Hand & Stone Developer of the Year Erik Bostrom Drives Expansion in Colorado

Massage and Facial Franchise Strengthens Presence in Colorado with Eight Locations Expected to be Open by End-of-Year

Hamilton, NJ – Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa (Hand & Stone), one of the fastest growing spa franchises in the country, is proud to announce the plans to have a total of eight spa locations open in Colorado by the end of 2013. The new locations will be owned by a series of local owners throughout the Denver-area and the development is through the hard work of regional developer Erik Bostrom, winner of the brand’s 2013 Developer of the Year Award.

Bostrom, Regional Developer for Hand & Stone’s Colorado market, exemplifies the brand’

s ability to attract passionate entrepreneurs who are eager to grow the franchise and expand the reach of its health-focused services. To date, Bostrom, who joined the brand in 2008 to focus on growth, has already helped to opened six spas and has signed a total of 13 units.

“We’re on target to exceed our growth plans for the Colorado region. Our goal was to open three locations this year – we have already doubled that number and will triple it by the end of 2013,” said Bostrom. “Colorado is home to many residents who live active and healthy lifestyles, which has been conducive to our growth.”

At only 34 years old, Bostrom has been instrumental in Hand & Stone’s franchise development in Colorado. As Regional Developer, he is responsible for working with potential franchisees to help them become acquainted with Hand & Stone and walk them through the process of opening a spa in the state.

The new Colorado openings will contribute to Hand & Stone’s overall growth for 2013. System wide sales are expected to reach $90 million and a total of 25 more spas are expected to open across the nation by year-end.

“We want to continue to seek out the most aggressive entrepreneurs to help us expand in new and existing markets, create more jobs and provide opportunities to those who dream of running a successful business,” Todd Leff, President and CEO of the brand, said. “Our business is one that provides peace and tranquility to clients who want to detach from their often stressful lives. We are able to help our customers achieve this relaxation because of the passionate franchisees that we have on board at Hand & Stone.”

Leff also credits the company’s positive progress with the franchise’s emphasis on quality customer service and extensive menu of healthy lifestyle options. Hand & Stone has set itself apart from competitors by offering customizable and affordable massages and facials.

ABOUT HAND & STONE
Hand & Stone is a 125-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 17 states and Canada. For more information on Hand & Stone, visit www.handandstone.com.

Hand & Stone Celebrates Strong Growth and Outstanding Franchisees

Massage and Facial Franchise Wraps Up First Three Quarters of 2013 with Stellar Growth Figures and Celebrates Top-Performing Franchisees

Hamilton, NJ – Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spas (Hand & Stone), one of the fastest growing spa franchises in the country, continues its momentum of solid growth with system wide sales projected to hit $90 million for 2013 and 15 more stores expected to open by year-end. The chain now has 125 open locations and has awarded 60 new franchises so far this year – a company record.

Proving that the thriving brand has made a name for itself as a top leader in the industry, Hand & Stone has established four or more stores in 12 different markets. The franchise’s presence is particularly strong in the Philadelphia DMA, with 31 locations currently in full operation, and in the New York DMA, which is home to another 29 Hand & Stone spas.

Todd Leff, President and CEO of the brand, credits the company’s positive progress with the franchise’s emphasis on quality customer service and the extensive menu of healthy lifestyle options. By offering customizable and affordable massages, facials and hair removal, Hand & Stone has continued to set itself apart from competitors and positioned itself for success in 2014. 

“Our unstoppable growth can be attributed to our ability to attract quality franchisees who share our passion for delivering the highest level of service we offer customers,” Leff said. “Despite tough economic times, our numbers show that people love our services. With our affordability and convenience we are actually growing the demand for services in each new market we enter.”

While Americans across the nation are increasingly embracing healthier lifestyles, the fastest growing markets for the Hand & Stone brand have been in Denver, CO; Houston, TX; Chicago, IL; Dallas/Ft Worth, TX; South Florida, and New Jersey.

In recognition of the franchisees that have contributed to the successful expansion of the health-focused franchise, with over 300 franchisees and team members in attendance, Hand & Stone recently honored its leading franchisees at its 2013 National Conference held in Atlantic City NJ October 15-17^th.

