Healing Heat Infrared Sauna Spa Inc.

I am the sole shareholder, owner of 100% of the shares, of Healing Heat Infrared Sauna Spa Inc. So what does that mean? Well, at this point, that means I am the proud owner of $3000 worth of paperwork - legal incorporation documents, a very convincing business plan, a half finished logo, and a set of architectural drawings for a space I have decided not to use!

My idea is this: Imagine a tanning salon. Room after room of tanning beds. Now imagine the same thing but room after room of infrared saunas. Cool eh??!?! Perhaps you don't see it. Well let me explain. In a far-infrared sauna, less than 20% of the infrared energy heats the air leaving over 80% available to be directly converted to heat within our bodies. Thus an infrared sauna can warm its user to a much greater depth and much more efficiently than a conventional sauna but the surrounding air remains at a relatively low temperature. This crucial difference explains the many reported unprecedented health benefits of a far-infrared sauna that are not attainable with a conventional sauna. Further, an infrared sauna produces 2-3 times the sweat volume of a conventional sauna therefore allowing the escape of potentially harmful toxins through the skin.

Human bodies send and receive far-infrared waves. The range of far-infrared waves generated by our bodies is 6 to 20 microns. The optimal micron output range is between 7 and 14 microns. This range, sometimes called the “Vital Range” appears to have regenerative effects on our bodies.

Infrared CarbonFlow™ heaters emit radiant heat with a near-perfect wavelength of 8.4 to 9.4 microns. This optimal wavelength provides for better penetration of far-infrared heat, which in turn, can enhance detoxification, cardiovascular conditioning, and relief from muscle and joint aches and pains.

Are you getting it?

So I want to open a business where people will go and sweat it out in the sauna for 30-60 minutes at a time, then shower in our fully equipped shower and change room facility that will supply all of the necessary organic hygiene products including body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deoderant, hair styling products, etc. This way people can come on their lunch hour from work, before hitting the bars on a Friday night, early in the morning before work, etc. Much like we schedule the gym into our weekly routine, I would argue that we should incorporate the sauna in our weekly routine.

Using an infrared sauna on a regular basis can:
Boost your immune system.
Reduce aches, pains and stiffness.
Cleanse, enhance and beautify the skin.
Reduce inflammation through increased circulation.
Reduce the pain of arthritis.
Reduce muscle spasms.
Reduce cancer risk
Provide post exercise muscle pain relief.
Promote wound healing.
Helps to reduce cellulite.
Burn 600 calories during a 30 minute session.

What next?

Well, I hear that Roxanne, the owner of Upward Dog Yoga Studio on Dalhousie St. in the Byward Market, may be interested in renting the basement of her studio for a very reasonable price. That just happens to be directly across the street from my original intended location at 208 Dalhousie St. For several reasons I decided not to pursue a lease in that location. I need to make a visit to Upward Dog Yoga Studio and check out the space. If the price is right I will place an ad for a Naturopathic Doctor, a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and a Registered Massage Therapist. I will need them to compliment the sauna service and to help my clients reach optimal health. Furthermore, I will need them to pay my bills! You see, I will rent an office space to each for a flat rental fee of something like $500 per month and then I will have my rent + utilities covered. All revenue from the saunas will be freed up to properly market the business and pay the debt incurred to buy the equipment and renovate the space. After the debts are paid, a good portion of the sauna revenues will be profit or, better yet, payable to me in dividends or salary.

Once I have one year of that under my belt I intend to franchise the idea. All urban hot spots like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and trendy States like California would most definitely be able to support a successful Healing Heat franchise. I have to work diligently on putting together a proven formula and creating all of the templates and forms required to run the business properly and professionally.

It could work. Can't you see it? I need to have the trendiest decor in a warm, tranquil environment. We want to cater to all walks of life: Older people suffering from arthritic pain, young girls wishing to lose a few pounds, middle aged people sick with toxic overload, women of all ages who want to target cellulite, men who want to be leaner and more ripped....

Well, my laptop battery is dying so that is my business idea of the day for today. Or one that I have re-ignited I guess you could say.

Stay tuned...

