Katie du Fall was thrilled to swap a busy corporate career for family time with two young children; however, after four years she was itching to do something for herself.

“I used to work in marketing, sales and brand strategy for well-known New Zealand brands including Burger Fuel and Stolen Rum (which I helped launch into Australia and the US).

“I had travelled a lot in my job, and lived and breathed my career; it required 150 per cent effort, 150 per cent of the time.

“Given our family situation and my husband’s career in supply and logistics, I knew I couldn’t go back to that lifestyle. I needed flexibility to create my own path and control my life.”

Brainstorming with her husband Jonti, Katie started thinking about the cosmetic market. Through a friend they were introduced to Laser Clinics New Zealand (LCNZ). The chain offers laser hair removal, skin treatments and cosmetic injectables.

Business start-up challenges

“We talked in depth with her about the brand, and she explained the model and what it offered her as a franchisee. I had intended to start my own business but what we heard made sense for us. We liked that the franchise offers flexibility, support and a framework to operate within.

“She put us in touch with the team to talk about the potential for the New Zealand market. Once we learned more about the model we were convinced it would suit us.”

After making the decision to buy a franchise, the couple fast-tracked the site selection and opening process to take advantage of a prime spot already available in Auckland.

“Within months we had opened in Sylvia Park, New Zealand’s largest shopping centre,” says Katie.

That was June 2021. Six weeks later the clinic was closed for three months under Covid lockdown. It was a tough start to the business, she admits.

“But given everything in our first two years – Covid lockdowns, the normal opening challenges and a very challenging 18 months of inflation, when discretionary spending plummeted – we have exceeded expectations. Pleasingly, we are on track for our  forecasted business results.”

Outside the macro-economic factors affecting business, Katie says developing her leadership skills has been the greatest challenge.

Laser Clinic New Zealand support

“Jonti coached and mentored me on working with people to get the best out of them. I now spend most of my time on my staff’s professional development. It is important to appreciate what people want out of their lives, and that we understand each other’s values.”

Katie praises the numerous opportunities through LCNZ for her team of 11 to develop their skill set and knowledge, whether that’s an in-house course or a supplier training session.

“Any opportunity that LCNZ offers for training or resources, I’ll jump at it!” she says.

“The franchisor support is massively important to me. I made a conscious choice to lean in; people underestimate that conscious choice. Of course there are some things I might change, but I’ve chosen a franchise and I’m working within a framework.

“So every opportunity the franchisor presents I grab. I believe in utilising and leveraging the people in the business – and there are some very smart people at LCA. Otherwise I’m not taking advantage of the franchise relationship,” she says.

“My manager and I attended the Australasia conference, and my therapist was flown over to attend the gala evening where she won the NZ Therapist of the Year 2023 award.

“Those opportunities are wonderful for recognition and are so inspiring to the wider group. The conference is great for networking too, it is so important to access all parts of business and get different perspectives.”

On top of her day-to-day running of the business and staff development, Katie works on her growth strategy.

Revenue potential, growth strategy

There is plenty of potential to boost revenue at the clinic, she points out. The initial plan is to open up additional rooms to treatments to optimise capacity.

Beyond this, she would in time consider a second clinic if the right site came up, she says.

For now, Katie has achieved the flexibility she sought, working flexible days and times each week in the clinic. And she’s harnessed her skill set too.

“The brands I worked for previously emphasised the importance of experience and emotion attached to the product so I have always had a strong philosophy and belief that brand and product can affect how people feel.”

She has taken that expertise and applied it to building her clinic’s client experience.

“We are in the aesthetics business so it’s key,” she says.

LCNZ’s framework has enabled her to concentrate on her strengths and rely on the impressive expertise in the franchisor team in other areas.

“It’s valuable, and a huge time saver, having access to HR and payroll experts who make sure employment law is navigated properly. We don’t have to build our own booking or PoS system. If I started my own business, I would have had to learn so much, or not do it well.

“I’ve managed to put my skills and strengths to use where they are most beneficial. Watching my team grow, and opening doors to them that wouldn’t exist if we were not part of a global network, is really cool.”