2. From vision to opening, how many years/months passed and what were some of the biggest challenges in transitioning from vision to opening? It all happened very quickly. We signed a lease during lockdown and the Adelaide location launched February 2022. Initially, people thought we were nuts, but we knew from the garage how strong the experience was. We knew it would be helpful to people struggling with loneliness and stress, and to help people connect with themselves and one another in new ways. So we took the risk. Expansion happened quickly as well, bringing challenges with it. Building out locations— especially in different regulatory environments— has had a steep learning curve, as has designing and training for our classes. Our goal is making sure they stay authentic and inspire emotional transformation..
5. Where else do you plan on opening locations? We're trying to expand in New York specifically at the moment, and then move on to build opening teams and expand across the Northeast (Boston, Washington, Chicago, and Philadelphia are all on our radar) and then larger markets like Texas, Florida, and California. 6. Is franchising part of the growth plan? Not at the moment. Business priorities over the next year include scaling the team, raising more funding to build out a number of new units in New York, and building an opening team to start opening new markets as well. 7. Other than Canada and the United States, are there other countries you are considering? The plan is really to expand aggressively across the US. We believe that this can work in any city where people are struggling and stressed and will be a great option in all urban environments. We want to create community in other urban environments to make people feel less lonely and to give them a new place to connect.
3. What were/are the target demographics targeted? Othership is a space for all: those who thrive in their busy work life and want to take care of their emotional and physical health, those looking for a community for social well-being, fitness enthusiasts who undergo physical stress and are looking for a place to recover, and all human beings that want to feel better. 4. How many locations currently exist? We currently have three: two thriving locations in Toronto, and our recently-opened Ship in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. We’ve broken ground on a second New York location, which will open in Williamsburg in 2025.
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