In 1984, Melissa was only 24 years old when she opened her very first beauty salon at Imbi Plaze in Kuala Lumpur, it was called “Head To Toe” Beauty Centre.
The salon was a small shop lot with a space of 168 square feet comprised of a single washbasin with no functional water supply. Water is essential for facial treatments.
As this salon was her pride and joy, Melissa was determined to provide the best for her customers regardless of the circumstances. A water tank had to be installed and attached to a tap over the basin. A pipe was then used to drain water out of the basin into a pail for disposal.
“I used to carry water from the toilet everyday. It was hard work and life was not in the least bit glamorous.” – Melissa
Despite the poor working conditions, she delivered excellence. Melissa’s priority was set on solving her clients’ skin problems with great persistence to achieve results of healthy beautiful skin.
“I know what is required of a person to achieve quality service. Always be courteous and sensitive to client needs. I owe the way I approach my work from my strict family upbringing.” – Melissa
“During difficult times, my enthusiasm to achieve business success spurred me on. I was also inspired by my clients who asked a lot of questions and wanted me to learn new techniques to help them.” – Melissa
Over time, Melissa’s skin care business began to boom. Her reputation grew as word of mouth travel faster than sound. Soon she began receiving visits from the top VIPs and dignitaries of the nation.
“I always had a never-say-die attitude. In my persistence, no hurdle was too difficult to overcome.” – Melissa
As customer demand for better service grew, Melissa needed to find ways to exceed her customer expectations. Like many young aspiring beauticians at the time, Melissa was always finding ways to improve her craft. She soon enrolled into CIDESCO, a globally recognized beauty course. It was there where she received her first diploma in beauty.