From his home country of Cuba to cruise ships and eventually to KZN’s busiest malls, Iliusky Leon Chavez’s path into the beauty industry has been shaped by hard work and personal loss. After building Microderma alongside his late wife Anita, he continues to lead the business with a strong focus on people and the legacy they created together.
Leon’s career began at sea, working in on cruise ships, where he refined his technical skills and discovered how personal care can build confidence and connection. It was also there that he met Anita – the woman who would become both his wife and business partner.
Their relationship, and later their company, was built on complementary strengths. Leon brought deep treatment knowledge and technical discipline, while Anita brought marketing instinct, style and a natural ability with people. Together, they shaped the early identity of what would become Microderma.
Growing it from the ground up
The early days were hands-on and demanding. Leon balanced treatments with staff management and client care, growing the brand through pop-ups, mall kiosks and constant face-to-face engagement. He believes visibility and trust are earned in person. His philosophy remains straightforward: people buy from people, and experience matters more than price.
Microderma’s expansion into major retail centres, Gateway and The Pavilion – among the first clinics of the kind in a KZN mall setting – came through persistence and calculated risk. Leon personally oversaw leases, construction and store launches, describing each opening as intense and all-consuming, requiring months of close supervision to ensure quality and systems were firmly in place.
Loss and leadership
In April 2024, Anita passed away after complications related to sudden illness. Her loss was devastating. She had been the public-facing energy behind the brand – warm, stylish and deeply involved in marketing and daily operations. Leon describes her as someone who lit up every room and drove the couple’s shared ambition.
Continuing the business without her has been his greatest challenge, but also his clearest motivation. He now leads with an even stronger emphasis on structure, sustainability and standards – determined to honour what they built together.
Business as endurance
For Leon, business is not glamour. It’s endurance. Growth needs systems. Skill is only a fraction of success. And resilience, he believes, is the true entrepreneur’s edge.
Leon’s advice for aspiring business owners
• Learn the business side – skill alone is not enough.
• Financial and business education are essential.
• Expect problems after opening – tough seasons are inevitable.
• Build strong systems early.
• Be prepared to work hands-on at the start.
• Invest in self-development continuously.
• Choose partners with shared vision and commitment.
Details: Micro Derma Aesthetics Slimming and Skin Clinic; Gateway Theatre of Shopping, Umhlanga; 067 923 8054; IG: @microdermagateway
