No regrets: Franck Provost franchisee Raphaele Reponty

Sarah Stowe

Raphaele Reponty has 12 years of franchising industry experience, and opened her Franck Provost salon in the Sydney suburb of Manly two years ago. 

She is clearly a fan of the franchising model, and believes it is a particularly viable option when investing in an international brand.

“I think that’s [franchising] the best and safest way to develop a French brand in a foreign country,” Raphaele says.

A desire to work in the services industry prompted Raphaele to invest in Franck Provost.

“It was the perfect time to develop an international hair brand in Australia and I believed in their project and success,” she adds.

Staff turnover is a constant challenge for the business, and as a sole franchisee, Raphaele is often required to work long hours.

“The staff recruitment is so difficult in this industry and there is lots of turnover. I spend too many hours in the salon but you need to be there when you start a business.

“My husband helps as much as he can when he is not working,” she adds.

Raphaele is not a qualified hairdresser and relied on the team at Franck Provost to provide her with the appropriate training and support.

“[They helped] a lot! I am not a hairdresser so I had to learn everything from scratch. Regarding the franchise and the management of the brand I was already used to it,” she says.

She raises the profile of her salon in two key ways: “I am an ambassador number one of the French touch: Chic beauty natural, and through hard work.”

Looking to the future, Raphaele hopes to see the salon develop a strong customer base and to recruit a stable team of employees.

Is Raphaele happy she decided to invest in the Franck Provost brand? “It is a choice I’ve made long time ago with no regrets,” she explains.