True REST

What True REST does

True REST is a U.S. float therapy franchise company operating the largest float franchise network in the country, with 50+ independently owned locations across 22 states and $17M in system-wide annual revenue (2024). Founded in 2010 in Scottsdale, AZ by CEO Nick Janicki and franchising since 2014, the company pioneered sensory deprivation floatation therapy in America and has since built a clinically validated multi-modality platform — the Vitality Suite — that layers infrared red light therapy, cold plunge, and traditional sauna onto the same physical footprint, staff, and membership rail as core float sessions. Clinical validation is anchored in peer-reviewed research (PLOS ONE 2018, Dr. Justin Feinstein) and federally funded NIMH work showing large effect sizes for anxiety reduction in a single one-hour float session.

The business model operates on two levels. At the unit level, franchisees sell five revenue streams — float sessions, infrared sessions, cold plunge, traditional sauna, and monthly memberships — to end consumers, with most franchisees closing 50–100 memberships within the first 30 days post-opening. Memberships are the primary driver of recurring revenue (high ARRS per location). At the corporate level, True REST Franchising LLC sells franchise rights through a structured sales motion: a territory reservation system, FDD delivery, and direct intro calls with the executive team. Customer segments for franchise sales include multi-unit operators and area developers (primary), first-time entrepreneurs, and family offices / qualified HNW investors. An area developer program (e.g., Columbus, OH) formalizes multi-unit territorial rights.

The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional capital, no parent company, and no subsidiaries. The corporate headcount of 51–100 employees supports national franchise operations including training, marketing, compliance, and innovation infrastructure built for a stated 5× network scaling target. The primary strategic narrative is consolidation: 500+ fragmented, undercapitalized independent float centers represent the acquisition and conversion opportunity that True REST is positioning its franchise system to capture.

Name

True REST

Legal name

True REST Franchising LLC

Website

https://truerestfranchising.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

True REST is the largest float therapy franchise in the U.S., operating 50+ locations across 22 states through a multi-modality wellness platform combining sensory deprivation floatation with infrared, sauna, and cold plunge under a subscription membership model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wellness Spa Franchise Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Float Therapy (Sensory Deprivation Tanks) (HSADAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Wellness & Retreat Experiences (Personalized Spa, Yoga, Healing) (THAJALAI)

Keywords

• Float therapy franchise
• Wellness spa services
• Sensory deprivation therapy
• Infrared light therapy
• Membership wellness services

Headquarters

HQ city

Coronado

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Monthly Membership Subscriptions: Recurring monthly membership revenue as the primary driver of high ARRS (average recurring revenue per location). Members return on a weekly basis, generating predictable, recurring cash flow. Most franchisees close their first 50–100 members within the first 30 days of opening.
2. Float Therapy Session Sales: Per-visit revenue from floatation therapy sessions. One of five layered revenue streams deployed across the same location footprint.
3. Infrared Red Light Therapy Sessions: Revenue from infrared red light therapy sessions offered as a bundled or add-on modality within the Vitality Suite, utilizing window installations post-float.
4. Cold Plunge Sessions: Revenue from cold immersion sessions, noted as one of the strongest margins per visit. Often paired with sauna for full hot/cold contrast protocols.
5. Traditional Sauna Sessions: Revenue from high-heat traditional sauna sessions, typically sold in combination with cold plunge for contrast therapy protocols.
6. Gift Card Sales: System-wide gift card sales contributing $1.5M+ annually (2024 internal figures). Represents an additional revenue stream that also drives new customer acquisition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

True REST sells a turnkey float therapy franchise system featuring sensory deprivation pods and a layered Vitality Suite (infrared red light, cold plunge, traditional sauna) operating under a recurring membership revenue model. Franchisees license the brand, receive validated 15-year unit economics, training, marketing infrastructure, and operational support, while executing a five-stream wellness offering at independently owned locations across 22 U.S. states.

