Revealing success via beauty franchise

Rakhi Sawant, a name to identify with in today’s show biz, has successfully forayed into the beauty business by launching her own beauty salon. In an exclusive interview, Rakhi Sawant, Owner and Promoter, Rakhi Sawant Beauty Lounge shares the franchise ventures of the company.

Abha Garyali (AG): What was the idea behind the inception of Rakhi Sawant’s Beauty Lounge? Why did you adopt the franchise route for expansion?

Rakhi Sawant (RS): The main reason behind starting Rakhi Sawant’s Beauty Lounge is to offer every Indian woman the opportunity to look beautiful and attractive. I want to fulfill the desire of every woman to look beautiful. By adopting the franchise route, my mission is to reach out to the Indian masses in a better and faster way. Moreover via franchising, my main motto is to share my beauty secrets with every woman across the country. Therefore our tag line is ‘Aap, Main… aur Sunderta ka Raz!’

AG: How has been the journey of Rakhi Sawant’s Beauty Lounge so far? What is its USP?

RS: Here I would like to highlight that we advertised in Dainik Jagran in UP to invite aspiring entrepreneurs to partner with us for expansion of the brand and you will be amazed to know that we got 600 applications from franchise seekers by just one advertisement. This gives a clear idea about our success so far. The work and services offered in my salon is my main USP.

AG: What can you foretell about the success of the brand in India?

RS: It is only God who can foretell about success. From our end we will try our best to make the brand a huge success.

AG: How many centres do you have at present? What are the future target locations for your expansion?

RS: The brand was started with only one salon located at Lokhandwala, Andheri. But by the end of this financial year, I hope to have more than 50 salons. The target location is pan India.

AG: What kind of training and support a franchisee would get when partnering with Rakhi Sawant’s Beauty Lounge?

RS: We have taken help from a professional company named ‘Showker Raz’ which is in the beauty business for last 20 years.  It would take care of:

• Investment strengths that will fund the growth of the business
• Technological strengths that will provide the latest equipments used in salons
• Management strengths that will design the business comparable to global standards
• Logistics strengths to standardise products and services and provide training to franchisees
• Marketing strengths to implement national and local advertising and promotion plans, with the objective of creating and accelerating demand

AG: What kind of background is necessary for securing a franchise of Rakhi Sawant’s Beauty Lounge? What is the minimum investment for acquiring a franchise?

RS: As far as, eligibility criteria is concerned we are seeking for franchisees who have the following qualities:

• Smart – not in looks but in business
• Honest in business
• Having retail space of 1,000sq. ft for customers
• Having good taste for sore interiors and image
• Having passion for excellent service – specially to women
• Ambitious to grow business

The franchisees need to have an initial investment of Rs 25 lakh for the business.