Swthz Upgrades Wellness Experiences & Franchise Opportunities

SWTHZ version 2.0 attracts clients and franchisees alike with expanded modalities in comfortable, easy-to-operate studios

When SWTHZ opened its first location in 2019, it had saunas and vitamin C showers at the ready to greet members. Easy to operate, enjoyable and rudimentary in nature, that was enough to please the many consumers still with only a budding wellness appetite at the time.

However, the brand knew it had more to offer. It also knew the world’s wellness palate would continue to expand. That’s how SWTHZ 2.0 — a complete revamp of the franchise’s look and operations — came to fruition.

Through this process, SWTHZ expanded its offerings, re-designed its layout and forged new partnerships. The result is a franchise network that isn’t just functional but also expandable. 

The Evolution

SWTHZ’s evolution began with its members. After about a year of providing private sauna suits with showers, the brand put out a survey to gauge customer satisfaction. While members were quick to praise the aforementioned amenities, they also expressed a desire for more. That led to the brand’s full embrace of contrast therapy — to the holistic studios we see today. 

“We asked ourselves, what does ‘more’ look like if we’re in the recovery space?” said Stefani Rizzi, Head of CX and Design at SWTHZ. “We can go cold plunge and do true, traditional contrast therapy. We can go recovery in the form of Hyperice. So we did both — and for the next year, we tested the waters by offering it free to our members. We knew that if we were going to make a significant change to the future of the business, the best way forward was to let our clients show us the path.”

Cold, it turns out, was a scolding hot commodity. For a year, SWTHZ put one singular plunge in each of its 12 locations. Every month members took at least 9,000 cold plunges and 2,800 recovery sessions. Rizzi called the plunge figure, which equates to 25+ sessions per day,  “astronomical.” 

With an abundance of evidence endorsing greater investment in plunges, SWTHZ listened again. The brand started putting more than just one tub in each location, putting them inside suites and officially partnered with Plunge in the process. That led to a complete suite redesign to ensure SWTHZs leveraged space advantageously and efficiently to establish a frictionless, holistic approach. 

Scaling & Franchising

Through this process, SWTHZ hasn’t just improved current operations across its franchise network but also established a formula for future ones — positioning itself to scale with ease.  

“2.0 is what we consider a franchise-ready model,” said Rizzi. “We know now that this format works, and it works for all of our clients and franchisees. The streamlined suite layout, the build out and the operations are very predictable. It’s scalable.”

Even the little things, like cleaning suites, are now a far more efficient process all operators can replicate with ease.  

“We’ve perfectly planned out our schedule and our operational staff to have cleaners on site,” said Rizzi.

This smooth means of operation and enthusiastic approach to facilitating wellness even has those only just getting involved in franchising thrilled, Rizzi added. 

“The prospective franchisees are excited,” she said. “The market opportunity is amazing and they’re excited that they’re with a brand that’s continuing to innovate.” 

Additional Benefits from 2.0

End users naturally stand to benefit from SWTHZ’s upgraded model as well. Wellness isn’t delivered in pieces through a series of periodic shipments — but as a complete, cohesive product.  

“Before, the cold plunge being outside the suite meant that any time you’d sauna, you’d have to rinse off and change suites to plunge,” said Rizzi. “You’re asking yourself, ‘Do I go in my towel? Do I bring a robe? Do we sell robes?’…You’re having to shift around and you’re going into communal spaces right in the middle of your session. It created a fractured experience. You’re feeling great, but maybe a little bit exposed.

“By taking that fractured experience out and consolidating it into one suite, you get that private luxury in one hour,” Rizzi went on. “This space is yours to do what you need to do and do it at your pace. It’s a completely seamless process because everything happens in your one space.”

This, in turn, helps operators who benefit as hosts to a wellness experience with a lower barrier to entry than others. SWTHZ already reports its member lifetime value has consistently held at 11-12 months. It’s a turnover rate far below the fitness industry average, the brand reports. 

“SWTHZ as a brand was founded on the principles and mission of bridging the gap between health span and life span through the use of holistic, science-backed and proven modalities,” said Rizzi. “We wanted to bring saunas, cold plunges and other modalities to the everyday consumer at a consumable level. In doing that — specifically in private suites — clients feel more comfortable saying, ‘Okay, I can test this. I’m not going to feel embarrassed or self-conscious.’ The communal space is huge, and there’s definitely a market for it, but there is a massive market of people who aren’t comfortable getting in a plunge near other people or don’t find that environment as inviting.”

Going Further, Together

As SWTHZ continues to innovate, it’ll continue to listen, both to its members and franchisees, as it expands its network. Rizzi noted that SWHTZ’s HQ level members already talk to its franchisees every day to support a tight system of collaboration. 

“It’s a lot of relying on each other to be able to communicate internally, create the tools needed for the franchisees and the tools needed for the clients when they’re in our studio,” said Rizzi. “It’s simple — a focused, collaborative and holistic approach to franchising and business development is how we implement change and the continued evolution of our brand.”

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