“You Don’t Need a New Branch — You Need a Product”
By Eddie Mugulusi
Let’s be real.
Scaling a service business is hard.
You start off doing great work.
Clients are happy.
You get a little name in town.
Then you think, “Maybe it’s time to expand.”
And that’s where things start to hurt.
Why Expansion Feels Like a Brick Wall
New branch?
New rent, new equipment, new staff, new problems.
And even after investing all that, success isn’t guaranteed.
Especially when you’re in a niche market.
Take salons that specialize in natural African hair.
Great niche. Loyal clients. But it’s a slow burn.
You can only serve so many people a day.
And opening a second branch?
Let’s just say… unless you’re sitting on a soft 50M, it’s a logistical nightmare.
But Then I Saw Something Brilliant
Some smart business owners flipped the script.
They asked themselves,
“Instead of opening more locations, how do we make more money from the same clients we already have?”
And the answer was right there in their hands — literally.
The products they were using.
The treatments they’d perfected.
The formulas they swore by.
So they started bottling it.
Branding it.
Selling it.
From Salon Chairs to Supermarket Shelves
Here’s how it works:
• They develop their own product line based on what they already do best (natural hair oils, treatments, shampoos, etc).
• These products are used exclusively in their salon — making the brand feel premium and unique.
• Then they sell home care kits to their existing clients.
So clients continue the experience — and spending — from home.
• Then they go big:
Distribute to cosmetic shops, salons, supermarkets.
Leverage their salon’s reputation to move product.
And boom — a whole new income stream is born.
This Isn’t Just a Salon Thing
You run a skincare clinic?
Make your own toner, mask, or serum.
You run a bakery?
Bottle your secret spice mix, jam, or cake glaze.
You run a spa?
Sell your massage oils or herbal steam blends.
You already do the thing.
Now productize the thing.
Why This Works
• No rent increase. You’re not opening a new location.
• No huge team expansion. You don’t need 5 new staff members to sell a product.
• You ride on your brand. Your reputation becomes your distribution power.
• You create repeat buyers. Home use = more frequent purchases than salon visits.
But Let’s Be Clear
This strategy works if (and only if) you’ve already built some trust in your service.
No one will buy your miracle hair growth oil if your clients are still walking out with split ends and scalp burns.
So first, master the craft.
Then, build a loyal client base.
Then — and only then — launch the product line.
Some businesses don’t need more branches.
They need more brainpower.
Before you pour money into another location, ask yourself:
“What knowledge, tools, or methods do we already use — that people would pay for outside the main service?”
Package it.
Brand it.
Sell it.
That’s how you scale smart — not stressed.
Unlock your true potential 