At 17, she was braiding hair. At 18, she was unknowingly launching her first digital product. Now, years later, she’s the go-to strategist helping beauty entrepreneurs turn their skill sets into sustainable income; without burning out, overthinking, or giving into perfectionism.
We sat down with Sahana, also known as @TheRealSahana, to unpack her journey from teenage braider to digital product expert. What we got was more than a masterclass on monetization, it was a soft, grounded reminder that our everyday gifts hold more power than we think. And when shared intentionally, they can build real wealth.
A Start That Wasn’t Planned
We asked her, “What inspired you to start teaching beautypreneurs how to monetize their knowledge?”
“Honestly, it started as an accident,” She was a teenager, braiding hair after school, answering the same questions over and over again.
“People would not stop asking me what kind of hair I used, what kind of gel, what comb, all the things. So one day I just popped my phone up, recorded myself doing box braids, and ended up selling the tutorial through Facebook and email. That was back in 2015, and I’ve been hooked ever since.”
No landing page. No fancy funnel. Just a girl with a skill and a community that was ready to learn from her.
“I didn’t even know it was called a digital product. I was just sharing what I knew and getting paid for it.”
Since that first video, Sahana has taught hundreds of beautypreneurs; makeup artists, hair stylists, skincare professionals how to build profitable digital products that don’t rely on back-to-back appointments.
What New Beautypreneurs Get Wrong when it comes to Digital Products
If there’s one thing Sahana emphasizes, it’s this: clarity is everything.
“Most beautypreneurs try to create a product before they even understand their audience. But you can’t solve a problem you haven’t defined. Clarity gives you confidence and confidence shows in your content and in your sales.”
This is the biggest mistake she sees new digital creators make: skipping the foundational work and rushing to sell something that sounds cute but solves nothing.
“You don’t need a million followers or a perfect setup. You just need to know who you’re talking to, and what they need from you. That’s the work.”
What Actually Sells (and Why It Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated)
According to Sahana, video tutorials, mini-courses, and masterclasses are among the most effective formats in the beauty space but there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
“I helped a makeup artist revamp an old e-book she wasn’t even selling. She posted it on Facebook, and made $500 in the first 24 hours. That’s the power of packaging your knowledge.”
Still, she’s quick to clarify: success isn’t about the type of product, it’s about knowing your people.
“Some clients love to watch and follow along. Others prefer step-by-step PDFs or swipe files. You need to understand how your audience learns best.”
TheRealSahana’s Favorite Tools (That Don’t Require a Tech Degree)
Sahana keeps her toolkit simple: “I’m team Canva all day. You can create anything; ebooks, templates, slides for free or cheap. And I love Stan Store. It lets you create, host, and sell digital products all in one place. No tech drama.”
While she encourages entrepreneurs to sell on their own websites if they have one, she also knows most beginners need easy wins and these platforms offer exactly that.
The Mindset That Makes (or Breaks) a Digital Launch
The thing that stops most people from launching isn’t lack of skill. It’s fear.
“Perfectionism is fear in disguise ; whether it’s fear of failure or fear of success. Either one can keep you stuck.”
And Sahana would know. She’s coached countless entrepreneurs through launches that never made it past the planning stage. That’s why she always starts with mindset.
“Business is 80% mental and 20% strategy. If you’re nervous, you probably just need more clarity. Once you’re clear, you’ll feel more confident. And when you’re confident;you sell better.”
Storytelling, But Make It Beauty
“People want to know you, not just what you’re selling.” She says
Especially in beauty, it’s intimate.
“Your clients are trusting you with their skin, their hair, their face. It’s intimate. When you open up about your journey, your setbacks, or even your wins;people relate. And people buy from people they relate to.”
She uses storytelling often in her own marketing. Not because it’s trendy, but because it works.
“It comes naturally to me. But even if it doesn’t for you, start with something real. Something human. That’s what makes people listen.”
A Final Word for the Beautypreneur Sitting on an Idea
Sahana leaves us with a message that feels like a soft nudge: “Business is 80% mental. If you’re nervous or unsure, it’s not a sign to stop, it’s a sign you need more clarity. Once you’re clear, you’ll be confident. And when you’re confident, you’ll sell.”
Her advice is simple: “Package it. Price it. Put it out there. The only way to know if it’ll work is to launch.”
TL;DR ; Sahana’s Key Advice for Beautypreneurs Creating Digital Products:
- Start with clarity: Know who you’re helping and what you’re helping them with before you create anything.
- Don’t overcomplicate it: A simple, helpful tutorial can outperform a high-production course.
- Choose formats based on your audience: Video? PDF? Templates? Depends on their learning style.
- Use tools that simplify the process: Canva and Stan Store are beginner-friendly and powerful.
- Avoid perfectionism: Done is better than perfect. Clarity and confidence sell better than overthinking.
- Tell your story: It builds trust, and trust drives sales.
- Remember it’s mental first: Business is mostly mindset. Get that right, and everything else flows.
Finally, Sahana’s story reminds us that you don’t have to wait for perfect conditions to start. You just have to begin, where you are, with what you know.
Because in the end, the magic isn’t in the platform or the tools only.
It’s in the decision to believe that your knowledge is enough.