From tanning salons to ultra-private gyms, three franchises for well-rounded lifestyles
Tan on the Run
If you’re wondering where Nicole Hyatt’s glow comes from, it’s not just the spray tan.
“I’ve been doing this for so long; I really love what I do.”
Hyatt is the founder of Tan on the Run. Founded 18 years ago, the brand offers a mobile spray tan service. “We go to the customer’s home, hotel, office, or movie set and give them a spray tan.”
Hyatt started franchising about 10 years ago. The company now has 40 franchise locations, with the majority in Canada, two in the U.S., one in Mexico, and two locations in Egypt and Africa.
“I deal with all women as far as the franchisees and even clients go—single mothers, people changing their career path, every walk of life,” says Hyatt. “The common goal with most franchisees is to have a little bit more flexibility and financial freedom, [and] spend more time with their kids.”
Benefits for franchisees include low overhead and a relatively low investment. Challenges include shipping, supply, or ingredient issues.
When it comes to providing support, Hyatt says she makes time for one-on-one interaction with franchisees. She also stays involved in the system’s brand reputation. “We’ve been around so long nobody can really beat us when it comes to brand recognition for spray tanning in Canada.”
The franchise also provides initial set-up training, and ongoing support, including monthly meetings through a voice app.
Most franchisees start out as owner-operators and hire employees as time goes on. Hyatt says the most important qualities for franchisees are having the drive and motivation—“the hustle to get up and be self-disciplined. You have to wake up every day just as excited about your business on year five as you did on day one.”
And before long, franchisees may find they’re sporting that happy glow, too.
LIVE WELL Exercise Clinic
LIVE WELL Exercise Clinic CEO Sara Hodson recalls, “I spent the first part of my career working as a clinical exercise physiologist in hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation. I would see patients go through a 12-week program, and then have nowhere to continue their exercise and health journey.”
Hodson realized there was a niche that needed to be filled and started the franchise, which now has more than 10 locations in three Canadian provinces.
“We provide clinically supervised exercise programs and lifestyle counselling to help our members live life to the fullest, in a safe, supervised exercise setting,” explains Hodson.
According to Hodson, the benefits of being a franchisee include knowing you’re not just going to improve members’ lives, but the lives of their family, friends, children, and grandchildren.
“We know people who live life filled with purpose are healthier and happier. The flipside, of course, are the challenges. Running a business takes grit and determination. It truly is a seven-day-a-week operation,” says Hodson.
She also notes that franchisees receive all the systems they need to run a successful business, from choosing a space and designing the clinic to programming materials and marketing programs.
So what should franchisees bring to the table? “An ideal franchisee is committed to helping others achieve a healthy lifestyle, and is also a team player,” says Hodson. “We ask our franchisees to be invested in our programming, our marketing efforts, and be open and willing to adapt and grow with us.”
Looking to the future, Hodson says, “Active aging is one of the biggest trends for 2024 and beyond. Every day we receive calls from potential members who know they need to take control over their health. We believe LIVE WELL is positioned uniquely in the Canadian fitness business landscape to help thousands of Canadians achieve their best life.”
Uniglobe Travel International
“Travel is exciting,” says Martin Charlwood, president and COO, Uniglobe Travel International. “So many people love to talk about travel and share their experiences. Pretty much every day, something new or different is happening, like up-and-coming destinations, new adventures, global diversity and – cultures, and different ways of life.”
Uniglobe specializes in serving the needs of small- and mid-sized companies and their travellers. “Uniglobe offers master franchises in regional territories which are then responsible for the sales, support, and servicing of independently owned Uniglobe Travel agencies within their territory,” describes Charlwood.
The franchise, started in 1981 by U. Gary Charlwood, has grown from a single location to include agencies in 60 countries across six continents.
“The Uniglobe network provides immense value to agencies who join the system, enabling them to tap into our expertise while focusing on growing their individual business locally,” says Charlwood. “Because Uniglobe agencies are locally owned and operated, they are able to provide agile, flexible, and responsive service to their clients.”
Even though the travel industry is constantly changing Charlwood says, “Given that we operate in multiple countries across multiple markets, we’re able to harness best practices from one part of the world and apply them in others for the maximum benefit to all.” To meet challenges in the travel industry Charlwood says, “Our team stays on top of industry changes and trends and prepares accordingly to support agencies.”
Uniglobe provides training in sales, marketing, customer service and business management as well as one-on-one ongoing support. Franchisees must bring flexibility, creativity, and an ability to problem solve to the relationship. An ideal franchisee is sales oriented, a people person, and adaptable. Charlwood’s advice to franchisees is, “Follow the program, don’t try to reinvent the wheel, and use the resources provided.”
