Three Cape Flats stylists turn 20 years of experience into IBU Hair salon

IBU Hair IBU Hair founders address guests at the launch of their hair salon in Cape Town.

After more than 20 years in hairdressing, three Cape Flats entrepreneurs have opened a salon at the V&A Waterfront with an ambition to cater for every hair type, regardless of a client’s background or budget.

For Margo Hilario, Bianca Marra and Yasmeen Najaar, launching IBU Hair, short for Inspired By You, was the culmination of years of experience, two years of planning and a determination to overcome financial hurdles.

The trio, who have worked together for more than two decades, said their faith, families and loyal clients helped them turn their vision into a business.

“First of all, God. He inspires us on a daily basis, and then we were motivated by our clients that always stood behind us,” Hilario said.

But the journey from an idea to a salon at one of Cape Town’s best-known destinations was far from straightforward.

The founders said securing the funding and completing the paperwork needed to establish the business were among their biggest challenges.

Coming from the Cape Flats, they faced financial obstacles while working to make their plans a reality. The process took two years, involving paperwork, questions and efforts to secure funding.

At times, the setbacks tested their resolve.

“There were many times we wanted to give up,” Najaar said.

Despite the difficulties, the three continued working towards their goal, drawing on their experience in the industry and the support of clients who had stood by them over the years.

IBU Hair IBU Hair Salon in Cape Town, Waterfront, has officially opened.

IBU Hair was built around an opportunity the founders identified in the hairdressing industry: creating a salon where different hair types could be catered for under one roof.

The business aims to offer services ranging from braiding and ethnic hair care to European hair, with the founders determined that clients should not be turned away because of their hair type.

The salon uses Wella Professional products, a German haircare brand, and aims to build a clientele that reflects Cape Town’s diversity.

Although positioned as a high-end hair and beauty destination, IBU Hair is not intended exclusively for affluent customers.

The founders want the salon to be a welcoming space where clients can access haircare services and feel comfortable, regardless of their background.

The decision to open at the V&A Waterfront was influenced by the trio’s longstanding connection to the area, where they had built relationships with clients over many years.

The location also offers an opportunity to reach a broader customer base, including local residents and international visitors.

For the founders, the salon is the starting point for a larger ambition. They hope to expand the IBU Hair brand to other parts of South Africa and eventually into international markets.

Marra encouraged aspiring business owners to remain focused on their goals and not allow financial difficulties, peer pressure or negative thinking to stop them from pursuing their ambitions.

“Stay focused, persevere, push through every obstacle, and align yourself with people that motivate you forward,” she said.

For Hilario, Marra and Najaar, IBU Hair represents more than a new salon. It is the result of years of working together, building relationships with clients and persevering through the challenges of turning a business idea into reality.