Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Franchisee Profile: Kathleen Edwards of Delran, NJ


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How Kathleen Edwards Got Started With Hand & Stone…
Relaxation! Who doesn’t like to relax? Kathleen was accustom to getting massages herself so when she learned that a family friend was working closely with a new franchise that promoted personal wellness, Kathleen listened closer. Kathleen became acquainted with Hand & Stone primarily through her relationship with the new VP of Franchise Development, Bob McQuillan. Once Bob joined Hand & Stone, Kathleen began investigating the franchise opportunity, visited the Marlton spa location and decided that it was a great opportunity for her to become a part of while also pursuing her other passion of teaching.

Kathleen had worked in banking training retail employees when she first discovered her passion for teaching. She trained bank employees on how to do their jobs, but after a while, she came to realize that although she loved the training portion of her job, she wanted to teach children instead.

After 10 years at the bank, she switched focuses to teaching children and became a high school business teacher. She is currently going into her seventh year of teaching and will continue to do so while opening and managing her new Hand & Stone location in Delran.

What Intrigued Kathleen Edwards about Hand & Stone…
The entire concept intrigued Kathleen. As a person who gets massages herself, she knew Hand & Stone was a step ahead of the competition, which helps her feel confident that Hand & Stone will do well in Delran. Kathleen notes that at Hand & Stone, customers will be able to get same-day appointments, make requests for their therapist of choice and pay 1/3 of the cost than at a high-end spa. At her spa, it will be quiet, serene and a nice experience all while providing accessibility and affordability. Her location will look and feel like a high-end spa, but because of the membership model, Hand & Stone is able to keep the cost minimal for its customers.

Something Interesting About Kathleen Edwards’ Story…
Kathleen is excited about her new Hand & Stone location because she will be providing local residents a Daycation experience. They can come to Hand & Stone and get a massage or facial spa service in a relaxing environment as a way to distress for a reasonable price. She believes that this will be a destination for area residents to get away and take some time out for themselves.

Where specifically did Kathleen Edwards learn about Hand & Stone?
For as long as Kathleen can remember she has wanted to own her own business. Through the years, she had looked into franchising, but the concepts always seem to involve food. She really wanted to wait for an opportunity that was exactly what she was looking for, although she wasn’t all that sure what that would entail.

When a family friend had mentioned he was joining the corporate team of a franchise called Hand & Stone, Kathleen got curious. She had gotten massages before and loved how she felt afterwards and the relaxing feel of the spas that she had visited.

What made Hand & Stone attractive to Kathleen is the massage for the masses concept of affordability and accessibility. Hand & Stone offers customers a low price point for the same type of massage you would receive in a high-end spa, and the spa looks and feels just like a spa you would experience at a high-end spa as well.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Hand & Stone featured in Entrepreneur

Hand & Stone is featured in December’s Entrepreneur Magazine in an article titled, “Here’s the Rub: Expensive day spas are pummeled by the recession, but franchised spas and massage centers are growing fast.” During the recession, the massage and facial concepts that have succeeded are those that offer consumers affordability and accessibility like Hand & Stone. At a low monthly membership, consumers can get the same treatments they would at a high-end day spa at roughly 1/3 the cost. Todd Leff, Hand & Stone’s CEO, anticipates being one of the top players in the massage industry in the next couple of years with a planned 250-300 locations nationwide by creating demand in the middle market. Check out a portion of the story below or read the full article here:

Here's the Rub
Expensive day spas are being pummeled by the recession, but franchised spas and massage centers are growing fast.

Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa--of Hamilton, N.J., with 34 spas and 14 more slated to open by February--is taking the opposite tack. "We very consciously fall above the massage clinic concept," says CEO Todd Leff, former president and CEO of AAMCO Transmission. He plans to open 30 to 40 units per year until Hand and Stone reaches 250 to 300 stores. "Our goal is to rival the look and feel of the high-end day spa at a price 30 to 40 percent less in a retail shopping environment. Our goal is to create a demand in the middle market, attracting folks with no spa experience or people who have done it at a resort." (Read More)

Friday, November 19, 2010

Franchisee Profile: Greg Mowry

Franchisee Name: Greg Mowry
Location: 1661 Easton Rd, Doylestown, PA 18902


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Something Interesting About Greg Mowry’s Story…
Greg Mowry is a well-established and highly experienced franchisee, having worked in the industry for no less than 25 years. His wife, Maripat Mowry, has worked alongside him as a fellow employee of AAMCO Transmissions. However, the couple’s latest venture promises to be their most enjoyable yet. Greg and Maripat will be the newest franchisees for the Hand & Stone spa, which will be opening in Doylestown, PA in September. The spa features affordable massage and a unique membership program with discounted pricing. Only time will tell how many Hand & Stone franchises the Mowrys themselves will open, but Greg expects the company to proliferate quite rapidly in the area, with at least 15 new locations opening up in the next few years.

