Hand & Stone hires in down economy, gets featured on CNNMoney.com

Hand & Stone was recently featured on CNNMoney.com as a small business that is hiring in today’s economy! Maria Cermatori, owner of Hand & Stone in Spring Lake and the new location in Brick, was interviewed for the story. The article talks about the popularity of reasonably priced massage and facial services as a segment that consumers are still enjoying despite the recession. Due to Maria’s success, she’s hired 10 employees in the past year for her existing location and will hire about 30 for her new location in Brick. Check out a portion of the article below or read the full story here:

Small businesses that are actually hiring!

Hand & Stone
Location: Spring Lake, N.J.
Employees hired in last year: 10
Total Employees: 35

Recessions are stressful. So reasonably priced massages and facials -- ranging from $49.95 to $79.95 -- have been very popular at Maria Cermatori's Hand & Stone franchise. So popular, in fact, that Cermatori opened another location in nearby Brick, N.J., on Wednesday. She has hired 10 employees for her existing store in the past year, and recently brought on 17 more for the new location. She expects to bring on another 10 to 15 employees in the next month or so. (Read More)

Franchisee Spotlight: Maria Cermatori, Owner of Hand and Stone in Spring Lake

Each week, Hand and Stone will highlight a franchisee. This week, Maria Cermatori, is our spotlight franchisee.

Franchisee Since: October 2006
Franchise Location/s: 1325 Warren Ave., Spring Lake, NJ 07719

How Maria Cermatori Got Started With Hand and Stone…

Maria never quite imagined herself as a small business owner, but when the opportunity fell in her lap six years ago, she couldn’t pass it up. Maria worked in the financial industry for six years prior to becoming Hand and Stone’s first franchisee.

Her husband, Paul, was a business acquaintance with John Marco, Hand and Stone’s Founder. When John was beginning to launch Hand and Stone as a franchise, Paul helped him establish the business plan. Through that process, Paul and Maria became very intrigued with the concept, and eventually they bought the first franchise in Spring Lake, NJ, which opened in October 2006.

Four years after their opening, the Spring Lake spa is extremely well established and Maria credits that to her emphasis on customer service. She and her employees make sure that every guest that walks in the door has a wonderful experience every time. Her location is both a destination for local residents and those visiting the area.

What Intrigued Maria Cermatori about Hand and Stone…

Sparking from Maria’s passion of providing each guest the best experience every time, she finds it invaluable to being involved within her community. She is involved with three area chamber of commerces and donates gift certificates to local schools and charities. Maria also hosts spa parties at her location where groups can come in for a night dedicated to them and receive a collection of Hand and Stone massage services.

Something Interesting About Maria Cermatori Story…

Maria’s second Hand and Stone location is under construction in Brick, NJ. The new Hand and Stone location in Brick will open later this summer and will be the first Hand and Stone location in that market. It is the 36th Hand and Stone location.