A comprehensive, genderspecific facility

gender -specific A COMPREHENSIVE, FACILITY

JOANNA STERKOWICZ speaks to KYM STAFFORD, owner of Dolce Vita Beauty Centre in Randpark Ridge, about how her business model of an exclusive ladies only spa that offers aesthetic treatments and hairdressing services has clearly paid off. t age 29, Kym Stafford is fairly young to be the owner a spa business but credits this to an entrepreneurial mind set and identifying A a gap in the market for a one-stopshop ladies only salon and spa.

“When the opportunity arose to open my own beauty business,

I grabbed it with both hands and never looked back,” she says.

“Originally, when Dolce Vita Beauty

Centre first opened in August 2012 in Greenside, Johannesburg, we rented a small space from a busy hair salon where we concentrated on skin and body treatments. After about three years, we had built up our clientele and needed to expand, so I went on the search to find the right property to invest in, where we would have enough space to expand and create our one-stopshop. When we moved to Randpark

Ridge to our own premises with the help of my amazing and handy husband, we added our very own hair salon and spa facilities.

“I happened to find this property by chance while on a Sunday drive in the area and it had an energy that I loved and although it needed a lot of work, I saw the potential of what it could become. This potential aligned completely with my #dolcevision.”

Stafford, who works in the spa alongside her mom, Lynn Wagner, notes that there are many other spas and therapists operating from home in the Randpark Ridge area, many of who she knows and is friends with.

“We are a community of likeminded professionals with a passion for our amazing industry so we support and refer each other. I believe the best place for business is right next to your competitor,” she comments.

Not the unisex route

Because Stafford has always wanted to make women feel

At this stage, if COVID has taught me anything, it’s to appreciate everything you do have, to keep your chin up, take life day by day, and to keep pushing, no matter what comes your way. Hard work will always pay off.

empowered and fully comfortable, confidant and safe in her spa environment, she decided to go with a ladies only policy. This means that every client can feel relaxed at all times, whether they are in the outdoor pool, or lounging in a bikini on the sun deck, or just not wanting to get dressed up or wear make-up to attend their spa bookings.

Stafford continues: “I also have a silent partner in the business who, due to religious reasons, couldn’t attend unisex spas because a woman and a man who are not married cannot be naked under the same roof. It got me thinking as to how many other women out there are experiencing the same problem. They all are missing out on the pampering they deserve and now Dolce Vita is one of the few ‘ladies only spas’ in Johannesburg where women can feel safe, no matter what their religion or body insecurities.”

Fully booked

Prior to the COVID-19 national lockdown, Dolce Vita was fully booked. Stafford attributes this to the fact that she and her team love and respect their clients.

She continues: “We invest time in our regular clients and in return, they grow our business through referrals. Our team provides them with a comfortable environment where they feel safe and at home. We always strive to deliver the best results and consistency in the most relaxing way possible. >

“Our mission is to always keep improving and to stay up to date with the latest industry trends so as to provide the best service possible. At this stage, if COVID has taught me anything, it’s to appreciate everything you do have, to keep your chin up, take life day by day, and to keep pushing, no matter what comes your way. Hard work will always pay off.”

Facilities

Dolce Vita has seven treatment rooms, an outdoor pool, a Jacuzzi, and a wooden sauna cabin. Normally (i.e. not during a pandemic), seasonal use of the facilities is complimentary with all spa packages.

Says Stafford: “We’ve found that clients love the extra relaxation of using the spa facilities with their friends, especially when we host spa days. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and our commitment to flatten the curve, we have closed our spa facilities until further notice. We are also not taking any bookings for events or groups at the moment for the same reason.

“As much as I am obsessed with our industry, I realised that it is impossible for me to do all treatments myself and be the best at every single one and that’s why we have the #dolceteam that we do. At the moment, I employ four full-time therapists and three amazing hair stylists.”

According to Stafford, clients love the convenience of popping into the Dolce Hair Salon to fix ‘their crazy post facial treatment or post massage hair’. The salon offers wash & blow dry services, hair treatments, tinting, highlights, toning, hair extensions and styling.

Aesthetics

The Dolce Vita treatment menu includes a wide variety of aesthetic treatments for clients to choose from. This includes both chemical and herbal peels, IPL (Intense Pulsed Light), dermaplaning, permanent makeup, plasma tightening, collagen induction microneedling, laser lipo, lip injections, nutritional plans, weight-loss coaching and supplements.

Retail

Stafford believes in the power of great homecare and therefore stocks a wide range of skin and body products to help clients achieve the best results possible and enhance their in spa/ salon treatments.

Therapists receive retail and product knowledge training on a regular basis to help them prescribe the best homecare for their client’s specific concerns.

Post lockdown

Stafford and her team came back to the spa in the last week of June to prepare for reopening on 1 July. This included completing the mandatory workplace risk assessment, implementing new COVID-19 protocols and training all staff on new SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures).

She continues: “I think we’ve had a very strong reopening considering that it was still winter and that we are still in the pandemic situation. It has certainly not been ‘normal’, but with the help of our clients and our voluntary COVID care charge that many have been adding to their service, we are slowly but surely catching up on all the extra expenses we are facing.

“We have reduced our ‘fully booked capacity’ per day to allow for the extra measures we have put in place to be completed between each session, as well as to allow for social distancing.”

The spa has seen a rise in cancellations and rescheduling due to some clients experiencing flu-like symptoms and having to isolate. Staff and shifts have to be juggled if any of the team feel they have flu-like symptoms.

