Franchisee Spotlight: SWTHZ, Sweat Equity Holdings
Nico Varano of Sweat Equity Holdings shares tips for those interested in getting in on the business of franchising a contrast therapy studio
SWTHZ, the contrast therapy studio established by founder Jamie Weeks, has no shortage of standout franchisees. Taking a more strategic approach to expansion, one which prioritizes geographic and cultural fit over growth for the sake of growth, SWTHZ isn’t rushing to shake hands and open doors with just anyone.
However, growth needs to start somewhere, and when the brand felt it was time to do so, it looked to Boston. Nico Varano, a former investment banker and now CEO of Sweat Equity Holdings, looked back.
Working in banking and then private equity, Varano’s firm first invested in Orangetheory Fitness (where weeks initially built his franchising empire) before starting and later SWTHZ. Varano’s interest in the contrast therapy brand quickly transitioned from work-related to something genuine.
Having grown up in a family restaurant atmosphere that nurtured his entrepreneurial spirit, and understanding SWTHZ’s business model after hearing from Weeks directly about the Boston opportunity, Varano felt encouraged to get involved. He eventually tried out SWTHZ’s services at one of the Boston area locations. After falling in love with the product and the simple operating model behind it, he agreed to become SWTHZ’s first franchisee in 2022.
“Being first was honestly great. I call myself the SWTHZ guinea pig in a lot of ways,” Varano told Athletech News. “We were the first to test different things. Assembly Row was actually the first SWTHZ studio in the country to have a cold plunge.”
Challenges & Pivots
First, however, doesn’t always mean easiest. In fact, pioneer feats usually invite conflict, and while Varano’s arm of the business is operating at a high level today, it had its fair share of obstacles to clear early on.
The installation of cold plunges and SWTHZ’s transition into a complete contrast therapy studio were among the largest.
“We broke down the concept to rebuild the concept,” Varano recalled. “It’s led to a lot of great things, but the road there wasn’t easy.”
Varano also noted his group endured “bumps” while establishing its identity and role in the marketplace. However, the strong level of support from SWTHZ’s HQ team helped soften them while also driving growth.
“The great thing about SWTHZ is the corporate team,” he said. “I’d probably say it’s one of the strongest corporate teams in all of franchising. There are resources across the board, whether it be marketing, ops, sales, real estate or construction. I’ve had a first row seat and been involved in a lot of this…There are not many brands that can fully pivot their business model while still growing, and that’s exactly what SWTHZ did.”
Give & Take
That said, SWTHZ’s HQ team won’t do everything for you. If you’re planning on running a successful studio or chain of studios, you shouldn’t want it to either.
“If you’re looking for something that’s super passive — you don’t have to be in studio, and you can just run this thing from your iPad — keep looking in other places. That’s not the business SWTHZ is,” Varano said. “You have to be a hands-on operator. The operators that are the most successful are the ones that are in the studios every day or building a team that’s in their studios every single day.”
That said, franchisors shouldn’t confuse being “hands-on” with putting both of their hands on the wheel and ignoring directions from the GPS provided by HQ.
“If you do things the right way — by the book — and you leverage the pre-sales model that’s in place, you will open up with profit in month one, which I believe is something a lot of franchisors and franchisees can’t say,” Varano added.
Fellow franchise owners are also a key asset that operators can benefit from. When establishing locations in its franchise network, SWTHZ did so by intentionally placing white space between territories to negate competition. Doing so fosters collaboration and spurs collective success.
“There’s no competition. We all want to win,” said Varano. “I talk to the other franchisees seven times a day. We’re bouncing ideas off each other to try to figure out how we can make things better. It’s not just on the sales front, it’s also, ‘Hey, I just saved $20,000 on construction by doing this. You guys should do this too.’ As multi-unit developers, $20,000 on one project may not seem like a lot, but multiply it over five, and you just saved yourself $100,000.”
Future Plans
The slow but sure societal transition from viewing cold plunges, vitamin C showers and saunas as luxury-only amenities for the elites into tools for everyday people has fueled SWTHZ’s growth and cultural relevance. That’s been clear across the country and in Beantown.
“Coming from a family restaurant background, we’ve definitely seen the shift from people going out and spending $200 on dinner with a bottle of wine and three appetizers, to now people are prioritizing wellness as the biggest part of their wallet,” said Varano.
This lowering of the barrier to entry bodes well for Sweat Equity Holdings and the broader community.
“We have college athletes come in; we have people who are 60 coming in because they have arthritis; we have a large portion of people doing this for mental health or to recover from maybe a tough workout,” Varano noted. “Our net is so wide, and that has made such an impact in Boston.”
That net — and the success already enjoyed by Varano — inspired him to add two more studios in the Boston area this year. He also noted that Sweat Equity Holdings is planning to expand into New York City in the future, recently acquiring 15 licenses around Chelsea, the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Williamsburg and Greenpoint. The group currently has five studios in operation.
“If I can do it, anybody can do it,” he said. “As long as you use your resources, it’s not tough.”