Brittany Driscoll, Co-Founder and CEO of Squeeze, joins ChedHER to discuss how she's shaking up the massage industry by taking a tech-forward approach, and how women can benefit from getting into the business of franchising.

chedHER

How This Female Founder is Disrupting the Wellness Industry

joining us. Now Britney Driscoll co founder and ceo of squeeze. I love this name Brittany for those who haven't experienced it. Walk us through the squeeze experience. Absolutely. So squeeze is a fresh approach to a way better massage experience and was really born out of personal frustration. We felt like there were two limiting options in the marketplace. On one side, you have low end discount chains which have made massage accessible to the masses, lack a lot from a consumer experience standpoint and then on the the other and you've got high end hotels and spas which are really lovely but unattainable for a regular routine experience. So similar to dry bar, we took that high end, luxurious, sophisticated feel and matched it with an affordable price point and created a way better massage experience. Really the biggest differentiation aside from creating a beautiful brand and you know, an in shop experience full of surprises and delights is our proprietary technology platform. We've built out and end to end booking system that enables the guests to book their appointments, that all of their personalized preferences, Everything from areas of the body you want focused on what you want to avoid it if you want more or less pressure if you'd like your table heated it. It's all saved to your profile, your therapist reviews it prior to even walking in the door. And one of the other favorite features of the app is we like to say, guests walk in and float out. It's a very seamless experience, You pay rate tip and review all at your leisure. So you really are able to have a truly relaxing experience. A few other things that differentiate squeeze extras don't cost extra. So we don't up charge for things like deep tissue aromatherapy heat therapy. We have six different music playlists that the guests can choose from in our rooms, everything from piano to zen, two vibes to waves. And we even have a ready button on the table so you as the guest let the therapist know when you're ready for them to re enter. I love all of this. I'm like a massage and self care junkie. So this sounds amazing and the first squeeze location opened in 2019, there are now over 50 locations across the country in development. Tell us what's driving this growth and success, especially I think after the pandemic when I'm sure that was a bit of a challenge for massage. Yeah, launching a massage business in 2019, you know, is no easy feat, kind of getting to the other side. I'm such a believer now that you know, the most successful people are just the ones who keep keep pushing forward and don't give up. But you know, it's really exciting are operating partners are a mix of ex amazon walmart Disney target coca cola executives, we have retired athletes, lawyers um and you know, I think people are really looking to be a part of an industry that is giving back and helping people at the end of the day, you know, really, we are the best part of people's day and I think that a lot of our franchise, our operating partners, which is what we call our franchisees are just excited to be a part of that and we've also placed a ton of emphasis in building our culture and our busy to focus on our people first. I'm such a believer that I always like to say we're in the people industry, not the service industry. If people love coming to work every day, they feel valued and recognized and seen for who they are as individuals before their contribution to the company. You know, we're able to create a really wonderful supportive team. So, you know, I think we've just focused on the right things, you know, people first really taking care of our communities. We also have a philanthropic component to our business for every membership that we sell, we're helping to provide a day of canine support to a person with a disability through our partnership with canine companions. So we're not only looking to make people feel good, but also do do some good at the same time, wow, it sounds like a win win all around seriously. And you mentioned Franchising. So I want to ask you a little bit more about those relationships you have with your franchisees and for women who are watching, who may be interested, what are some of the perks. Yeah, absolutely. Well this is my first true entrepreneurial venture, I started my career in corporate America and there's really so much, um, so much amazing experiences that come from being your own boss and owning your own local business. And that was really what we wanted to set out to do was to create, you know, a place that people would love to experience and, um, and a business opportunity for people to really thrive. And, uh, you know, I always like to say that the, the journey of entrepreneurialism can be overwhelming and exhausting, but mostly liberating. So, you know, for people who are considering it, it's obviously a feel good industry to be a part of, uh, you know, you get to set your own schedule, be your own boss, uh, get connected into your community, really feel like you are contributing something positive in your local area. And, and also, you know, that's a great opportunity for wealth generation as you grow the opportunity to own several squeezes in your community or even, you know, larger territories is definitely an opportunity. So, we are looking for, you know, passionate wellness. Um, small business owners who want to take something into their community with the support of, you know, myself and my team. That's really the beauty of Franchising too, as you're jumping into something, uh, with a safety net below you, if you will, you know, a great system that you're coming with processes and protocols and then also the community of other operating partners doing the same thing around the country. Fantastic. And before we let you go, can you share a little bit more about your plans for squeeze in 2023 since it's around the corner? Yes, absolutely. So we have 50 locations in development, as mentioned, we'll probably have over 25 opened next year. And, you know, our long term goal is really to transform communities for good and there's no limit to that. So hopefully you'll be seeing squeeze pop up in your area sooner than later. All right, Brittany, Driscoll, co founder and Ceo of squeeze. Thank you so much again for joining us.