Name: Paul
Mahler
Opening
Date: March 26, 2012
Paul Mahler is a native of Melville, NY and
has spent his entire life living and working in the area. He worked as a lawyer
in Long Island and graduated from Hofstra University Law School. Paul also
volunteers as a paramedic and a firefighter for the Melville Fire Department. He
will be opening the 70th location of Hand & Stone in Levittown,NY at the end of March.
What was your career before franchising?
Before
franchising with
Hand & Stone, I worked for two different Law Firms for nearly
15 years on Long Island and practiced intellectual property and creditor’s
rights law. I am the ex-captain of the Melville Fire Department but still
volunteer as firefighter and advanced emergency medical technician working on
Friday nights and am constantly on call.
I always
wanted to open my own business and have just been looking for the right
opportunity. One of the things that I was looking for with a new business was
one that really would have a direct impact on someone’s day. The
wellness and spa industry is one where people always walk out more relaxed and happier than
when they came in, and I thought that would be a nice transition from
practicing law. It’s also a growing industry and that was appealing from a
business perspective for the potential growth opportunities.
As a
paramedic, I know how frequently people get injured and how massage can be used
for therapy and rehabilitation. By providing this service, I knew that I could
help customers for both relaxation and for total wellbeing.
When I
started looking into franchise opportunities, I was a member of a competitor of
Hand & Stone and noticed how the spa was always busy. I did the majority of
my research online and as I learned about
Hand & Stone, I recognized a
tremendous difference in the cooler color palette, design and its services. As
a male owner and operator, I felt that
Hand & Stone was a better fit for my
background and offered a better environment for customers to take a break from
the stressors of daily life.
Hand & Stone was founded by a physical
therapist, John Marco, and it was an important factor to me that the company
had real experience of the industry and truly knew the health benefits
associated with massage.
What was appealing to you about joining a
franchise system?
Franchising
is a good way to enter into a business as opposed to a startup company.
Hand & Stone is great about training, setup
support and the structure that they offer to its franchisees is impeccable. I
liked that there was an outline of how to get started and that the national
headquarters was located so close to my new spa. The corporate team truly cares
about its franchisees and their success.
What makes your business different?
Hand & Stone provides value because they offer high quality products and it’s
affordable for a wider base of customers. There will be an emphasis on customer
service and education, so we can provide our clients with the best experience
possible.
What are some of your goals for the first
year?
I have some
big aspirations for our first year in business, but I hope to have 600 of
members, and believe that if we can provide them with a complete experience, we
should have no problem achieving that. I want to focus on developing and
marketing the business to the local community and find ways to get involved
with community projects.
ABOUT HAND & STONE
Hand & Stone is a
60-plus
unit massage and
facial spa
franchise with a mission to bring massage and
facial
services to the masses, meeting demand of consumers who wish to receive the
long term health benefits of these services. Launched in 2005 by a
passionate physical therapist, John Marco and
now
led by franchise veteran Todd Leff, Hand & Stone
now has locations in 12 states and
Canada with plans to open an
additional 15 locations by the end of 2012. For more information on
Hand & Stone, visit
www.handandstone.com.
