Kenyan Food Creator Closes Waxing Studio After Employee Theft Uncovered
A viral TikTok reveals how a trusted staff’s fraud forced That Girl Boina to shut her Nairobi salon.
Wow! When Kenyan food creator That Girl Boina booked her first overseas trip of the year, she never imagined it would end her budding salon.
Boina launched Waxaholic Studio, a waxing and hydrafacial parlour in Nairobi’s central business district, on 1 September 2024. After a year she hired a receptionist and two specialists and felt confident enough to take a two‑week holiday in Europe.
Mid‑trip, an Instagram direct message changed everything.
"I was at your studio, I liked everything. The only problem was that I was asked to send money to a different number. It wasn't the number on the wall," a customer wrote.
Boina recalls thinking, "I trusted them. It's two rooms and a reception – how do you mess that up?"
She later told the BBC, "It never occurred to me that maybe I was getting clients and someone else was stealing from me."
Revenue had been solid in the first months, but early 2025 saw a decline. Boina first blamed a seasonal slump, then realized "Everyone around was making money apart from me."
Facing a shrinking bottom line, she considered closing the studio, yet her initial investment, three employees, and personal vision kept her going—until the customer’s message became the turning point.
"If I am not making money and I am willing to wait and see where this goes and you guys are not giving me the same energy, then why are we still open?"
Instead of confronting the staff, Boina chose to shut down. That weekend she listed the studio for sale but found no buyer. She sold some equipment, took the rest home, and officially closed Waxaholic Studio in October 2025.
She recalls the moment: "I remember my friend taking me to a restaurant, and I started crying. We were both silent."
Boina describes the closure as the worst feeling she has ever felt, noting the loss was not only financial but also the loss of a future she had built.
Nearly a year later, in September, she posted a TikTok recounting the ordeal, explaining she needed time to heal before speaking publicly.
The video went viral after being reposted on X (formerly Twitter), amassing close to one million views.
Kenyan business owners flooded the comments, sharing how theft—whether payment diversion, stock loss, or the sale of expensive equipment—has pushed many to fire staff, sell assets, or shut down entirely.
What a stark reminder that trust and integrity are the backbone of small enterprises.
