Meet Sepi: one of the masterminds behind N.Bar’s expansion

Sepi Saldjoughi, head of global franchising, was attracted to N.Bar long before she became involved in the business. Here, she explains what makes the brand tick

N.Bar aims to give people moments of calm in the busy-ness of life to improve their wellbeing so they can focus on what’s right for their future. Something which global head of franchising, Sepi Saldjoughi has experienced, and wants to help others discover - especially when they choose to open their own N.Bar Salon.

Sepi has been working for The Grooming Company Holding for more than seven years, and has been loyal to N.Bar since it first opened 23 years ago. She’s focused on strategically expanding the brand, using her 20+ years’ experience in leading organisations to expand. The value for potential franchisees is knowing: the bigger the network, the better the opportunities for your business.

Before joining The Grooming Company, Sepi had worked with various start-ups: “I have 24 years of experience, across leading multinational organisations in MENA and Europe,” she explains.

“So, have extensive experience in organisational transformations, franchising, strategic HR, and mergers and acquisition. I’ve helped businesses transform from both operational and strategic viewpoints – something most businesses desire, but don’t always know how to achieve.”

Building loyalty through truly personal experiences

When N.Bar opened their first salon in 2000, in Palm Strip, Sepi was one of the first through the doors. She wanted to see the experience that founder Negin Fattahi-Dasmal had created for her clients.

“N.Bar was the first nail spa salon of its kind to open in the region. It had such an attractive presence in a beautiful location, with hygiene a huge factor, and was unlike any other salon I’d ever been to. The team was so well trained it didn’t matter who did my nails, they were all excellent. It felt so wonderful, I wanted to experience this feeling time-and-time again, so I’ve been a diehard fan ever since.”

Knowing clients appreciate this sense of uninterrupted calm, brings deep fulfilment and, over time, loyal fans. As such, the brand believes it has established global brand loyalty, so franchisees can benefit from localised success.

From client to growth partner

So, how did Sepi go from being a lover of the brand, to working for the Holding Company who own it?

“I love hearing people’s ambitions, and working out how I can help them achieve their goals,” says Sepi. “Around seven years ago, Negin called, asking me to help her set-up a system to support the expansion of the brand, as they transitioned from a family-owned SME to an international corporate enterprise. When The Grooming Company bought N.Bar, it was a no-brainer for them to keep me on… for all their brands.”

Having been with N.Bar for so long Sepi knows what sets the business apart. She’s determined to ensure her franchise network benefit from this inside-knowledge, as they expand in the UK. 

Strategic growth insight for you

When you invest in an N.Bar franchise, you have the value of Sepi’s expertise beside you.

“I’ve never lost my passion for N.Bar, nor for inspiring business owners to look strategically at how to grow,” Sepi explains.

“With every new franchise partner, I’m there from day one, communicating constantly. I may not be involved in the day-to-day operations – we have a support team in the UK: Jody Macmillan, our UK business development manager, and Silvana Kopani, our franchise operations manager, who are absolutely brilliant at guiding our franchisees. I am, however, involved in other ways, such as giving insight in how each franchisee can run an effective business, and maximise efficiencies to achieve maximum profitability.”

Sepi wants every franchisee to experience the joy of a business which is doing well and, as you become more established, to enjoy business growth at every stage of your franchise journey.

Love N.Bar for yourself

To ensure the N.Bar franchise works for franchisees, Sepi is committed to empowering potential investors in running a successful business by maximising your profitable efficiencies early on. She is so passionate about the brand, she says she can’t live with it. So, if she ever moves back home to Sweden, she would invest in her own franchise – so she can continue to build moments of calm into her working week.