What started as a dream with very modest means has grown into a thriving business and home for two Windhoek born women. From humble beginnings washing hair in the bathroom of her mother’s home, Chantelle Fourie, the hair styling specialist, and Zionne Johr, the skin, make-up and nails extraordinaire, formed the foundation of their niche. Today, when you step through the doors of Scizzorz Edge Hair and Beauty, your every beauty need is met. Whether you’ve stopped in for a chic hair style, a facial that leaves your skin glowing or a ‘Tan on the Run’, natural spray tan that will have people thinking you’ve been in Greece for a month, Scizzorz Edge Hair and Beauty pride themselves in delivering the very best in service to their clients, a formula that is working.
“We actually started in the middle of my mom’s living room, with only a washbasin. We struggled, we literally started from the bottom and had to build our way up.”
“We started at home.” Explains Chantelle, “We actually started in the middle of my Moms living room, with only a washbasin.” Zionne explains that their start was hard, “We struggled, we literally started from the bottom and had to build our way up.”
With hard work and determination, Zionne and Chantelle grew their business. “We would advertise our services on Facebook and our clients would tell their friends about us. For two years we just focused on building our clients and then one day we heard about a place opening up for rent in the Auas Valley Shopping Mall. We were so nervous about how we were going to pay rent but we knew this was the next step and where we needed to take the business. We did everything ourselves to get the new space ready, even painted the walls ourselves” says Zionne.
The passion of these two women is evident, right down to the smallest detail of the client experience is considered. Through continued training and a vast range of exclusive products, Scizzorz Edge Hair and Beauty offers customers variety and quality, as was the plan when they opened their doors in 2014.
Continually growing their art is part of what makes this salon stand out. ‘It matters.” Explains Zionne, “It has mattered since day one for us. How it’s done matters to us. Sometimes our staff get annoyed with us but we are perfectionists.” To keep their offering at the level which they feel proud of, requires constant learning explains Chantelle, “We practice on one another’s hair for example, to make sure we keep the standards high and that a client never walks out of here with broken or brittle hair. We never want a client to be disappointed and that’s the standard we want to keep. Here it matters”
“Sometimes we struggle with our staff when they arrive here, because they often come from another salon with a very low self-esteem. It takes time to build that up again but we are a great team.”
Zionne notes that part of what sets them apart is that they believe in building their staff up, rather than breaking them down. “Sometimes we struggle with our staff when they arrive here, because they often come from another salon with a very low self-esteem. It takes time to build that up again but we are a great team.”
When asked what the difference is in the experience of their salon, Zionne explains, “I think we give people of a different side of hair and beauty. The fun side. The music is loud here, you have freedom to talk and laugh. So often salons are so quiet and stiff, it’s not like that here, here you can be yourself and that’s what we wanted.”
“It’s a place where you can feel at home, sometimes we have clients who sing along out loud to the music while we’re doing their hair.” Says Chantelle.
“It’s still fun. It’s fun to come to work, the girls love it too, often nobody wants to go home because we are like a family now. If one has a problem, we all jump in to help, and we wouldn’t be able to do it without these women.”
“It’s still fun,” says Zionne, “It’s fun to come to work, the girls love it too, often nobody wants to go home because we are like a family now. If one has a problem, we all jump in to help, and we wouldn’t be able to do it without these women.”
When asked what they have learnt that they could share with other business owners Zionne says, “We actually drew the salon on a piece of paper about five years ago, we still have that piece of paper. Chantelle taught me that; that if you have a dream you need to write it down.”
“Another thing we’ve learnt is to expect the unexpected, be very attentive to your staff and your clients.”
“Another thing we’ve learnt is to expect the unexpected, be very attentive to your staff and your clients.” Says Chantelle. “And don’t forget where you come from, stay humble.” Adds Zionne.
For styling of all hair types, professional and salon products, free skin analysis and professional skin treatments using the latest international techniques, Scizzorz Edge Hair and Beauty can be found in the Auas Valley Shopping Mall or through their Facebook page by clicking here.
Also the only salon to offer the all natural, plant based and tartrazine free, Tan on the Run, spray tan, you can get in touch with Scizzorz Edge Hair and Beauty by calling (061) 223 748