“My vision is to erase mediocrity in the salon industry in my country and create a sustainable business built on excellence at every level. Excellence in customer service, excellence in equipment used, and excellence in the salon environment. An excellent business attracts excellent customers.”

—Valerie Fru Che, Founder and CEO, Spectra Beauté

Behind every vision is a visionary.

Valerie Fru Che is that visionary behind Spectra Beauté.

Want a story? He’s got that in spades. This is an entrepreneur who rose from the slums of Africa’s Cameroon and began building a chain of beauty salons in his early 20s. Today these salons are frequented by VIPs, and the upper echelons of Cameroon society. All this with only a secondary education behind him.

Inspirational? Absolutely.

That same inspirational vision to be better—is ingrained in Spectra Beauté.

When Valerie started out in the industry, he saw the shortcomings. The salon industry in Cameroon was in a dark place. He saw customers dissatisfied with the quality of service salons were delivering. He listened to the complaints. People were going to other countries just to get quality service. He brought in some light. People would no longer have to travel just to get their nails done professionally, or to get an elegant look. The name Spectra hints at the influx of a spectrum of color to the beauty industry.

Challenge

Because Valerie came from a very poor background, raising finance was a substantial challenge. Nobody believed in him, and few could see the vision that he was so passionate about. Yet, over time, he scraped, saved and purchased the store he’d been working in. From these humble beginnings a revolution in the Cameroon beauty industry was born.

Success

Success? How do you judge it?

Is it judged by leading a transformative and innovative change in the beauty industry? Or a chain of thriving five-star beauty salons? Year by year sales increases? Consistent financial growth? As a brand Spectra Beauté has achieved all of this and more.

Future

Today, Spectra has a workforce of 80 people. There are plans to establish a beauty academy to get young people industry-ready. It’s not only about providing jobs but also capacity building and giving people a chance to stand on their own. “Simply put,” Valerie says, “it’s all about giving young people the chance I did not have in my very humble beginnings.”

There’s a franchise opportunity in the works, which aims to conquer the entire African continent. A grand ambition? Perhaps, but in 15 years Spectra has grown from a single salon to being the #1 spot for beauty in Cameroon. This has been achieved by creating a setting where beauty and excellence are cherished and nurtured.

Spectra Beauté adds color to lives.

SPECTRA BEAUTÉ—PURSUE EXCELLENCE, DISCOVER BEAUTY