How did you get into the salt cave industry?
Back in 2016, my wife and I went to Ashville, NC with some friends for a long weekend. Someone pointed out that they had a salt cave. Neither of us had ever heard of a salt cave but we did a session and fell in love with the concept. We knew that our hometown of Augusta, Georgia had nothing like it, so we quit our corporate jobs and went all-in in building our own salt therapy business.
What’s New in the Business or in the Sol Himalayan Salt Cave Franchise Model?
In June of 2023, we are expanding our current location and taking over the building next door to us. This will significantly allow us to increase our current services, plus add new ones.
Where do you See Opportunities or Challenges for the Franchise/Business Moving Forward?
While halotherapy (dry salt therapy) has been around for hundreds of years, mostly in Russia and European countries, its popularity has been steadily growing in the US only for the last 15 years or so. To be able to offer an extremely unique but time-tested form of therapy is a huge opportunity. There are millions of spas in this country, but very few salt caves. The main challenge to our business model is educating the public on what this unique form of therapy is and what it does. We are not selling something that the general public has a reference point for; new ideas require much education and explanation.
What is your Goal for the Business Moving Forward?
Honestly, it’s to meet the demand! Since the word of our business has spread, it is a challenge to keep up. Our massages are booked up often a week or more in advanced and we rarely have a weekend salt cave session that is not booked. We are averaging over 1,100 sessions per month. With our expansion in the spring, we hope to provide for more massage session availability, a second smaller, more private salt cave, and possibly other unique services such as a float tank. We are the only business in the area that offers such services; the goal is that when that is no longer the case, our competitors will have a high bar.
Talk to us About Training and Support, How Do You Deliver?
Our training will be hands-on and in person to the extent possible. The fact that our business is run by both my wife and I, and this is all we do, we are at the franchisee’s disposal to ensure their success. We already have management in place at our corporate location so that Michelle and I can dedicate whatever is necessary to have future franchises succeed.
Your most difficult moment at the Franchise Business?
Probably taking the leap TO franchise. Once our business took off, the decision was to either build a second location or franchise. We decided to go the franchise route because we believe that in the right markets with the right promotion, this business will flourish and succeed. So why stop at just a second location when we can spread the word of this effective but beautiful form of therapy.
Define the Sol Himalayan Salt Cave Franchise Model:
A. Training and Support Model?
Initial training will be done at our location in Evans, Georgia. We will make sure that the franchisee is fully versed in the business and comfortable in responding to the many inevitable questions that will come with owning this unique business. We also are already staffed at our corporate location so that we can provide in-person support in getting the business on its feet after the initial training. As previously mentioned, this business is all we do- we are completely invested in making sure our business, our BABY, succeeds in other locations.
B. What is the Fee Structure?
Initial investment of $40,000, 6% ongoing royalty fees plus 1% of gross sales for marketing fund contribution.
C. Territory Definition?
Your territory will have a population of approximately 100,000 people from the location. Your territory will usually be specified as a radius around your location; however, we may use other boundaries (such as county lines or other political boundaries, streets, geographical features, or trade area).
D. Day in the life of a Franchisee?
This will of course vary depending on the stage in which the business is in. Initially after opening, the focus will be on establishing your community presence. This will be done through extensive networking, cold-calls and marketing events. Once business begins to take off, daily duties will be staff management, scheduling of services, inventory management and bookkeeping. However with a solid social media presence, the typical workday extends well beyond the hours in which you’ll be open. The networking, posting and reviewing information on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to get and maintain community relevancy is a full-time job in and of itself. This is not a business that will thrive by just putting an “Open” sign on the door and waiting for people to come in; you will have to DRIVE customers to your business through education, marketing and a strong social media presence.
Who is the Ideal Franchise Candidate?
It would be helpful to have a sales and marketing background, as well as experience in the spa industry. However not having that experience is not a deal breaker as we didn’t! Having a spouse or close partner to lean on would be very helpful. Not only to share the workload but to bounce ideas off each other. This will not be a business that someone can buy and assign to someone else to manage unless that person has the same passion for success. Once you experience the almost magical environment of the salt cave, you will realize that all you really have to do is let people know you’re there. We don’t just sell a form of therapy; we sell an experience.
What Goals Do You Have for the Franchise Model in the Future?
Obviously we are looking to grow, but the speed at which we grow is not the goal. It is more important to have the right people with the right mindset who will focus just as much on the details as they do the bottom line. The success of this business can be attributed to three main factors:
1. Offering a truly experience that results in a high customer return rate. The “wow” factor of the salt cave cannot be overstated.
2. Attention to detail. The littlest thing, combined with many other “little things,” makes the difference. We are not just selling a unique form of therapy; we are selling an experience.
3. The people who work here. The almost magical environment of the salt cave piques the interest of customers and brings them in the door. Customer service, and the attitude with which it is delivered, keeps them coming back.
For more information on the Sol Himalayan Salt Cave Franchise system, visit the corporate site: https://solcaveandspa.com