My New House

So I bought an investment property a few weeks ago. The closing date was this past Wednesday November 25th. I found it by chance. I was searching the MLS like I periodically do and I just happened upon this cute little townhouse for sale in a neighbourhood I am very familiar with. I immediately called my real estate agent and asked him to get me in for a showing. I met him there the next day. The house is old. It has that old, warm, library-like smell about it. I immediately fell in love with it. On first glance I did not see how "rough around the edges" the house was. I saw past all of that. I imagined what colours I would paint it and what patio furniture I would set out on the deck. I imagined myself soaking in the tub and then reading a book on the couch....I would have to read a book because I don't own a TV! The TV I use now is my husbands and somehow when I imagined how this house would look, his stuff was not there. The very next day I applied for pre-approval mortgage financing. The day I received my approval I placed an offer on the house. It was a "power of sale" meaning the previous owners did not pay their mortgage and were kicked out. The bank now owned the house. There was a touch of sadness etched in the walls because it was clear that the family that was unable to afford thier mortgage had small children. This was evident by the safety locks on the toilet seats and on every cupboard and drawer in the house. There was even a cow magnet stuck on the front door left behind by a child. The very same cow magnet that my children play with at home. I saw the potential of this house becoming a home and within 2 weeks the house was mine. Prior to the closing date I posted an ad on Used Ottawa, Kijiji and Craig's List advertising it for rent. Because I wanted it rented for December 1st I had to make a special request to my agent to open the door one Saturday so that I could show the place to all the potential tenants who had responded to my ad. He agreed and I had over 10 people/couples view the house. There was a young lesbian couple that I liked the best. They seemed motivated, driven, clean, organized and when they said they liked gardening I was sold! I later found out that they were accepted into co-op housing the day after they had viewed my place and they would have to choose the much cheaper co-op option over my cute little house. In fact, the unexpected high demand for my house made me up the monthly rent by $100 more dollars than I had originally intended on charging. My second favorite couple handed in their rental application and were accpeted a few days later. I get a really good feeling about them. Roxanne and Patrick - nice people who seem very excited to finally be moving into an actual house rather than thier so accustomed to appartment.

It was only when I did the rental showing that I realized how rough the house really was. It desperately needs to be painted and cleaned and there are a few small touches that would make a world of difference. Structurally there is nothing wrong with it. It has a metal roof - lasts forever, a decent foundation and relatively new windows. With a little paint, a few new light fixutres and a really good cleaning this house will be amazing! I hired a painter and he started on Thursday morning. Just having the upstairs ceiling painted made a huge difference in the overall look of the house.

Today I had the ducts cleaned. The house was built in 1955 and today was the first time the ducts have ever been cleaned! While the men cleaned the ducts I made a list of things I will need from Home Depot. I began raking the leaves on the front lawn and smiled at all of the on lookers wondering who the new girl in the neighbourhood was. I made a trip to Home Depot and picked up a few things on my list. I changed the heater vents to new brass ones and changed the furnace filter. That's it for today. I will putter away at it again tomorrow. Slowly but surely it is coming together.

I Want to Dance

This evening I watched the movie "Dirty Dancing" - a tribute to the late Patrick Swayze I guess you could say. I watched it at least 20 times when I was 13 or 14 years old but did not appreciate it as much as I did watching it now at age 33. I love the grace and sex appeal of the dance. I love to see what the human body can perform and how we can train it and mold it to do and be so many things. I have always wanted to dance. In fact, I am sure as a child I wanted to be a professional dancer (and singer and social worker). At age 25 I worked as a youth worker for an after school program with "troubled youth". I hired a break dancer to come and teach the kids and as a result I got to take the lessons as well. So at 25 I learned the six step, the worm, a stall and I forget the name of the thing you do when you are not spinning around on the floor....the thing you do when you are just standing and doing some funky moves with your feet. It was so much fun! If I look at my body though, I am long and lean and if I try really hard, eloquent. I have the perfect body for dancing - not break dancing - but 'real' dancing like you see on "Dancing with the Stars". Salsa, Merengue, Cha Cha.....I love it!

So I own 2 businesses, a rental property and I have a family but I MUST find time to dance. I am going to sign up for lessons. Stay tuned - I will post a video of my lessons. By saying that I hold myself accountable and will have to follow through.
'