Introduction
Hi, I’m Elisha Chauhan. I was born in Delhi, India, and I’m now based in the United States, where I work as an educator, polymath, and founder of Hair and Beauty Tour LLC—the world’s first blended learning and gamified platform for the hair and beauty industry. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of training more than 10,500 students across the globe. Together, we’ve achieved over 40 gold medals in live, time-based hair competitions.
The Switch
I started my journey in India as a computer science engineer, graduating at the top of my class with an A+. I interned with Microsoft and later worked with SAP Labs India. While everything looked great on paper—good job, strong salary—I felt a pull toward something more fulfilling.
That’s when I joined my parents’ salon and academy business. Initially, it was just a step toward gaining some business experience before pursuing an MBA. But then, something unexpected happened. I started really enjoying my time working with clients. One day, a wild idea hit me: why not compete in international hair and beauty competitions? It surprised even me, and definitely shocked those around me—but to my joy, they stood by me completely.


Competition Pathway
Hairdressing, like any skilled profession, demands precision and mastery. I entered my first competition in 2013 at the Asia Cup in Taiwan, followed by Hairworld 2014 in Frankfurt, Germany. Hungry to improve, I trained under 10 different mentors from 10 different countries. And I haven’t stopped learning since.
Some of the highlights along the way include winning the OMC International Achievement Medal in 2019 in Paris and the Creative Hairstyling award at Asia Cup 2015 in Malaysia. I’m now a licensed Instructor and Cosmetologist, and I’m proud to say that my students have gone on to win both national and international titles.
Today, I also serve as a Juror for OMC International Competitions and train other professionals to become effective and fair judges. This journey has been anything but conventional—but it’s been the most rewarding adventure of my life.
Initiatives with Government
I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with Government Agencies to help set the National Occupational Standards for Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy in India. Alongside this, I’ve initiated several campaigns focused on training and empowering underprivileged women, helping them find a path to independence through careers in the beauty industry. I’m equally comfortable holding high-level conversations with government officials as I am teaching and inspiring women from disadvantaged backgrounds—and I believe that balance is one of the things that makes me truly unique.
Non-Beauty & Non-Tech Activities
I’ve played a pivotal role in organizing India’s largest hair and beauty competition—the AIHBA (All India Hair & Beauty Association) India Awards. Whether it’s a small, intimate gathering of 10 or a large-scale event with 5,000 attendees, I’m well-versed in managing every detail with precision.
I gained this experience through years of volunteering and working with AIHBA, a non-profit organization committed to uniting, educating, and recognizing Indian hair and beauty professionals. After the 2020 lockdown, I led AIHBA’s global training initiative—the Hair and Beauty Tour—through which we trained and certified over 4,000 professionals on virus awareness and how to establish Virus-Free Salons as the industry reopened.


Moved to US
In 2017, I moved to the U.S. and became a licensed Instructor and Cosmetologist in the state of Washington. During my time in beauty school, I was honored to be a customer favorite and received the Business Student of the Month (BSOTM) award for six consecutive months.
I launched my career as an independent stylist in 2018 and quickly became a client magnet in the Seattle area. In 2019, I took things a step further by launching my online education business, Hair and Beauty Tour LLC—a blended learning platform that’s truly changing the game in the hair and beauty industry.
Recognitions At-A-Glance
- Judge for International Competitions for OMC (www.omchairworld.com)
- Trainer for Worldskills International competition (www.worldskills.org)
- Trained candidates have won Medallion in Worldskills at Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Trained candidates have won 40+ Gold medals in National and International Competitions
- Received National Honor of India, Guruvey Namah Award in 2019 in Delhi
- Juror Trainer for AIHBA India Awards, one of world’s largest hair & beauty competition
- Contributor for setting up national syllabus for Hair & Beauty in India which is now being taught in schools and colleges
- Licensed Instructor and Cosmetologist in Washington, USA
- Did a makeover for Playback singer Shreya Ghoshal (instagram following 21.5 million) for her concert in Seattle, attended by 3000+ audience size
Action Speaks Louder Than Work
- Graduate in Computer Science and Engineering (2012) from Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology(IGIT). It’s the 5th best Engineering college all over Delhi
- Advanced Diploma in Hair Designing & Beauty Therapy from SCIHB (Sangeeta Chauhan’s Institute of Hair & Beauty)(2013)
- Diploma NVQ 2 in Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy from IHB
- Skill Expert for IndiaSkillCompetition (WorldSkills Indian Leg)
- National Trainer for All India Hair & Beauty Association (AIHBA)
- Advanced certification in Hair Cuts, Styling, Coloring & Designing from OMC Trainer Emma Ekman (3 months)(2013)
- OMC Bronze Diploma – India’s 1st Teacher trainer program (2013)
- Advanced certification in Ladies Creative Hairstyles (Fashion show and Fantasy) from Rose Lee (Asia zone Education Director)
Career At-A-Glance
ELIANNA BRIDAL
- Co-owner of Elianna Bridal Wedding Services
- https://eliannabridal.com/
LA VIVO COSMETICS PVT LTD
- CEO & Founder
- La Vivo Cosmetics manufacturers & distributes India’s best natural and affordable premium salon products
- https://lavivoprofessional.com
ALL INDIA HAIR AND BEAUTY ASSOCIATION (AIHBA)
- Juror Educator of AIHBA and President of Delhi Chapter AIHBA
- AIHBA is India’s largest hair & beauty industry member led organization which stands for Unity, Education and Recognition
- https://aihba.org/
CONFIG RUN MANAGEMENT (CRM), MICROSOFT IDC
- Automated Recording & Playback for multiple machine scenario for VSTLM (UI) team
- Average turn-around time of less than an hour for the machines to be configured (manually it is 2-3 hours)
- Ensured that tool can be extended to be used by other teams in future iterations
BEAUTY & WELLNESS SECTOR SKILL COUNCIL
- Designed all major hair and beauty courses for B&WSSC, an organization under Govt. of India
- Worked as Deputy Chief Expert in Hairdressing
- Trained candidates for National and International competitions
- http://www.bwssc.in/
CRM PROMOTION MANAGEMENT NESTLE, SAP LABS
- Designed backend of CRM tool for promotion management run by Nestle
- https://sap.com/
