How This Mother of Three Changed Her Life with BeBalanced and Became the System’s Very First Franchisee

At the age of 43, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania resident Paget Rhee began experiencing early onset menopause, and at 45, she started struggling with depression. Over the course of a few years, Rhee had gained weight and no longer felt like herself. The mother of three sought out quick-fix diet and weight loss solutions, but she ultimately realized that she needed a long-term solution that was right for her and landed on BeBalanced Hormone Weight Loss Centers.

BeBalanced was founded in 2007 as a single retail center. Since day one, BeBalanced has used proprietary natural hormone products to help women not only lose weight, but also to be healthier and happier. After years of research and experience, the team was passionate about sharing what they had learned with as many people as possible and began to franchise the BeBalanced concept in November 2014. Since then, BeBalanced has grown to over 20 locations around the country and is now looking to expand into new areas.

“Before I found BeBalanced, I developed a non-profit called City Gate that advocated for children in need in Washington D.C.,” said Rhee. “The organization was dedicated to offering hope through relationships, education and care. Eventually, I decided to adopt a child who had special needs. Though rewarding, the adoption put me through a tough time, and I went through a long stage of depression and early menopause. I found myself at a vulnerable spot and quickly gained weight. My work with City Gate, on top of being a full-time mother, was rewarding, but it also demanded much of my time and energy.”

Rhee became a client of BeBalanced and lost 60 pounds within three months. “I loved that BeBalanced offered hope and aimed to empower women,” she said. “My therapist at BeBalanced talked to me about how the best thing I could do for my daughter with special needs was to first take care of myself and my own wellness. My daughter is who I owe my passions for the BeBalanced brand to.”

After living in Washington D.C., Rhee moved to York, Pennsylvania to follow an opportunity to raise her children in a more comfortable neighborhood. In addition to her 23-year-old daughter, Rhee also has a son at the Naval Academy who plays lacrosse and another daughter who is finishing up college.

“While in York, I noticed that part of the York shopping center on East Market Street seemed neglected, and took that as an opportunity to transform it into my first BeBalanced location,” said Rhee.

Today, Rhee applies her life-transforming experience through BeBalanced to help women understand their body chemistry and use the power of natural hormone balancing to lose and keep off weight, while receiving relief from many PMS and menopause-related symptoms at the same time. “Through BeBalanced’s practices, I believe we have brought life and positive energy back to this building,” she said. “This is exactly what we hope to do for women — help them see and experience a new life that allows them to look and feel their best every day.”

Since opening that first location in October 2014, Rhee has leveraged the brand’s winning business model and exceptional support system to expand her portfolio to three locations with the BeBalanced franchise. BeBalanced is the nation’s leading all-natural, non-medical weight-loss center with the highest referral rates among customers in the franchise industry. Through a dedicated marketing team and a supportive corporate office, BeBalanced franchise owners have the tools necessary to thrive in their area.

“Three of my centers in central Pennsylvania have created such a strong network, and I don’t go many days without hearing from someone about how our program has changed their life,” said Rhee. “We’ve curated so many life-changing success stories about our clients taking back their own lives and confidence. I’ve developed a team of women who are dedicated to giving back energy and balance to other women’s lives. Most of my staff started out as clients of the program who have come to truly believe in our mission. Now, they say BeBalanced has changed their life.”

When COVID-19 hit, Rhee pivoted quickly to virtual services to ensure that women could take the downtime to focus on themselves. “Especially now, women need to take time to take better care of themselves rather than giving so much to others that they feel depleted,” she said. “Taking care of your family means taking care of yourself.”

Looking ahead, Rhee hopes to continue growing her centers, especially since having the ability to do virtual wellness has opened up the whole world as potential clients. Rhee also enjoys coaching newer BeBalanced franchisees and offering them best practices, training and support. With 13 existing locations in Pennsylvania, BeBalanced hopes to continue growth in several target markets, including Scranton, Allentown and Hanover.

“My goal is always to empathize with women who try to balance their career and parenting responsibilities, in addition to taking care of themselves and their own personal needs,” Rhee said. “I remember the days when I was desperate for happiness and freedom due to depression, lack of sleep and stress. I want to be a resource for women to turn to.”

For those looking into buying a franchise, Rhee notes that the most important thing is ensuring that you are personally passionate about whatever you do in life. “Something we often forget is that work life is also personal life,” she said. “You have to love what you do and make sure you feel empowered to follow your purpose.”

In addition to business, Rhee notes that BeBalanced has changed her personal life, allowing her to play tennis, go kayaking, hike and travel with her children, including climbing Machu Picchu last May with her daughter. “After my experience with BeBalanced, I’ve realized that my age doesn’t define me.”

For more information about franchising with BeBalanced, visit: https://franchise.bebalancedcenters.com/