Why a Proven Business Model, Strong Support Infrastructure and Scalable Opportunity Attracted Franchisees Elaine McSevney and Stephanie Santi to Become Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Franchisees

Elaine McSevney and Stephanie Santi, the franchise owners of the Hand & Stone in Oakville, Ontario, are prime examples of how the brand positions qualified franchisees for success. The franchisee duo brings exceptional industry experience to the business—McSevney is a registered massage therapist and Santi is a certified esthetician.

• When Elaine first mentioned Hand & Stone as a possible business endeavour, I immediately thought it could be a great partnership since we both have experience in the field,” said Santi. “As we did more research, it was clear that Hand & Stone offered a winning business model that would allow us to take advantage of the growing health and wellness industry.

Industry growth trends

Over the past decade, the health-and-wellness-services segment has expanded rapidly, finding eager new consumers in the lucrative millennial demographic. Although the massage, facial and hair removal services remained a niche segment for years, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa was designed to open the health-and-wellness market to a wider audience.

• For so long, the only places people could get a good massage in Canada were high-end luxury spas — which were, for many people, cost-prohibitive — or in a chiropractic or physiotherapy clinic setting,” said Hand & Stone Canada President, Gigi Harding. “Not only did that limit consumers, it meant that so many talented massage therapists were growing frustrated with the lack of bookings. Since coming to Canada in 2009, Hand & Stone has helped shape the country’s massage services market.”

Franchise support system

“Especially during these trying times, the corporate team has been so supportive of our business every step of the way,” said Santi. “They prioritize easy communication and encourage growth. Now, we have continued to innovate in order to appeal to consumer demand.”

According to Santi, the franchisees have been taking advantage of Hand & Stones' diverse array of revenue streams in order to offer new services to clients. “To keep up with industry trends, we have been exploring new modalities and expanding more extensive skincare options,” she said. “People are looking for a more natural way to stay healthy, so we will also be launching our new Himalayan Salt Stone Massage to help reduce negative ions and promote added minerals to the body.”

Local community impact

When it comes to adding value to their local community of Oakville, Santi and McSevney are proud to ease the stress of members by bringing impeccable customer service and reasonably priced spa treatments. They also point out that their location sees a lot of repeat clients thanks to the brand’s membership-based model. Not only does this allow for recurring revenue, but it also ensures that franchisees are able to add a personalized touch to loyal customers.

“Oakville has been a perfect place for our Hand & Stone spa,” said Santi. “Not only do we have an amazing team and clients, but the location is in a small residential area that creates a community-centred atmosphere. Plus, we have been able to donate to local organizations in the community and are looking forward to making more connections within Oakville.”

Now, the duo is looking forward to growing with the Hand & Stone brand. In addition to the Oakville location, Santi and McSevney are hoping to open at least two more locations throughout their area within the next two years.

Overall, Santi notes that Hand & Stone has been the perfect match for her and McSevney. “While Elaine and I are the owners, we are able to leverage our past experience and practice at the spa as well,” she said. “There is nothing better than receiving positive feedback from loyal clients who just love their massage therapist or skin therapist. We couldn’t be more excited for our future growth with Hand & Stone.”