Meet Entrepreneur Nicola Mare who is thriving as a businesswoman and proving that hard work and dedication can take you anywhere you want in life, if you only set your mind to it!
As the co-owner of WAXIT Southdowns, alongside Lindy Barbour, Nicola boasts a business mind that is driven by positivity and enthusiasm.
Their store, which opened in June 2020, has grown from strength to strength with the main focus of smooth skin and the intricate art of waxing. Yes, waxing!
WAXIT is a popular wax bar defined as a refuge of removal, a haven of hairlessness, a sanctuary of smooth. A place where men and women alike can go to wax it expertly and discreetly, free from the intrusions that come with visiting full service salons.
WAXIT have created a place where men and women alike can go to wax it expertly and discreetly, free from the intrusions that come with visiting full service salons.
We sat down with Nicola and asked her to share her top 5 business tips and what makes them important.
1 – FIND SOMETHING YOU LOVE TO DO AND GIVE IT 100%
Nicola: I love what I do and wouldn’t trade it for anything! I also love the thrill of proving the success of the business and playing a part in that. Overcoming the obstacles of opening a new store in the middle of COVID (just after the beauty industry lockdown) and the middle of winter – to becoming the number one performing store in the group after just over a year, has been very rewarding.
2 – DON’T GIVE UP – EVEN WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF FACINGS HARDSHIPS AND CHALLENGES
Nicola: The sun will always shine tomorrow! Just keeping doing all the little things right and the big things will come together on their own. It is also advisable to not be penny wise and pound foolish – you need to spend money to make money and thus making sure your team is happy and your local area marketing is on point is key.
3 – FIND YOURSELF A GOOD BUSINESS PARTNER – OR PERSON YOU CAN CONFIDE IN
Nicola: For me the most important is a great business partner – Lindy and I have worked together for 16 years and we complement each other perfectly – so we never feel like we are on the journey alone! She is the big thinker and I am the one who dots the i’s and crosses the t’s – so we have all our bases covered.
4 – TRY FIND A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN WORK, HOME LIFE AND PERSONAL LIFE
Nicola: When you own your own business – especially a retail business – the clock never strikes 5 so it is important to find that balance between it all! I make sure that I take time out where I can – I love spending time with my family and friends, travelling, dining out, reading a good book or enjoying a glass of red wine! As we were a new store opening up in difficult times, Lindy and I are still trying to find the “perfect” balance. We also still run our franchise consulting business so balancing two businesses can be tricky. We committed to be owner operators and either one of us (or both of us at the same time in peak times) has been in the store and running the store since it opened. We are almost at two years now and feel like we have established ourselves and earned our reputation in the local market – so it is time to trust our team, step back a little and work on our business and not 24/7 in our business.
5 – FIND GOOD STAFF MEMBERS
Nicola: Your staff become like your family, so finding good staff members is so important. We look for team members who have a passion for what they do and can live up to the WAXIT brand principles. We value team members who are mature and have integrity, and can take pride in their work. We don’t do drama and we don’t entertain divas.
“The sum of success is the consistent application of getting all small things right!”
At WAXIT, their WAXITologists® are there to make your experience as comfortable as possible. They’ll lend you their ears if you would like to chat, but if you would like to relax, their rooms are equipped with music to help you relax.
Whether it’s low-rise jeans, itsy bitsy bikinis or button downs, WAXIT makes sure you achieve your best look – smooth.
Check them out at Shop 33B Southdowns Shopping Centre, Corner John Vorster and Karee, Southdowns, Centurion
https://www.waxit.co.za