Hand & Stone’s Employee Spotlight shines this month on Rachel Tuturice, our Franchise Operations Consultant. In her interview, Rachel talks about her responsibilities as a F.O.C and how she has grown professionally since joining our team.
How long have you been with Hand & Stone? What industry were you in before coming to H&S?
I came from the fitness world; I was with Retro Fitness for about 12 years, working on both the franchise and corporate sides. In August 2020 due to the pandemic, we, unfortunately, had to close our doors. During my time at Retro, I met Brooke Culver, our Director of Multi-Unit Operations, and she was always trying to get me to come to Hand & Stone. When I first interviewed there wasn’t anything available for me, but I held out and got a temporary job in the meantime. In December 2020 I officially came on board with Hand & Stone, and it’s been a great ride ever since!
What are some of the responsibilities in your role?
In my role as a Franchise Operations Consultant, I consider myself to be an influencer and storyteller; I love sharing best practices and success stories. If there’s a successful spa on the west coast, I can share some of their tips and tricks with a spa on the east coast. I’m able to be on-site and meet personally with the franchisees and spa leaders. Every quarter we do Franchise Quarterly Evaluations, and I can sit and listen to our owners and managers to find what’s most important to them. I love being able to find ways to drive more revenue to my locations and lead them to success based on what their specific needs are. Our support doesn’t stop there! We are always connected with our franchisees and spa leaders all year long. When we are not on-site, we support them from afar and really dig into their daily operations to improve and drive more sales and most importantly deliver world-class customer service to our clients.
One of the other projects I’ve recently been asked to be a part of is our new manager training. It’s a new program that I’m so excited to be a part of in addition to my role as a F.O.C. This three-day in-person course sets the foundation for newly appointed Hand & Stone Spa Managers. Our goal is to create a small, interactive atmosphere so attendees feel comfortable and encouraged to share. I’m so jazzed to be able to be a part of this Hand and Stone history!
What’s your favorite thing about working at Hand & Stone?
Every day I feel like I am learning and growing professionally with Hand & Stone, whether it’s with our franchisees, our spa leaders, or internally with my team leaders. One of the things I love about my position is connecting with my owners and spa leaders. I love building relationships by listening and customizing my support so I can best help find them success in whatever area of business that they’re focusing on.
What motivates you to get up and go to work every day?
What motivates me is knowing that every day is going to be different. At the end of every day, I can go to sleep knowing that I’ve added another tool to my toolbox and grown professionally in some way; I’ve been with this company for less than two years and already feel as though I’ve grown so much. I feel fulfilled working at Hand & Stone and that’s really what drives me to get up every day.
Is there anything else you’d like to share that you think is important in telling your story?
I was with one company for 12 years, so moving to Hand & Stone was very intimidating for me. Even though it was a franchise with a membership base, it was still a role that I wasn’t entirely used to. I think my advice to anyone starting a new career is that you have to be uncomfortable before you can get comfortable, and when you start to feel too comfortable, it might be time to take on something new. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself!
Last but not least, what’s your favorite service to get at Hand & Stone?
My favorite service is the Power of Nature massage, which is a Himalayan Salt Massage with CBD oil.
