Today we’d like to introduce you to Kasey Kohtala.
Kasey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
The short answer is, it started with a really really bad day at work. That’s when I called my friend Chad, who showed me how to structure a business setup and gave me a short, very high-level lesson on business loans. He taught me just enough to be dangerous. Two weeks later, I used the little bit of liquid money I had to my name and wrote a check for a $44k franchise fee. I drove to the mailbox on North Druid Hills and dropped that check and a signed franchise agreement in the box before I could change my mind and never looked back. As soon as it left my hands, I felt that drop in my stomach. The same one you feel when you peak a hill on a roller coaster
scared to death and exhilarated at the same time.
I’ve always loved massage, spas, healing centers, all things related. The power of touch, even just hugging one another, is something I believe we all really crave and need on some level. I have no experience as a massage therapist, rather I say I’m a “receiver and believer.” I truly believe all it takes to keep me going is a regular 90-minute deep tissue massage twice a month. Before opening my own Massage Heights, I used to be a regular at a popular spa in Brookhaven but I would only go “on special occasions” or when “I really needed it.” While I loved the feeling, I also felt really guilty about dropping $120 (before tip!) every time.
When Towne Brookhaven was being built, I wondered into a Massage Heights to take advantage of their $59.99 introductory massage. The Lifestyle consultant was fabulous, the Retreat Director Kim was personable and my therapist hit all the right spots. I remember they even gave me a complimentary bath salt sample encouraging a nice bath soak that evening! I signed up for a 12-month membership. I started going every month once a month. Then I started going every other Friday for just $40.00. That’s two massages for what I was paying for one! I felt like I had found a hidden gem and I was addicted.
Then, I started recruiting others. I told all my friends and family and soon I had referred almost ten people to Massage Heights. (I still think Kim owes me a commission) I always dreamed of owning my own Retreat but assumed that people who owned businesses were either, A. Very wealthy, B. married wealthy, C. experts in owning businesses, or D. they had a rich grandma who left them a bag of loot – none of which I had. Every time I went in for my appointment, I would pick Kim’s brain with questions like, “How many members do you guys service?” and “Wonder what the start-up costs are?” Soon she gave me the phone number of the owners and I called to see if I could meet with Randy Merrill. He and his brother owned both the Brookhaven and Buckhead Massage Heights locations. They shared with me their very humble beginnings, and how they started in the gym membership business and then eventually opened a string of tanning salons, then massage businesses and so on. They put me in touch with the area developer, Tom and soon after I booked a trip to go to San Antonio to do a discovery day at the Massage Heights home office. And I loved it! I loved the vibe, the people, the teams, the culture, the vision…all of it. And I loved that the founder was also a woman – and not a rich woman to start with and here she had built an empire! I was already living in Decatur about a mile from a brand new development that was being built. My (now husband) came home and said, “You know where would be a great spot to put a Massage Heights? Right smack in the middle of the new development going up!” There were rumors of other Massage Heights franchise owners wanting Decatur so I called “dibs” on that territory before anyone else could take it and we started building in 2016 – while also planning our wedding on the side. I don’t recommend doing that lol.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Smooth? Not exactly. I have always been in medical sales and I love selling, but having employees and staff to manage for the first time has been a learning curve for sure. We have a fantastic team now of about 25 employees, but when we first opened, I made some mistakes hiring the wrong people who just didn’t fit our culture. It was hard for me to let them go. And you know that saying, “Business is business” and “Don’t get attached, it’s just business?” – it is easier said than done for me. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to train my thinking to be that way and quite frankly I don’t want to. I have friends who are like, “If I had a business, I’d just do this and that” and I’m like, “Ummmm no you wouldn’t because people are people.” I’m always a fan of coaching someone up to a level that serves our business and our guests, but sometimes it’s better to let them find another path that suits them.
Also, I thought, “When I start this business, I will resign from my medical sales job.” It’s two years later and I’m still working both – medical sales during the day and my Massage Heights work in the evenings and weekends. Also, my husband who helps a lot with Massage Heights also runs a company that services three other companies with his dad that can also be very demanding. Oh! And we just had a baby in January! Our life is fun but also hectic most days. We are always working, always, but I’ve learned to fit it in and put it away (most days) when I want to spend time with our son. Work will always be there, but our little baby is only little once. Like many moms, I struggle with guilt sometimes when I’m watching him play but not really “present” because I’m working and I have to stop and check my priorities.
Massage Heights Decatur – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Massage Heights Decatur offers massage therapy services that are professional, rejuvenating and affordable in an upscale environment as part of a regular healthy lifestyle. We offer Swedish massage, targeted treatments, couples massage, prenatal massage, sports massage, deep tissue, and cupping. We have three body elevations including revitalizing face massage, reviving foot scrub and hot stone therapy. We offer multiple membership levels called Lifestyle Programs that make regular massage affordable and convenient. We want to meet customer needs when they need us with same day appointments.
I am most proud of our culture. Every Massage Heights is individually owned and operated and from day one, I said we would be hands-on and involved. We live a stone’s throw from our location and I love to go into the retreat and talk with guests going in or coming out of sessions and just “piddle.” It’s my favorite thing to do and it’s where I lose track of time because I’m doing what I love. There is so MUCH I want to do – partnerships with local big business like Emory, Dekalb, the schools, the VA – all of it. I want to form those partnerships as part of a wellness program that can be affordable for the business and at the same time great for the employees.
I am also super proud of our opening and our first year. In our first month, we broke the record – ever in Massage Heights Franchising history with prospects, membership sales and top revenue. We won the coveted “Rookie of the year” for first-year openings. In our first month of being open in May 2017, I had hoped to bring in 400 guests to give us a try, and you know what? We brought in 1,200! It was crazy! I wanted to expose as many people to massage as I could at an affordable rate. I wanted those out there who think like I used to, that “massage is only for special occasions” to see that it really should be part of a regular healthy lifestyle, just as exercise, drinking enough water, eating well for your body, etc. When I think of all the guests that would come out of session like, “Oh my gosh, I need that so much!” – it makes me smile inside.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Ever make friends on a vacation and that person is like, “Oh, I’m here at the beach then we travel to (insert other place) then we will go (insert other place) .” And you are thinking, “Man, don’t they have jobs?” Those people to me are successful because their time belongs to them. Success for me is mostly measured in TIME and having control of my own time. I will take the mental weight of having my own business any day, in exchange for the freedom to do what I want, when I want. I want to one day get to a point where I’m not counting my PTO days off to spend time with my family and friends and I can stay for as long as I want. I want to take our son to lots of places that I never got to see. I want him to see the world!
Pricing:
- Introductory Custom Massage 1-hour $59.99
- Introductory Custom Massage 90-minute $89.99
- Lifestyle programs 12-month starting at $59.99 per month
Contact Info:
- Address: Massage Heights Decatur
2570 Blackmon Drive, Suite 340
Decatur, Georgia 30033 - Website: www.massageheights.com/decatur
- Phone: 404-380-1623
- Email: Decatur@massageheights.com
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
