Michelle Royston

What does your company do?

Welcome to WAXIT – a wax bar dedicated solely to smooth skin. It’s 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. We’re masters of sleek and silky, we focus only on fuzz. No manicures, pedicures or facials, just high quality waxing. When it comes to our craft, only the best will do.

What is your biggest success?

WAXIT was founded on my need for a specialist offering; the perfect combination of high-quality products, professional service, competitive prices and booking without having to wait. My first wax bar opened in Lonehill in 2015, followed by three more before launching the franchise in August 2019. Through franchising, WAXIT has been able to empower women (and 2 men) to run their own successful businesses and create jobs in their respective communities. We have close to 100 WAXITologists whom are equipped with the support to grow their own rewarding careers. Many of these incredible ladies are breadwinners in their own right. Today, WAXIT has 21 stores nationwide with another eight in the pipeline for 2024. We have developed an exclusive, locally produced range of wax and retail products, and have a fully accredited training academy offering. My greatest success has been growing WAXIT into the reality that has become one of our company values today – ‘Success for All”.

What has been your biggest hurdle?

The personal sacrifices I have made and the financial hurdle race have been my two greatest challenges. The franchising route is a slow burn in the early stages. I chose to invest the time, energy and capital into building a quality and sustainable business, rather than just opening stores for the sake of growth. Volume is vanity, profit is sanity. Our philosophy is to find the right franchisee first and only then look for the best location. I have turned down many store location opportunities over the years in favour of maintaining a slow and steady growth. I have learnt to create support structures to back the franchisees, and to constantly re-invest cashflow into the brand. In this way, I have grown WAXIT to the point where I can breathe and confidently say that it has all been worth it!