Victorian mums Nichola Kempenaar and Amalia Georgoulos, are not your average business owners.
Having previously worked as a brand manager in the beauty industry for 16 years, Nichola met Amalia, a pharmacist by trade, for the first time when taking their children to school.
Knowing the stay at home mum life was not for them, they decided it was time for a change.
“Other school mums were chatting about muffins, recipes, and what they were doing with their time, and that’s when Amalia and I turned to each other and decided that particular lifestyle wasn’t for us,” Nichola said.
Nichola has a marketing background and a degree in business management, while Amalia has a bachelor in pharmacy, which they felt equipped them well to become business partners in an Australian Skin Clinics franchise.
“We started looking for a business together, but we were looking for a company with a five to 10 year plan, not simply the near future, and only Australian Skin Clinics had this plan in place,” Nichola said.
“The beauty industry is rapidly changing and Australian Skin Clinics has adapted to cater to the growing needs of consumers, with a strong focus on forward momentum and company progression.
“Australian Skin Clinics was a step in the right direction for us as they carefully consider the treatments they are offering and ensure they are of the highest technical quality whilst still being affordable and accessible.”
Nichola and Amalia joined Australian Skin Clinics in 2013 when they opened their first clinic in Chadstone, with the Highpoint clinic opening not long after.
Recently, Nichola and Amalia’s Chadstone clinic was awarded Clinic of the Year at the Australian Skin Clinics National Conference.
“We became Clinic of the Year due to the work our team puts in. Our staff members are so loyal and show so much passion for our industry,” Nichola said.
“Being a part of a fast-paced industry posed a number of challenges early on such as maintaining great communication within our team and upholding a level of organisation, while trying to keep our heads above water.”
Due to the commitment from their staff members as well as the strong and well-organised business model of Australian Skin Clinics, Nichola and Amalia were able to overcome these challenges.
“By employing committed and service driven staff members, we have been able to bring more clients through the door and expand immensely with the introduction of a third laser machine, and the employment of a receptionist and a business manager,” Nichola said.
“Being number the one store, in terms of sales, for eight months running is another element that has led to us winning clinic of the year.
“Being mums with aspirations to run clinics in the beauty industry, we have successfully juggled parenting while managing two extremely successful operations with 25 staff between the clinics, which is a massive achievement.”
Moving forward, Nichola and Amalia hope to open a third location in Chadstone shopping centre in 2016, which is undergoing a major redevelopment.
“Chadstone is the perfect market to develop the Australian Skin Clinics brand as more customers are becoming interested in the level of care and treatments we provide,” Nichola said.