Showing posts with label Houston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Houston. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Q&A With Tony & Brittany Rodgers

Both having similar backgrounds and goals for success, Tony and Brittany seek to open five Hand & Stone locations throughout Houston. With a strong passion for the health and wellness industry, the couple brings devotion, motivation and faith to the Hand & Stone brand.

Q: Where are you from?
A: Tony grew up in South Bend, Ind., where he graduated from a five year apprenticeship program with his associates degree in applied science. Brittany grew up in Orlando, Fla., but moved to South Bend, to go to school, where she met Tony. She attended Indiana University and graduated with degrees in psychology, social and behavioral science and radiology science.

Q: What was your career before franchising?
A: Before franchising, Tony spent 10 years in the construction industry, running large commercial accounts. Later, Tony became operations manager for a large manufacturing/recycling  facility located in Northern Indiana. Brittany worked in the medical field of Radiology where she enjoyed helping and caring for patients. She worked mostly in large out-patient centers, including one of the largest orthopedic clinics in all of central Florida. Additionally, Tony dabbled with his Realtor’s license, partnering up with a company to buy, remodel and sell prime real estate for opportunities to further his success. The couple spent two years purchasing and renovating vintage riverside homes in the Notre Dame/ St. Mary area of Northern Indiana.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?
A: Tony and Brittany learned about the Hand & Stone brand from Frannet, a leading company in expert franchise consulting.  Once Tony and Brittany realized their strong desire for independence and accomplishment,  the couple began searching  for the next step towards success. With much research, and the assistance from Frannet, Tony and Brittany were introduced to Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa.

Q: Why did you decide to open your own business?
 A: Tony and Brittany chose to open their own business to gain personal freedom,  stability and the chance to one day give back. They wanted the opportunity to finally reap the benefits from their devoted strength. By opening their own business, Tony and Brittany have the ability to watch their hard work pay off for future generations to come.

Q: When choosing a franchise, what were the criteria you used to make your decision?
A: When choosing a franchise, Tony and Brittany had specific criteria they were in search of. They knew they wanted to stay in the health and wellness industry due to their passionate histories for both health and wellness. They wanted a company they could stand behind, a company they felt passionate about, a company that could meet their financial goals for personal success and a company that connected with the community.

Q: What was appealing to you about joining a franchise system?
A: For Tony and Brittany, the most appealing aspect about joining a franchise system was the proven track record for success. They felt strongly about the worth of a well-established business model and felt it was a great way to get started in the entrepreneurial world of business.

Q: What are some of your achievements (professionally or personally) that you think will help you along the way in your business?
A: Tony and Brittany were once told the keys to success are devotion, motivation and faith —three things neither of them lack. Starting their entrepreneurial business journeys at a young age, the couple’s education and work experience have been their biggest achievements thus far. Priceless assets they share that will drive their success in the franchise world include dedication for hard work, a passion for continuously giving back to others and an extensive background in many aspects of the business world. 

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Franchisee Spotlight: Rafael Marquez, Sugar Land, Texas

Rafael Marquez, 39, was born and raised in Mexico. “And then, I met a girl from Fargo, North Dakota,” he recalled, laughing. The girl, an exchange student studying psychology and Spanish, would eventually become his wife. The couple lived in Mexico for a few years before moving to Minneapolis, where Marquez began working toward his MBA at the University of Minnesota. Upon graduation, he started working for Best Buy, primarily in the development of new business concepts and helping with Best Buy Mobile and Best Buy Express. He stayed with the brand for five years before joining United Health Group where he worked with Optum new businesses.

“After working for them for a couple of years , I was given the opportunity to live anywhere in the country, and I settled on Houston,” he said., After telecommuting from his home in The Woodlands for a year Marquez began to feel more and more of a desire to tap into his entrepreneurial spirit. “I’ve always had the ambition and passion to start my own business,” Marquez said. His wife Heather Meier, will help out with the new Hand & Stone.  When not prepping for this new venture, the two enjoy spending time with their children, who are ten, seven and four years old, as well as, with various family members and friends they have in the Sugar Land area.

How did you learn about the brand?
I used several franchise consultants, and I looked at all different businesses from cell phone retailers to vitamin retailers. And the membership business model appealed to me, as well as, this wellness industry. I learned that Hand & Stone can differentiate from the competitors with their larger array of services and customer service.

