Inspiring Conversations with David Holzworth of Massage Envy and LA Bikini

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Holzworth.

Hi David, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was in the Golf Business from 2010-2016 and decided to change careers. My wife and I planned on moving to Reston, VA, where I would accept an IT Sales position. At the time, my family owned 30% of two Massage Envy locations, and coincidentally, the majority owners wanted to buy us out. Instead, I interviewed the gentleman running the clinics for the ownership group and was able to take a loan to buy the rest of the group out. This gave me full ownership/control of the North Hills and Falls of Neuse Massage Envy locations and allowed my wife and I to stay local in Raleigh. Roughly 5 months later, a Franchisee that purchased three clinics in RDU at the same time I purchased my clinics decided to close their doors and declare bankruptcy. I was able move quickly to negotiate with the banks and purchase these three locations. This now gave me ownership/control of 5 Massage Envy locations. In 2019 I was very interested in growing further outside of the Massage Envy brand. After looking at a few different ideas, I landed on a small brand named LA Bikini. LA Bikini is a Hair Removal franchise where we use Sugar Paste instead of wax. Sugaring is a concept that has been around for centuries, but the average person needs to learn more about it. We are helping to build the brand and educate the public about the benefits of sugar compared to waxing. I own 8 licenses for LA Bikini and currently operate 3 open locations in Cary, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Our fourth location will open this summer in Raleigh.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
It has been a relatively rough road throughout the process, but luck and timing are everything in business. When I purchased the 3 Massage Envy locations out of Bankruptcy, I had to work hard to ensure they could be profitable again. My team and I succeeded with two locations, but the third never reached profitability, and we were forced to shut it down after COVID. The biggest hurdle for our business is staffing. The staffing shortage of Massage Therapists existed long before COVID-19 shut the world down, so you can imagine the impact that COVID has had on an already thin employee pool. As each year passes, there are fewer and fewer Massage Therapists graduating or renewing their licenses. This is very sad because Massage Therapy is an amazing, incredibly lucrative field for the therapist. Inflation and sourcing materials have been another large hurdle. Similar to other business, we are not immune to these aggravations affecting our operations. Ensuring we can provide the best service possible at a reasonable price has always been the primary goal, and this has become more difficult as of late.

We’ve been impressed with Massage Envy and LA Bikini, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Massage Envy is the largest Massage Franchise in the United States. The brand is consistently innovating and bringing new services to our clients. There are over 1,100 locations across the nation providing millions of massages annually. Massage Envy also provides top-of-the-line skincare services, including Chemical peels, microderm infusion, light therapy, and dermaplaning/microblading. I am most proud that we can offer a high quality service for less than half the price of a traditional spa.

LA Bikini is a new hair removal brand that uses Sugar paste to remove hair. Our sugar paste comprises 3 all-natural ingredients; Sugar, Lemon, and Water. Sugaring is healthier for the skin, less painful, and has fewer side effects than traditional waxing. Sugar paste goes on the skin cool and exfoliates your skin as the sugar is removed. As a new brand, our largest hurdle is educating the public on why they should try us. I am most proud of my team and the experience they provide because once clients walk through our doors, they nearly always return. After one treatment, it is easy to see why Sugaring is the “better mousetrap” of the hair removal world. Between my 2 brands, I am most proud of my team, though. I could only operate or run this business with amazing people around me. I have been fortunate to have such a dedicated staff, and they deserve all the credit.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those just starting.
You always hear Entrepreneurs saying to take risks and dive in. This is very true, but one modification I have is to take “calculated risks.” You need to educate yourself about the business before jumping in. In any business, you must be a people person and entrust those around you. Building a team you trust and learning to delegate is the hardest thing to do as an inexperienced business owner. If you prioritize your team, it is amazing what can be accomplished.

Contact Info:

• Website: mylabikini.com