Figure out what separates people who command a room from those who blend into the background.
I spent last month interviewing CEOs, senior managers, and rising stars across Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi. My goal? Figure out what separates people who command a room from those who blend into the background.
The answers weren't about expensive suits or fancy watches. In fact, most of what I learned had nothing to do with money at all. It was about consistency, attention to detail, and some surprisingly simple habits that anyone can adopt starting tomorrow morning.
1. The 10-Minute Rule (Not What You Think)
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Rajesh, a 34-year-old VP at a fintech startup, swears by what he calls the "10-minute rule." But it's not about squeezing in a workout or meditation. It's simpler than that.
"I wake up 10 minutes earlier than I need to," he told me over coffee in his Koramangala office. "Not for productivity. Just so I'm not rushing through my morning routine."
That extra time makes a difference. When you're not frantically brushing your teeth while checking emails, you actually pay attention to the details. You notice if your shirt collar is frayed. You check if your shoes need a quick wipe. You make sure your hair isn't doing that weird thing it does when you sleep on your left side.
The professionals I spoke with stressed this point repeatedly: grooming isn't something you do while multitasking. It deserves those few focused minutes.
2. Invest in What Touches Your Skin Daily
Priya, who handles partnerships for a major e-commerce platform, had strong opinions about this one. "I used to buy whatever shampoo was on sale," she admitted. "Then I realized I was spending ₹4,000 on a single dinner out but using ₹150 shampoo for an entire month."
The math didn't add up.
She's not suggesting you blow your budget on luxury brands. Her point is different: the things you use every single day deserve more thought than impulse purchases.
This applies to your face wash, your moisturizer, and yes—your deodorant. A good deo for men or deo for women isn't just about smelling pleasant. It's about lasting through that unexpected 3 PM client meeting, that packed metro ride, or those back-to-back presentations when the AC decides to quit.
Amit, a litigation lawyer in Delhi, put it bluntly: "You can't command respect in a courtroom if you're worried about whether you smell okay. It's just not happening."
Several people mentioned specific brands they trusted, but what struck me was how seriously they took this choice. They'd actually tested products, read ingredients, asked dermatologists. They treated it like any other professional investment.
3. The Sunday Night Ritual (Here's the Surprise)
This one genuinely caught me off guard.
Almost every successful professional I interviewed does some version of "Sunday prep"—but not in the way you'd expect. They're not meal-prepping or organizing their week. They're doing a full grooming audit.
Meera, a marketing director in her early 40s, walked me through her routine: "Sunday night, I check everything. Are my work clothes actually clean and ironed? Do I need a haircut this week? Are my nails chipped? Is my deodorant running low?"
It sounds obsessive until you understand the logic. Monday morning is brutal enough without discovering you're out of toothpaste or your favorite shirt has a stain. These Sunday checks eliminate those small disasters that derail your morning.
The men I spoke with had similar systems. Karthik, who works in consulting, actually keeps a checklist on his phone: grooming products, shoe condition, accessories, even whether his gym bag smells okay (apparently this matters more than I thought).
"It takes 15 minutes on Sunday," he said. "Saves me from at least two or three mini-crises during the week."
What surprised me most was how many of them mentioned specific grooming products in their checklists. Deo for men and deo for women were near the top, along with razors, face wash, and hair products. The logic being: these aren't things you want to run out of mid-week.
4. The Scent Strategy
Nobody told me this directly. I had to piece it together from conversations.
Successful professionals are weirdly strategic about fragrance. Not in an overwhelming, spray-half-a-bottle kind of way. More like a subtle signature that people associate with you.
Ananya, a senior architect, explained her approach: "I use unscented products for almost everything—face wash, moisturizer, body lotion. That way, my deodorant and perfume don't clash."
This might sound excessive, but think about it. How many times have you smelled someone's conflicting scents—floral shampoo, musky deodorant, citrus aftershave—all fighting for dominance? It's distracting.
The professionals I interviewed preferred simplicity. They'd find a deo for women or deo for men that worked for their skin and matched their overall scent profile, then stick with it. Consistency builds recognition.
"People might not consciously notice," said Vikram, a brand strategist, "but they'll subconsciously associate that scent with professionalism, with you showing up prepared."
Several people mentioned they'd gotten compliments not on how they smelled, but on how they "always seemed put together." Apparently, a good fragrance strategy is part of that perception.
5. The Post-Workout Non-Negotiable
Here's where things get practical. Almost everyone I interviewed works out in the morning—before work, not after. And they all have the same rigid rule: you shower and re-groom completely before heading to the office.
"I don't care how late I'm running," said Rohan, who works in private equity. "I hit the gym at 6 AM, and I shower afterward like I'm starting my day from scratch. Fresh clothes, fresh deodorant, the whole thing."
This seems obvious, but apparently it's not. He mentioned colleagues who'd rush out after the gym with just a quick rinse, thinking nobody would notice.
"Trust me," he said, "people notice."
The post-workout routine was surprisingly detailed among this group. Clean clothes obviously, but also reapplying deodorant (not just spraying more on top of gym sweat), fixing hair properly, and making sure they looked like they hadn't just done burpees for 45 minutes.
What This All Means
After talking to dozens of successful professionals, a pattern emerged. None of them obsessed over grooming in an unhealthy way. But all of them treated it as part of their professional toolkit—right alongside communication skills and technical knowledge.
The specific products mattered less than the consistency. Whether someone used an expensive deo for men or a budget-friendly deo for women, they'd chosen it deliberately and stuck with it. They knew what worked for their skin, their schedule, and their professional environment.
The bigger lesson? Small details compound. That 10-minute buffer in the morning, that Sunday night check, that post-workout shower—individually, they seem minor. Together, they create an impression of someone who has their life together.
And in a competitive professional world, that impression opens doors.
None of this requires a massive budget or hours of time. It just requires paying attention, being consistent, and treating your grooming routine as part of your professional success strategy—not an afterthought while you're checking Instagram.
Start small. Pick one habit from this list and try it for a week. You might be surprised how much changes when you stop rushing through the basics.
