How Family Getaways Inspired This Construction Company Owner to Expand with Woodhouse

Kimberly Powell, an author, entrepreneur and multi-unit Woodhouse Spa franchise owner based in South Carolina, says her introduction to the world of franchising was both serendipitous and transformative. 

Growing up in Dayton, Ohio, Powell always had a penchant for relaxation and wellness, often frequenting spas for personal rejuvenation and as a respite for her mother, a dedicated caregiver to her father after he suffered a stroke at age 65.

“My mother was really experiencing caregiver burnout so badly that we took a trip every year — my sister, my mom and I — to different resort spas,” Powell said. “We really loved the Ritz Carlton because the consistency for my mother was important. We didn’t want her to take the three or four days away from my dad and risk bad service or not getting the room she wanted. So we ended up going to a lot of Ritz Carltons, and I became fascinated by the hospitality world.”

When a Woodhouse Spa opened in Dayton, Powell checked it out. She immediately recognized a level of luxury and consistency that she knew was missing from other spa experiences in her local area.

“There was a guest there who said, ‘Isn’t it crazy? This is a franchise.’ I thought, ‘Wow, I would have never guessed,’” said Powell. “That just lingered in the back of my mind. Years later, when my husband and I decided to relocate to Charleston, South Carolina, I was honestly just hoping there was a Woodhouse. What I found was shocking to me. Not only was there no Woodhouse in the state of South Carolina, but even the resort spas in the area lacked that real hospitality environment — the warmth, the personal touch, the ability to relax for the day.”

Ready to fill the gap in her community, Powell made the bold step toward franchising. Although she and her husband own their own construction and real estate company, Summit Industrial Flooring, Powell knew Woodhouse Spas would be a whole new adventure. 

“Owning a construction company for 35 years really taught me the value of the franchise model,” Powell said. “We didn’t upgrade our website often, and when we did, it was very expensive. Rebranding a logo or creating an employee manual was costly. Evaluating the franchise model, I realized that the franchise fee covered a lot of work I didn’t enjoy doing. Owning our own company gave me a renewed appreciation and respect for all the little things that go into growing a business, which solo entrepreneurs often don’t have time for or the talent for.”

But most importantly, Powell’s journey from construction to wellness was driven by a desire to find something she was truly passionate about. She even wrote a book, “The Passion and Purpose Project,” that focused on just that. 

“When I moved here 10 years ago, I basically pulled myself out of the day-to-day life of the construction company and poured myself into the spa business,” Powell said. “At 45, my kids were growing older, and I wanted to find something I was passionate about. Stepping back was scary, but it enabled me to recognize what I wanted to do.” 

Joining Woodhouse Spas as a franchisee means investing in a robust and proven business model in a thriving industry. As more people recognize the importance of personal and self-care, the demand for comprehensive wellness services is on the rise. With average annual gross sales of $2.4 million*, multiple revenue streams and a well-defined niche in the $20 billion spa industry, Woodhouse Spas stands out as a premier franchise opportunity for those like Powell passionate about wellness and luxury.

The brand provides comprehensive training on guest services and operations, strategic site selection assistance, construction management, robust marketing support and ongoing operational advice. This extensive support system ensures that each franchise owner is well-prepared to succeed in the competitive spa industry.

Today, Powell has expanded her portfolio to include four Woodhouse Spas in three different states. Now, with multiple successful spas under her belt, Powell is focused on scaling her businesses and exploring new opportunities within the wellness industry.

A transcript of Powell’s interview with 1851 Franchise Founder and Publisher Nick Powills appears below. It has been edited for brevity, style and clarity.

Nick Powills: How did you start in the franchise industry?

Kimberly Powell: So I started in the franchise business 10 years ago. I moved from Dayton, Ohio, where I was born and raised and lived for the first 45 years of my life, to Charleston, South Carolina. There was a Woodhouse Day Spa in Dayton, Ohio, and I was a frequent spa goer because I like massages, but mostly because my father had a massive stroke when he was 65 and was in a wheelchair. It was a big turning point. He owned his own company, worked seven days a week, and my mother ended up being his caregiver. I helped her with that. She was experiencing caregiver burnout so badly that we took a trip every year — my sister, my mom and I — to different resort spas. We really loved the Ritz Carlton because the consistency for my mother was important. We didn’t want her to take the three or four days away from my dad and risk bad service or not getting the room she wanted. So we ended up going to a lot of Ritz Carltons, and I became fascinated by the hospitality. 

