Franchisee Profile: Archna and Harin Patel

Archna Patel was born in Zambia, Africa and moved to New Jersey when she was six. Working at Walgreens Pharmacy every weekend since she was 17, Archna graduated with her Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2002 from Rutgers School of Pharmacy. She began working at a prominent pharmacy as a community pharmacist and later became a Managed Care Pharmacist. She moved into the world of medical writing in the pharmaceutical industry and has been working at Johnson & Johnson for the past two years.

Harin Patel was born in Trinidad and lived there half his life. With a degree in computer science from Rutgers, Harin began his career working for Accenture doing consulting for six years. He later moved to Princeton, New Jersey with his wife, Archna, to take a job with NRG Energy, an independent power provider working in Business Development which he has been doing for the past seven years. Harin was part of the team that developed the solar project at the new Giants Stadium among other large projects.

The couples’ passion to be independent business owners motivated them to look into various options including bodywork/massage therapy. They truly believe there is a benefit to spa-based pain management and as the elderly population grows, they feel Hand & Stone and their passion for healing will thrive.

How did you learn about the brand?

Arch and Harin: We were looking to open an independent spa as this has been a long standing passion of ours. We started exploring various types of business opportunities and had long been aware of Massage Envy. When we began to look at Massage franchises we came upon Hand & Stone.

Why did you choose an opportunity with Hand & Stone?

Arch and Harin: The opportunity with this franchise seemed to be the best fit because as we began to know and learn who the people behind this brand are, we felt a sense of community. We are in the company of many intelligent people and some who have the same goals we have in life. We did a lot of research on other concepts, but after talking with other Hand & Stone franchisees, we were sold.

Are you involved with any charities or do any community outreach with your business?

Arch and Harin: We plan on maximizing our charity and community outreach right from the start. Our goal is to make our presence known in Hillsborough and the adjacent communities.  At this time we have begun to reach out to local massage schools to take advantage of the talent in our area—it’s always good to do that.  Additionally, we’re slated to participate in the Montgomery Township School District’s Health Fair on April 1. This fair brings in at least 500 visitors and we intend to have a strong presence as well as participate in some giveaways and offer chair massages.

What challenges have you overcome to get where you are now?

Arch: Being a working mom, a pharmacist, a business owner and a wife, I’ve learned to pick my battles.  When we first thought about committing to this business, we realized that there would be challenges that could be out of our control. We forged ahead, determined to make this work and taking each challenge one day at a time. At the same time we have to deal with the ordinary business of life—we’re constantly learning what makes one another tick, what makes our franchisor tick or what makes my son tick. We sincerely feel we are blessed because of the support our family has given us both financially and morally to take this big step. I do remember when we made the decision to get into this business, my husband said to me, “I have confidence in us if nothing else, so I know we’ll succeed.” This is something I play in my mind all the time to keep me moving.  And it works!

Right now, this quote I borrowed from a fellow business owner suits me perfectly and speaks volumes about who I am. I am at ease with myself.

"Today may there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use
the gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content
with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the
freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us." Mother Teresa

What are your expansion or development plans? What is your end goal with Hand & Stone?

Arch and Harin: We want to learn from the franchisor and other franchisees in the business. We do plan to open up additional locations when the time is right. I do have to consider my current career as a pharmacist and how I am able to be at peace if I do leave the field.

What are some of the publications you read? Local? National? What is your goal publication with your business?

Arch and Harin: We read Time, franchise specific magazines, and the Connect, which is a local paper. We hope to spread the word about our new franchise in the local media, c and down the road possibly publish something about our experience in a national magazine or newspaper.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies or passions?

Arch: Harin and I met in college our freshman year and my goal was to get to know one person for a very long time before I married him. I certainly did. We dated for almost 10 years and then got engaged for two years and finally tied the knot in May 2005. We’ll be celebrating our eight year anniversary this coming May 1!  We have a two-and-a-half year old son, Sai, who keeps us on our toes and whom we hope will become the greatest hip-hop breakdancer out there!

I love to bake and plan parties! We really love to go on vacation as a family and just have a good time. Harin loves to scuba dive.

ABOUT HAND & STONE

Hand & Stone is a 90-plus unit massage and facial spa with a mission to bring massage and facial services to the masses. Launched in 2005 by a passionate physical therapist, John Marco and now led by franchise veteran Todd Leff, Hand & Stone now has locations in 18 states and Canada.  For more information on Hand & Stone, visit www.handandstone.com.