D-Uñas has never stopped growing; Neither the crisis, nor the coronavirus, nor those derived from the war on Ukraine have been able to stop its national and international expansion. In 17 years, the brand has gone from being a small business in Malaga to being present in 8 countries, with more than 200 salons around the world: “D-Uñas has shown incredible resistance in adverse times and a constant but sure growth, we are very happy for the stability that the brand has achieved”, says Mery Oaknin, one of the two founding socials and current CEO. In 2023 it is experiencing a growth rate close to 25%.
The Spanish Association of Franchisors (AEF) has recognized the brand’s internationalization work by awarding it the highest award in this category. The delivery ceremony will be held on May 8, at 12 noon, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Madrid.
An easily exportable model and a loyal clientele Daniel Domingo, an investor, has just opened his fourth D-Uñas salon in Madrid. The first was inaugurated two years ago, in the midst of a pandemic. He was looking to make a risk-free investment in a proven business, which is why he approached the world of franchising and, although he had no experience in the field of aesthetics, he was absent for D-Uñas: “the brand gives me security, it gives me a clientele guarantee, because over the years that clientele has become very loyal and when opening a center (the last one was a year ago) those clients are insured from day one. This for an investor is incredible security.” 98%
D-Uñas is the first franchise in Spain dedicated to the world of manicures; the first that has standardized processes, that has opted for professionalization and quality throughout the chain: its employees receive the same training (the brand has its own training center, the Academy) that seeks excellence in customer experience: “It is our hallmark”, says Sandra Bezanquen, founding partner and current COO of the brand: “in fact, I can assure you that the brand invests much more in training its staff than in advertising, because we are totally convinced that the The best marketing is by word of mouth and we have ensured that the client has the same good experience in Madrid, in Buenos Aires or in Mexico City.”
An example of female entrepreneurship
D-Uñas is a firm created by two enterprising women who believe in and are committed to entrepreneurship; That is why they are clear, from the beginning, that the model for their business has to be the franchise and that they have to encourage and support their own workers (the latter are the majority) to become their own bosses. This is how the “Crezco Contigo” program was born, an intrapreneurship project in which the parent company (the franchisor) offers its technicians extra financing facilities to set up their own D-Uñas franchised establishment. And this is how Gabriela Durán, 25 years old, got her own salon: “I had the invaluable help of the brand and the support of my parents and I am happy with my own store, it is a business in which I was trained and It grew, in just 3 months that the show has been open it is already profitable and I am thinking of setting up another one”, he assures.
D-Uñas was named by the Argentine newspaper Clarín as “one of the five best companies to carry in your suitcase”, that is, as a safe business for investors who emigrate to other countries in search of a better economic situation. The D-Uñas family has several examples in this sense, and it is an endorsement to grow without having to start from scratch.
A brand that takes care of the investment
“We accompany the investor from the first moment; we offer you a safe business where success is much more proven than if you were alone and especially accompanied, which is what a franchisee is looking for: a franchisee is a type of entrepreneur who wants to go safely and accompanied, and we are very clear about this says Mary Oaknin. This is how the network of D-Uñas establishments has become a kind of great family in which the experience and opinion of investors are taken into account to face the next steps in the growth of the brand. In meetings that are held several times a year, franchisees can also exchange experiences and share initiatives to further consolidate the brand.
The initial investment to open an establishment of this brand is classified as “low” or “small” within the franchises, and the recovery is fast; the financial data of the franchise speak of an investment recovery period of 14 months on average, and a return of 25% for franchisees.
Next stop: USA
To date, D-Uñas has moved through sister territory: Latin America, where there is a cultural and business similarity that has allowed rapid expansion, but the brand is clear about its next growth challenge: the United States. A gigantic market that represents an exponential leap for any brand. Miami is emerging as the safest gateway, because Florida has an important Hispanic community and a way of life that is an amalgamation of many cultures: “in Miami, manicures and aesthetics are very popular, businesses in this sector have more clients every day, there are many, although very fragmented, we are convinced that a stable brand with a standardized service will be very liked by investors and clients, who will see the opportunity to export the business to any other state”, says Mery Oaknin. D-Uñas arrives in Miami with the endorsement of a job well done and this new recognition under his arm.