Sonali Kuruvilla is not just a name in the beauty industry she’s a reflection of what it means to play the long game in entrepreneurship. In a time when flashy headlines and overnight success stories dominate the startup narrative, Sonali Kuruvilla stands grounded in a reality most founders face but rarely speak about the grind, the uncertainty, and the deep personal commitment that building something meaningful demands.
Sonali Kuruvilla co-founded Sommer Beauty in 2023 with a simple but powerful mission: to solve real makeup challenges Indian women face every day. It wasn’t about launching another cosmetics brand in an already crowded market. It was about creating solutions that matter, that are born out of listening, observing, and truly understanding the Indian woman’s relationship with makeup. This foundational approach has shaped every decision she and her co-founder Preneetha Balachandar have made since day one.
What’s striking about Sonali Kuruvilla’s journey is how she views entrepreneurship not as a sprint, but as a marathon. In her reflections inspired by Shantanu Deshpande’s podcast with Rajan Anandan of Peak XV Partners, she reminds us that building a business isn’t a two-year hustle for an exit strategy. It’s a 20-year pursuit of passion, discipline, and resilience. For Sonali Kuruvilla, the process of creating something enduring is not about chasing quick wins. It’s about showing up consistently, especially when growth feels slow and challenges feel relentless.
This perspective isn’t just theoretical. It’s lived experience. Over the past two years, Sonali Kuruvilla has been in the trenches developing products, understanding her customers, refining strategy, and absorbing lessons that no textbook or crash course could teach. As she puts it, “Concepts that seemed impossible to grasp 2 years ago now make perfect sense because I kept showing up, kept learning, kept trying.” That’s not just wisdom. That’s earned knowledge, the kind that only comes from relentless effort and reflection.
One of the most valuable insights from her post is the acknowledgment that you can’t outsource learning, especially in the early stages. Sonali Kuruvilla emphasizes the necessity of rolling up your sleeves, getting close to your customer, and deeply understanding your product and market. Delegation is important, yes, but not at the cost of detachment. In her world, leadership means involvement. It means owning the details before passing them on. And that’s what separates sustainable brands from those that fizzle out after the hype fades.
Sonali Kuruvilla also speaks to a profound truth about motivation. If you’re not passionate about the problem you’re solving, it’s impossible to sustain the intensity required to build something for decades. Her commitment to Sommer Beauty isn’t rooted in monetary returns or vanity metrics. It’s fueled by purpose. By a desire to genuinely serve, improve lives, and make women feel seen and heard. That purpose acts as her north star, especially during the inevitable moments when doubt creeps in and momentum stalls.
There’s something deeply human about the way Sonali Kuruvilla talks about effort. She doesn’t glamorize burnout, but she doesn’t deny the work either. “You can follow ‘work smarter, not harder’ all you want but in the end, it’s all sweat and tears.” That’s a powerful reminder in a culture obsessed with shortcuts. Her approach is both honest and inspiring. It doesn’t promise ease, but it offers hope hope that persistence pays off, that clarity comes with time, and that growth, while slow, is always possible when rooted in authenticity.
Sonali Kuruvilla’s story is a mirror for many early-stage founders who feel overwhelmed by the weight of expectations. She normalizes the struggle without romanticizing it. She shows that learning is a muscle, that stamina is a skill, and that passion, when grounded in a real problem, is more valuable than any venture funding or viral campaign.
In the larger narrative of Indian entrepreneurship, voices like Sonali Kuruvilla’s are essential. They bring balance to the narrative, offering a grounded, sober view of what it really takes to build something worthwhile. Her journey is not about being the loudest in the room it’s about being the most consistent. And that, more than anything, is the quiet power behind her success.
As Sommer Beauty continues to grow, there’s little doubt that Sonali Kuruvilla will remain at the heart of its evolution not just as a co-founder, but as a learner, a problem-solver, and a builder. Her reflections are a blueprint for sustainable entrepreneurship, reminding us all that patience, humility, and grit are still the most powerful tools in a founder’s toolkit.
In the years to come, when we look at brands that stood the test of time not just for their products but for their values Sonali Kuruvilla’s name will be one we remember. Not because she made noise, but because she made meaning. And in a world that often confuses the two, that makes all the difference.
