If you are in the market to own a spa franchise, YOU do not have to be a professional massage therapist. The massage therapists who will work in your spa will need to be licensed.

You will need to do research in your state to determine the licensure process for massage therapists and confirm that the people you are hiring are in fact licensed in the state in which you are operating in. There are no national regulations at this time regarding massage practitioners.

A statewide massage therapy board or association may decide to set educational requirements, testing, and licensure protocols. Typically, to become a massage therapist, you must complete anywhere between 500 and 1,000 hours of training from a board-approved massage school. In addition, requirements may include certification in CPR and first aid. Prior to opening your business, it’s essential to understand the laws, restrictions, and requirements needed for you an entrepreneur who employs massage practitioners in your spa business.

According to the American Massage Therapy Association, 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands each regulate the massage therapy profession in their respective areas. The whole point of having a license is to establish a set of standards that professionals should adhere to, showing that the massage therapist has been properly educated to understand the physiology of the body for the health and safety of clients.

Having a system of checks and balances through regulation makes it a violation of state law to practice massage without a license. It not only protects the massage therapist and spa owner, but it ensures the client that the massage therapist is qualified to practice safely and effectively. After all, the job of a massage therapist is to manipulate the soft tissues of your body, like muscle, tendons, ligaments, and skin — using varying degrees of pressure and movement to provide relaxation and healing. That requires extensive training.

For the purpose of safety and liability, maintaining high standards creates a solid reputation for your business that encourages clients and keeps them coming back. Many professional massage therapists go above and beyond licensing and voluntarily commit to additional certifications in massage specialties. Some of these might include proper training and knowledge about hot stone massage, medical massage, or sports massage. Employing professional massage therapists with specialties is yet another attractive offering for clients.

Skills Needed to Open a Spa

In order to own a spa, there are several concepts and skills that will serve you well.

1. If you are the business owner and not a licensed massage therapist, understand the licensing requirements in your state, county, and city. Make sure you are only hiring professionals who have met the educational requirements and are up to date on their necessary continuing education. This is protection for you as a business owner and for your employees as well.
2. Have an understanding of what it takes to become licensed. As a business owner, you need to be well-informed about the requirements and how well trained your staff is. This is definitely a selling point when it comes to attracting clients to your spa.
3. Know the industry. Massage therapy is an $18 billion industry and has seen 200% growth in the last decade. That’s because more and more people understand the healing properties of massage and its significance for mind-body wellness. Health and wellness are top-of-mind for so many people, and massage is seen as an important component of integrative medicine.
4. Knowing you have a qualified staff caring for your clients, you can focus on managing the business, whether that means the daily operations or hiring a management team.
5. This brings up the next point, it is always good to have some background or understanding in business, management, marketing, and/or sales before jumping into your own business. Although it’s not required, those with entrepreneurial dreams of business ownership find those skills helpful.

Finding Support Through Franchising

If you are looking for support for your spa business, the best way to achieve that is through massage franchise opportunities. In franchising, you get the best of both worlds; the chance to be a business owner with the safeguard of a proven model, operating system with a recognizable brand that has done the initial start-up legwork for you.

MassageLuXe is a leader in the massage industry. Franchisees in the brand focus on hiring qualified massage therapists skilled in providing the highest quality care for their clients. We are always innovating with the latest techniques to enhance the experience. Additionally, as a franchise owner, you are well-equipped to handle your business with extensive franchisee training and support from industry leaders. You do not need a business degree to have profit potential and success at MassageLuXe. In fact, the top 25% of spas in the system are making more than 1.2M in revenue according to the latest Franchise Disclosure Document.

This is a health and wellness franchise that will allow you to enjoy business ownership, knowing you are providing a valuable service to people in your community. It’s an opportunity designed for first-time business owners or well-seasoned entrepreneurs looking for a solid investment.

To learn more about spa franchise opportunities with MassageLuXe, scroll down to fill out the contact form below.