Nagpur-based entrepreneur Pooja Bansal turned her love for fragrances into a thriving homegrown brand — Aroma Essence, a natural candle and essential oil company now selling nationwide through Instagram and Amazon.

Pooja began experimenting with handmade candles during the lockdown in 2020. What started as a hobby quickly turned into a full-time business after local cafés began using her signature “Orange City” scent. Encouraged by growing demand, she invested ₹50,000 from savings to launch her first product line online.

Today, Aroma Essence offers over 30 variants of candles and oils, employs five women artisans, and records steady monthly sales. The brand recently secured a corporate gifting deal with a Pune-based real estate group.

“My goal was to build something that smells like happiness — and supports women like me,” says Pooja.

Her journey from homemaker to founder symbolizes the growing wave of women-led businesses in Nagpur’s creative sector.