More Than Skin Deep

Alicia Nixon of Caci Silverdale was named Retail & Hospitality Franchisee of the Year in the Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards 2021

The success of Caci’s franchisees is down to on-the-spot enthusiasm combined with top-line support

Alicia Nixon may have been surprised and delighted (and just a little tearful) to be named Retail & Hospitality Franchisee of the Year, but no-one could be prouder of her success than Penny Chapman.

Alicia owns the Silverdale and Warkworth franchises for Caci, the skin and injectables business, and Penny is the company’s General Manager. ‘Having been a franchisee myself, I understand the effort it takes, the value of building the right team around you, and the importance of having supportive family and friends when you first get going,’ says Penny. ‘I am so proud of Alicia’s success in winning the title against some very stiff opposition in the most hotly-contested Franchise Awards for years.’

In her acceptance speech, Alicia herself said, ‘I couldn’t have done it without my team, my family, and the support office at Caci – they are amazing, they’re always just a phone call away.’

A passion for the brand

Penny Chapman has been with Caci since 2009, starting as National Sales Manager and then becoming a franchisee herself with successful clinics in New Plymouth and Taupo before selling them (one to another Caci staff member) and being asked to re-join the franchisor team. With all that valuable experience under her belt, she remains passionate about the brand.

‘In December, I went to help open our brand new Caci in Whanganui,’ she says. ‘I talked to many customers and it always feels so good to hear them say how much they trust Caci and how excited they are for us to be opening in their town.

‘Today, the Caci brand is growing, and stronger than ever. Some of our franchisees have been with Caci a very long time and many, like Alicia, have opened second clinics – even during the pandemic. Our goal is to open more clinics and help franchisees enjoy their journey into a business of their own.

‘We have already opened six new clinics this year and have identified a number of key target areas throughout the country, including Northland, Auckland, Whakatane, Coromandel, second outlets in Rotorua and Dunedin, Manawatu, Levin, Timaru, Oamaru, the West Coast and Southland. Some of those areas definitely have the potential to be multiclinic operations, too.’

Penny Chapman

The clear market leader

There are now nearly 70 Caci clinics in New Zealand supported by a team of specialists in everything from training to marketing, and the franchise has become the clear market leader in skincare and cosmetic medicine. An innovative subscription and membership package makes their services affordable, while offering cashflow and loyalty benefits for franchisees. ‘It’s a very effective model, and enquiries, treatments and subscription sign-ups all continue to rise throughout the country,’ Penny says.

So where do Caci franchisees come from, and what motivates them? ‘You might expect them to have beauty industry backgrounds, but actually that’s not required and we have always had a mix of people stepping up to run their own clinics. A lot of ex-corporate people have been just itching to get out and build their own future – marketeers, accountants, businesspeople, etc. The one thing they all have in common is an absolute passion for this industry.’

Champion of the regions

‘We’re currently seeing high levels of interest in the franchise. I think this stems in part from people asking themselves over the last two years what they really want from life. Caci obviously lends itself to urban areas, but Auckland and Wellington aren’t the centre of world, and many of our franchisees want to be in business with a great brand somewhere with a slower pace of life. But that doesn’t mean less profitable – some of our best-performing clinics are outside the main centres.’

Based in New Plymouth herself, Penny is a champion of the regions. ‘During Auckland’s lockdown, I was still able to travel to clinics, and was particularly proud of the resilience of our franchisees – they were able to navigate an ever-changing world, and constantly changing health requirements. The whole Caci team worked very hard to ensure our franchisees were up to date with all the directives and understood their obligations, which meant their clinics could be open within the constraints and their businesses could continue.’

Two investment models

Caci has a number of prime locations available with investment levels from $125,000 +gst. There are two models. The first is the classic, where the franchisee owns the clinic and focuses on customer service and management, employing qualified staff to conduct consultations and treatments. The second model is the mini-clinic for smaller areas, where the nurse or skin therapist also owns and manages the business.

‘If you have a passion and desire to help others, and a good head for business, talk to us about areas,’ Penny invites. ‘Our business development team share a deep understanding of our brand from A to Z, so you can be assured you’ll have all the tools you need to run a highly successful business. Join Alicia in our winning team – call me now.’

Advertiser Info

Caci

www.caci.co.nz/franchising

Contact Penny Chapman

P 0-9-320 2614

franchisesales@fabgroup.co.nz