WITH just over two years in operation, MJ Body Concept Spa is committed to “making a beautiful difference” in the lives of its many clients, said Juliet Thompson, the business’ managing director.

Thompson has been in the business of beauty treatments for over 15 years, a fact confirmed by the many carefully placed certificates she has lining the spa’s walls

“I had an idea of what I wanted and I didn’t find that anywhere,” she said.

“Customised services to suit the needs of the clients” were hard to find and inspired her to start her spa in October 2009. MJ Body Concept is the 10th nominee in the Observer’s Mogul in the Making start-up programme.

She has previously been a supervisor and manager at two of the most popular spas in the Corporate Area before setting out on her own. “I thought that I could do a better job. I had clients and they were always telling me to try and do something for myself, go out on my own and I felt I could do.”

While the response to her venture has been good, the start-up was less than smooth as getting financial assistance proved difficult.

Eventually, she got business going with personal savings and some assistance from family and friends.

“The first year was the most challenging and I definitely thought of packing it in”, she said. “(But) you know that you have to persevere, you can’t just give up like that.”

Staffing has also been a concern for Thompson “I find that a lot of people nowadays are trying to do their own business, they don’t want to work for anyone.”

Despite those challenges, she has managed to successfully grow her business to almost two hundred clients who go to her for services ranging from simple manicures and pedicures to full body massages and scrubs.

Relocation by year’s end, in order to expand her business, is next, she said, almost in hushed tones as though not wanting to jinx it. She also intends to aggressively push her line of body care and face products.