LeAnn Lambert, the owner of Woodhouse Spa of SouthPark, didn’t always plan to own a spa. With a background in real estate and financial advising, Lambert’s move to a new city prompted her to begin exploring the unique business opportunity. Lambert’s journey with Woodhouse Spas exemplifies how a strong entrepreneurial background — even in different industries — and an interest in bringing a true resource to the community can create a highly successful entrepreneur.
“When I moved to the Charlotte area, I was looking for a spa myself. I had gone to other Woodhouses, so through those experiences, I was immediately aware of the need we had in the Charlotte market,” Lambert said. “I was a little nervous because the hospitality industry was new for me, but any entrepreneur knows that you need to manage and grow a brand. That’s the same, no matter what industry you’re in.”
Paving the Way for a Professional Leap
Though Lambert had identified a need in the market when she first moved, she still needed to research what did exist in the area.
“I had been to other Woodhouses in the past, so I knew that was the direction I wanted to go. I loved the brand already,” she said. “But I definitely wanted to see what was out there and what kind of need we had for this. I had to get into other spas and really get boots on the ground — go out there and see what my competition would be like.”
Lambert also carefully considered things like disposable income and demographic data in the area.
“I’m like a sponge; I wanted to soak up as much as I could,” she said. “You have to research your market and really dive in to see if Woodhouse is a fit for your area. It was a natural fit for mine. This area really needed Woodhouse. I feel that my business has grown, not only due to connecting and marketing but because it was a true need in the community.”
Leveraging the Support of the Franchisor and Other Local Resources
As Lambert got started, she knew she would need to leverage brand-building practices, but given she was new to the industry, she approached the franchisor’s training programs with an open mind and excitement to learn.
“There are different staffing practices and different protocols that were new to me,” she said. “I’m not a licensed therapist or esthetician, so I had some nerves around that. But the corporate team made sure we had trainers for the hospitality staff, the therapists and the estheticians. I felt like I was surrounded with both the guidance I needed to help me open the spa and support for all of the little things I might not have been as comfortable with, myself.”
Once she opened her spa, Lambert recognized that building on this robust training and support with brand awareness efforts of her own would further multiply her success.
“We have grown! We do a lot of marketing, and we learn every single day,” she said. “We’re in the community making those connections; I’ve joined networking groups, and we host events at the spa. The brand speaks for itself. It’s a great brand. I think the best part about this is that we’re promoting relaxation. Most of the time, people don’t take time to do anything for themselves, so getting to be that resource for our community is amazing.”
Thoughtful Scale Promotes Longevity
After seeing the success of Woodhouse in the SouthPark area, Lambert chose to scale. Having recently signed an agreement for her second location, Lambert recognized how healthy, thoughtful growth will support her long-term success.
“North Carolina is growing. There is a Raleigh location, I have this location, and I just signed for my second location,” she said. “The new location will be just outside of Charlotte — about 45 minutes north. We’re breaking ground next month, and it’ll be a brand new building. I live on that side of town, so again, I knew the area and did my homework. The location is amazing.”
In addition to scaling her own business and bringing the Woodhouse experience to more people, Lambert said she’s excited about what this growth will mean for new team members.
“I love the opportunity to provide more jobs,” she said. “I get to expand our footprint and create jobs on my side of town. And I get the opportunity to meet so many more people.”
However, that growth isn’t just about headcount; it’s a chance to sharpen the playbook that worked at her first location.
“Like I said, the brand will speak for itself, but it’s pretty awesome to be able to take the team that we have and the lessons we’ve learned from number one and apply it to number two,” Lambert said. “We’ll just be even better and even stronger. There will be more training as everything is evolving, but having gone through it once, we’re coming to this growth with a lot more knowledge of the brand, market — everything.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/woodhouse-spas.