5 Franchises You Want to Invest In

And the economics of its franchises are there to prove it. The average Massage Envy Spa has annual sales of more than $1 million. The services are membership-driven, meaning that there is automatic recurring revenue, the company says.

Consumers are looking for affordable massage therapy and other spa treatments, while companies - playing on the wellness incentive (as health insurance costs spike) are starting to offer massages as an employee benefit. It is actively looking for business owners to join the company to continue with its expansion plans.

"They're really the ones that pioneered the massage," Olson says. "They're very popular because of their culture. And so it's not only big on the West Coast, it's in the central states, the Southeast, etc. It's just growing."

Massage Envy, like all the franchisors named in this list, "really care about the franchise owner and that they provide a great experience for their clients," Olson says. They are "very customer-conscious. It's no longer just a transaction."

-- Written by Laurie Kulikowski in New York.

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