Balensi Spa franchise
2023 filing · August 31, 2023
Balensi Spa at a glance
A Mediterranean-themed day spa offering facials and massage for men and women, using French-inspired techniques and its own products. At the end of 2022 there were 1 Balensi Spa locations in the US, all company-owned.
The business
- Franchisor
- JML Franchising, Inc
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Chula Vista, California
- Typical size
- 1,000–3,000 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $183K–$433K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $39,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 6%
- 6% of gross revenues, paid monthly, plus a 1% system brand fee and local advertising of at least $1,500 a quarter
- Brand fund
- 1%
- 1% of gross revenue a month, paid monthly
- Agreement length
- 5 years
Where it is
- US locations, 2022
- 1
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 0
- Company-owned
- 1
- Change in 2 years
- 0
- Franchised locations, 2020–2022
- States
- 1
- Most in California
From JML Franchising, Inc’s 2023 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Balensi Spa among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Balensi Spa | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $307,825 | Costs less than 56% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $39,000 | Lower than 58% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 6% | Higher than 35% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 1 | Fewer than 88% of franchises |
How much a Balensi Spa franchise costs
Opening one Balensi Spa costs an estimated $182,900 to $432,750. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are equipment, furniture and fixtures ($45,000 to $120,000) and leasehold improvements ($20,000 to $95,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $39,000 | ||
| Technology | $5,800 | $7,500 | |
| Equipment, Furniture and Fixtures | $45,000 | $120,000 | |
| Real Estate | $5,300 | $25,500 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $20,000 | $95,000 | |
| Utilities | $0 | $600 | |
| Signage | $1,500 | $8,800 | |
| Start Up Inventory | $24,500 | $42,000 | |
| Grand Opening Marketing | $6,000 | $8,500 | |
| Staffing | $9,500 | $17,500 | |
| Uniforms | $300 | $500 | |
| Insurance | $3,000 | $4,500 | |
| Travel, Lodging and Meals for Initial Training Program | $5,500 | $7,350 | |
| Business Licenses, Permits, Certifications and other Professional Fees | $2,500 | $6,000 | |
| Additional Funds (3 months) | $15,000 | $50,000 | |
| Total | $182,900 | $432,750 | |
Source: JML Franchising, Inc, 2023 filing, page 19
Balensi Spa franchise fee
The franchise fee is $39,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: JML Franchising, Inc, 2023 filing, page 11
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of gross revenues, paid monthly, plus a 1% system brand fee and local advertising of at least $1,500 a quarter. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 1% of gross revenue a month, paid monthly. |
| Additional Training | $250 per person per day or costs of third- party charges. |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: JML Franchising, Inc, 2023 filing, pages 12 and 13
Other fees as filed, from page 13. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Balensi Spa does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: JML Franchising, Inc, 2023 filing, page 57
How Balensi Spa compares
Of the 19 massage franchises on this site, Balensi Spa is the 3rd cheapest to open and the 17th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Balensi Spa | Typical massage brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $183K | $321K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $433K | $730K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $39K | $43K | $40K |
| Royalty | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| US locations | 1 | 49 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 16 of 19 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 19 brands in massage franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 (0) | 1 | – | – |
| 2021 | 0 (0) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 (0) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: JML Franchising, Inc, 2023 filing, page 57
Where Balensi Spa locations are
At the end of 2022, Balensi Spa had locations in 1 state. The most are in California.
- California1
| State | Franchised | Company-owned | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Source: JML Franchising, Inc, 2023 filing, page 58
Who owns Balensi Spa?
Balensi Spa franchises are sold by JML Franchising, Inc. Its filing names no parent company.
From JML Franchising, Inc’s 2023 filing, page 7.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: JML Franchising, Inc, 2023 filing, litigation on page 11, bankruptcy on page 11
Balensi Spa filings
The figures on this page come from JML Franchising, Inc’s 2023 filing, issued August 31, 2023, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 filing | August 31, 2023 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2020–2022 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
Other massage franchises
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Balensi Spa is also on these lists: spa franchises, health and wellness franchises.