Heyday, the franchise brand reinventing skincare by making it more accessible to the masses, is gaining momentum in both the skincare and franchising industries. The brand has already signed 120 franchise agreements for new locations across the country, well on its way to reaching its goal of awarding 142 total units before the end of 2022 and opening at least 300 locations by 2026.
As the brand looks to transform the $7 billion skincare services industry, it is emerging as a unique opportunity for franchisees.
Here are just five of the many reasons to buy a Heyday franchise.
You Can Still Get In on the Ground Floor
Heyday started in New York City, opening five shops in 2015 before expanding to Los Angeles in 2018. When it entered franchising in early 2021, it had just 10 corporate-owned locations. The brand has seen incredible growth since, but still, just over a year into its franchising journey, Heyday is still considered an emerging franchise concept.
“We're still at the beginning of our franchise journey,” said Valerie Krause, franchise development director for Heyday investment partner Level 5 Capital Partners, who is also the brand’s largest franchisee. “Heyday is a really unique concept in the wellness space. Unlike your lash lounges and boutique fitness models where you see competition on every corner, there simply isn't a dominant player to address the significant demand for customized monthly facials, which are a key ingredient for a well-rounded wellness routine. Heyday aims to be that dominant player.”
Heyday’s hallmark is reinventing skincare by taking the facial out of the spa and making it more affordable and accessible to the masses. As more people prioritize skincare as part of their general wellness routine, Heyday’s membership-based model allows the brand to capitalize on an untapped, emerging market, providing a unique entry point for prospective franchisees.
“We allow potential franchisees to really get in on the ground floor and disrupt the norms in the skincare industry with a really exciting brand,” Krause said. “Not many other brands can offer that.”
Massive Opportunity in Key Markets Nationwide
Because Heyday is still such a young, emerging brand and the demand for personalized skincare is growing rapidly nationwide, Heyday is poised for meteoric growth.
“There is demand there,” said Arielle Mortimer, Heyday’s chief operating officer. “People are really starting to gravitate toward and prioritize skincare as wellness and as self-care. Because of all the white space, we have amazing territory opportunities for our franchise partners to be first to market.”
With over 500 defined prime territories across the country, Heyday’s opportunity for growth is virtually limitless.
“We still have hundreds of territories available in prime markets that candidates are excited about,” Krause said. “That's a huge advantage. We may not have 10 years of profit and loss statements for our franchisees to review during their evaluation, but if we did, that would mean those prime territories would be unavailable. They would have already been snatched up. With Heyday, that’s not the case. It really is a land grab in the skincare space right now, and Heyday is leading the charge.”
Franchisees Enjoy the Benefits of Multiple Revenue Streams
One benefit franchisees love most about Heyday is that it allows them to capitalize on multiple revenue streams.
Heyday’s membership model begins with the monthly facial. That’s the one-to-one service. This is where most health and wellness service providers’ revenue stops. But there’s much more to Heyday than just facials. Heyday also offers franchise owners revenue streams through enhancements, product sales and e-commerce.
Optional enhancements include gua sha, microdermabrasion and LED light therapy, among others. And because Heyday is designed to fit into its guests' natural routines, these are add-ons to the standard 50-minute facial — upsells that are wrapped into the base facial product so estheticians don't need extra time to apply them, which increases their appeal to guests.
Because Heyday believes that skincare is a lifestyle that extends beyond the walls of its shops, it also provides skincare products both in-store and online. With estheticians making personal recommendations based on guests’ individual skin profiles, Heyday’s large in-shop and e-commerce product offering allows for increased revenue opportunities even after the guest has left the shop.
“Heyday has well over 25 product lines and over 300 product SKUs that can be used during the service and can be taken home as part of your skincare routine,” Krause said. “So franchisees earn revenue from in-store product sales and e-commerce in addition to base facials and enhancements. And those additional revenue streams create an opportunity for faster ramp-up and much higher top-line revenue potential than similar options within the wellness category, all as part of providing a truly six-star facial experience that's not currently available in the marketplace.”
Experienced Leadership and Unparalleled Support
You don’t reach milestones in line with a five-year franchisor in Year One — or sign franchise agreements at the rate at which Heyday has — without a stellar leadership team at the helm. Heyday’s philosophy since entering franchising has been to treat itself as an established franchise brand from Day One, bringing on the best and brightest leaders from diverse backgrounds to help Heyday reach its ambitious goals.
That starts with founders Adam Ross, who brings experience leading lifestyle brands and investing in category-disrupting consumer brands, and Michael Pollak, whose background includes leading strategy and innovation for select franchises. It then trickles down throughout a leadership team that boasts executives who have successfully scaled other franchises, including nationally recognized brands within the health and wellness industries.
“The leadership team behind Heyday is exceptionally talented and diverse for a franchise that's as young as we are,” Krause said. “And that just shows, in my opinion, Heyday’s commitment to the success of the brand and its growth.”
Heyday’s leadership support even extends to Level 5 Capital Partners, which is not just an investment partner but also the brand’s first and largest franchisee. L5 has committed to opening 60 locations across the United States — including Heyday’s first franchise location in Bethesda, Maryland — and one of its primary goals is to blaze a trail for future franchisees and develop strategies that will equip and empower them to succeed.
“We're really committed to figuring out what works at launch,” said Patrick Ryan-Southern, CEO of L5’s Heyday franchising entity. “My biggest goal is obviously to build and scale each of our Heyday locations. But one of my objectives for this year is to nail our playbook so that it can inform future franchisee openings and set them up to succeed the way I believe we will.”
Heyday has put together an impressive leadership team that’s building such a unique skincare experience, Krause says, that franchisees truly need to see it for themselves.
“You'll feel it when you visit us in New York for discovery day, which we call Field Day, and meet our amazing leadership team,” she said. “When you get in the store and watch our people doing their daily jobs and experience a Heyday facial firsthand, the brand speaks for itself.”
Positive Impact
Of the many tangible and quantifiable reasons to buy a Heyday franchise, perhaps one of the most crucial is the intangible benefit of making a positive impact on people and in the community.
And in an age in which entrepreneurs are searching for opportunities to thrive economically and make a positive impact in the world, Heyday provides both.
“Facials are really one of the most effective and, frankly, enjoyable ways to take care of your skin,” Krause said. “The guests who come into our shops come out looking and feeling their best, and we get feedback daily about how we’ve changed people's lives. We've helped people build confidence. We've helped them feel comfortable going out in public without wearing makeup. That’s why I think Heyday is truly inspiring — an opportunity for franchise partners to build a thriving business, but also one in which they can find a lot of passion and satisfaction.”
Start-up costs to open a Heyday range from $768,300 to $1,012,300. For more information about Heyday franchising, visit https://franchising.heydayskincare.com/.
