Kimberly Powell’s transformation from a loyal spa customer to a successful multi-unit Woodhouse Spas franchisee began with family getaways and a personal appreciation for quality wellness experiences. Now, Powell operates four locations across three states, turning her passion for hospitality and wellness into a thriving business venture while providing the same high-quality services she knows and loves to her own guests.
Powell developed a strong appreciation for self-care, and particularly quality spa experiences, early on.
“My father had a massive stroke when he was 65, and he was in a wheelchair,” she said. “My mother was experiencing caregiver burnout, so my sister and I decided to take her on a trip each year to recharge. We went to various resort spas, but we really loved the Ritz Carlton because of the quality and consistency.”
Knowing there was somewhere she could go for a reliably good experience for her mother was invaluable to Powell, and she quickly became fascinated by the hospitality world.
When a Woodhouse Spa opened in her hometown, Powell decided to check it out, and she was impressed by the experience.
"I immediately recognized it as being such a different type of spa than we were used to," she said. "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 told me I could sit in a lounge. I thought, 'Wow, this is cool.'"
The revelation that Woodhouse was a franchise came as a surprise.
“There was a guest there who said, ‘Isn’t it crazy? This is a franchise!’” Powell said. “I thought, ‘Wow, I would have never guessed.’ That just lingered in the back of my mind.”
Years later, when Powell and her husband decided to relocate to Charleston, South Carolina, she was disappointed to learn that there wasn’t a Woodhouse Spa anywhere in the state. Beyond Woodhouse, even, there was a major gap in luxury spa experiences in the market.
“What I found was shocking to me,” she said. “Even the resort spas in the area lacked that real hospitality environment — the warmth and the personal touch.”
Despite having experience as an entrepreneur in her own construction and real estate company, Powell was initially hesitant to enter the franchise world. Because the venture was so far out of her comfort zone, she was nervous, but after reaching out to an existing owner and visiting the company’s headquarters, she was convinced it was the right decision.
As a long-time business owner, Powell ended up finding unexpected value in the franchise structure.
“The experience I had owning the construction company for 25 years made the value of the franchise model even more clear,” she said. “We didn’t upgrade our website often, for example, and when we did, it was very expensive. Rebranding a logo or creating an employee manual was costly. When evaluating Woodhouse, I realized the franchise fee covered a lot of the work that I didn’t enjoy doing.”
When she moved to Charleston over a decade ago, Powell worked to remove herself from the day-to-day demands of the construction company and shift her energy toward the spa.
“I wasn’t passionate about the construction business anymore,” she said. “At 45, my kids were growing older, and I wanted to find something I was truly passionate about. Stepping back was scary, but it allowed me to recognize what I really wanted to do.”
Today, Powell owns four Woodhouse Spas across South Carolina, Georgia and Ohio and is considering the future of her business.
“The hospitality and wellness industry is bright,” she said. “I’m considering diving into products or another vertical within our industry. I’m also writing another book and focusing on learning how to scale better.”
Over a decade after becoming a franchisee, Powell’s evolution from spa enthusiast to industry leader represents more than just entrepreneurial success, demonstrating just how important firsthand experience as a consumer can be to build a truly successful business. Now, as she looks toward the future, she continues to apply the same principle that first drew her to Woodhouse: identifying what people truly want and need rather than restricting oneself to what’s currently being offered.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/woodhouse-spas.
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After discovering Woodhouse as a reliable destination for luxury spa experiences with her sister and mother, Powell moved away from the construction industry to bring the brand to her own community.
Kimberly Powell’s transformation from a loyal spa customer to a successful multi-unit Woodhouse Spas franchisee began with family getaways and a personal appreciation for quality wellness experiences. Now, Powell operates four locations across three states, turning her passion for hospitality and wellness into a thriving business venture while providing the same high-quality services she knows and loves to her own guests.
Powell developed a strong appreciation for self-care, and particularly quality spa experiences, early on.
“My father had a massive stroke when he was 65, and he was in a wheelchair,” she said. “My mother was experiencing caregiver burnout, so my sister and I decided to take her on a trip each year to recharge. We went to various resort spas, but we really loved the Ritz Carlton because of the quality and consistency.”
Knowing there was somewhere she could go for a reliably good experience for her mother was invaluable to Powell, and she quickly became fascinated by the hospitality world.
When a Woodhouse Spa opened in her hometown, Powell decided to check it out, and she was impressed by the experience.
"I immediately recognized it as being such a different type of spa than we were used to," she said. "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 told me I could sit in a lounge. I thought, 'Wow, this is cool.'"
The revelation that Woodhouse was a franchise came as a surprise.
“There was a guest there who said, ‘Isn’t it crazy? This is a franchise!’” Powell said. “I thought, ‘Wow, I would have never guessed.’ That just lingered in the back of my mind.”
Years later, when Powell and her husband decided to relocate to Charleston, South Carolina, she was disappointed to learn that there wasn’t a Woodhouse Spa anywhere in the state. Beyond Woodhouse, even, there was a major gap in luxury spa experiences in the market.
“What I found was shocking to me,” she said. “Even the resort spas in the area lacked that real hospitality environment — the warmth and the personal touch.”
Despite having experience as an entrepreneur in her own construction and real estate company, Powell was initially hesitant to enter the franchise world. Because the venture was so far out of her comfort zone, she was nervous, but after reaching out to an existing owner and visiting the company’s headquarters, she was convinced it was the right decision.
As a long-time business owner, Powell ended up finding unexpected value in the franchise structure.
“The experience I had owning the construction company for 25 years made the value of the franchise model even more clear,” she said. “We didn’t upgrade our website often, for example, and when we did, it was very expensive. Rebranding a logo or creating an employee manual was costly. When evaluating Woodhouse, I realized the franchise fee covered a lot of the work that I didn’t enjoy doing.”
When she moved to Charleston over a decade ago, Powell worked to remove herself from the day-to-day demands of the construction company and shift her energy toward the spa.
“I wasn’t passionate about the construction business anymore,” she said. “At 45, my kids were growing older, and I wanted to find something I was truly passionate about. Stepping back was scary, but it allowed me to recognize what I really wanted to do.”
Today, Powell owns four Woodhouse Spas across South Carolina, Georgia and Ohio and is considering the future of her business.
“The hospitality and wellness industry is bright,” she said. “I’m considering diving into products or another vertical within our industry. I’m also writing another book and focusing on learning how to scale better.”
Over a decade after becoming a franchisee, Powell’s evolution from spa enthusiast to industry leader represents more than just entrepreneurial success, demonstrating just how important firsthand experience as a consumer can be to build a truly successful business. Now, as she looks toward the future, she continues to apply the same principle that first drew her to Woodhouse: identifying what people truly want and need rather than restricting oneself to what’s currently being offered.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/woodhouse-spas.
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