When Beauty Meets Business – The Success of Melany Viljoen and Tammy Taylor Nails in South Africa

Even more challenging is the idea of setting up a franchising business in this industry, with high barriers to entry and established chains to compete with. What made Melany Viljoen (née Lindeque), Founder and President of Tammy Taylor Nails South Africa, decide to tackle this industry head-on, not only with a chain of nail salons, but with a luxury offering that surpasses all the rest?

“I’ve always had a love and a passion for nails,” explains Melany. “From the age of 16, I was either doing nails or having mine done, and I quickly saw the difference that a professional manicure can make, not only to woman’s appearance, but to her self-esteem. Coupled with a love for business, for empowering women and for making a difference, the nail and beauty industry was a natural fit for me.”

At only 34 years old, Melany’s story is impactful, and an inspiration to businesswomen – and those who aspire to be businesswomen – everywhere. “I always knew I wanted to be in business for myself,” she explains. “I saw from a young age how owning your own business can be empowering for a women, and I knew that was the direction I wanted to take. I wanted to combine this with my passion for nails, so I spent a lot of time researching the best way to go about this.”

It was during 2013 that Melany was researching new and innovative nail techniques when she came across a video of Tammy Taylor teaching nail skills on YouTube. “What I saw intrigued me, and I wanted to learn more,” she says. “I liked Tammy’s way of teaching, and her focus on quality, and I set about contacting her to meet in person. I wanted to see if this was something I could bring to South Africa, and launch on a national scale.”

Melany made a trip to the USA, where Tammy is based, and during her first meeting with the brand icon, she knew this was a brand she identified with. “Tammy has an unwavering focus on the client, something that I identified with immediately,” she explains. “She knows what her clients want, and she makes sure she delivers. Not only does she offer only the highest quality products, but her emphasis on service excellence impressed me, and I knew this was something we had been lacking in South Africa. The high-end of the market was not being served here, and I saw an opportunity to fill that gap with a luxury product that still offered value for money.”

Armed with the sole distributorship for Tammy Taylor in South Africa and the rest of Africa, Melany returned home, confident that the concept would be a success here. “I spent many hours training with Tammy and her global master educator, so that I could bring my skills back and educate others,” she says. “It took a while to establish a salon chain – I first had to establish my own salon and a reputation for the brand. Soon enough, people started to ask me if they could replicate my salon as part of a chain, and the Tammy Taylor Nails South Africa franchise group was born.”

As with any new business, understanding and replicating the franchise model was a steep learning curve, and not without its challenges. “We learned a lot in those first few years, and sometimes the lessons were hard,” says Melany. “But every single lesson made us better – we learned how best to serve our franchisees, and how to help them serve their clients. It made us stronger and more resilient, and helped us build the brand to where it is now.”

With numerous salons around the country, and new franchises opening monthly, where to from here for Melany? “I want every woman to be a Tammy Girl – to have the pleasure of a beautiful set of nails, to indulge in the various salon treatments we offer, and to be treated like the queen that they are. There is plenty of room for growth in our industry, and I’m looking forward to more Tammy Taylor salons opening throughout the country, growing our footprint and our reach. Not only does it benefit our clients, but women business owners have more opportunities to grow their own legacies, with our support and guidance.”