Black Heron

What Black Heron does

Black Heron is a privately-held, founder-led boutique wellness studio established in 2023 in Edmonton, Alberta, and operating under parent entity ASHMAC WHOLISTICS. The studio occupies a 6,200 sq ft facility at 16011 116 Avenue Northwest in west Edmonton and is structured as a collective of independent movement professionals — including a holistic kinesiologist (founder Ashley), a certified personal trainer, a former WHL (Edmonton Oil Kings) strength and conditioning coach, two registered massage therapists, and a therapy dog. It serves individual consumers seeking pain relief, recovery, posture correction, and improved movement, plus a secondary segment of athletes (notably hockey players) seeking performance and dryland training.

The business is organized around three service pillars: Movement & Strength (one-on-one personal training, semi-private training for 2-4 participants, dryland training for athletes); Therapy & Recovery (registered massage therapy, red light therapy); and Holistic Wellness (lifestyle coaching, biomechanical and movement assessments, atlas subluxation assessments). The technology stack is minimal and largely off-the-shelf — red light therapy equipment for service delivery, Jane App for online massage-therapy booking, Google reCAPTCHA on web forms, and a Wix-hosted site at black-heron.ca. There is no proprietary software, no app, no API, and no AI components. Marketing relies on Facebook and Instagram handles (@blackheronyeg) and the company website.

Revenue is generated primarily through per-session professional service fees across nine discrete offerings, supplemented by monthly subscription memberships for red light therapy (with a free first session) and contractor-driven space utilization. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but includes a complimentary 15-minute intake consultation. The company recruits external kinesiologists, trainers, and massage therapists as independent contractors via a dedicated 'Join Our Team' page. There is no evidence of outside funding, institutional investment, franchising, or multi-location expansion; the business operates as a single-location, founder-controlled local service enterprise with revenue and headcount signals that imply operation well below $1M annually.

Name

Black Heron

Legal name

Black Heron

Website

https://black-heron.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Heron is a privately-held, founder-led boutique wellness studio in Edmonton, Alberta, operating as a collective offering personal training, semi-private training, registered massage therapy, red light therapy, dryland athletic training, and holistic assessments to individual consumers and athletes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wellness and Fitness Studio Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6213)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Strength & Conditioning Personal Training (HSADAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Small-Group Personal Training (Semi-Private) (HSADAAAN), General Health Coaching (HSADAGAA)

Keywords

• Personal training services
• Massage therapy services
• Red light therapy
• Holistic wellness coaching
• Athletic performance training

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Personal Training Services: One-on-one personal training sessions with certified coaches offering personalized fitness programs, strength training, and corrective exercise.
2. Massage Therapy Services: Registered massage therapy including deep tissue, myofascial release, sports therapy, cupping, and other therapeutic modalities.
3. Red Light Therapy Memberships: Monthly membership subscriptions for red light therapy sessions, with first session offered free for new clients.
4. Semi-Private Training: Small group training sessions for 2-4 participants offering personalized coaching at a more affordable price point than one-on-one training.
5. Holistic Wellness Services: Lifestyle coaching, posture analysis, biomechanical assessments, atlas subluxation assessments, and educational services.
6. Dryland Training: Sports performance training and team rentals for athletes, particularly hockey players, offered as individual sessions or facility rentals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Black Heron operates a boutique wellness and movement studio in west Edmonton delivering one-on-one personal training, semi-private training, registered massage therapy, red light therapy, biomechanical and atlas subluxation assessments, dryland/sports performance training, and holistic lifestyle coaching. Services are organized into three pillars—Movement & Strength, Therapy & Recovery, and Holistic Wellness—and delivered by a collective of kinesiologists, massage therapists, personal trainers, and wellness practitioners in a 6,200 sq ft private facility. The studio also recruits movement professionals as independent contractors and rents its space for team training.