Product overview

True REST operates a franchise-based wellness platform offering floatation therapy as its core product alongside the Vitality Suite expansion (infrared red light therapy, cold plunge, and traditional sauna). The system uses a multi-stream membership model where all services layer onto the same lease and staff. The core offering is the True REST Float Spa franchise, which includes validated 15-year unit economics across 50+ locations in 22 states, with the Vitality Suite designed to compound unit economics by adding modalities to the existing infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• True REST Float Spa Franchise System Turnkey wellness franchise system licensing the True REST brand, operational playbook, training, marketing infrastructure, and multi-modality Vitality Suite to qualified franchisees. Designed for experienced operators, first-time entrepreneurs, family offices, and multi-unit area developers seeking a validated recurring-revenue wellness business.
• Floatation Therapy Sensory deprivation therapy delivered in specialized float pods, providing approximately 60 weightless minutes of drug-free relaxation. Clinically validated to reduce anxiety and depression in a single session (PLOS ONE, 2018). Sold as individual sessions and monthly memberships to consumers at franchise locations.
• Vitality Suite Modular wellness expansion bundling infrared red light therapy, cold plunge, and traditional sauna into a single offering that shares the same lease, staff, and membership rail as float therapy. Designed to compound unit economics for franchisees and broaden the consumer wellness offering.
• Infrared Red Light Therapy Cellular recovery and skin health therapy installed in facility windows, typically offered immediately following float sessions. Available as a standalone session, add-on, or membership benefit at True REST franchise locations.
• Cold Plunge Cold immersion therapy for inflammation reduction, mental alertness, and resilience building. Noted as one of the strongest-margin modalities per visit. Sold as a standalone session, paired with sauna for contrast protocols, or accessed via membership at True REST franchise locations.
• Traditional Sauna High-heat traditional sauna for circulation and recovery. Designed to pair with cold plunge for full hot and cold contrast therapy. Sold as a standalone session, in contrast pairings, or via membership at True REST franchise locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significant reductions in anxiety and depression following a single float session, with large and clinically meaningful effect sizes recorded in peer-reviewed clinical trials (PLOS ONE, 2018)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• First Franchisee — Heather & Pat Gerke (Powell, OH)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2014First franchise location opened in Powell, OH in 2014, piloted and validated the True REST franchise operating model. Gerkes later became Area Developers in Columbus, OH, opened 2 locations, and achieved a 7-figure exit — making them both a foundational early franchisee and a reference point for prospective franchisees.
• Multi-Unit & Area Developer FranchiseescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of 50+ franchise owners across 22 states, including designated Area Developers who hold multi-unit territorial development rights. Represents the core distribution network of the franchise model.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reboot Float Spa: Direct U.S. float therapy franchise peer operating multi-unit float spa locations with a comparable membership-driven model and sensory deprivation core offering, competing for the same franchisee and end-consumer pool as True REST.
• Restore Hyper Wellness: Multi-modality wellness franchise combining cryotherapy, IV drip therapy, infrared sauna, hyperbaric oxygen, and float therapy under one membership rail; competes head-to-head with True REST's Vitality Suite positioning and shares the same franchise development target buyer.

Broad incumbents

• Massage Envy: Largest U.S. membership-based spa franchise, offering massage and skin care services on a recurring subscription basis; provides a benchmark for membership-driven spa franchise economics and competes for the same discretionary wellness consumer wallet share.
• Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa: Established U.S. spa franchise with a membership-based massage and facial model, comparable in scale and recurring-revenue franchise structure to True REST and a meaningful alternative for multi-unit franchise investors.
• Massage Heights: Membership-based massage and wellness franchise with multi-unit and area developer agreements; comparable franchise system, GTM motion, and consumer segment to True REST.
• Woodhouse Spa: Luxury day spa franchise with full-service spa, massage, and wellness offerings; comparable premium spa franchise model and competes for the same higher-income wellness consumer.

Emerging players

• iCRYO Cryotherapy: Cryotherapy and wellness franchise rolling up recovery modalities (cryo, infrared, compression, IV); overlaps with True REST's Vitality Suite cold plunge and infrared offerings and targets the same recovery-and-wellness consumer.
• The Now Massage: Premium boutique massage and wellness brand scaling through company-owned and franchised locations, targeting a similar premium-positioned wellness consumer as True REST.
• Chill Cryotherapy: Multi-location cryotherapy and recovery brand offering cryo, infrared sauna, and contrast therapy; directly comparable recovery-and-wellness service mix to True REST's Vitality Suite.
• The Sweat Tent: Infrared sauna and contrast therapy concept rolling out across the U.S., comparable to True REST's traditional sauna and cold plunge offering within the Vitality Suite.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/truerest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about True REST