A BUSINESS BUILT ON CONFIDENCE

Over the past 31 years, Caci has become one of the most trusted names in the skin and appearance industry, famed for providing ‘skin confidence’, within safe and welcoming clinics owned and operated by franchisees across New Zealand.

Jackie Smith, Caci’s founder and Director, says, “From the very beginning in 1994, Caci was never just about skin treatments. It was about helping women feel confident – in their skin, in their choices, and in themselves. That belief has helped shaped everything we’ve built since.

“Confidence shouldn’t stop at the treatment room door – it needs to extend to our day-to-day lives. Creating a pathway for women to grow careers and own successful businesses is just as important to me as the treatments we offer. Confidence is very powerful when it’s shared.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is the number of women Caci has supported into meaningful careers and business ownership. Today we have over 75 clinics nationwide and 25 of them are owned by a franchisee with a background as a beauty therapist or a registered nurse – often having worked at Caci before progressing to become a franchisee.”

A smart step into business ownership

Rhiarna Russell is a classic example of someone who found that working with a proven brand like Caci was able to give her a better start in business. As a shy 24-year-old with just a few years’ experience as a beauty therapist and receptionist, Rhiarna and her hairdresser mother, Denise, took on the Caci Taupō franchise back in 2018. 

Rhiarna says, “With best practice processes in place, the Caci support team made the transition to becoming a franchisee and running our own Caci clinic as easy as it could possibly be. Covid and lockdowns hit us after our first year in business, but again during that uncertain period it never felt overly stressful for us as we had a support team helping us navigate this period.”

She says that working with Caci has provided her with the tools and the opportunity to learn the skills she needed to successfully run a business. “The personal and professional development I’ve experienced over the last seven years is a credit to Caci. The team aren’t ‘breathing down your back’ during day-to-day operations but they set a fool-proof schedule of tasks that need to be completed daily, weekly, monthly etc., and provide guidance and support along the way.”

Challenges overcome with confidence

Theresa McCorkindale, Caci’s General Manager, says that franchisees transition very well into business ownership, largely because they’re never expected to do it alone.

“The most common early challenges tend to be around cashflow confidence, people leadership, and stepping back from ‘doing everything themselves’. That’s where our support team plays a critical role, providing clear financial frameworks, hands-on coaching, and practical tools that help franchisees move from working in the business to working on it.

 “One great example is a franchisee who initially felt overwhelmed by managing rosters, targets, and commercial decision-making. Through structured check-ins, financial reviews, and operational coaching, we helped them strengthen their leadership skills and build confidence in the numbers.”

Why purpose-led businesses outperform in the long run

Few businesses let you build financial security while genuinely changing how people feel about themselves. With its focus on building confidence, Caci is especially appealing to women and values-driven operators. As well as helping clients feel confident in their skin, and offering long-term customer value and loyalty through subscription memberships, Caci franchisees can rely on the financial benefits of repeat relationships rather than focusing on single transactional sales.

Rhiarna says that in Taupō, “We are very much a clinic who like to focus on our clients and our results. Positive vibes create positive results, and this is something we preach daily in our business.”

And Theresa explains how the support team helps franchisees and their staff grow more confident with making successful sales in their clinics. “Our team are passionate about helping customers take care of their skin health. That’s why we don’t approach sales as ‘selling’ – it is more about education, consultation and care. We support franchisees and their team with clear consultation frameworks, pricing structures and our membership options. It’s all about taking pressure out of the conversation about what’s right for the client.

“We also offer ongoing sales capability coaching, reviewing conversion data, refining techniques and helping teams build confidence over time. As a result, even those who initially felt uncomfortable with sales typically grow into it quickly because it’s grounded in expertise and genuine care.”

Confident about making the right choice

Just as franchisees want to make sure their clients are happy with the choices they are making, they also love to get the feedback from their clients that fills them with confidence that their Caci business journey was the right choice.

Rhiarna beams, “We received a lovely card from a long-standing beautiful client who has been fighting (and succeeding!) against bowel cancer this year. We have paused her Caci membership payments and been treating her to the occasional facial regardless. She gives the warmest hugs every time I see her and even though gifting her a facial isn’t huge, I can see it is huge to her – and it makes me emotional also knowing that we are having a positive impact on her life, during some of her darkest days. 

“With almost 600 active members at Caci Taupō, I am proud to say that I still know most of them personally. Up until two years ago I was still working full-time as a skin therapist in the clinic, so I have spent a lot of time getting to know these lovely clients and also them getting to know me on a personal level. I love seeing our clients as I head to and from my office and having them ask questions about my life and my growing family. Our clients have never just been a business transaction – we are all on a journey together.

“Our biggest source of new customers is word of mouth. This makes it very clear that my Caci journey was the right choice. Knowing that our loyal clients advocate for us really does mean the world to me.”

Growing ever more confident lives

And Rhiarna says that she has undergone so many changes in her life since she became a franchisee, “It’s been life changing – I am grateful every day! I went from no car/driving my dad’s vehicle to owning my dream car and from flatting in a one-bedroom unit, to now owning my dream home.

“I am just not the same person I was seven years ago before starting in business with Caci. I understand people management and take pride in being a good employer and giving back a lot to my team. And I now feel so much more confident in all aspects of life – I can stand up for myself but am also understanding and kind.

“The financial skills I have learnt within Caci have helped me manage family trust properties and develop these properties with new commercial buildings – something I would have been terrified and clueless about without these years of experience behind me. 

“Caci franchise ownership has also allowed me to enjoy my next chapter in life as a mother and ‘soon-to-be’ bride. Since my son was born two years ago, I have been very grateful for the work-life balance I have been able to achieve. We have baby number two on the way now, and I feel even more relaxed knowing that the hard work I have put in over the years is all paying off.”

With opportunities available across the country, contact the Caci team today to find out if you too could become a confidently successful Caci business owner.