Follow in the footsteps of Mark & Rachel Coldham | The Massage Company

Mark and Rachel met twelve years ago when they were both training to become Army Officers at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In 2011, Mark left the army and began a career managing large infrastructure projects and programmes – including involvement with the Olympic Games in 2012, London Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 2 and a more recent programme with the Home Office.  Rachel left the army in 2013 and embarked on a path in Management Consulting. In 2015, they joined forces and married in 2017, co-running their small independent consultancy.  Through the latter years of this, they often spoke about their shared aspiration to set up another business that would offer a better work-life balance for their growing family.

On a family road trip in 2016 with their eight-year-old son, they first started discussing options and a few ideas were tossed around but nothing seemed to really excite them, and they both knew that if they were going to take the leap and start something from scratch, they would have to be really passionate about it.

Franchising was not something that they had thought of perusing but in 2017 Mark saw an advertisement for The Massage Company franchise whilst looking for programme management roles on a major national job site.  It piqued his interest because the wellness industry was one that he and Rachel had a common interest in, and both having suffered sporting injuries in the past, they understood the life-changing value of a good quality massage.  The opportunity was too interesting not to explore.

After a few initial speculative conversations Mark and Rachel met with Elliot and Charlie at The National Franchise Exhibition in autumn 2017.  The Exhibition gave them a chance to speak to the company’s first franchisee,  as well as seeing the branding and service the company provided (the stand was demonstrating massages). All of this gave them a well-rounded view of the business and the franchise opportunity.  The exhibition also gave them an opportunity to view other franchises and get a better feel for what the industry offers, since this wasn’t a model they were particularly familiar with.

Having confirmed their interest, they then were able to schedule a detailed visit to the company’s pilot site in Camberley for a discovery day. This visit clinched it for them. They were impressed by how well thought through all aspects of the company have been, and the solid foundations that underpinned it. It was clear that this is an opportunity not to be missed for a new franchise and absolutely at the right point to make a success in the market. Mark and Rachel signed on the dotted line and became the second franchisees in December 2017.

2018 will now be a search for the right property to host the new Massage Company centre, with plenty of hands-on support from Elliot and Charlie, learning all the operational side of the business, with a view to opening the new site later this year.

For more information on The Franchise Exhibitions and to book your ticket to upcoming events, visit FranchiseInfo.co.uk.