Kafy Karam: The Business Manager, Accountant and Beautician
Kafy Karam is the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of Alé Beaute Clinic. Having made a success of her trade as a beauty specialist, ranging from cosmetic teeth whitening, aesthetics and laser expert, Karam in this interview with Nume Ekeghe, shares her experience as a practicing beautician and her entrepreneurial journey
Can you tell us about Alé Beaute Clinic and all the services you render?
My name is Kafy Karam. I am a graduate of Business Management from the University of Hull. I have practical training in PTAP (Practical Training in Accountancy and Payroll) and I worked previously with Barclays Card when I lived in the UK and when I moved to Nigeria, I worked at the National Assembly and in a foremost event company before I stepped out to start my own event business. I did events planning and decor for a couple of years before I proceeded to get trained as a cosmetic teeth whitening specialist, aesthetician and laser expert in United Kingdom, United States and Lebanon.
Alé Beaute is a beauty clinic that offers the latest in non invasive, non surgical beauty treatments like; advanced laser teeth whitening, pressotherapy, which is an exclusive detoxifying treatment that encourages lymphatic drainage and flushes the body of accumulated toxins and broken fat cells, while also enhancing the skin tone), 3D slimming (Ultrasonic cavitation) which is a body contouring and that fat melting treatment. We also do radio frequency super skin-tightening and many more.
What inspired you to start?
My journey into the laser industry started with my obsession of having white teeth when I was much younger. I had my teeth whitened in London at a great expense. When I moved to Nigeria, I was looking around for where I could get the treatment again and saw that the market was virtually non-existent and the services available were not great. I then had the idea to start up my own business but as is the case with a lot of new businesses, I had the problem of capital. I worked at it anyway and eventually, I was able to procure some of the machinery and other paraphernalia I needed and Ale Beaute was born.
Where is your business situated and who are your clients?
My business is located in the heart of Lekki Phase 1, on Emma Abimbola Cole Street. As to who my clients are, they vary. I have gotten most of my clientele off Instagram mainly. My services have attracted models, celebrities, actresses, make up artists, media personalities and other fashion and beauty enthusiasts. Each know first hand that having the perfect white teeth, beautiful skin and looking healthy without the need of surgery or other invasive method is the definitive aesthetic element to complete their look and bestow everlasting confidence .
Did you have to undergo training and certification to render your services?
I had to undergo training for all the treatments we offer and I’ve been certified by AW3, Zemits, Hollywood Whitening and Zoom Whitening.
How do you ensure your customers are getting the best of your services and value for money spent?
As no two people are the same, we tailor the treatments to suit the customers’ particular needs and help them to achieve their desired results. Ale Beaute isn’t a one size fits all. We take our time to understand each client and ensure top-notch delivery of the service we promote.
How do you maintain your equipment and the general environment used for treatment? Do you have well-trained machinery personnel?
We operate to the highest possible standard of hygiene and cleanliness. We clean and disinfect the equipment and beauty beds after every treatment so that there is no overlap of clients. Once a client’s treatment is over, we move in to clean the machines and sterilise other equipment before another client is brought in for a treatment. We aim to ensure that the clients are not worried about cross-contamination from previous use. Our personnel are well-trained in the use and maintenance of every piece of equipment we utilise for treatments.
What are your major challenges you face as a business owner?
Our challenge at the beginning was gaining people’s trust to show that the process actually worked. The ongoing challenge we face is the fact that we are Lagos-based so dealing with clients outside of Lagos is an issue. We do try to ensure that when clients come into Lagos for their treatments, they are attended to in a timely manner so they keep coming back.
What separates your service from others in town?
As with a lot of procedures, teeth whitening and non-surgical procedures can be dangerous if it is not done by a well-trained, experienced professional. We only use cutting-edge aesthetic technology, dentist and dermatologist approved products to ensure the quality of all our treatments - meaning they are safe and harmless to the teeth and body. Nobody wants to run the risk of further jeopardizing their selves so we ensure that the products as well as service are 100 per cent guaranteed tested and true by countless people the world over.
How do you provide services to customers who may not be able to afford some of your treatments?
We try to keep the products and services affordable so that everyone can come in and get treatment.
However, we also have other product options such as home teeth whitening kits, activated charcoal, whitening tooth paste, and whitening wipes as well as slimming products.
Any plans to expand to offer more beauty services?
We are looking to expanding so that we can take the business nationwide in order to deal with clients around the country.
We’re also looking into launching some new product ranges to satisfy customers’ various needs.
Alé Beaute is a beauty clinic that offers the latest in non invasive, non surgical beauty treatments like; advanced laser teeth whitening, pressotherapy, which is an exclusive detoxifying treatment that encourages lymphatic drainage and flushes the body of accumulated toxins and broken fat cells, while also enhancing the skin tone), 3D slimming (Ultrasonic cavitation) which is a body contouring and that fat melting treatment. We also do radio frequency super skintightening and many more