WAXIT builds five-year franchise ownership path for staff

South African wax-only specialist WAXIT has established an internal micro-franchise incubation pathway aimed at helping experienced team members progress towards business ownership. The five-year framework brings together mentorship and funding support, addressing the upfront capital barrier that can keep capable operators from becoming owners.

An ownership route within an established network

The programme was described in a Daily Maverick report published on 7 November 2026. WAXIT, founded by Michelle Royston in 2015, operates 49 branches across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape under a traditional franchise model.

Its standard store setup cost is approximately R1.7 million, excluding VAT and working capital. Those exclusions matter: the quoted setup figure is not an all-inclusive measure of the money a prospective owner would need to establish and operate a business.

Royston established the internal pathway in response to the difficulty that steep upfront capital requirements can create for talented operational staff seeking equity ownership. Rather than focusing only on recruiting prospective owners from outside the business, the approach draws on people already working within WAXIT.

For South Africa’s franchising community, the distinctive feature is that the ownership pathway starts with demonstrated performance inside an existing network. It connects staff development with the prospect of business ownership, rather than treating those as entirely separate ambitions.

Five years of preparation and support

The framework spans a structured five-year period. It is directed towards long-serving team members who have demonstrated operational excellence within WAXIT’s internal recognition structure, known as the “Smooth League”.

Participants receive mentorship in financial discipline and operational governance, alongside secured funding support. The combination puts both business management and access to capital at the centre of the pathway.

Financial discipline and operational governance are distinct from proficiency in delivering a customer service. Their inclusion reflects the broader responsibilities involved in moving from an operational role towards ownership: a prospective owner needs to understand not only how a branch works, but also how its finances and management should be overseen.

The five-year structure also distinguishes this initiative from an immediate offer to buy a franchise. It is an incubation pathway for qualifying team members, with preparation forming part of the route towards ownership.

The standard R1.7 million store setup figure should therefore be kept separate from any assessment of an individual participant’s funding requirements. It describes WAXIT’s standard store proposition, not a quoted personal contribution for the internal programme.

Why the capital barrier matters

WAXIT’s approach comes against a wider backdrop of uneven franchise ownership in South Africa. Figures from the Franchise Association of South Africa’s 2023 survey, cited by Daily Maverick, put white ownership of franchised outlets at 57%, black ownership at 18%, Indian ownership at 17% and coloured ownership at 8%.

Those figures provide context for efforts to widen access to ownership; they are not a demographic breakdown of WAXIT’s network or its programme participants.

The practical issue addressed by the WAXIT pathway is narrower and specific: employees can demonstrate operational ability without having the capital required to acquire equity in a business. Recognising their performance does not, on its own, remove that funding obstacle.

By bringing mentorship and funding support into one framework, WAXIT is addressing the preparation and finance questions together. The initiative gives an example of how an established franchise brand can build an internal route towards ownership while continuing to operate a traditional franchise network.

What prospective participants should clarify

For employees considering such a pathway, the important questions concern both access and obligations. They should establish how eligibility is assessed, what each stage of the five-year framework involves and how progress towards ownership is determined.

Funding deserves equally careful attention. Participants should ask about any required personal contribution, repayment obligations, security requirements and the treatment of VAT and working capital. They should also clarify what equity ownership would involve and when it would take effect.

Practical takeaway: WAXIT’s initiative offers a structured route for experienced staff to work towards ownership. Eligible employees should assess the mentorship, funding terms and ownership milestones together before making a commitment.