Caught Between a Franchise and Your Bottom Line?
Running a float spa under a franchise model can feel like walking a tightrope.
On one side, you’re meeting the franchise’s expectations—branding, operations, and fees. On the other side, you’re trying to stay profitable in your market.
Here’s the tricky part:
Franchise goals don’t always align with your local reality.
So how do you keep the franchise happy and protect your margins?
1️⃣ Know Your Numbers:
Understand your break-even point and which services drive the most profit. If something doesn’t serve your bottom line, it’s worth addressing with the franchise.
2️⃣ Localize Marketing:
While sticking to brand guidelines, highlight the unique needs of your community. Local promotions or partnerships can go a long way.
3️⃣ Streamline Operations:
Control what you can—staffing, scheduling, and upselling—to maximize efficiency and profitability.
4️⃣ Advocate for Yourself:
Franchises want their operators to succeed. Don’t hesitate to push back on initiatives that don’t align with your market or ask for more flexibility where it matters.
At the end of the day, a thriving franchise is built on thriving locations.
What’s been your biggest challenge balancing franchise demands with your spa’s unique needs? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear your story.
CEO of What's Next - Ready to join your organization at a senior level to help you communicate more effectively, drive change and impact, and achieve goals. Coach, Mentor and Leader of Change and People.
2moJoel Libava I think the better question is, what does it take to become a successful franchise owner? What leadership skills do I need? What people skills do I need? What listening and communication skills do I need? What time management skills do I need? What organizational skills are required? What business skills am I lacking? Buying a franchise is easy, it just takes money. Running a successful business is a completely different animal.