How Hand & Stone Has Become the Leader in the Health and Wellness Segment

Since starting in 2004, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa has brought affordable luxury spa services to the masses and has made a name for itself by offering a family-friendly and differentiated franchising opportunity that is unlike anything else in the booming health and wellness segment.

Hand & Stone has grown immensely in the last 15 years, now operating more than 450 spa locations across the U.S. and Canada. Hand & Stone’s franchising opportunity stands out in the crowded segment thanks to a family-driven business model and exceptional franchisee support.

“The most significant way we’ve differentiated ourselves is with facial services and hair removal,” said VP of Development Bob McQuillan. “We were one of the first to offer massage, facial and hair removal all under one roof, and now we sell more skincare products and facial services than any other brand in the industry. These services include L.E.D. photo skin therapy, microcurrent technology, dermal infusion, as well as multiple product lines with Clarity Rx and Dermalogica. We’ve really carved ourselves a niche within the skincare sector.”

Unique services offered

Unlike Hand & Stone’s competitors, this range of services offers franchisees access to multiple revenue streams. As one of the first massage franchises to implement a membership-based model, Hand & Stone helps drive continuous growth, momentum and recurring revenue for each franchisee.

“We continue to differentiate ourselves in the crowded segment with new and innovative luxury services on both the massage and facials side of the business regularly,” said McQuillan. “For massage, we recently launched paraffin hand and foot treatments and a fantastic new Himalayan Salt Stone Massage. We are continuously looking for exceptional services that we can bring to the middle market at an affordable price.”

In terms of operations, Hand & Stone offers a new challenge for franchisees who are tired of the corporate lifestyle and are eager for an opportunity to spend more time with the family.

“At Hand & Stone, we have a large number of married teams who are thrilled to involve their families in the business,” said McQuillian. “The people who work in health and wellness, specifically Hand & Stone, are naturally kind and customer service-oriented which creates an incredible, family-friendly work environment. Since Hand & Stone’s family-oriented approach starts at the very top—with many of the corporate team members doubling as franchisees—it creates an internal business family where franchisee candidates feel comfortable investing in the company and involving their own families.”

Franchisee support system

Another factor that sets Hand & Stone apart from the competition is the brand’s in-depth franchisee support system and infrastructure**. “Supporting our franchisees from day one is essential,” said McQuillian. “**Hand and Stone’s in-house marketing agency and assistance during the real estate acquisition and negotiation process are two key areas where the brand makes a difference for its owners. Everything in the opening process is hands-on, for and with our franchisees.”

In addition to the in-house agency, Hand & Stone awards accreditation so that the company can provide credit hours to the estheticians and massage therapists. Hand & Stone features a robust training regimen for their core employees so that they can renew and stay certified in their respective fields. The credit system built-in for education is unique in the massage segment and adds credibility to the brand.

“By offering consumers a luxury experience for a fraction of the cost, flexible memberships and a wide variety of services, Hand & Stone caters to the middle market and has found a niche few others have been able to break into,” said McQuillian.

“Back in 2010, we had only 28 locations; now almost ten years later, we have over 450 locations,” said McQuillian. “When people invest in Hand & Stone, they’re investing in a brand name with an existing branding proposition in most major markets in the country. We’re approaching 500 units now in North America, so the brand has instant credibility as well as a network of owners who are willing to help new franchisees.”

Hand & Stone has shown significant growth in 2019 and has licensed 55 new franchise locations across the U.S. The brand is also looking to build on that momentum in 2020 by actively targeting new areas for development, including Boston, Detroit and Texas. In addition to an impressive footprint, the brand recently earned a place on Forbes’ annual “Best Franchises To Buy” list, taking the No. 8 spot in the high-investment category for 2019.

As service-based health and wellness concepts continue to thrive, Hand & Stone’s franchising opportunity stands out in the crowded segment thanks to multiple revenue streams, exceptional support, innovative technology and a family-driven business.

Start-up costs to open a Hand & Stone franchise range from $532,563 to $618,327with a franchise fee of $42,500. To receive a breakdown of fees, estimated initial investment costs, contracts, corporate financial statements, and other valuable information are included in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), visit ***