Why did you choose an opportunity with Hand & Stone?
I realized that the massage industry has a good business model. I have a lot of experience in analyzing, understanding and implementing business models, and I found this was the best model for me to start. I saw the growth and that the market was ready. From there, I looked at the different brands but I believe Hand & Stone is ahead of the competition because we offer massages, facials, hair removal, which is a lot more than the average competitor. The ability to offer those three services gives us an edge in the market. Also, when I spoke with Hand & Stone corporate staff, I saw that they were all very experienced. And the support of this professional staff is very important to me.

What are your expansion or development plans?
We signed an agreement to open four spas. We hope to open our second in November, which will be in the Galleria area of Houston. If everything else goes well, the third and fourth locations will open next year.

What are some of your passions?

I would say that my family is very important - my children and wife. I come from a large family, and I get great support from all of them. My wife has the biggest job out of both of us: managing the house and caring for the children. But she will be helping us out with the business as well, so that is exciting.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Franchisee Profile: Tony & Brittany Rodgers of Houston, TX


Name:  Tony & Brittany Rodgers
Opening Date: April 2012
Brand:   Hand & Stone
Location: Houston, TX

 Both having similar backgrounds and goals for success, Tony and Brittany seek to open five Hand & Stone locations throughout Houston. With a strong passion for the health and wellness industry, the couple brings devotion, motivation and faith to the Hand & Stone brand.

Q: Where are you from?
A: Tony grew up in South Bend, Ind., where he graduated from a five year apprenticeship program with his associates degree in applied science. Brittany grew up in Orlando, Fla., but moved to South Bend, to go to school, where she met Tony. She attended Indiana University and graduated with degrees in psychology, social and behavioral science and radiology science.

Q: What was your career before franchising?
A: Before franchising, Tony spent 10 years in the construction industry, running large commercial accounts. Later, Tony became operations manager for a large manufacturing/recycling  facility located in Northern Indiana. Brittany worked in the medical field of Radiology where she enjoyed helping and caring for patients. She worked mostly in large out-patient centers, including one of the largest orthopedic clinics in all of central Florida. Additionally, Tony dabbled with his Realtor’s license, partnering up with a company to buy, remodel and sell prime real estate for opportunities to further his success. The couple spent two years purchasing and renovating vintage riverside homes in the Notre Dame/ St. Mary area of Northern Indiana.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?
A: Tony and Brittany learned about the Hand & Stone brand from Frannet, a leading company in expert franchise consulting.  Once Tony and Brittany  realized their strong desire for independence and accomplishment,  the couple began searching  for the next step towards success. With much research, and the assistance from Frannet, Tony and Brittany were introduced to Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa.

Q: Why did you decide to open your own business?
 A: Tony and Brittany chose to open their own business to gain personal  freedom,  stability and the chance to one day give back. They wanted the opportunity to finally reap the benefits from their devoted strength. By opening their own business, Tony and Brittany have the ability to watch their hard work pay off for future generations to come.

Q: When choosing a franchise, what were the criteria you used to make your decision?
A: When choosing a franchise, Tony and Brittany had specific criteria they were in search of. They knew they wanted to stay in the health and wellness industry due to their passionate histories for both health and wellness. They wanted a company they could stand behind, a company they felt passionate about, a company that could meet their financial goals for personal success and a company that connected with the community.

Q: What was appealing to you about joining a franchise system?
A: For Tony and Brittany, the most appealing aspect about joining a franchise system was the proven track record for success. They felt strongly about the worth of a well-established business model and felt it was a great way to get started in the entrepreneurial world of business.

Q: What are some of your achievements (professionally or personally) that you think will help you along the way in your business?
A: Tony and Brittany were once told the keys to success are devotion, motivation and faith —three things neither of them lack. Starting their entrepreneurial business journeys at a young age, the couple’s education and work experience have been their biggest achievements thus far. Priceless assets they share that will drive their success in the franchise world include dedication for hard work, a passion for continuously giving back to others and an extensive background in many aspects of the business world.

ABOUT HAND & STONE
Hand & Stone is a 50-plus unit massage and facial spa with a mission to bring massage and facial services to the masses, tapping into the day-cation market segment.  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 20 locations by the end of 2011.  For more information on Hand & Stone, visit www.handandstone.com.

 
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