A born entrepreneur and natural leader, Michelle Royston is the epitome of a hardworking, determined woman who goes out and makes things happen!

As both the founder and CEO of the WAXIT franchise and the owner of WAXIT Ballito at the Ballito Lifestyle Centre, Michelle still has big dreams of expanding her business even more.

Founded in 2015, WAXIT is a wax bar for hair removal for women and men, using high-quality products in a discreet, upmarket environment.

The concept was born from Michelle’s own need. “I was looking for the perfect combination of high-quality products, quick service, decent prices and easy bookings without having to wait long for an appointment. I could never find a place that could accommodate me for a wax at the last minute and I realised that I had the solution to a problem faced by many women (and men).”

Since its humble beginnings nine years ago, with the first store in Johannesburg’s Northern suburbs, the WAXIT brand has grown significantly to 26 WAXIT wax bars currently across the country.

While she continues to work incredibly hard to build her business, success, it seems, was always on the cards for Michelle, whose professional career has spanned over 20 years, across three continents.

Born and raised in Johannesburg, Michelle is the youngest of three children. At school, she was an avid dancer, head of the cheerleading squad and a hardworking student.

“I won the Entrepreneur of the Year award in Grade 10. I could never have known back then that this would be the foundation for an exciting career. Both dancing and cheerleading helped lay the groundwork for my understanding of team dynamics, commitment and perseverance later in life,” she says.

Michelle’s career started in the retail clothing industry. She moved to the UK to work at Lillywhites – a sports apparel retail giant in the heart of London – and spent the next seven years working her way up in the business.
Despite a successful career in the UK, Michelle yearned for home and returned in 2010 to take up a senior management role in a new business venture in the VIP corporate guest experience sector.

“Looking back, I can see how each phase of my professional career helped hone my skills and develop my passion for exceptional customer experiences,” she says.

As both the franchisee and owner of the Ballito WAXIT store, Michelle says the rapid growth in KZN has meant that this is one of her top-performing stores in the country, regardless of the season.

“The Ballito Lifestyle Centre has been a great partner for WAXIT. The beautiful centre aligns perfectly with our brand and its contemporary style is an ideal match, attracting a discerning clientele.”

She says the Ballito WAXIT wax bar has a wide range of customers, including men, women and teens who are looking for a gender-neutral environment to wax.

Always looking to grow and expand the business, Michelle says there are exciting things on the cards for WAXIT in the future. “We have plans for nationwide expansion and hope to have 50 wax bars by 2025! My goal is for WAXIT to be the most sought-after franchise in our industry, known for attracting like-minded entrepreneurs who want to invest in the brand and develop successful businesses.”