3 Questions with Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Vice President of Development Bob McQuillan

With an extensive list of services and a rapidly growing footprint, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa has become a premier name in luxury spa services. Today, the massage and facial spa franchise, which was first founded in 2004, is nearing the 500-unit mark and with no signs of slowing down. The brand is making headway into markets as varied as Boston and Carmel, Indiana.

At the helm of this growth is Vice President of Franchise Development Bob McQuillan. McQuillan joined Hand & Stone in 2010 and has seen it go through many phases and developments. As he approaches his 10-year anniversary with Hand & Stone, he shared his insights as to what he loves about the brand and why now is an opportune time to invest in the franchise.

Why should prospective franchisees choose Hand & Stone?

We have really differentiated ourselves with skincare. If you look at our brands versus other top brands in the industry, it’s clear-cut that we’re the leader in terms of the highest average revenues. We sell more skincare products and facial services than any other brand in the industry. We really set ourselves apart as a skincare provider, as we offer a variety of services that include microdermabrasion and LED Light Phototherapy and carry multiple product lines, including Clarity Rx and Dermalogica. We’ve really found our niche in the marketplace.

Furthermore, by investing in Hand & Stone, our franchisees are investing in a brand name with an existing branding proposition in most major U.S. markets. They get extensive and ongoing training and education. We really prepare them to own and operate the business. They are also joining a system with a network of people who are willing to help. That’s the culture we have built.

Also, Hand & Stone franchisees get nationally discounted rates with the vendors with whom we’ve done business. They can try opening a business on their own, but they’ll see that when you have a nationwide brand with 500 locations, you get steep discounts. You get the benefit of everything we’ve done over the last 15 years.

Hand & Stone also has an in-house marketing agency, complete with graphic design and social media departments, that does all of the legwork for the franchisees. So when you invest your life savings in this, it’s nice to know you have an agency at your beck and call that can create assets and drive traffic to your business.

Finally, Hand & Stone has also been awarded accreditation, which means that our company can provide credit hours to our estheticians and massage therapists. We’ve put together a robust training regimen for our core employees that allows them to renew their licenses and stay certified in their respective fields. This gives our franchisees a great deal of credibility.

Why is now the time to invest in Hand & Stone?

This is a perfect time for various reasons, but one major reason is that this is the first generation that will grow up thinking about spa treatments and spa memberships the same way they think about fitness and gym memberships. I’m 54 years old. When I was growing up, going to a spa meant you were wealthy. Maybe you would do it on a special occasion or as a way to treat yourself while on vacation. Today, it’s normal for many people to get massages or facials on a regular basis. They see it as a critical self-care component, the same way they would view going to the gym.

Hand & Stone is perfectly positioned to capture this market. We’re approaching 500 units now in North America, so there’s a good chance that people already know of the brand. They assume that if they move to or visit a new place, they can visit a Hand & Stone.

The franchising industry has also taken notice of our competitive franchise offering. We’ve gotten a lot of recognition this year. Entrepreneur magazine ranked us No. 133 on its Franchise 500 list, making us No. 1 in the spa services category. We were featured in Franchise Times’ Top 200+ list. Forbes magazine ranked Hand & Stone No. 8 on its “Best Franchise to Buy” in the high investment category. Earlier this year, we ranked No. 13 on Franchise Times’ “Fast and Serious” list for 2019. You really couldn’t pick a better time to become a franchisee with Hand & Stone.

What do you love most about Hand & Stone as a brand?

Working for Hand & Stone has been a very personal thing for me. I have been with the company for 10 years and my wife and I own multiple Hand & Stone spas. Our children have also worked in the business. For a lot of our franchisees, Hand & Stone is more of a family than anything else. I know that term gets thrown around, but Hand & Stone really is a family-type business. You have a chance to do good things for people. No one likes to get their car serviced, right? But with Hand & Stone, you go in and get a service and you come out feeling great. It’s an all-around great atmosphere, and new franchisees will be well taken care of when they join our brand.

For more information on available opportunities, visit https://handandstonefranchise.com/.