 2021 to meet rising demand. Change in consumption patterns post Covid, in addition to a new bespoke service, timely do-it-yourselves (DIYs) and expert talks on the brand's Insta page, have led to a 300% rise in digital sales. The company ships its products to more than 100 countries abroad. — Vijayalakshmi Sridhar