What Greg Mowry Did Before Hand & Stone…
With a 25-year history in the franchising industry, Greg Mowry has been VP of Equipment for AAMCO transmissions, a partner in several franchised transmission shops, and the owner of a cleaning company.

How Greg Mowry Specifically Found Out About Hand & Stone…
Interestingly, Greg Mowry’s new job is a direct result of his old one, as Todd Leff, the president and CEO of Hand & Stone, is the former CEO of AAMCO. As such, it was this connection that brought Greg and his wife Maripat to the massage industry. Like Leff himself, the Mowrys were intrigued by the the refreshing concept of luxurious spa experiences at affordable prices, or “massage for the masses,” as the company’s mantra goes. Upon further investigation, the Mowrys were also pleased with the franchise’s smart business model and emphasis on employee loyalty, an all-too-rare quality in today’s fickle economy.

Why Greg Mowry is Excited About Becoming a Hand & Stone RD and Franchisee…
The Mowrys are thrilled about opening up a Hand & Stone in Doylestown because of how much potential the franchise has. Not only will it be the first Hand & Stone to open in the Doylestown area, but its proximity to a nearby hair and nail salon makes for some exciting joint promotion potential. The Mowrys live a mere 15 minutes from their Hand & Stone’s Easton Rd. location, and look forward to running this feel-good business as a family. Greg and Maripat will run the franchise as a husband and wife team, and even their children have expressed some interest in working at Hand & Stone, perhaps as part-time jobs while they attend college. The Mowrys anticipate a lot of future growth for Hand & Stone throughout the Philadelphia region, but local community involvement is their current focus. They plan to team up with the Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau in order to establish strong bonds with other local business owners as well as their inevitably satisfied future customers.

“We’re very excited about bringing this fine establishment to the Doylestown community,” said Greg. “A spa is a place where people come in happy and leave even happier, and I think that’s really what this whole thing is all about.”

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Hand & Stone TV segment featured on WBTV-3 Charlotte

Hand & Stone was featured on a WBTV-3 Charlotte TV segment called “Benefits of Massage”, which aired on Sunday. Chad Foster was the interviewee and massage expert and did a great job talking about why massage is a great health benefit in relation to Hand & Stone. This segmented helps to build additional brand awareness in his region for Hand & Stone, drive customers into the location, as well as attract franchise prospects to the brand. Check out the segment below!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Hand & Stone reaching out into Fairfield County

Hand & Stone was recently featured in the Stamford Advocate in an article called “Hand & Stone reaching out into Fairfield County.” Hand & Stone is moving into Fairfield County with plans to bring seven franchised locations to the area and 13-15 throughout the entire state. The first of the locations will be owned by Pam Wallace, who holds a master's in business administration degree from Harvard University, chose Hand & Stone out of a dozen franchise possibilities because of its specially priced monthly massage membership. Check out the article here:

Hand & Stone reaching out into Fairfield County

Fairfield County residents soon may have seven more reasons to feel better.


Hand & Stone, a Hamilton, N.J.-based massage and facial spa franchise, plans to open that many locations in Fairfield County in the next two years.

"We see the most growth opportunities in Fairfield County," said Bob McQuilian, Hand & Stone's vice president of franchise development. "It's very much a suburban type of location." (Read More)

Friday, November 5, 2010

Maggie Brown's entreprenurial story featured in AZ Magazine

Hand & Stone’s Arizona Regional Developer and Scottsdale Franchisee, Maggie Brown, was recently featured in AZ Magazine. The article delves into Maggie’s journey in becoming a Hand & Stone franchisee after cashing in her retirement fund. Maggie discusses being introduces to massages as a consumer first, where she fell in love with the industry and business model. Maggie felt that Hand & Stone offered a higher quality spa experience and felt that the executive team had a strong grasp on growing the business. By partnering with Hand & Stone, she has had the full support of the corporate team every step of the way and her franchisees in Arizona get the same support as well. Maggie’s story shares the risks and rewards of owning your own business and her piece of advice is, “work at something you like and the money will follow.”

AZ Magazine - Maggie Brown Article Nov 2010
 
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