A Glasgow-based beauty treatments clinic, The Aesthetics Club, has secured a £250,000 loan from the Investment Fund for Scotland (IFS), via appointed fund manager The FSE Group.
The loan will enable the opening of two new clinics located in Glasgow and Edinburgh, expanding services and creating a number of new jobs.
The £150 million IFS covers all areas of Scotland – Greater Glasgow, Greater Edinburgh, Aberdeen and North East, Dundee and Tayside, South of Scotland and the Highlands and Islands and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
Founded in 2018 by Fiona Ross, a registered nurse, The Aesthetics Club has quickly established a strong reputation for excellence, experiencing an over 100% increase in business across its existing Glasgow and London clinics since 2021, attracting over 7,000 registered customers.
The Aesthetics Club is now set to expand its footprint by opening new clinics in Glasgow South and Edinburgh as well as maximising concession and brand partnership opportunities, further broadening its reach.
Ms Ross said: “We are thrilled to receive this investment to support our expansion plans. Our significant growth, loyal customer base and high wait lists demonstrate the demand for our services but securing funding based on future sales can be particularly challenging for smaller businesses.
“We are delighted FSE’s projection-led approach means we can access this much-needed funding source from the IFS.”
Jim Pritchard, investment manager at The FSE Group, added: “This is a thriving business with levels of demand that underscore the market opportunity available to The Aesthetics Club.
“With 100% customer satisfaction, a strong brand identity and limited competition offering a similar breadth of treatments and expertise, this strategic expansion is supported by solid projections that indicate ongoing profitability. We look forward to working with Fiona and her team as they continue towards their growth goals.”
Mark Sterritt, director of nations and regions funds at the British Business Bank, said: “The Aesthetic Club’s growth over the past six years is nothing short of impressive, and it is ideally placed to capitalise on the demand for premium quality beauty treatments.
“It is great to see the impact that the IFS has delivered for smaller businesses across a diverse mix of sectors in less than a year. Supporting female-led businesses is a key priority for us, and it is inspiring to see leaders like Fiona excel in their respective fields.”