Female founder spotlight: Ella Hodgkinson, owner of A Touch of Tranquility

To round out our series of female founder features in honour of International Women’s Day, we caught up with Ella Hodgkinson, owner of A Touch of Tranquility, one of Liverpool’s most unique and successful massage studios.

Ella offers her clients a safe space where they can let go of stress and relax. Read on and learn how she uses Fresha to grow her studio and give clients an experience that keeps them coming back. 
 

Tell us about your journey as a massage studio owner.

My journey as a massage studio owner began with a home-based salon. As we quickly outgrew the space, I rented a room and built a regular client base, which eventually allowed us to expand massively into a beautiful cabin in my garden.

How do you make sure your massage studio stands out?

Our studio space is very unique – people love the idea of having their treatment in a tranquil garden cabin, away from all the hustle and bustle. We also focus on the little touches that make each client’s treatment special, like hot towels at the end of massages, burning essential oils in the cabin, and other things that enhance the whole experience. 

What do clients love most about A Touch of Tranquility?

Clients love that they can let go of their troubles and focus on themselves during their treatments. They really appreciate the little touches we add to their experience, as well as our use of Fresha, which makes it incredibly easy for clients to book and manage appointments themselves.

What’s the secret to your success?

Going the extra mile to make each client’s experience as relaxing and convenient as possible. Clients can park right outside, they don’t need to sit in a waiting room, and their treatments are one-on-one for total privacy and comfort. Using Fresha has also been key to our success, as it helps us manage our bookings, marketing campaigns, and accounting.

What’s your biggest challenge as a massage studio owner?

Balancing parenthood with my business can be a challenge. I need to be able to dedicate time to both my family and the studio. That’s why it’s invaluable having Fresha to manage our schedule and ensure that clients show up for their appointments — Fresha has helped to make this process much easier by providing easy-to-use cancellation policies.

What led you to start using Fresha?

I used Fresha when I started my business, to help me hit the ground running. It made managing and growing the studio so easy that I’ve stuck with it ever since. Plus, a lot of my new clients already use it, so it’s helpful having a booking platform that they’re familiar with.

How easy was it to get started with Fresha?

It was incredibly easy to get started with Fresha. The platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate for both me and my clients, which made launching my business so much smoother.

How has Fresha helped you grow your business?

We get lots of new clients through the Fresha marketplace. People who already use Fresha for other services like hair and nails often find us when they’re looking for massage services; and our marketplace profile stands out with plenty of great reviews, because Fresha’s automatic “thank you” messages prompt clients to leave a review after their appointment. 

What’s your all-time favourite Fresha feature?

We’re big fans of Fresha’s customisable cancellation policies, which has helped reduce the number of no-shows and last-minute cancellations; and on the rare few occasions that people still don’t show up, I don’t need to stress about losing revenue.

One word of advice massage studio owners need to hear?

Invest in tools that can help streamline your business processes and make it easier to manage your schedule, payments, and accounting. Fresha has helped us grow our business and provide a better experience for our clients.