Sales at ‘Apprentice Botox Queen’ firm top €1m

Sales at the cosmetic skincare clinics operated by ‘Botox Queen’ Leah Totton soared past €1m last year.

The medical doctor captured the BBC The Apprentice crown in 2013 with a plan to launch a “Botox empire” of cosmetic clinics.

A native of Derry, Ms Totton’s win resulted in Alan Sugar investing £250,000 (€293,000) in the business.

Mr Sugar said it was the promised high-profit margins that persuaded him to choose Totton.

Her firm has now posted a 4% increase in pre-tax profits to £252,153 (€295,725) in the 12 months to the end of June last year.

New accounts show that revenues increased 26.5% to £893,911 on the back of Ms Totton opening up a second clinic, in Essex last year.

Commenting on the results yesterday, Ms Totton said the business in the current year was “exceeding all financial targets and [was] set for a record breaking year of sales”.

Asked if she has any plans to open up a clinic in the Republic or the North, she said: “A clinic in Ireland has always been a personal aim of mine.”

The business has already gone way to pay back Sugar’s investment.

Ms Totton and Mr Sugar both hold a 50% stake and shared a dividend of £100,000.

Mr Totton said that she was “absolutely delighted with the growth and success of the business to date as demonstrated by how profitable we are as such a young company”.

The company employs 17 staff and is preparing to take on more people.

“Further expansion is planned over the next 18 months as we continue to scale the business,” she said.

“Lord Sugar through his investment and his ongoing input and mentorship of me personally has been integral to the success of Dr Leah Ltd.”

Customers of the Dr Leah clinics can pay £199 to £350 for Botox “area” treatments.

Those seeking lip enhancements pay up to £370.

The business also charges £6,000 for hair transplants, while a liquid facelift costs £600. Customers can also expect to pay £650 for what it describes as a ‘3D bespoke fat reduction’.

Its cost of sales came to £175,301. After paying tax of £48,359, it recorded net profits of £203,794. At the end of June, the company had shareholder funds of £356,853.

Investment in a new clinic contributed to the firm’s cashpile falling from £439,536 to £187,096.