Tina Karnani is set to expand her franchising portfolio by bringing Heyday into one of the largest markets.
Heyday is increasing its presence in the Lone Star state. With locations in Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin already in the works, Tina Karnani also just recently signed a five-unit agreement to bring Heyday to Houston, Texas, the nation’s fifth-largest metropolitan market.
“When my husband and I decided on Heyday, we decided on five shops because we want to capture all the prime locations in Houston,” Karnani said. “As Houstonians ourselves, we know that health and beauty have always been huge here, so it’s exciting to be able to introduce the brand to our city. Because Heyday is so different and so unique, we think it will fit very well here. It feels like a no-brainer.”
Karnani’s five shops will span the territories of Meyerland, Highland Village, Rice Village, River Oaks, and Memorial City. It’s the latest in a wave of signings that moves Heyday further toward its goal of awarding 142 total units before the end of 2022 and opening at least 300 locations by 2026.
Karnani and her husband, Haru, grew up in Mumbai, India — formerly Bombay — before coming to the States to pursue college degrees. Upon graduating, Haru joined the global management consulting firm Accenture, where he is currently managing director, while Tina went into IT and moved on to work for Deloitte & Touche as a consultant before transitioning to franchising with Kids ‘R’ Kids, a national preschool franchise, in 2017.
When the couple decided to diversify and look further into franchising for new investment opportunities, they discovered Heyday and immediately fell in love with the up-and-coming brand. The Karanis saw an opportunity in the brand’s multiple revenue streams, its sophisticated staffing model and the fact that it’s a brand that aims to make a positive difference in people's lives.
They also loved the service itself.
“I get facials regularly,” Karnani said, “but this was something completely different. It's all customized to each individual’s skin's needs, and it was more of educational than anything. We quickly realized that it wasn't just a facial, it was skincare — truly customized, personalized skincare. We still use the products they recommended today.”
Heyday’s mission is to change the way people think about skincare and wellness by taking the facial out of the spa and making it more affordable and accessible to the masses. It achieves this through its membership-based model, enabling its members to make facials a part of their everyday wellness routine rather than just a once-in-a-while indulgence. Its focus on personalized skincare and on educating individual members on how to care for their unique skin sets the brand apart in the $7 billion facial services industry.
And thanks to strategic partnership with Level 5 Capital Partners (L5) — also the brand’s largest franchisee — Heyday is poised to dominate the skincare market for the foreseeable future as it focuses on nationwide expansion through franchising.
“The combination of a young brand like Heyday and L5, which has all the ingredients to franchise and grow the business, is a great partnership,” Haru said. “It's a great model, one that we haven't seen before. Between what L5 brings to the table and the industry experts Heyday has brought on board, we truly believe that we have a complete team behind us as Tina works to launch these locations and grow our business.”
The Karnanis are currently in the real estate development stage of their first location and aim to launch within nine to 12 months. Their goal is to open a second location within six months of the first and to have all five locations open and operating within three years.
“Both Heyday and L5 have been amazing throughout the entire process,” Karnani said. “Knowing the level of support we have and how well the Heyday brand will fit in the Houston market has us excited about the future. We can't wait to introduce Heyday to Houston and show our city what the brand is all about.”
Heyday’s startup costs range between $574,000 to $755,500, depending on which market the store is located. Other factors like design, configuration and labor costs will also impact the total investment. Click here to see the full cost breakdown.
