Podcast Summary: Spa Marketing Made Easy — Episode #458

Title: From Apparel Empire to Facial Bar Franchise: Michele's Journey Building Face Foundrié®
Host: Daniela Woerner
Guest: Michele (Founder, Face Foundrié®)
Date: November 10, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Daniela Woerner welcomes Michele, the founder of Face Foundrié®, to discuss her inspiring entrepreneurial journey from owning a successful women’s apparel chain to launching and rapidly franchising a unique open-air facial bar. Michele shares her pivotal decisions, strategies for franchising during challenging times, and lessons learned about scaling, branding, and team-building. The conversation is packed with motivational insights for spa professionals considering expansion or franchising, as well as practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Michele’s Background and Business Pivot

[03:20–06:14]

• Michele studied apparel design and merchandising and, right out of college, began a women’s clothing chain (Primp) with her business partner in 2010.
• Grew the chain to nine stores with $25M in revenue, all corporately owned and debt-free.
• The pivot: After experiencing hormonal acne and a lack of accessible, affordable med spa services, Michele conceived Face Foundrié. She sold her shares in the clothing business and signed the location lease for her first Face Foundrié just five minutes later.
• Memorable Moment:
  “At 10:30am, I signed over the rights for my shares of my clothing store... At 10:35, I signed the lease for what would become our flagship store in the Galleria for Face Foundry. So it's five whole minutes. I was scared to death.” — Michele [05:00]

2. From Concept to Franchise

[07:15–09:42]

• Michele was intentional from the start about eventually franchising Face Foundrié, unlike her clothing business, which wasn’t suitable for franchise.
• She began documenting every process and protocol from day one.
• The company opened its first location in March 2019, aiming for one year of data before launching the franchise, but the March 2020 pandemic disrupted plans.

3. Navigating COVID-19 and Accelerating Growth

[09:42–12:27]

• COVID forced all locations to shut down temporarily; innovation surged as Michele developed creative solutions for service delivery and staff safety.
• Used the downtime to strengthen documentation, develop online training, and launch additional corporate locations.
• Achieved proof of concept with three locations across different demographics, which became crucial for franchising credibility.
• Notable Solution: Collaborated with manufacturers to invent protective solutions (e.g., a plastic bubble for facials) to offer services safely during reopening phases.

4. Franchising Launch and Rapid Success

[12:27–13:19]

• Official franchise launch in January 2021.
• Sold out the state of Minnesota in just 30 days—early franchisees were existing clients or referrals, ensuring strong brand alignment and culture fit.
• Highlighted Quote:
  “Within 30 days, we sold out the state of Minnesota, which is where we are based. All of our franchisees found us very organically.” — Michele [12:33]

5. Franchise vs. Independent Spa Ownership

[13:19–15:37]

• Michele examines the fit between being a franchisee and starting an independent spa. Franchising offers proven systems, marketing, legal, operational support—ideal for those wanting a blueprint and support structure.
• Independent ownership better suits highly entrepreneurial personalities seeking creative control and constant innovation.
• Emphasizes transparency about franchisee strengths and areas for support.
• Insight:
  “If someone is very entrepreneurial... wanting lots of change and lots of control, I think then that... route would serve them best. But if you do want that consistency... we can help you fill all of those buckets.” — Michele [15:21]

6. Exit Opportunities and Product/Marketing Flexibility

[15:37–17:43]

• Franchise resale: Often easier than selling a standalone business due to a larger buyer pool.
• Product selection: There are required products/SKUs, but also optional lines to allow for local customization.
• Marketing: Franchisees can execute unique local events and promotions, with corporate providing branded collateral and support.
• Key Quote:
  “We have required SKUs and required product lines... and then we have optional. It's very much on the owner... there's a lot of optionality there within kind of the parameters we set.” — Michele [16:42]

7. Starting a Franchise: Legal & Operational Advice

[17:43–19:31]

• Importance of having specialized legal counsel and rigorous accounting.
• Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) must be transparent and airtight—“You are really opening up your business to the world.”
• Strong Advice:
  “You need to have a very strong attorney that understands franchising. They should specialize in nothing else but franchising.” — Michele [18:51]

8. Maintaining Brand Consistency Across Locations

[21:18–24:39]

• Systems and protocols must be clearly defined to ensure brand identity, but location-specific touches are embraced.
• “Sisters, not twins” philosophy: Locations may differ (example: repurposing existing assets or layouts), allowing cost savings and local adaptation while maintaining core brand elements.
• Memorable Moment:
  “We view our sites as sisters, not twins... You think about McDonald's or Subway... we found there are ways to eliminate waste and cut costs if we work with some of the assets that are actually in a space.” — Michele [21:47]

9. Unique Open-Air Concept and Social Experience

[24:01–24:39]

• Face Foundrié uses an open, communal space (not individual rooms), facilitating group events like “face parties” for bachelorettes and birthdays.
• This layout also reduces buildout costs for franchisees and enhances guest experience.

10. Final Advice for Aspiring Franchisees and Entrepreneurs

[25:02–26:01]

• Michele underscores the critical importance of self-belief and passion:
  “If you are super passionate about an idea, about a business, whatever it is, hold on to that. Because most people search their entire lives to be passionate about something... So hold on to that and be confident in that decision.” — Michele [25:15]

Notable Quotes

• “I just couldn’t let go of this feeling for this focus facial bar.” — Michele [04:58]
• “You really do not at the time, but in hindsight, you realize how resilient you become in figuring out a way.” — Michele [10:58]
• “We view our sites as sisters, not twins... making sure that it feels very cohesive state by state and space by space.” — Michele [21:47]
• “Most people search their entire lives to be passionate about something and really be moved by something... So hold on to that and be confident in that decision.” — Michele [25:15]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:20 — Michele’s entry into entrepreneurship and first business
• 05:00 — Selling her old business and signing the first Face Foundrié lease
• 07:15 — Intentional planning for franchising from day one
• 09:42 — Innovation and adaptation during COVID-19 shutdown
• 12:27 — Franchise model officially launches
• 16:42 — Franchisee autonomy: product and marketing flexibility
• 18:51 — Legal and accounting must-haves for franchisors
• 21:47 — “Sisters, not twins”: Creating cohesive, but not identical, locations
• 24:10 — Open-air concept and social experience
• 25:15 — Final advice: Passion and self-belief

Flow and Tone

The conversation is warm, candid, and insightful, blending Daniela’s experienced industry perspective with Michele’s vulnerability and strategic clarity as an entrepreneur. The tone is empowering and practical, giving actionable advice while also celebrating bold decisions and visionary thinking.

Where to Connect

• Face Foundrié: facefoundrie.com and on all social platforms (@facefoundrie)
• Michele’s Instagram: @michellemanifests

This episode is a must-listen for spa owners, beauty professionals, and entrepreneurs considering expansion, franchising, or simply aiming to build a brand with heart and integrity.