Frequently
Asked Questions
1.
Should I purchase the Startup CD?
1. If you are a business starting from scratch and do
not have any experience in the spa industry or starting
a business then this is an invaluable tool. The CD will
provide you with everything you need to successfully start
and run a mobile spa business. The CD will save you time
from having to gather your own information and create
your own forms and templates. It will also provide you
with 2 hours of consultation so that you have support
when you need it.
2. If you already have knowledge on starting a business
or already have a mobile spa business setup then the CD
may not be necessary. In this case you can purchase the
forms and templates that you feel you may need a la carte.
The list can be obtained by emailing jeannie@puurspa.com
and ordered by calling 1-888-267-1858 x.1.
2.
Do you have to be a licensed esthetician or massage therapist
to open up a mobile day spa business?
No. Even though it is recommended to have some experience
in this industry. Most people that open this business
are people that have never been in the spa industry. They
hire independent contractors - massage therapists, estheticians
etc to provide the services. But we do have some mobile
day spa owners that ARE licensed estheticians and massage
therapists that WANT to provide treatments to their clients,
and some licensed estheticians and massage therapists
that have opened mobile spas that DON'T want to provide
services, they just want to stay on the "business"
end of things.
3. Do I need a background in the
spa industry to be successful in this business?
No. Success is dependent on you, not your background.
Obviously, spa industry experience may give you an edge,
but as a business owner, you will be dealing more with
business related issues.
4.
Can I set my own costs for my mobile day spa's services
and choose my own product lines?
Yes, you own 100% of your business. Each city and state's
client base is different, the services, products, marketing/advertising
and even your prices will NEED to be built around your
specific target audience and demographics.
5.
Should I list myself as a "corporation" or an
"LLC"?
We are unable to offer legal advice. An accountant or
business attorney would be able to determine the best
solution based on your company's needs.
6. What types of permits, licenses
and insurance requirements are required for this type
of business?
These vary depending upon your city and state. You should
consult your city's local laws for mobile services and/or
check with spa licensing boards for more information on
mobile laws in your city. You also will want to secure
liability insurance for your company as well as having
your independent contractors carry liability insurance
individually.
7.
I am interested in owning a mobile spa business. Is it
possible for two people to go in on the start-up?
Yes, you can have 2 partners with each partner being responsible
for a different aspect of the business.
8.
How can I list on your directory?
The directory is available to anyone who has a mobile
spa business and the cost to be listed is $20/mo or $200/year.
Since we receive alot of traffic to our website we can
refer clients to you that are searching for mobile spas
in your area. To join the directory click
here.
9.
Why should I go with your company?
Your decision should be based on what it is that you want
for yourself, what type of business you want and how much
control you would like to have. We suggest to contact
other companies that may be offering something similar
and decide which is better suited for you.
10.
How many mobile spas have you helped start-up?
We have provided our services to over 300+ companies.
11.
What is the expected start-up expense for this type of
a business?
It will vary depending upon the type of client's you are
trying to reach and also upon your demographics. A rough
estimate would be around $2,000 - 5,000. This business
can be started up inexpensively and with a low ongoing
overhead.
12.
How many technicians should I hire initially?
A good rule of them would be a minimum of 2 technicians
for each type of treatment license (2 - estheticians for
facials and body treatments, 2 - massage therapists for
massage, 2 - manicurists if you are offering mani/pedi's,
etc…). As you see the demand for your services growing
you should bring on additional contractors
13. There is another mobile
day spa in my area. Can I still open one up? Can I still
purchase the CD from your company?
1. Yes, no one can prevent someone from opening up the
same type of business in the same area as someone else.
As a business owner, you can operate any business wherever
you would like. Many people view competition as a bad
thing. But it can also be a very motivating and profitable
thing as well. Especially with a new concept like the
mobile day spa - you can actually create more public awareness
of these types of services AND reach a larger number of
potential customers, when more than one business is advertising
and marketing.
14.
Do you have projected earnings?
We can discuss with you different possible scenarios so
you may get an idea of the income potential. Some owners
are working their business part-time, some full-time,
some are only catering to hotels, some only to men and
some are only providing spa parties & not individual
services or visa versa. The bottom line is your success
is going to depend on how motivated you are, how much
you want put into your business and which direction you
want your business to focus on. You can grow it slow or
fast, small or large, there are many different possibilities.
15.
Do you know if there has been research conducted on the
marketability of mobile spa services in my area?
The
concept is too new for there to be any market research
yet. But the “mobile” industry as a whole is
booming. We have seen an increase in small and large cities
with mobile services: dog grooming, pet sitting, groceries
delivered, doctors are even making house calls again.
More and more services are being offered direct to the
people in their homes and offices vs. them having to go
out.
16.
Is there special licensing/regulations for a mobile day
spa in my area?
We
recommend consulting your city's local laws for mobile
services or check with spa licensing boards for more information
on mobile laws in your city since every city and state
is different.
In
some cities and states, since the mobile day spa concept
is so new, there aren’t any provisions with local
laws/regulations to take into account mobile services.
Because the licensing agencies don’t have the time,
or want to look into it any further, some people are automatically
being told that they cannot open a mobile spa. Many times,
this is not true. We have suggested to the few that have
encountered this to look into their laws in more detail,
ask questions, and be persistent. There is a legal way
around most everything. Remember that massage has been
performed in-home for years. Offering facials and body
treatments is not so different.
The
bottom line is: obtaining in-home spa services is new,
but yet in so much demand, that within time, cities and
states will be forced to take another look at their laws
and regulations and update them to include provisions
for mobile services. Then once the laws DO change, you
will already have an established company, a branded name
and you will be in a position to very easily adapt and
offer other services or target client’s that you
weren’t able to before.
EVERY
one of our client’s has been able to overcome any
issue. Here are some examples:
“I
was told that I cannot provide “mobile” services”.
Conclusion: Turns out – the city “assumed”
that this person was providing “mobile” services
out of a vehicle (van) and there were specific laws against
that. It may be that you need to approach it differently
and not refer to the term "mobile" since to
many that means a "mobile vehicle" - which would
need to be licensed, health inspected etc… Also,
make this point clear to your insurance company when insuring
your business. They may (without you even realizing it)
insure your vehicle as your “facility” location.
“I
was told that I cannot provide mobile spa services in
people’s homes”.
Conclusion: This person looked into it more and found
out that she could however, offer her services directly
to other businesses for their corporate events and also
to hotels. So she targeted those clients. The hotel industry
has realized that there is too much overhead in keeping
up with, or building an on-site spa facility and paying
employee wages, so many hotels are contracting these services
out.
“I
was told that I cannot offer mobile manicures and pedicures”
Conclusion: How about massage? Or facials? Focus on those
services instead.
17.
What can I expect to make in this business?
Here is a general scenario (but very realistic) of the
income potential from this business in the early stages:
If you receive 3 hotel appts. per week ($300 total per
week), throw 2 spa parties per week ($1,000 total per
week), and treat 2 individuals a week (at $200 total per
week) - then your total monthly take in would be $6,000
a month. As you build your brand name and recognition
these numbers will increase rapidly.
It is very hard to give a figure on the industry in general.
This is a business that you can run part-time, or full-time.
There are also different variables involved that make
a difference on how much income you bring in such as:
are you working with hotels (which supply you with a lot
of business with no advertising costs on your end)? any
corporate accounts? are you throwing spa parties, or just
focusing on individual treatments? What is the fair market
value for these services in your area- how much can you
charge for a treatment? All of these answers will affect
your income potential.
