Imbalie Beauty embraces change, drives empowerment with new division

Esna Colyn, Imbalie Beauty CEO

The Customer Solutions Division brings salon-quality products to customers in the comfort of their own home, and provides qualified therapists with ongoing education and training to enhance their professional development and equip them to offer unique beauty and wellness solutions to their customers.

According to the company, Colyn and the CSD team recognised that one of the impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown was that women were juggling many balls – from home-schooling and work to managing the home, and many were retrenched during this time. This new initiative was designed to offer new opportunities for these women to re-ignite their passion for beauty and wellness and provide an additional source of revenue during a tough economic climate.

“We had to acknowledge that the marketplace has changed drastically and it was our group’s responsibility to find new ways to enable customers to easily connect and do business with us. This is our way of making a positive change in the world through improvement and empowerment, as well as increasing the esteem of all," says Colyn.

“The Customer Solutions Division gives us the ideal platform to embrace the true spirit of empowerment and change within the beauty and wellness industry in South Africa. I am excited to share that our goal is to nurture and develop a beautiful community of 1,000 women over the next three years. This team vision is our way of making a difference to the South African economy through empowerment, renewed hope, confidence and business success for many that may otherwise not have had such an opportunity," she adds.

Fresh brand collaborations

The Customer Solutions Division is built on three principles: Personalisation, Serving with Heart and being Solution-focused. It offers skills, in-depth product knowledge, training and guidance for budding entrepreneurs.

"The training for a customer solutions expert is solutions-driven, with a 360-degree holistic approach to beauty and wellness. Apart from the 40-year South African legacy behind the group with regard to the premium salon-quality skincare brands, now the basket is also jam-packed with other beauty and wellness brands, through collaboration with ethically-minded partners and supporting locally home-grown brands within the industry, where possible," says the company.

Some of these brands include Bio Sculpture for nail products, Magnesium Café for wellness, Matsimela for body care and imported brands Bronx and MUD for make-up. The result is that all of these premium brands are conveniently available to customers in the comfort of their own home.

The Customer Solutions Division will continue to update its product selection every four months to offer seasonal variety for customers and to allow for new partnership opportunities with brands, provided they meet the quality and ethical standards required by the division – this includes using no harmful ingredients and being against animal testing.

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How to become a CSD expert

"For someone interested in becoming a CSD expert, the first step is attending a detailed info session for both parties to assess if the fit is right. Once a contract has been signed, the entrepreneur receives detailed training that can be completed at their own pace to suit their schedule, through an online digital platform, the iBloom Beauty & Wellness Academy. This Academy will enable them to continually enhance their skills, assisting in greater revenue generation as more modules are added," the company says.

It adds, "Upon completion of the training, they can then begin visiting their own client network and begin earning a good commission. There are minimal startup costs, as unlike with many other companies, the expert is not required to hold any stock, and orders are delivered directly to the customer on their behalf."

The members are further supported through regular meetings,and a WhatsApp community group for motivation and business tips from the head of the division, Elize van Geert.

"For existing salons and salon owners, this initiative has not only helped salons that were closed by giving therapists a new income opportunity, but many salon owners have jumped at the chance to grow their own teams and thus extend their retail business outside of their salon," says Imbalie Beauty.

Elize van Geert comments, “Conducting business with integrity is of extreme importance and we continue to remain loyal to our existing salons, protecting their territory and encouraging referrals for treatments from members of the division.”