Art of the Float

Where float centers thrive

Weeded Warrior – PTSD

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The gang is joined this week by Mik and Bek of the Weeded Warrior Project, who you may remember from their compelling speech at the 2016 Float Conference. After returning home from deployment, Mik slowly noticed the symptoms of PTSD surface and talks about his frustrating experience with the conventional approaches to treatment and struggles with addiction. With the support of Bek, whose role as the caregiver was also taking a toll on her mental health, they started exploring alternative therapies and found immense relief from cannabis. Although he initially looked at it as another vice, he shares what he’s discovered about the healing components of cannabis and how they’re working to increase awareness.

After hearing about floating from Joe Rogan, Bek had a gut feeling that it too would be healing for both of them. Mik began floating regularly and shares how his floats evolved over time, from simply getting extra rest to meditating and processing trauma. They share an interesting perspective on length of floats with regard to what the industry usually calls “sinkers” and also offer advice for sufferers of PTSD as they go into their first float. [Read more…] about Weeded Warrior – PTSD

Gloria Morris of Float Sixty

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Gloria Morris of Float Sixty joins the podcast this week to talk about how she opened her center just nine months after her first float and, one year into the business, is already opening two more locations! She tells her story of learning to meditate in the float tank, realizing this is something that people need, finding a location, and developing a business plan. Because Gloria loves her work in IT, it was her goal from the beginning to set up a float center run by incredible people so that she could manage remotely. She talks about how she assembled her team and the systems they have in place so that she doesn’t need to be there every day.

Gloria has a natural focus on analytics, which she’s found to be both beneficial and challenging in an industry where not all of the successes can be measured. She talks about marketing strategies that have been successful for her business and how she analyzes her numbers. She also talks about how she knew it was time to open more locations, what that process has looked like, and how she’s preventing burnout amidst such rapid growth. [Read more…] about Gloria Morris of Float Sixty

What Makes a Float Center Succeed? With Jeremy Warner of Escape Pod

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The gang is joined this week by Jeremy Warner of Escape Pod Float Tanks. Jeremy’s tanks have been described as weird and funky, and Jeremy talks about how the purpose of the design is to optimize the float experience. He, Dylan, and Amy deliberate about the factors that make a tank someone’s favorite tank. An Escape Pod was Amy’s first float tank, and she shares a story that exemplifies how buying a float tank is buying into a relationship with the manufacturer.

With some float centers having to close down recently, Jeremy shares the elements he sees in float centers who are thriving and what he’s noticed about businesses that fail. He and our hosts discuss the changes they’ve noticed over time in the state of the industry, from shifts in public perception to varying momentum within the industry, and what we could be doing better.

Dylan had quite a scare this week when he wasn’t able to find a clog in a shower that wasn’t draining and was told it may be a more complicated $22,000 problem. He shares what was eventually found 49 feet down. He also experienced walking into a float room to clean and discovering that the client had smoked marijuana in the room, leaving an obvious smell behind. He and Amy share their protocol for handling such situations.

Another float center, Pure Sweat, has opened up in Nashville, and Amy talks about how her center has already benefited from Pure Sweat’s marketing. She talks about the type of collaborative relationship that she hopes this will be. Amy also offers advice on how to stay on top of social media marketing, such as Facebook Live, when it seems like there’s never a good time to do it. [Read more…] about What Makes a Float Center Succeed? With Jeremy Warner of Escape Pod

Management, Music & Memberships, Oh My!

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The gang reconvenes this week to discuss the latest developments, challenges, and projects within their float centers. Construction has begun on the road in front of The Float Shack, and Lance has started to feel the rumbles. He talks about how they’re preparing their clients and how they plan to handle clients whose floats are disturbed.

Amy is recording again from Florida and talks about the challenge of managing and communicating with her float center from a distance. She, Dylan, and Lance discuss structuring a clear and effective flow of communications that allows for managers to receive constructive feedback from staff. They also discuss how their communications skills have evolved over time when it comes to employees and delivering feedback.
[Read more…] about Management, Music & Memberships, Oh My!

101 Business Models with Dustin Erickson

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Dustin Erickson of Float Space in Kelowna, BC joins the show to talk about the history of his center, re-branding, and changing membership structures. Since opening his center three years ago, Dustin hasn’t been shy about implementing innovative change and has altered his membership structure six times with the goal of fostering a community that floats regularly. He received quite a bit of backlash initially after implementing a floater etiquette that puts more responsibility on the floater, such as bringing their own towel and earplugs and scheduling online, but allows for reduced pricing. He shares why he took that step and how it’s been going for the past six months. [Read more…] about 101 Business Models with Dustin Erickson