Americans spend $75 billion on beauty services and products each year in the United States. That is a lot of haircuts, pedicures, botox treatments and eyebrow waxings.
The salon and hair care industry in the United States is growing rapidly at 14% per year, with a 31% job growth rate. There are currently 1.1 million Americans working in the beauty industry in some form, whether they are hairdressers, massage therapists, aestheticians, barbers or nail salon technicians. Most Americans want to look their best, and they are willing to pay for it. However, beauty industry businesses make up only 9% of the total franchise establishments nationwide. This offers a huge opportunity for industry growth over the next several years, and Image Studios 360 is poised to grow exponentially, as they expand their markets along with their brand and duplicate their high-end salon concept across the country.
The company only began franchising in 2015, and currently has six salon units in Utah. They opened the first salon in Salt Lake City, and are on track to open ten to fifteen more units over the next year. Image Studios 360 has created a dynamic salon experience, and interested franchise investors are starting to take notice.
“Our salons are sleek and sexy, as well as modern and classy,” states Ariana Spiers, Director of Franchise Development for the company.
The concept is to build out high-end, and high-energy, locations that attract a variety of salon professionals who don’t want to take on the cost of owning their own brick and mortar salons. Instead, they want to lease a space, among other professionals offering beauty services to a higher class of customer. This allows beauty professionals to own their own businesses with lower overhead expenses, and also allows them to work in a beautiful space that attracts a clientele willing to pay more for their beauty treatments.
Franchise owners of an Image Studios 360 Salon are in the unique position of owning their own business without the need for employees or product inventory to warehouse. Other than a property manager, franchise owners will be trained thoroughly on how to attract and market the salon spaces to local beauty professionals, and how to manage tenants, utilizing corporate branded marketing materials, and a proven business model.
Spiers states, “We provide the space, and the franchise owners provide the talent.” As for the outstanding branding program provided to salon owners and tenants of Image Studios 360, Spiers goes on to say, “Even if the salon tenants have their own branding or logo, they still love to co-brand with us.”
Onboard training for a new Image Studios 360 franchise owner begins with instilling the company’s culture and values. Owners are given extensive training on the Image Studios 360 business model and brand during their Discovery Days at the corporate office in Salt Lake City, Utah. For three to five days, franchisees are walked through the entire process, from the day they sign their franchise agreement, to site selection and build out of the salon, through marketing and tenant acquisition, and finally to the grand opening of their salon.
Interested franchisees are given three options with regard to the size of the business that they want to acquire. A small salon will house 16 to 19 salon suites. An average sized salon will encompass about 5,000 square feet of salon space, with 26 to 30 individual salon businesses, and a large salon will hold 36 to 40 salon businesses in a 9,000 square foot space. This allows for flexibility with regard to the market size, as well as the available spaces for lease in a desirable location.
“We are not just in the business to sell the franchise. We are in the business to create successful franchises,” states Spiers.
The concept of Image Studios 360 is a simple one, “We provide an incredible space and atmosphere through our franchise system; our people bring the passion, talent and clientele to their space.” The company was founded by two brothers, Jason and Shaun Olsen, and with their amazing team of talented professionals, Image Studios 360 is definitely a franchise organization to watch, as they become the leader in the luxury beauty salon industry.
About Image Studios 360
Image Studios 360 was designed for industry professionals, making it possible to have a salon and be your own boss. Concept is simple: provide an incredible space and atmosphere - you bring your passion, talent, and clientele. Together create an intoxicating formula for success.
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