Shantanu Deshpande: Crafting the Future of Grooming

For generations, men's grooming has often been overshadowed by the spotlight cast upon women's beauty rituals. However, in recent times, there has been a notable shift in this narrative. Men's grooming has emerged from the shadows, taking a prominent place in the contemporary discourse surrounding personal care and self-presentation.

With an array of skincare products, hair styling tools, and grooming services gaining importance, men are exploring new avenues to enhance their appearance and boost their confidence.

Shantanu Deshpande is one among those who saw this opportunity and decided to bring a big overhaul to the Indian grooming industry for men. He decided to launch a company that is specifically directed towards men’s grooming.

In this article, explore more about the Bombay Shaving Company founder, Shantanu Deshpande, including his education, career, investments, podcast, and more.

Shantanu Deshpande - Biography

Shantanu Deshpande - Early Life
Shantanu Deshpande - Education
Shantanu Deshpande - Career
Shantanu Deshpande - Bombay Shaving Company
Shantanu Deshpande - Investments
Shantanu Deshpande - Podcast
Shantanu Deshpande - Controversy
Shantanu Deshpande - Awards and Recognitions
Shantanu Deshpande - Interesting Facts
Shantanu Deshpande - Quotes

Shantanu Deshpande - Early Life

Shantanu Deshpande is from a Maharashtrian family from Indore. He was born in Dallas, US. His father, Kiran Deshpande was working with the TCS in the US. Around 1997, Shantanu Deshpande's family decided to come back to India, post which he continued his education in India. Growing up he was inspired by his father who built big companies from scratch.

Shantanu Deshpande - Education

After coming back from the US, Shantanu did his schooling at Vikhe Patil School in Pune. He decided to pursue engineering in higher studies and finished his B.Tech in Computer Science at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur.

During the final year of college, Shantanu didn’t want to settle for any ordinary path for further studies. So, he decided to appear for many competitive exams like CAT, and GMAT, leading him to join IIM Lucknow to pursue an MBA.

Bombay Shaving Company: Answering All Your Grooming Needs | Founder | Business Model | Funding

Bombay Shaving Company is a consumer goods company that specialises in the development of men’s beard and shave care and skincare range of products. Learn more about its founder, business model, funding, growth, etc.

StartupTalkySarika Anand

Shantanu Deshpande - Career

After his MBA at IIM Lucknow, Shantanu was successful in getting a placement at McKinsey & Company. He is seen praising McKinsey to a great extent in many interviews. He even calls it his ‘Maika’ (Mom’s house).

About his time in the organization, he says, “For me, McKinsey helped in character building in so many ways, and I think a lot of who I am today, and I attribute to my time at the firm.”

However, after five years at McKinsey, he came up with some great ideas and decided that it was time to start his own company. So in 2016, he stepped into his entrepreneurial journey by co-founding Bombay Shaving Company along with Deepu Panicker, Raunak Munot, and Rohit Jaiswal.

In 2021, Shantanu became an External Advisor at McKinsey, where he focuses on digital commerce and consumer topics.

He also advises Advent International on consumer investments, hosts The BarberShop with Shantanu (his podcast) to make entrepreneurship easier to understand, and works as an ambassador for Olympic Gold Quest, helping India’s top athletes.

Shantanu Deshpande - Bombay Shaving Company

Bombay Shaving Company, founded in 2016 is a D2C high-end men's grooming business that serves customers in India with premium goods. The company claims that its goal is to make the best grooming products available for men so they feel confident and look their best.

The product line includes- trimmers, razors, shave care, skin care, bath etc. Initially started as a men’s grooming business, it subsequently ventured into women’s skincare and body care too. In 2022, ‘Bombae’, a women's hair removal and personal care brand, was launched which proved to be a great success.

The company also offers a subscription option for the purchase of the blades and creams.

It is remarkable that during the pandemic the company didn't suffer much. That was because they sell directly to customers and focus strongly on their online presence, they were in a better position than many other similar companies to handle the tough times brought by the pandemic.

Top 10 Men’s Grooming Brands Setting the Standard in India

Top Grooming Brands in India for Men are Beardo, The Man Company, Ustraa, Bombay Shaving Company, Man Arden, Beardinator, Let’s Shave, etc.

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Shantanu Deshpande - Investments

The Bombay Shaving Company Founder, Shantanu Deshpande has made 13 investments. His latest investment was in the Series A round of Ginglani Distillers on March 26, 2024, when the company raised INR 12.5 crore.

Shantanu Deshpande - Podcast

"The BarberShop with Shantanu" is the video podcast launched by Shantanu Deshpande. 

While the first season of the show involves deep discussions with entrepreneurs, the second and third seasons bring together founders, CEOs, and business leaders. The show is quite popular and has crores of viewers. It also launched Razorpreneur 2.0, a content creation challenge where participants can win rewards, including a one-year contract with Bombay Shaving Company.

Shantanu Deshpande - Controversy

In this digital world, almost every famous person makes headlines for being caught in some controversy or the other. Shantanu Deshpande is not an exception. Almost similar to Narayana Murthy of Infosys, Shantanu too was caught in a controversy over his social media post about the work culture among youngsters.

This was in 2022 when Shantanu was caught in a controversy related to his social media post advising freshers and young people to work 18 hours a day in the formative years of their careers. He was criticized by the netizens who said he was promoting a “toxic work culture”.

Following this criticism, he wrote, “Yikes, so much hate for 18-hour days. It's a proxy for 'giving your all and then some'.” 

He also said, "I did not mean to put in 18 hours every day. My exaggeration to make a point was taken out of context. I just meant to give it my all,".

More recently, in December 2024, Shantanu Deshpande raised concerns about India's quick food delivery market in a LinkedIn post. He criticised the unhealthy, processed food and short cooking times involved in quick deliveries. Deshpande urged platforms like Zomato, Swiggy, and Zepto to offer healthier options and encouraged people to cook at home.

His comments sparked a debate online, with some agreeing with his concerns about food quality. Others, such as Jaikishan Bhatia manager at Cipla, called for regulatory measures, suggesting that a separate "preparation time" should be considered to avoid compromising food quality in the pursuit of speed.

Shantanu Deshpande - Awards and Recognitions

Shantanu Deshpande was enlisted under the best 40 under 40 of Fortune India, 2022.

Shantanu Deshpande - Interesting Facts

• Shantanu Deshpande was a member of the college football team and was the sports secretary of the college. 
• He also loves music and used to play Tabla in his college band.
• He serves as an ambassador for the Olympic Gold Quest.

Shantanu Deshpande - Quotes

FAQs

Who is Shantanu Deshpande?

Shantanu Deshpande is the Co-founder and CEO of Bombay Shaving Company.

When was Bombay Shaving Company founded?

Bombay Shaving Company was founded by Shantanu Deshpande, Raunak Munot, Deepu Panicker, and Rohit Jaiswal in 2015.

What is the product category of Bombay Shaving Company?

Bombay Shaving Company offers a wide range of men's grooming products which includes shaving, beard grooming, haircare, skincare, and bath care. They also offer women grooming products for skincare and body care.

What is Shantanu Deshpande education?

Shantanu Deshpande completed his B.Tech in Computer Science at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur, and went on to earn an MBA from IIM Lucknow.

Who is Shantanu Deshpande's wife?

The Bombay Shaving Company Founder and CEO, Shantanu Deshpande's wife, Sakshi Gudwani, is a Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.