Massage Envy: Big-Brand Recognition, Small-Brand Feel - Massage Magazine

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How the Massage Envy brand got its start and how its franchise network has evolved over the past 22 years.

Since its inception in 2002, the Massage Envy brand has grown to become one of the biggest names in wellness. The original location in Scottsdale, AZ, had just 20 employees. Today, there are about 15,000 total employees in the franchise network employed at over 1,000 individually owned and operated locations. There are nearly 300 Massage Envy franchisees, making the franchisees the largest collective employer of massage therapists and estheticians in the country.

The brand was co-founded by massage therapist Shawn Haycock. “About halfway through massage school, I was looking through the newspaper to figure out where I was going to work when I graduated and couldn’t find anything. This was concerning because there were 42 people in my class and I’m thinking, ‘Where are we all going to work when we graduate? There’s nothing out there!’” The only real employment options for massage therapists at the time were high end-resorts, chiropractors’ offices, or private practice, so Shawn decided he needed to create a place for massage therapists to work – and a place where people could get affordable massages on a regular basis.

“We opened on March 12, 2002, and did 25-30 massages that first day. On day 2, we did around 100 massages. We had 7 or 8 therapists the first day and the second day we had around 14 or 15 therapists,” according to Haycock. “They had only been doing one or two massages a week if they were lucky prior to this, so when they started getting appointment after appointment, they were like, ‘Yeah, let’s do this!’ By the day we opened, we also had 20 people come in and express interest in opening their own Massage Envy location. Once we made sure we were solid operationally, we started looking into franchising and became an official franchise company in January 2003.”

Today, despite its nationwide reach and big-brand recognition, Massage Envy is at its heart a network of small-business owners who are passionate about making a difference. These small-business owners strive to transform both their clients’ and their employees’ lives for the better. Taking care of the passionate service providers who power their business is a priority for franchisees.

“What I enjoy the most about working at my Massage Envy franchised location is the constant support I’ve received to become the best version of myself that I can be,” expresses Petrea W., LMT for more than 14 years at Massage Envy Altamonte Springs. “From all the training and education to the daily support I receive from my team, it has helped me to consistently provide the highest level of service to all my clients. And I am confident in the fact that I am not only meeting their needs but surpassing their expectations.”

In addition to the support and camaraderie, many massage therapists report that their franchised location offers perks such as:

• Good earnings potential
• Flexible schedules for a better life/work balance
• 401K match
• Employer-paid healthcareincluding medical, dental, and vision plans
• Paid time off
• Free services and product discounts
• Employee referral programs
• Sign-on bonuses

Massage therapists at franchised locations also have access to more than 20 free continuing education courses each year. The Massage Envy brand has helped develop courses for massage therapists on body mechanics and injury prevention. The Body Mechanics course focuses on how to work safely while performing body work. The Injury Prevention course focuses on the importance of warming up and cooling down and teaches therapists how to identify and strengthen areas that might need additional attention. Additional courses may be available at specific locations, based on services offered, such as Prenatal Massage, Oncology Massage, Saltability, Thermabliss, Hot Stone, and more.

“Within the first few months of working here, I quickly realized that working at a Massage Envy franchised location would offer a lot of ways to grow as a therapist”, Christine R., LMT for more than 11 years at Massage Envy Lynnwood shares. “There are so many clients that come through the doors, all looking for something different. It really encourages you to learn different types of massage and become more versatile. They also provide continuing education opportunities because they want to make it as easy as possible for you to always be growing as a therapist.”

In addition to continuing education courses, massage therapists at franchised locations have access to other national benefits such as:

• Employee Assistance Program
• Self-Care Program
• Awards program recognizing Therapist of the Year
• Front desk teams to help keep schedules full and treatment rooms ready
• All supplies provided, including exclusive massage mediums formulated
  with therapists and clients in mind
• And more!

“My personal goal when we started the company was to open a place where massage therapists and clients could call home,” expresses Haycock. “I always wanted to have a place where massage therapists could go during whatever phase of their career they’re in.”

Whether you’re a recent grad or an experienced professional, come work at a place that values, supports, and empowers you! An independently owned and operated Massage Envy franchised location is the place where better careers grow. Visit MassageEnvy.com/Careers to learn more today!

Neither ME SPE Franchising, LLC (“MEF”) nor any of its affiliates employs any positions within a franchised location, and each individual franchised location is not acting as an agent for MEF or any of its affiliates. Each Massage Envy location is independently owned and operated by a franchisee, and the franchisee is the sole employer for all positions at the franchised location. All services are performed by franchised locations. Hiring criteria, benefits, compensation, and employee experience are set by each franchisee and vary by location.
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