“A big challenge is dealing with the increase in anxiety and depression, not only from the client perspective but also from my staff,” comments Stafford. “We have implemented a staff wellness plan to help them combat this problem and also to keep their energy, health and morale up during this time. Training and adapting to new protocols takes place on a weekly basis. We’ve had to learn to manage our appointment book differently to allow for the best social distancing possible.

“In general, the hardest thing for me personally to adapt to is the social distancing itself. We are in this industry because we love people and we make changes through touch. Therefore it is against my nature not to greet my clients with a hug, especially after not seeing them for three to four months.” PB

Talking to… Ursula Volbrecht

JOANNA STERKOWICZ speaks to URSULA VOLBRECHT, managing director of DermaFix Cosmeceutical Skin Care, about the brand’s longevity, running a family business, and dealing with the market challenges caused by COVID-19

Along with Rosalie Neto and Dave Neto, you launched DermaFix Cosmeceutical Skin Care in 2004. How has the industry changed since then?

We find the industry to be a lot more competitive, with the fact that doctors are employing somatologists and beauty therapists having changed the industry. This prompted DermaFix to identify consumer needs and the characteristics of active ingredients used that deliver against such needs.

How did the COVID-19 national lockdown affect your business? Did you stay in touch with your stockists?

Increasing our communication was key to keep stockists motivated and informed. We embraced technological developments, which allowed us to host webinar training sessions to great success.

How is business looking now that salons are allowed to operate again?

Retailing has become a key focal point for many stockists, as some consumers are still hesitant to have treatments. The industry remains cautious but optimistic.

What was your background prior to launching DermaFix?

My mother, Rosalie Neto, has been in the industry since 1967, which lead me to naturally progress into skincare. Starting off assisting in-clinic, I later moved into more of an operational role alongside leading international brands namely, Dermalogica, Mattioli Engineering Italy, NV Perricone and Danné Montague-King, gaining invaluable knowledge in every aspect of running a successful skincare business.

What made you and Rosalie and Dave Neto want to launch your own cosmeceutical skincare brand?

Rosalie spent a year in the USA working with the late Dr James E. Fulton, who co-developed Retin-A with the late Dr Albert Kligman, and imported and distributed Dr Fulton’s brand into the South African market. Due to the expense and accessibility of importing a finished product, we identified a gap in the market for an affordable yet effective skincare brand and, as a result, DermaFix Cosmeceutical Skin Care was born.

What are the advantages of running a family-owned business?

We three individuals combined our entrepreneurial spirits and pooled many years of collective experience. Like-mindedness and a common ground are the foundation on which the DermaFix brand has been established, a business that I can proudly say is defined by an absolute passion for the skincare industry.

Please define cosmeceutical skincare as opposed to regular skincare.

Cosmeceutical products make use of various active ingredients and unique delivery methods that allow for improved penetration of product through the epidermis, targeting the deeper dermal layer to improve cellular health and function.

How does your MD Prescriptives brand fit in with the DermaFix offering?

In 2014, DermaFix Cosmeceutical Skin Care expanded on its retail range to include the MD Prescriptives products. These are physician strength formulations which are based on sound science and technology (i.e. a scientific approach to skincare). A variety of ingredients are found within the MD Prescriptives product range that offer corrective results for various skincare concerns, such as ageing, hyperpigmentation and acne. The MD Prescriptives products are formulated with high quality active ingredients and serve as a prescription booster to your already existing DermaFix regime.

What has been the secret to the longevity of the DermaFix brand?

Our commitment to uplift the industry through education and innovative products, protocols and modalities is a driving force behind the growth of DermaFix. Results have become synonymous with the DermaFix brand.

Is there such a thing as a ‘hero’ DermaFix product?

DermaFix DermaBright set us apart from our competitors, being the first South African brand to utilise Mandelic Acid in 2006. This paved the way for the formulation of many other DermaFix hero products.

Does being a local brand allow you to offer a cost advantage to salons?

I believe that our consistent pricing and reliable stock levels have an advantage over fully imported brands.

Is there a set number of new products that you launch each year?

Our aim is to grow our brand with no set number of products launched each year, but rather based on the needs and emerging trends of the market.

What are some of the most innovative technologies that you’ve included in your formulations?

DNA Protection Biofunctional Telomere Science, various peptides, stem cells, and the more recent inclusion of Cylasphere® Retinol, as well as CBD Cannabidiol (organically grown Swiss cannabis), to name a few.

How do you support your stockists?

By offering free incentives for products sold, annual events, up to date training, in store promotions and monthly product promotions.

How does your online store work?

Our online portal mainly services the consumer in outer lying areas where DermaFix stockists are inaccessible. We have recently included the option for consumers to select their preferred DermaFix clinic, allowing our stockists to draw benefit from our online platform.

Which countries do you export to?

We export into many Africa countries and have a strong Australian presence.

What is your policy regarding the testing of products on animals?

The movement away from utilising animal tested products and ingredients is fast becoming a nonnegotiable factor for consumers and ethical skincare companies alike. Abuse and suffering of animals is no longer permitted in many countries around the world, which strive to offer humane, non-animal alternatives to replace cruel and harmful practices. Nature identical products and ingredients are synthesised to mimic the benefits of the natural alternatives, benefiting both the skin and the environment. DermaFix Cosmeceutical Skin Care makes use of this concept in the production of our skincare products, ensuring no animals are harmed or abused during the production and testing process.

What are your plans for the future?

To grow and expand responsibly, both locally and offshore. PB