KOTA KINABALU: For Suzianna George, known as Madam Nana, beauty is about more than treatments and appearances. It is also a way to create opportunities, develop local talent and help women grow into confident professionals and leaders.
That vision is behind QAINÉ Beauty & Co., which began its soft opening on Nov 1, 2026. The salon offers manicures and nail art, pedicures and foot spa treatments, eyelash extensions, facials and other self-care experiences.
Founder Suzianna describes QAINÉ’s approach as “affordable luxury”, an elegant, relaxing environment and personalised service at prices she hopes will remain accessible. During the soft-opening period, services are being introduced progressively as the team fine-tunes operations, with a focus on hygiene, comfort and customer satisfaction.
“Feeling beautiful, confident and pampered should not be a luxury reserved for only a few,” she said.
The salon has dedicated areas for different treatments, including three pedicure chairs. How many customers it can serve at once depends on the treatments booked, their duration and staff availability. The salon is open from 10am to 8pm and takes both appointments and walk-ins, subject to capacity.
George said the aim is to offer attentive service without making the salon feel rushed or overcrowded.
“We believe that a luxurious experience should never feel rushed,” she said.
QAINÉ has eight team members including six permanent staff and two supporting team members through a collaboration in Kota Marudu. George said the team focuses on practical beauty skills, hygiene, customer service and ongoing professional development.
For her, building a strong team also means helping staff develop confidence, communication and leadership skills. She hopes employees can progress into roles as skilled practitioners, team leaders, managers and, eventually, entrepreneurs.
“Great service begins with a great team,” she said.
Suzianna’s background is in marketing, business development, team management and leadership development, rather than beauty care. She is also founder of S2S Team and chief executive officer of Nanasuzianna Elites Sdn Bhd (NESB Group).
Her experience building and leading teams shaped her interest in creating opportunities for others, she said, and helped inspire her move into the beauty sector. She sees the industry as a way to support local talent and create sustainable opportunities for women.
The first salon in Kota Kinabalu is intended as the beginning of a wider plan. Suzianna said a QAINÉ branch in Kota Marudu is planned, while the business is also exploring beauty training and workshops covering practical skills, customer service, personal development, entrepreneurship and leadership.
A longer-term ambition is to establish QAINÉ Beauty Academy, subject to the necessary preparation and requirements. George hopes it could help aspiring beauty professionals—particularly women and young entrepreneurs—build skills and confidence, and explore careers or businesses of their own.
“I don’t just want to build a beauty business. I want to build a platform that makes luxury more accessible, develops people, creates leaders and opens doors for the next generation of entrepreneurs,” she said.
For her, the brand’s success will not be measured only by the number of customers served or branches opened, but also by the people it helps grow.
“True success is not just about growing a business , it is about growing people who can go on to lead and inspire others,” she said.
The outlet located at Karamunsing Complex will be officially opened on 11 November this year.-BNN
