Heights Wellness Ramps Up Growth After Rebrand With Dallas Deal | Franchise News

Nearly a year after its rebrand, Texas-based Heights Wellness Retreat is ready for a new phase of growth in its own back yard with the signing of a two-unit agreement. Helming the growth is a U.S. Air Force veteran with an accounting background and a registered nurse.

A Dallas married couple is entering the franchise space with Heights Wellness, and while they don’t have direct ownership experience, they do bring a background in business and health.

Russell Rogers, a United States Air Force veteran, served in the military for four years before working in several roles for the federal government, where he utilized his education in accounting. His wife, Norelia, brings more than a decade of experience in nursing, having worked in a nephrology clinic, a surgery center and most recently a dialysis center.

In addition to their careers, the duo also developed a real estate portfolio with rental properties. But in the years after the pandemic, the Rogerses found the market to be more volatile, and decided to look in another direction.

“With rental prices increasing, we were hitting amounts where we wouldn’t be able to buy rentals,” Russell Rogers said. “So, I started a deep dive into other asset classes, both in what would be available from a numbers sense, and also something we could be passionate about.”

He said they quickly gravitated toward franchising for the support provided from the corporate side, along with a proven business model. The couple eventually landed on Heights Wellness Retreat, which rebranded from Massage Heights in October 2024, and signed a two-unit agreement for Dallas.

Related: New Multi-Unit Deal Follows Heights Wellness Retreat Rebrand

“We really liked what they had to say about everything with their brand,” Russell Rogers said. “When I went to San Antonio to meet with the whole team, they didn’t lead with what our profitability would be or what our margins would be. They led with the conceptual stuff, of why their service is great and why they do great work for their customer. The numbers came later.”

He said the approach in discovery helped solidify their decision, as the brand was focused on innovation, giving a sense that they cared about their clients and looked toward the future.

“It’s important because even in our daily jobs, we have to remember the ‘why’ we do it,” Norelia Rogers said. “I think that was important in how they presented themselves. I’m educating on health every day, so I’m passionate about that, and we’re happy to have something that could reflect that in our business.”

The success of that business, Russell Rogers said, will be supported by the strong retention the brand showed in his research.

“Some things they have honed in on is their retention of clients and members, as well as their personnel,” Russell Rogers said. “That’s especially true with their massage therapists. There is a shortage of labor for massage therapists, and there’s turnover in the industry. So, the fact that they really treat their people well and the retention rate is high was one of the core components.”

Shane Evans, Heights Wellness CEO and founder, credited the concept’s strong foundation and its membership model for the brand’s successful retention. Built on that foundation is a network of more than 100 locations across the U.S. and Canada, with all but one franchised.

As the brand opens more locations, it has also set a multi-year rebranding plan into motion, after changing its name last year. The title change was based on an expansion of services, as the brand added several therapies for its customers, ranging from infrared saunas to cryotherapy.

“We’re looking to have all of our locations converted by 2027, but it will probably lead into 2028,” Evans said. “The approach we’ve been taking since rebranding is working with early adopter franchisees for initial conversions. We have seven taking place now in various markets.”

Russell Rogers said in Dallas, the concept is still emerging, meaning they have a brand awareness advantage as they don’t have to explain the name change.

“We’re still not highly known here, and that’s why we like the ramp up,” he said. “So, the change isn’t that big from our perspective. We’re going to be able to highlight the brand as Heights Wellness, versus changing it for people from one to the next.”

For markets where the brand is altering its name, Evans said there has been a concerted effort to inform its customers.

“We have let our members and guests across the board know about our plans for the rebrand, and what it means to them from a service perspective,” Evans said. “We even have a pre-sales plan going so current members have first access to these new services.”

As for introducing the updated Heights Wellness title to new customers, Evans said the Rogers offer a great combination of skills to operate both units, with the first expected to open in January 2026.

“In the franchise world, military veterans make really great owners,” Evans said. “They’re used to following systems and processes. Beyond that, Russell is really entrepreneurial, and Norelia brings that nursing background and that level of care. It’s a great fit.”

The initial investment to open a Heights Wellness Retreat ranges from $622,428 to $819,659, and the brand’s average unit volume is $1.1 million.