ere among a group of investors who took a surprising stake in a then little-known e-commerce brand, Oz Hair & Beauty. As part of the deal, the company would embark on a whirlwind expansion, in which it would grow from zero dedicated physical stores to 50 by the end of 2026, before galloping on to a final target of 100 – in other words, the same as Mecca. Last year, though, was the real crunch point, as 250 employees became 460 and store count doubled to 29. “It’s been very busy and stressful because there are a lot of deadlines and moving parts,” COO Guy Nappa admitted. Of course, by now, you’ll likely be familiar with the Oz Hair & Beauty ‘boys done good’ origin story. Inspired by his hairdresser parents, Anthony Nappa began selling hair and beauty products on eBay aged just 19, while his brother, Guy, helped pack orders during his school holidays. After early success, Anthony pumped $10,000 from his savings into the project and stashed his stock at his dad’s warehouse in Miranda. Fast-forward to 2021, and revenue exploded by 70 per cent during Covid to reach $40 million. The challenge the brothers now face, post-investment, is that their early wins were built on their family-oriented values and the trusted advice of their staff. At first, for example, Anthony personally responded to customer complaints and queries, but even as the business grew, he took the unusual step of ensuring that all customer service staff were ex-hairdressers or beauty therapists. Even the products were a point of difference – rather than stocking the same tired brands as its rivals, Oz Hair & Beauty sold professional treatments; essentially, the good stuff that’s hard for members of the public to get their hands on. The question is, how do you turn an underdog into a giant without losing your soul? “It’s a big thought process, because when we do our internal values, family is something that’s really important,” Guy explained. “But we also need to make sure that doesn’t slow us down, because businesses that stick to family too much risk their decision-making being hindered.” Instead, the brothers are trying to encourage their expanded workforce to feel part of a winning team, where staff who care about the place hold one another to account. It’s not just about the mentality, either. While expansion has made it impossible to ensure all staff are ex-professionals, a new plan involves the pros training new recruits to give them a superior base of knowledge. “We can still keep that personal touch by how well Anthony and I manage our managers, and how well they manage their teams.” A series of in-store innovations helped. Today, technical wizardry means customers can scan a QR code to access live, updated prices or search an online database of more than a million customer reviews. But none of these pioneering one-percenters was an accident. Guy recalls how his older brother, now CEO, quickly placed him in charge of operations after the business started – a shotgun promotion that forced him to think on his feet. “At 18, it was all so alien to me. I learned to trust my intuition. If I didn’t have an answer, I was comfortable just reaching out to people.” He also never forgot the need to be present. Last year, he made a point of getting on the ground to personally help open all those new stores. “It’s a roller-coaster, but we’re enjoying it,” Guy said. “We’re also fortunate to have a good board. Our chair, Daniel, has been a very good mentor to my brother and me.” In 2026, the goal is to meet their initial target of opening 50 stores before taking stock and working out how to double that number again. They’ll be doing it as the local behemoth, Mecca, plots to conquer the world, and Adore Beauty continues its own shift towards physical stores. “Every year is something different,” Guy said. “Our team’s really close, and when you wake up, you’ve got a new goal, and that keeps everyone excited.” Download Inside Retail’s Top 50 People in E-Commerce, presented by Australia Post, in full here.