When popular Kenyan food creator That Girl Boina took a two-week holiday to Europe, she expected to relax. However, a week into her trip, an Instagram direct message exposed a problem that would ultimately lead to the closure of her business.
“"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 to her.
Boina had opened Waxaholic Studio, a waxing and hydrafacial parlour in Nairobi's central business district, on 1 September 2024. A year later, she had hired a receptionist and two specialists, feeling confident enough to take her first international trip of the year.
“"I trusted them. It's two rooms and a reception - how do you mess that up?" she recalls.
Initially, she dismissed the decline in revenue as a seasonal slump but later realized there was a problem.
“"Everyone around was making money apart from me," she says in hindsight.
The customer's message became the turning point for Boina.
“"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?"
Rather than confront her employees, Boina decided to close the studio. That weekend, she put it up for sale but found no buyer. She sold some equipment and took others, including decorations, home. Waxaholic Studio closed in October 2025.
“"I remember my friend taking me to a restaurant, and I started crying. We were both silent."
The closure was not just a financial setback but also the loss of something she had built to secure her future. In September, nearly a year after the business closed, Boina shared a video on TikTok recounting her experience. The video went viral, garnering close to one million views and drawing responses from many Kenyan business owners who described how theft had pushed their businesses to the brink.
