Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashruta Shettar.
Hi Ashruta, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in India, and I’ve always believed the best way to grow is to help others grow alongside you.
By day, I’m a Technology Consultant at Deloitte Consulting. In 2023, I opened my first Sugaring NYC studio in Harrisburg, and in 2025, our second in Mechanicsburg. Today we have a team of nine. What I’m proudest of isn’t the studios themselves. It’s the careers they’ve made possible. Watching women on our team grow into trainers and leaders has been one of the most meaningful parts of this journey.
In 2022, my partner and I started Kidpreneurs Fair PA, a one-day, farmers-market-style event where kids ages 5–16 run their own businesses. As a mom of twin daughters, I wanted children to learn early what I learned late: that they can build something of their own. We began with 35 young entrepreneurs. This September, 170 kids served over 1,000 shoppers, and every child received a participation letter from the Governor’s office. The fair now continues as a program under the International Club of Central PA, which means it can outlast any one of us.
I also volunteer with Junior Achievement and teach a year-long financial literacy class, because confidence with money is where real independence begins.
None of this happened alone. Every milestone belongs to the families, sponsors, volunteers, and my team who showed up. I’ve simply tried to open doors and hold them open for the next person. If a child leaves our fair believing in herself, or a woman on our team discovers she can lead, that’s the kind of success I care about most.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Staffing has been another real lesson. Our team has changed significantly over the years, and building the right team taught me that culture matters more than headcount. Today we’re smaller, and I’m proud of the people we have.
With Kidpreneurs Fair PA, growth brought its own challenges. We started as a small group of volunteers with no formal structure. As the fair grew, we needed a stable foundation, so we partnered with the International Club of Central PA to give it a lasting home. We’ve also listened closely to feedback. When families told us the room got too loud and crowded, we changed how we prepare parents and judges so every child gets heard.
Early on, there were also moments when I asked for support and the timing just wasn’t right for others. I learned not to take it personally and to keep going. Often the right people showed up later, in ways I never expected.
We’ve been impressed with Sugaring NYC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets us apart is our people. Our sugaristas are trained to national standards and regularly audited on technique and cleanliness. We invest in growing our team, and several of them have stepped into training and leadership roles. A great service starts with a team that feels valued.
We also see our studios as community spaces. We’ve hosted HerScan mobile breast ultrasound screenings so women could access care in a comfortable, familiar setting. Sugaring NYC is also the Founding Sponsor of Kidpreneurs Fair PA.
This fall, we’re especially proud to launch our Signature Korean Facial. It’s a 10-step, 30-minute treatment built around Korean skincare lines I personally sourced. We’re celebrating with a grand launch at our Mechanicsburg studio and we’d love for your readers to join us.
What I want readers to know is simple: you’ll be cared for here, and we’re always listening and improving.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love most is that this city helped me raise my children. When you’re building businesses and a family at the same time, you learn quickly that you can’t do it alone, and here I never had to. Neighbors, teachers, local businesses, and community leaders have shown up for my daughters and for me in ways I’ll always be grateful for. Mechanicsburg has a small-town heart with big-city opportunities. People here still know your name, and they genuinely want to see you succeed.
What I like least is really more of a wish. I wish more people knew how much talent we have right here. Too often, young people feel they have to leave Central PA to find opportunity, when so much is being built in our own backyard. Every year at Kidpreneurs Fair, I’m reminded of how many brilliant young minds are growing up here. If we give them more spaces to create, sell, and lead, they’ll build their futures right here at home.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sugaringnyc.com/locations/sugaring-nyc-mechanicsburg/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sugaringnyc_pa?stkn=cDFkN3NlOThkbDU0&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1F2oX8boax/?mibextid=wwXIfr
