Massage Addict’s 90th landmark clinic in Etobicoke, Ontario opened on March 20, 2019 by two GTA businessmen who have been friends for 20 years.
TORONTO, May 13, 2019 —Two old friends and business professionals were the latest to open a Massage Addict clinic in Canada—a landmark 90th clinic for the fastest growing and largest massage therapy company in the country.
Shared Accomplishments
New clinic owners Gobinder Sandhu and Magesh Venkataraman have a lot in common. Not only did they serve as officers together in the Indian Navy, they emigrated to Canada together in 2010, and are both GTA businessmen with joint real estate ventures, each with a Master’s in Business Management.
Now they’ve got a new common endeavour: They opened the 90th Massage Addict clinic at Lakeshore Road and Park Lawn in Etobicoke on March 20, 2019.
“It was a natural, decision for us to do this,” said Gobi. “We have been friends for the majority of our lives and had a strong interest to open a business together.”
The Search for a Business
Gobi & Magesh had been thinking about owning a business for quite some time. While exploring restaurants, retail and other options, Magesh had a massage at a Massage Addict Clinic in Brampton and loved it, “He was impressed with the professionalism of the staff the way the clinic was managed,” said Magesh. “He researched online and found that Massage Addict was open to franchising. The rest is history.”
An Ideal Business Model
The two love the Massage Addict business model for a number of reasons. “The Health & Wellness industry is an industry that is growing at an annual rate of 6.5% — twice the global economic growth rate.” Said Magesh. “And the mix of building a successful business and the ability to make a difference in a person’s regular wellness routine is immensely satisfying.”
They also like the fact that the demand for massage therapy is strong and getting even stronger. It’s a business that can be managed with fewer cash transactions and limited inventory. Best of all? They like the initial and ongoing support Massage Addict provides.
Unmatched Support
“The support has been outstanding,” said Gobi who along with Magesh has business consulting experience, both having worked for consulting firms with core competencies in customer management, operations, project management, and finance—skills that would be tested to their fullest in their new franchise owner roles.
“We received help identifying and signing a lease on the location, including data and research provided by Massage Addict. We also had support with our bank loan documents, and step-by-step directions for activities leading up to the clinic opening.”
They have also received recruiting support; marketing, and a 5-day in-person training course for new owners delivered by Massage Addict. “It’s all been invaluable.”
Location, Location, Location
The Park Lawn and Lake Shore Road location wasn’t a random choice for Gobi and Magesh. “We did some research on GTA population density, demographics, Registered Massage Therapist availability, and other Massage Addict clinics,” said Gobi. “We realized that Etobicoke presented the best opportunity and started narrowing down to Mimico & Lake Shore/Parklawn area, due to the density of population in upscale condos and new developments as well as future plans.” When they found a condo building with 1,500 units and in a busy plaza with healthy foot traffic, their search ended.
Joining the Family
Massage Addict CEO Fraser Clarke is thrilled with this latest addition to the Massage Addict franchisee family. “Gobi and Magesh are the perfect partners and a huge asset to Massage Addict,” said Clarke. “The fact that they opened our 90th clinic makes it even better.”
Gobi and Magesh have agreed to open a second clinic in the Etobicoke area by the second half of 2019.
About Massage Addict: Massage Addict is Canadian owned and operated. With 90 clinics across the country and over 1,200 therapists, we provide over 65,000 treatments each month to manage pain, stress, anxiety, injury, muscle tension, and much more. Since opening the first clinic in 2008, Massage Addict has been helping clients improve their health through high-quality massage therapy that’s both affordable and convenient.