Taking a chance on beauty business pays off for couple

Dubai: There's no such thing as a downtime in the beauty industry. The customer's nails will still need to be clipped, hair trimmed and, if need be, streaks added. And that's just the hair and nails.

All of which answers as to why the Filipino entrepreneurs, Apochollo Enrique Farrarons and his wife Angellie Marie Authentico, have been busy of late creating a network of beauty parlours in Dubai's busiest neighbourhoods. In the process, they are also making full use of the present depressed rentals for commercial space.

But the couple's journey to fully- fledged entrepreneurship started in early 2008. It was in February of that year they went looking for a shop to rent in Satwa.

"But someone told us about a salon in Karama for sale for Dh140,000, and we only had Dh80,000," Authentico said.

So, a loan was arranged from a bank to buy the salon. "It was not earning much when we bought it, but when we took over the management, earnings quadrupled."

It taught Authentico her very first lesson in doing business: "Never be afraid to take a chance in something that you believe in".

Did she ever doubt that their investment might fail? "No, because I just knew we were going to offer a service that would click." If she has any regrets, it's only as to "Why did I start so late?"

In three months, the business mushroomed to three outlets. Now, two years later, that number has again doubled, five of which are in Dubai and the other in the Philippines. Rather than operate for a single brand identity, they are known by such exotic names as Authentic Angels and Christine Angelique.

Package deal

But concessions have to be made to reflect the present state of the market. "For as low as Dh100, we offer a package deal of seven services," said Authentico. "Our business strategy is to make salon services affordable for everyone.

"Customers keep on coming back not only for the price, but because there is quality and quantity. It makes me happy to see clients come here, some even bringing their housemaids along and they get a haircut together.

"It doesn't hurt their wallets because the package that we offer can also be shared and there is no validity date. Low-income earners can afford to come here once a month." And the ultimate sign of customer approval? "Even staff from other salons come here to enjoy the services they themselves give to other people," she added.

Helping others

"Nowadays, business is not just about making money, it is also about helping other people. I encourage my staff to learn as much during their stay with us so that one day they can also run their own salon." The employees also have a profit-sharing arrangement. In this arrangement, when employees in a particular salon exceed their quota for the month, they share the profits.

As to what she looks for in picking up her team, Authentico said: "Ambition… because people with this trait are driven." She isn't shy of calling herself the brains in the enterprise, while Farrarons brings the "muscles". "We have a good teamwork — I come up with business concepts — some of which are from observations when I visit salons abroad — and he implements them," Authentico said.

Prior to taking on their current roles, Farrarons was the manager of the family's travel business in Spain, while she jetsetted as a flight stewardess.

"Initially, I wanted us to go into the business of buying and selling items from the US because I tend to pick up a lot of stuff from my trips," Authentico, who continues to work in the airline industry, said. "I just love socialising, the idea of shopping in New York and dining in Paris. I am living that life."

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