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Aesthetics sector looking great for franchisee partners

Sarah Stowe

Inside Franchise Business: Laser Clinics AustraliaThe fast-growing aesthetics sector is now an increasingly attractive option for a diverse range of business partners.

Visit a booming skin care and cosmetic clinic in Australia and you are likely to notice a trend – there are more and more husband-and-wife teams, family members and male owners running the business.

This diverse cohort of ambitious investors is being drawn to the aesthetics sector simply because it makes good business sense.

Laser Clinics Australia, a fast-growing leader in the cosmetic treatments and laser hair removal space, has been quick to acknowledge the development and is recruiting more franchisees from different backgrounds.

Diverse franchisees

A case in point is Michael Makris and Vitanos Vitanopoulos, brother-in-law franchisees who own the Southland and Northland clinics, respectively, in Melbourne.

Taking advantage of Makris’s experience in the fitness industry and Vitanopoulos’s management background in the corporate sector, they have a blend of business and client service skills.

“It’s a good balance,” Makris says.

He and Vitanopoulos assessed a range of franchise systems before settling on LCA.

“There are outstanding people in the network and that’s backed up by the quality of the people in the head office in Sydney,” Makris says. “They’ve been extremely good in working with us and supporting us and the LCA brand benefits from a real team effort.”

Since launching in 2008, LCA has opened 80 clinics across Australia and was named the top franchise on SmartCompany’s Smart50 list in 2016. It has prospered on the back of demand for its three key service areas – laser hair removal, cosmetic injectables and skin treatments.

The provision of affordable, accessible and reliable cosmetic treatments has generated significant interest from prospective franchisees – from corporate executives wanting to make a career switch to couples and individuals seeking to run their own small business with the backing of a proven franchisor.

The profile of franchisees is quickly evolving. Mother-and-daughter team Melinda Olive (an experienced beauty industry professional) and Maddison Dargel (an accountant) are opening the Rockhampton clinic in Queensland, and two sisters have recently opened the Cranbourne Park clinic in Melbourne.

Makris and Vitanopoulos are among a growing number of men who are becoming LCA franchisees.

“We were looking for a great business opportunity, not a ‘male’ business opportunity and LCA fits the bill,” Makris says. “Given the strength of the market, we have no doubt that we made the right decision.”

Successful model

General manager Tim Sinclair says LCA is seeking new and motivated franchise partners from a range of experiences to drive the business’s growth across Australia. He believes potential franchisees from all backgrounds will be attracted to three key elements of LCA’s business model: ongoing support in key business areas such as marketing, IT and accounting; an enviable corporate culture; and the prospect of being involved in a growth sector.

“They are elements that any franchisees in any sector should be targeting,” Sinclair says.

“And in terms of the specific training you need to become familiar with the aesthetics industry, well, that’s what our team is here for.”

A factor that has set LCA apart from rivals is a 50-50 partnership structure between head office and its franchisees. This has provided reassurance for franchisees that head office will always support them. Or as Sinclair puts it: “We’re in this together.”

Despite rapid growth of the aesthetics sector across the nation, Sinclair has no doubt that there are still enormous opportunities to expand LCA’s footprint in Victoria and Queensland.

“We are your partner of choice if you are looking for a solid investment in a high-growth industry with an award-winning business.”

Find out more about opportunities with LCA.