The pitch:
The mission of Massage Envy is to make customized massages, facials and relaxing therapies available to everyone.
Years in business:
Purchased initial franchise in August 2009
Employees:
130
Cost to obtain franchise:
Initial investment ranges from $413,700-$960,850 ($45,000 initial franchise fee for first location and $35,000 for each additional location)
Before opening franchise:
Damara was vice president of human resources and training for a hotel chain.
Reason for opening:
Damara: My No. 1 reason was a passion for massage and how it heals people. I have a bad back, so I know how good massage can be for someone. It was also a career decision – I wanted to work for myself, as opposed to a large corporation. The Rhode Island massage market was not developed at that point – we were the pioneer to bring Massage Envy here. n
‘I chose Massage Envy based on the brand and its growth patterns. Back then there were 500 locations and now there are over 1,200. We are the largest massage therapist employer in the world.’
‘There are few places you can work where 99 percent of your customers are going to feel good on the way out the door.’
‘If you’re a business traveler like I used to be, you can step off an airplane and find a Massage Envy in almost any city.’
‘Some people see massage as a once a year thing – an anniversary or birthday present – but we also have members who come in monthly or weekly.’
‘We want employees to feel valued and stay with us. One day a year we shut down all four clinics and do a full-service training. It’s a lot for a small business to do, but we know the value of it.’
Franchise owners interested in being included in an upcoming Franchisee feature can contact PBN Researcher Nicole Dotzenrod at (401) 680-4838 or research@pbn.com.
