America’s Best Franchises (ABF) Brand Insight —
True REST built the float therapy category in America and still leads it by a wide margin. The model is membership-based, built on tiered monthly plans, which gives the business recurring revenue rather than one-off appointments. The newer Vitality Suite adds infrared sauna, cold plunge, and red light therapy onto the same lease and staff. The build-out is the capital-intensive part: private float suites need dedicated plumbing, filtration, and sound isolation.
At a Glance
- Liquid Capital Required: $150,000 (readily available cash or cash-equivalent assets — not from borrowing, selling a primary residence, or relying on future income)
- Ownership Model: Owner-operator; semi-absentee with manager
- Location Type: Retail wellness spa in suburban centers
- Time Commitment: Full-time during launch
- Experience Required: None; business or management background preferred
About True REST
Nick and Holly Janicki opened the first True REST in Scottsdale, Arizona in 2010 and began franchising in 2014. The brand now operates 48 locations across roughly 22 states and has delivered more than one million float sessions since founding. Headquarters are in Tempe, Arizona.
Each spa is built around private float suites with personal showers, where guests float weightless in salt water. The Vitality Suite adds infrared sauna, cold plunge, and red light therapy, and memberships run on tiered plans from one or two floats a month to eight or more.
Why Own a True REST Franchise?
- The largest float therapy franchise in the U.S., with a 15-year operating history longer than any other brand in the category.
- Membership-driven revenue on tiered monthly plans rather than one-off bookings.
- The Vitality Suite layers infrared sauna, cold plunge, and red light therapy onto the same lease and staff, raising revenue per square foot.
- The company reports system-wide gift card sales above $1.5 million a year, a revenue line beyond memberships.
- Staffing stays lean — two to three employees at start and four to six at maturity.
- Semi-absentee ownership is possible once a qualified full-time manager is in place, and Item 19 is disclosed.
Why This Opportunity, Why Now
ABF Market Analysis —
Recovery has moved from the locker room into mainstream wellness. Sauna, cold plunge, and red light therapy have become recurring habits for a much broader audience than athletes, and stress and mental fitness now drive a large share of wellness spending. Float therapy sits at the center of that shift, and True REST has been building the category longer than anyone. The Vitality Suite lets a single location serve several of those demand streams at once. Membership models turn that demand into predictable monthly revenue.
ABF Timing Insight —
True REST has roughly 48 locations and a stated plan to reach 250 or more over the next decade, which leaves significant open territory in key U.S. markets. The company is also recruiting regional developers alongside single-unit owners. Site selection uses a broker network and AI mapping with demographic overlay. For candidates focused on a specific area, the first question is what remains available there.
Training & Support
- A two-day True REST University program covers operations, staffing, guest experience, and marketing, followed by three to four days of on-site training at your location.
- Site selection support draws on a broker network and AI-driven mapping with demographic overlay, with step-by-step guidance through lease review, build-out, and design.
- Owners train on the proprietary POS, booking, and CRM systems, rebuilt under the True REST 2.0 initiative along with a new marketing suite.
- On-site support during grand opening helps launch the spa and begin converting first-time floaters into members.
- Ongoing support includes dedicated coaching, webinars and workshops, national and local marketing campaigns, and rollout support for Vitality Suite services.
Franchise Owners That Thrive
- Genuine enthusiasm for float therapy and mental fitness
- Strong business or management backgrounds
- Operators who follow a proven, turnkey system
- Married couples building a business together
- Owners who want to scale to multiple locations
Who Is Not A Good Fit
- Candidates who cannot meet the liquid capital requirement without borrowing
- Anyone expecting passive ownership from day one
- Entrepreneurs who want to reinvent the system
- Owners unable to commit near full-time early on
- People uncomfortable with a construction-heavy build-out
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need wellness or spa experience?
A: No. A strong business or management background matters more, and training covers operations, guest experience, and the booking systems. The brand places heavy emphasis on culture and genuine enthusiasm for the service.
Q: How involved do I need to be?
A: Expect near full-time involvement for the first six months. Spas run six days a week, twelve hours a day. Semi-absentee ownership becomes possible once a qualified full-time manager is in place.
Q: What drives the investment range?
A: The build-out. Each float suite needs dedicated plumbing, filtration, waterproofing, and sound- and light-isolated construction, plus its own shower. Site, suite count, and construction complexity all move the range.
Q: Can I keep my current job?
A: Some owners have, by hiring the right full-time manager. It is also common for a married couple to run the spa together, with one partner full-time at first.
Q: How important is the leadership team when choosing a franchise?
A: Very important. A proven model matters, but the people leading the brand matter too. During due diligence, spend time with leadership and operations—not just franchise development—and ask how they prioritize franchisee profitability, support, and long-term brand health.
Next Steps
If you are drawn to a membership-based wellness business, a category True REST has led for fifteen years, recovery services that layer onto a single location, and a system built for owners who follow a proven model, True REST is worth a direct conversation. Complete the form below to request a qualification review and discuss territory availability for True REST.
This profile represents general franchise information. Individual results may vary. Refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.