Hand & Stone 2013 Conference Awards winners include:

·         Rookie of the Year Award (First Year Highest Achievement): Langhorne, PA

·         Face Forward Award (Leading Facial Service Space): Huntington, NY

·         Fast Track Award (Top Performing New Spa): Phoughkeepsie, NY

·         Stoney Award (Leading Hot Stone Massage Spa): Puyallup, WA

·         The “Spa-tacular” Spa of the Year (Highest  Achieving Hand and Stone Spa): Marlton, NJ

·         Founders Award (Passion for Excellence): Paul and Maria Cermatori (Spring Lake, NJ) and Skip Papanikolas and Maggie Brown (Scottsdale, AZ)

“These awards showcase our tremendous franchisees and the achievements that Hand & Stone team members have made,” Leff said. “We value each and every one of our franchisees and want to show our appreciation of their commitment to the brand.”

Leff, a 54-year-old franchise veteran, became President of Hand & Stone in July of 2009 and immediately embarked upon an ambitious nationwide expansion, attracting more and more potential franchisees with his palpable enthusiasm for the brand. Since taking over, the company has opened 100 new locations in just four years and expanded into new territories such as Maryland, Missouri, Virginia, Texas, Illinois, South Carolina, and California.

“We want to continue to seek out the most aggressive entrepreneurs to help us identify and expand into new markets, create more jobs and provide opportunities to those who dream of running a successful business,” Leff said. “Our business is one that provides peace and wellness to clients who want to detach from their often stressful lives. We are able to help our customers achieve this relaxation because of the passionate franchisees that we have on board at Hand & Stone.”

ABOUT HAND & STONE
Hand & Stone is a 125-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 17 states and Canada. For more information on Hand & Stone, visit www.handandstone.com.

Our Pumpkin Facial is Here!

Now that we are into the full swing of the fall, it's only natural that we release our seasonal Pumpkin Facial! Be sure to come stop by to experience the ultimate facial using pumpkin enzymes to help repair dull, sun-damaged skin. It will leave your skin feeling hydrated and youthful! Be sure to try it soon, because this deal will only be around for a limited time. 

Franchisee Spotlight: Katherine Blake-Chenier, Washington Township, Michigan

Katherine Blake-Chenier, 46, grew up in Michigan and received a scholarship to study at the University of Hawaii, from which she graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. Upon graduation, she moved to South California for her first entry-level job as an editorial assistant at the Orange County Register before entering the television news industry. She has worked as a television sports reporter and anchor in Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver and Dallas.

She met her Canadian husband, Louis, in 2001 at a hockey game in Colorado and had a long-distance relationship for four years. After the two married 2005, Katherine realized that she had explored all possible opportunities in the television news industry and decided to join her husband’s drilling exploration business in Canada. She spent the next few years dividing her time between Michigan and her husband’s home in Canada.

Katherine’s experience in helping her husband grow their company from the ground up gave her the necessary skills to open a business that was more in line with her own passion – sports. Inspired by the fact that she herself was getting regular massages, she started looking into various massage franchises and was introduced to Hand & Stone by a representative from one of the Hand & Stone’s competitors. 

Unimpressed by most of the franchises that she had seen, she was enthused by the passion of Hand & Stone Founder John Marco when she attended a Discovery Day. Katherine liked the customer service that Hand & Stone offered and the fact that the company’s philosophy was to have customers leave happier than when they arrived. Her husband, who has a strong business background, saw that the company had a good corporate structure and business model and encouraged her to pursue the opportunity.

“As a TV reporter, I worked in a stressful environment,” she said.  “I had deadlines to meet and there were times when I would have to get a story from someone who was going through the worst day of their life. I was bringing stress to people’s lives most nights, but now, I’m able to take stress away from people’s lives.”

Katherine was granted two franchise licenses and chose to open her first location in Michigan to be close to her family members and aging parents. The location also allows her husband to drive over to Canada, where he still runs his drilling business. However, another major reason she has chosen to open her spa in Michigan is because she was saddened by the many foreclosures that she has witnessed and wants to contribute to the community by creating more jobs in the area. As such, she plans to open her second location in the Detroit Metro area.