It may be difficult to imagine that at the turn of this century, massage was largely conducted in the back rooms of nail salons and chiropractor's offices. The efforts of people like Michele Maruniak have changed all that. Maruniak made history when she became the first massage therapist to start a massage business that became a national franchise. That franchise, which hit the 10-year anniversary mark this year, now has 223 studios in 36 states across the country.
Highlands Ranch, Colo., April 26, 2016 (Newswire.com) - YouTube went mainstream. “Sex in the City” was in its final season. Twitter launched. Elements Massage™ began franchising. Ten years ago—in 2006—a tweet was the sound a bird made, and many people were still unaware of the many benefits of customized massage therapy.
It may be difficult to imagine that at the turn of the century, massage was far from the mainstream form of therapeutic and stress relief it is today. The combined efforts of people like Michele Maruniak and the development of the Elements Massage™ franchise system together, have changed that; helping to turn the massage industry into a booming $12.1 billion business by 2015. The industry is now well-respected and massage can help to improve overall well-being and provide pain and stress relief for millions of people.
Even though massage students are taught to create a business plan and start their own business upon graduating, the problem is that many great massage therapists quit before they start because they don't have the resources to start and build a business.
Michele Maruniak, Founder of Elements Massage
Thank goodness for an evolving society!
In 2006, Michele Maruniak’s massage therapy business became the launching pad for the first massage therapist-inspired, national franchise system, Elements Massage™ (Elements). The Elements franchise system now has 223 open studios in 36 states across the country. Elements was recently ranked No. 182 on the Entrepreneur Magazine Franchise 500 list—a long way for a brand to go in 10 years.
Michele says she is proud of where the Elements brand has come, she also gets a warm feeling about the opportunities that the growth has given to people in the industry.
“I am proud and excited about Elements franchise owners and their teams who create amazing work environments,” Maruniak stated. “The massage therapists, managers and receptionists who enjoy their work and their team make me proud to be a part of the Elements franchise system.”
So could Maruniak and the Elements franchise system possibly have seen the growth potential for a massage-only business model? Was there another reason the business focused on only providing massage therapy, when so many others dabbled in other offerings?
“I was inspired to connect great massage therapists with great clients and that led me to start my first massage studio,” Maruniak recalled. “Even though massage students are taught to create a business plan and start their own business upon graduating, the problem is that many great massage therapists quit before they start because they don’t have the resources to start and build a business. I saw my therapist friends struggling with marketing and closing their businesses before they got off the ground. Luckily for me, many of my friends came to my studio and we united together to build a great environment for both clients and therapists.”
Maruniak believes it wasn’t any sort of business model that made her original studio successful, but rather a focus on people.
“I created a therapist and client focused business, and that continues to be the focus of Elements to this day,” she said. “The Elements Way® is all about connecting the clients with the right therapist, to not only give the client what they are looking for from their massage, but also to allow the therapist to provide a massage that fits their strengths as a therapist. That focus is what has propelled Elements to where the brand is today, even 10 years after franchising.”
While a lot can change in 10 years, in the case of Elements, some very important factors remain the same and have supported the brand’s launch into its future and continued growth.
Source: Elements Massage
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