Product overview

Black Heron is a wellness and movement studio offering a unified service model centered around three pillars: Movement & Strength (personal training, kinesiology, corrective exercise), Therapy & Recovery (massage therapy, red light therapy, bodywork), and Holistic Wellness (lifestyle coaching, posture analysis). The studio provides services including Biomechanical & Movement Assessment, Atlas Subluxation Assessment, Personal Training, Semi-Private Training, Massage Therapy, Holistic Lifestyle Coaching, Dryland Training, and Red Light Therapy. Services are delivered by kinesiologists, massage therapists, personal trainers, and wellness practitioners in a 6,200 sq ft boutique facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Initial Consultation A complimentary 15-minute consultation to assess client needs and direct them to appropriate Black Heron services.
• Biomechanical & Movement Assessment A full-body assessment identifying muscular imbalances, postural distortions, and faulty movement patterns contributing to pain or limited mobility, conducted via visual analysis and functional testing.
• Atlas Subluxation Assessment A non-invasive assessment of upper cervical alignment evaluating posture, balance, and nervous system function through visual postural screening and hands-on testing.
• Personal Training One-on-one tailored training sessions focused on building strength, mobility, and functional fitness with emphasis on proper form and injury prevention.
• Semi-Private Training Small group training sessions for 2-4 participants offering personalized coaching with group energy at a reduced cost compared to one-on-one training.
• Massage Therapy Therapeutic massage services using deep tissue, myofascial release, and cupping techniques to relieve pain, reduce tension, and restore mobility.
• Holistic Lifestyle Coaching Coaching addressing lifestyle factors including stress, sleep, nutrition, and mindset to help clients achieve balance, energy, and health resilience.
• Dryland Training Athletic strength, mobility, and injury resilience training for hockey players and athletes across all sports, led by a former Edmonton Oil Kings strength coach, with individual sessions and team rental options.
• Red Light Therapy Non-invasive treatment using low-level red and near-infrared wavelengths to support natural healing, reduce inflammation, and improve recovery, with monthly membership subscriptions and a free first session for new clients.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Restore Hyper Wellness: Multi-location US boutique wellness franchise offering red light therapy, cryotherapy, IV therapy and recovery services in a retail studio format. Most directly comparable to Black Heron's Therapy & Recovery pillar and recurring-membership revenue model.
• StretchLab: Assisted-stretching franchise delivering one-on-one and semi-private sessions focused on mobility, recovery and pain relief. Comparable service model, pricing structure, and target customer to Black Heron's Movement & Strength and corrective-exercise offerings.
• Massage Envy: Membership-based massage and skincare franchise with hundreds of locations. Comparable on the massage-therapy membership model and recurring-revenue mechanics that Black Heron is building into its red light therapy offering.
• Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa: National franchise providing therapeutic massage and skincare through memberships and walk-ins. Directly comparable professional-services, multi-pillar wellness studio model.

Broad incumbents

• Equinox: Premium US-based fitness and wellness brand combining training, spa, recovery and lifestyle services. Represents the broad incumbent template Black Heron's three-pillar model aspires to at a boutique scale.
• GoodLife Fitness: Largest Canadian fitness chain with multiple Edmonton-area clubs offering personal training, group fitness and recovery amenities. Represents the broad incumbent competition Black Heron differentiates against on boutique experience and integrative care.

Others

• Therabody (Theragun) Recovery Labs: Consumer wellness brand operating retail 'Therabody Lab' locations combining recovery tech (percussive therapy, red light) with practitioner services. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem player shaping expectations in the boutique recovery space Black Heron occupies.

Emerging players

• Burke Williams Spa: Multi-location spa operator offering massage, bodywork and recovery in a high-end boutique setting. Comparable on the calm/intentional environment and integrated recovery services that Black Heron emphasizes.
• Fit Factory / boutique strength studios: Canadian boutique strength and conditioning studios offering semi-private training, similar pricing architecture, and direct-to-consumer booking. Closest emerging competitor to Black Heron's Semi-Private Training pillar.

Regional players

• World Health Edmonton: Premium Edmonton-based fitness club competing for the same higher-spend personal-training clientele in the local market. Closest geographic and demographic competitor to Black Heron.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/blackheronyeg
• Instagraminstagram.com/blackheronyeg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-heron

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Black Heron