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

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Canada, the affordable luxury massage and facial spa franchise, is continuing to catch the eyes of savvy entrepreneurs across North America with a membership-based business model, industry-leading support infrastructure and access to multiple revenue streams. With a footprint of over 450 locations, including 31 locations in Canada, Hand & Stone offers qualified franchisees an opportunity to join a growing brand.

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.”

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. The brand has found major success in its segment offering massage modalities seven days per week, twelve different types of facials, hair removal services and retail skincare products. Hand & Stone makes massage and facial services widely available and affordable without sacrificing quality or the exceptional personal touch associated with the services.

“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.”

“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.” 

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. Lastly, they are able to provide benefits for full-time team members and employ locally – spa associates, massage therapists and estheticians. 

“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. 

With great additions to the Hand & Stone team and success stories like Santi and McSevney, the brand is primed for further growth across Canada. When it comes to key target markets for development in 2020, the Hand & Stone Canada development team has identified opportunities in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

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.”

Hand & Stone is always looking for new franchisees to help grow its footprint. Start-up costs to open a Hand & Stone franchise in Canada range from CA$485,730 to CA$701,780 with a franchise fee of CA$45,000. To receive a breakdown of fees, estimated initial investment costs, contracts, corporate financial statements and other valuable information included in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), visit https://handandstonemassagefranchise.ca/