Kim Powell Q&A with Franchising Magazine USA

Woodhouse Spa is part of Radiance Holdings, a global company representing a collection of premier brands in the beauty, wellness and self-care sectors and was recently acquired by TSG Consumer Partners.

When did you buy your franchise?

I bought my franchise back in 2014 following a brief visit to Victoria, Texas and proceeded to purchase the rights to 12 locations, as a regional developer, as part of a discontinued program. I am currently the owner of Woodhouse Spas in Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, SC and Franklin, TN. I’ll be opening my 4th spa in Savannah, GA in Fall of 2023.

 

How did you find about the franchise and why did you choose that franchise?

Initially, I was a guest at a Woodhouse Spa in Dayton, Ohio, where I was born and raised. As a frequent spa-goer to luxury spas, I recognized and appreciated the quality and value of having this type of luxury spa in my small suburb. When I relocated to Charleston, SC in 2014, I was hoping there would be a Woodhouse Spa in my new hometown. When I discovered there wasn’t a Woodhouse location in Charleston nor in the entire state of South Carolina at the time, I decided that it might be fun to open one myself.

 

What was your working background?

I have a Computer Science degree from The University of Dayton. After years of working for a multinational technology corporation, my husband and I founded an industrial flooring business in 1990. Our headquarters is in Dayton, Ohio, and our regional office is in Charleston, SC. We are also in the real estate business with a few investment properties.

What was the turning point that made you realize you wanted to change your career path?

When we decided to move to Charleston in 2014, I was 45 years old, and two of my three sons were in college in Charleston. I wanted to do something with “Chapter Two” of my life that aligned with my passions and allowed me to serve my community in a positive way.

 

What was the process like once you signed the franchise agreement?

As far as training, site selection, fit out, etc.  Once we signed up with Woodhouse, we began looking for a good location. Being new to the area, this took some time, but we found the perfect location for the spa. From there, we began to design the spa and work with a construction manager to execute the plan. The Woodhouse team made it extremely easy to streamline all our openings and management processes and helped guide us every step of the way to successfully open.

 

What type of training/support was (still is) provided to you?

The Woodhouse corporate team acted as a true brand partner and helped guide us through all the intricacies that encompass building and running a spa from top to bottom. They provide owners with a very clear, helpful system to follow to ensure you have all your bases covered and have a clear budget and operating model in place from the start.

Woodhouse Spa also continues to provide franchise owners with unrivaled mentorship, proprietary educational programs, and events such as their annual reunion, where franchisees and corporate employees from across the country come together. We as owners get a lot of hands-on time with our peers at the reunion, including participating in breakout sessions, discussing and sharing industry trends, learning new best practices for recruiting and retention, and honing in our skillsets as entrepreneurs and business owners.

 

Has your work/life balance improved since buying the franchise?

In the beginning, much like pregnancy and having a newborn, owning a franchise is very challenging and laborious. A lot of sleepless nights and excitement fill up the days and months leading up to the opening of your spa. Once stabilized, and if you have the right team in place, ownership affords a great deal of flexibility and passive income; as well as a new group of contemporaries to learn and grow with along the way.

 

If someone was interested in joining your franchise system, what would you say to them?

My advice would be to make sure it is in alignment with your passion and purpose, and that you do your homework. I would also tell them to go for it! There is never a perfect time to take a leap of faith, but there is also no way to start something new and exciting without stepping outside of your comfort zone and embarking on a new adventure.

Any last thoughts on a particular aspect of your franchise system that stands out to you?

It’s been an honor and a privilege to work with my team, this franchise, and the communities we serve.  Hospitality is a very special industry, and it brings such rewarding opportunities. The wellness industry is continuing to grow and evolve in tremendous ways, and it’s an exciting time to be a part of this growing luxury franchise.

Woodhouse offers a calming environment that is rich with warm earth tones and textures, sounds of nature, soothing aromatherapy for skin treatments, massage therapies, facials and other exquisite services, such as waxing and nails. Every treatment, detail, space, and feature has been carefully crafted by the Woodhouse masters of mood care.

With over 900 thousand people visiting the Woodhouse Spa each year, there’s no mistaking the fact that guests coming through the doors are dealing with more than ever, especially as they find normalcy and a need for self-care post-pandemic.

Following The Woodhouse Spa’s acquisition by Radiance Holdings in July of 2020, the brand has been aggressively targeting key markets throughout the U.S. for franchise development.

The rapid expansion has solidified Woodhouse as a premier spa franchise and the unequivocal leader in mood care, pioneering a new category of wellness services in the approachable luxury space.

The brand reported a 19% sales increase year over year and is currently experiencing its highest growth rate since its 2001 inception.