Although I was in construction and real estate, and my background is in computer science, I became very aware of all the small details. When a Woodhouse opened in Dayton, Ohio, I immediately recognized it as being such a different type of spa than we were used to. In Ohio, we didn’t even have a hotel with a spa, or at least we didn’t then. We’re not used to fancy hotels or resorts in Ohio. Even the Ritz Carlton in Cleveland doesn’t have a spa. I had joined Massage Envy because that had just come out, and I noticed I wasn’t going anymore because the experience wasn’t what I had hoped for. 

When Woodhouse opened in Dayton, Ohio, I thought, “Gosh, these are the same robes, the same sheets.” They asked me if I wanted a mimosa and I could sit in a lounge. I thought, “Wow, this is cool.” There was a guest there who said, “Isn’t it crazy? This is a franchise.” I thought, “Wow, I would have never guessed.” That just lingered in the back of my mind. 

Years later, when my husband and I decided to relocate to Charleston, South Carolina, I was honestly just hoping there was a Woodhouse. What I found was shocking to me. Not only was there no Woodhouse in the state of South Carolina, but even the resort spas in the area lacked that real hospitality environment — the warmth, the personal touch, the ability to relax for the day. So that’s how I ended up owning a Woodhouse.

Powills: What was your due diligence like in that process?

Powell: It’s kind of interesting because friends of mine own a massage school in Dayton, and I immediately talked to them about it. They were like, you should just do it yourself; you don’t want to get involved in a franchise. I write about this in my book, so it’s public knowledge, but I decided they were right. I didn’t know what I was doing. This is scary. I should just leave it alone. But it just kept coming back to me. 

So I called up the owner of Woodhouse Dayton — he owns two other ones now in Cincinnati, Ohio — and I asked if I could meet with him. I was so nervous, almost shaking, even making the phone call, which isn’t really my personality. But when you try to do something so far outside your comfort zone, it’s very scary. He was like, “Yeah, meet me over there. I’d love to talk to you.” He couldn’t have been any nicer. 

So I met Chris Mann over there, and then immediately took my husband over for brunch and a couple’s massage. I asked, “What would you think about maybe opening one of these in South Carolina?” He’s like, “I love it.” He’s a super optimistic guy. So we hopped on a plane, went down to Victoria, Texas, met with the founders at the time, took our first tour and had our first conversations.

Powills: Most franchisees say culture and financials are the two most important factors in their decision. Does that align with what you were looking at as you were going through this journey?

Powell: Yes, because this was so far outside of anything we had considered, and we’re entrepreneurs, so we’re not used to other people telling us how to do things. The barrier of entry is high for Woodhouse because they are very expensive and luxurious. Woodhouse tends to attract people in their second act of life or those who have already accumulated some wealth but are also entrepreneurial. It attracted me because I was a guest first. Seeing it in real life and meeting the owner, who was doing well, put a lot of my fears aside.

Powills: When you think about your own life, your own attention to detail on the businesses that you’ve built, does that connect as it’s ultimately the same, the widget is just different?

Powell: I talk about this a lot. I was very blessed at 13 to have a cheerleading advisor who had just graduated as a computer science major. She taught me to think algorithmically and be very process-oriented. Leaving a comma out of a 100-page program would cause it not to run. I attribute a lot of my gut instincts and business acumen to my love of processes and efficiencies. I think there’s a similarity between artistic or creative people and those who are more rigid and process-oriented. I fall somewhere in between. I love both the creative part and the step-by-step processes.

Powills: How have you managed to work with teams while maintaining high attention to detail and accountability?

