Beauty brand WAXIT has launched its first micro-franchise store at Mall of the South in Johannesburg, introducing a new ownership model designed to help employees transition into business owners.
The pilot store is now co-owned by two long-serving WAXIT team members, Thuli Ngwenya and Precious Matabane, who collectively spent more than a decade building their careers within the company before stepping into ownership.
From Employees to Entrepreneurs
Thuli joined WAXIT 11 years ago as a WAXITologist and steadily rose through the ranks. Today, she leads the brand’s accredited training centre, playing a key role in shaping the next generation of beauty professionals within the business.
Precious began her journey as a receptionist and progressed into a national quality assurance role, gaining operational and brand oversight experience across the company’s footprint. Their transition into co-owners marks a significant milestone — not only personally, but for the brand’s broader empowerment strategy.
A Five-Year Incubation Model
Founder Michelle Royston says the goal is to create structured ownership pathways from within the company through a five-year incubation model. The programme combines funding support, mentorship and operational training before full ownership is realised.
This approach aims to reduce the risks traditionally associated with entrepreneurship by equipping future owners with hands-on experience, financial backing and the support of an established brand. By formalising the path from employment to equity, WAXIT is testing a scalable framework that could reshape how growth and empowerment intersect in the beauty industry.
Micro-Franchising and Women in Business
In South Africa, where women own only about 22% of formal businesses, micro-franchising is increasingly being explored as a way to lower barriers to entrepreneurship. The model combines the credibility and systems of an established brand with the opportunity for individuals to build equity and long-term wealth.
By enabling employees to move from operational roles into ownership, WAXIT’s pilot speaks to a broader conversation around SME development, inclusive growth and sustainable empowerment. If successful, the model could provide a replicable blueprint for other businesses seeking to invest in talent from within.
As the Mall of the South store begins trading under its new ownership structure, the initiative will be closely watched as a case study in how corporate incubation can translate into meaningful economic participation for women in South Africa.
