Скачать или смотреть People Over Profits: Building a Franchise on Radical Inclusivity & Community Values w/ Amber Briggle

In this episode, Amber Briggle shares the story of how she founded Soma Massage Therapy in 2009, starting from a spare bedroom in her home and growing it into a thriving, multi-location business in Denton, Texas with over 25 therapists.

Key Takeaways

Purpose-Driven Growth: Amber Briggle built Soma Massage Therapy from a one-room home-based practice into a thriving wellness business with multiple locations—and is now launching franchise opportunities nationwide.

Core Values in Action: Soma’s success is rooted in a clear value system: people over profits, radical inclusivity, and investing in local communities.

Strategic Franchising: Franchising allows Soma to extend its healing impact beyond Denton, TX, while giving Amber the freedom to step back from daily operations and embrace a broader CEO role.

Mission-Aligned Partners: Soma is seeking wellness-minded owner-operators or general managers—massage experience not required—who align with the company’s values and are ready to build community.

Referral Rewards: Know someone who’d be a great Soma franchisee? You could earn $1,000 or a year of free massages for successful referrals.

Soma specializes in rehabilitative and medical massage and operates with a unique no-tipping policy that aligns with its healthcare-focused model. Open seven days a week and appointment-only, Soma has built a loyal client base—and now, Amber is taking the next big step: franchising nationwide.
We explore the motivation behind franchising, including Amber’s desire to scale Soma’s healing mission, shift from daily operations into a broader CEO role, and gain the flexibility to relocate long-term to places like the Olympic Peninsula. She talks about what it takes to prepare for growth, from building a strong, values-aligned team and documenting procedures to learning to let go and trust others to lead.
Amber also outlines what makes an ideal Soma franchise partner—not massage experience, but alignment with the company’s core values: people over profits, inclusivity, and community-first thinking. She discusses Soma’s franchise referral program, which offers $1,000 or a year of free massages for successful introductions, and shares how listeners can get involved by applying or referring candidates through mysomamassage.com/franchise.
Amber Briggle (she/her) is the founder and CEO of Soma Massage Therapy, recently voted Best Pain Management 2023 & 2024 and Best Massage Center in Denton for 11 consecutive years.
She grew Soma from a spare bedroom into a million-dollar wellness business, now with two downtown locations and nearly 30 employees. Despite being ordered to shut down during COVID, Soma bounced back stronger than ever—proving the power of a resilient, values-led model.
Amber has been featured in numerous industry publications and podcasts for her pioneering approach to wellness business. Through Soma’s growing franchise network, she aims to transform the massage industry coast-to-coast—one high-impact, values-aligned location at a time.