Powell: We adopted the EOS platform about a year and a half ago, and I love it. What I love about it is it sort of brings all those things together in a workable model that has really helped me as I’ve scaled to four spas in three different states. After I opened my third spa, I hit a major speed bump. It was 800 miles away, but it forced me to go back to my processes and understand, “Wow, these aren’t working because if they can’t repeat this 800 miles away without one of my general managers being there, then it’s not going to work.” So in a way, adopting EOS has helped. 

Also, I focus on my two general managers who are amazing and have a ton of experience in the luxury hotel spa world. They are my focus, and then they focus on the four spa managers and assistant managers. Then we hope that the managers and assistant managers can focus on the teams. 

Powills: As you went through this journey of becoming a multi-unit operator, did you keep your existing businesses operating or did you go full boat into this?

Powell: When I moved here 10 years ago, I basically pulled myself out of the day-to-day life of the construction company and poured myself into the spa business. Those are still operating. We have two divisions of our construction in Ohio and South Carolina, but I’m not involved with the day-to-day. I am still involved on the executive team. My focus is really primarily on the spas.

Powills: Did letting go of your construction business help you manage a multi-state franchise portfolio?

Powell: My husband founded the company and I worked with him from the beginning, then raised three children. He was still in the business and we had a president, so I wasn’t too worried about stepping back. But I wasn’t passionate about it anymore. My book, “The Passion and Purpose Project,” discusses this. At 45, my kids were growing older, and I wanted to find something I was passionate about. Stepping back was scary, but it enabled me to recognize what I wanted to do. I had my husband’s full support, and he had mine. It was a good time to start fresh.

Powills: I believe that aligning your time and energy with your internal needs is crucial for entrepreneurs, especially husband-wife teams, to ensure mutual happiness and business success.

Powell: Owning a construction company for 25 years really taught me the value of the franchise model. We didn’t upgrade our website often, and when we did, it was very expensive. Rebranding a logo or creating an employee manual was costly. Evaluating the franchise model, I realized that the franchise fee covered a lot of work I didn’t enjoy doing. Owning our own company gave me a renewed appreciation and respect for all the little things that go into growing a business, which solo entrepreneurs often don’t have time for or the talent for. 

Powills: Given your experience with your mom as a caregiver, did you ever consider going into the senior care or end-of-life care business?

Powell: No, but I wish I had. When I say we’re in real estate, we own some commercial properties that we lease out and we own our own buildings — it’s not a huge real estate model. I wish I had learned more about commercial real estate at a younger age. Even at 20, we bought our first building because my father taught us to own. I wish I would have thought more about other franchises, but I had a passion for this industry and couldn’t see anything else. It worked out, but evaluating those things sooner might have led me to choose a different model.

Powills: You’ve accomplished a lot and obviously have learned various stages of hustle and attention to detail. You’ve scaled the business. Where does the dream go now? What is the dream on a daily basis?

Powell: This is a good question. Many of my colleagues who own multi-unit Woodhouse Spas are similar in age, and we discuss the value of selling and whether it makes more sense to scale. We’re in a business with liabilities. We talk about sharing resources and achieving economies of scale for recurring revenue as we age. I’m turning 55 next week and leaning toward a model of recurring revenue and continuing to grow the businesses. We’re excited about new technologies. 

The hospitality and wellness industry is bright. I don’t know if I’ll own more spas. I recently opened a new one in Savannah, Georgia, and I’m still recovering. I’m considering diving into products or something vertical with our industry. I’m working on writing another book and learning how to scale better. It’s hard, but I’m focused on becoming a better leader and scaling the businesses.

Watch the full video here. 

For more information on franchising with Woodhouse Spas, visit: https://www.ownawoodhouse.com.

ABOUT WOODHOUSE SPAS:

Woodhouse Spas is a leading luxury spa franchise that offers resort-style spa experiences in local communities. Founded in 2001 in Victoria, Texas, Woodhouse Spas has grown to 86 locations across the United States. The brand provides a wide range of services, including massages, facials, body treatments, and nail services, all designed to offer personalized care and enhance wellness. Woodhouse franchisees benefit from comprehensive support, including training, site selection, construction management, marketing, and operational advice. For more information about Woodhouse Spas, visit https://www.woodhousespas.com/.