She's a successful businesswoman and a motorsport WAG with a reality TV show. And no, I'm not alluding to Kim Kardashian and her rumoured romance with seven-time F1 world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton. But Ronette Marx, a Miss South Africa 2016 finalist, businesswoman, model, and wife of a racecar driver, is giving her a run for her money.
"A strength that I have is being highly focused on my own race (no pun intended!)," says Ronette Marx. Image supplied.
Sharing her personal and professional life on Showmax's Volspoed, Marx reflects the life of a WAG: supporting her husband, the novice endurance racer Antonie Marx, while flourishing in her modelling career and medical aesthetics and beauty business, Age Zero Aesthetics.
In celebration of International Women's Day, she took some time out of her busy schedule to talk to Bizcommunity about being on reality TV, the South African beauty and wellness landscape, and the challenges she faces as a business owner.
Tell us more about Age Zero and your reality show Volspoed on Showmax?
Age Zero Aesthetics is a boutique aesthetics clinic focused on one-of-a-kind med spa treatments.
It started as a small home business for friends and crew into a clinical practice that I love to call my second home.
Volspoed is a reality series with a Drive to Survive feel of what it is like to be in a motorsport family living in the fast lane, pursuing all their dreams.
How do you balance being taken seriously as a businesswoman on a reality show?
I never even take myself too seriously!
The glimpse of what we do at Age Zero forms most of my 9-5 day.
The show was a real and raw portrayal of daily life.
A strength that I have is being highly focused on my own race (no pun intended!) without having to be seen or noted in the business world.
I think the business “success” just comes from consistent daily operations, and our clients always feel the love. That is most important!
How does Age Zero stand out in the South African aesthetics industry?
I have such high respect for all clinics, as we share a passion.
What makes us different is that Age Zero is the first aesthetic clinic in South Africa to house the Deka Tetra Pro CO2 and the Deka Red Touch Pro 675nm.
The state-of-the-art cooling technology allows us to work on all Fitzpatrick skin types.
This means we can treat any skin tone and type, enhancing our unique treatment offerings and the results they bring.
We “formulate” incredible med spa practices that really combine medical advancements with holistic spa incorporations for the ultimate double duo.
With us, you get the skin pampering and renewal all at once!
I also believe in the heart we have.
Each one of us has a true love and care for people, which is why our regulars will pop in for a product and coffee.
You can’t stay away too long!
What excites you about the South African beauty and wellness industry?
I love the South African beauty market!
Not only is it expanding rapidly, but clients and patients are very aware and educated, and we keep it as such!
We are such a diverse country with all kinds of skin and health concerns.
Our doctors and practitioners are so highly educated, and we really do stay on trend with the best technology the world has to offer.
In my opinion, South Africa has some of the best in the field!
What kinds of challenges do you face as a South African beauty business owner?
Just as any small female-owned business owner, the economic landscape always touches us.
It is also becoming increasingly difficult with the rise of operational costs to keep treatment costs for our patients as low as possible.
We will always strive to keep high-end, high-quality treatments available and accessible.
How well do you think South African beauty can compete with the rest of the world?
South African beauty and aesthetics are far more competitive globally than many people realise. In fact, I truly believe we rank amongst the best in the world.
Working in South Africa gives us a unique advantage: we treat an incredibly diverse range of skin tones, conditions, and concerns every day, which naturally strengthens our expertise, versatility, and results.
I strongly believe that if our local formulations had broader international visibility and platforms to be seen, they could easily compete with and even surpass many global brands.
Ultimately, South African beauty isn’t just keeping up with the world; we’re setting the standard.
What's next for you and Age Zero?
At our clinic, we pride ourselves on using only the highest-quality solutions.
This includes both locally formulated, regulated cosmeceuticals as well as advanced formulations from France.
Each serves different treatment modalities, but both deliver exceptional, world-class outcomes.
Continuous learning is also a key part of staying competitive.
Our goal this year is to further elevate our skills by attending the Deka Academy in Italy, where we hope to learn from some of the best laser aesthetic specialists in the world.
While it’s still in the planning stages, it’s a clear objective for us because bringing global knowledge and advanced techniques back home ensures that our clients receive nothing but the best.
