About

Deb Farnworth-Wood

Deb Farnworth-Wood

Deb Farnworth-Wood is the founder of the Australian Skin Clinics Franchise. She is an MBA graduate, a Certified Franchise Executive and serial entrepreneur. She has incredible vision and passion for the aesthetics industry where she has immersed herself for 10 years but she has nearly 30 years’ experience in the management of large, complex and multi-disciplinary healthcare organizations, including pharmacy, GP Services, surgical facilities, dietetics, podiatry, nurse practitioners, counselling and secondary care services. She also has significant experience in the multi-outlet retail sector having held a variety of store and head office roles in Debenhams as well as big shed DIY and home furnishings retailers.

Deb has participated in strategic think tanks for the Prime Minister’s Office of public reform (UK under Blair government), as well as consumer feedback initiatives and her work on GP Night co-operative models influenced the 1993 national GP contract for the UK.

Deb also has a track record of business disruption. She was the first non-GP to become a partner in General Practice in the UK and in doing so changed the rules for a wave of managing partners that followed, she opened the first drive-through pharmacy in England and with her doctor business partners became the first non-pharmacist group to be permitted to open a UK independent pharmacy.

In 2007 Deb made the momentous decision to sell her UK businesses, move across the world to Australia with her family and “retire” aged 44. After a brief spell of relaxation, she realised that she had more goals to kick and set about building another successful business, with no network, no contacts and as an anonymous new arrival in Australia.

Deb describes the next 10 years as the most difficult yet exciting of her life during which time she studied franchising, built a successful franchise brand, a shopfitting company and an equipment supply company. She also founded an RTO and turned around a failing skincare company.

Deb says that during that time, she encountered more staff theft and embezzlement than she had seen in her career previously and witnessed “The Ugly Face of Beauty” – the title of her new book.

Testimonial
I am very fortunate that I was able to work with Deb in my professional career journey which extensively changed my leadership approach. Her unique ability to understand, recognise and explain complex business relationships revolutionised my thinking, and most importantly, my actions.

April Jones - Editor, Beauty Biz

Testimonial
I had the privilege of working with Deb Farnworth-Wood for almost 3 years. Prior to that she was a client of mine in my publishing business. Deb is an example of a true professional in her field. There is likely nobody in the aesthetic industry as knowledgeable, approachable and hands on. I was given the opportunity to work with Deb at a time I had lost a lot of confidence and drive to succeed in business.

Cindy Page

Testimonial
I first approached Deb via Linkedin after wanting to know and work for the brains behind the successful business, Australian Skin Clinics. Within the week of making contact, I was sitting in Deb's office discussing a suitable position for me within the company. Deb was clearly interested in helping me grow as an individual and employee by going that extra mile to see what motivated me. She taught me many things about myself and professionally, I didn't even know.

Lauren Williams - Corporate Spa Trainner

Testimonial
My day with Deb was the best training I ever had. If I had been given that knowledge before I bought my last business, I would have been far more successful.

Tim - Business Owner