So how did it go with the trial run of the Virtual Float Conference? Well, the main speaker was in tears, people were “eeking”, and technology played nice, except when it didn’t. Of course, those tears were of gratitude, the eeks were from float friends who were excited to see each other, and technology is… technology. The crew shares their experiences with Virtual Float Conference Preview - what it felt like on the “speaker stage”, all of the behind-the-scenes dishing, and how they enjoyed the ...
Sep 02, 2020•38 min
In an interesting twist, our guest - who owns a marketing company - had great success and then closed her center. Heather Lawson Bradfield of Totum Advising Group also co-owned a float center in Florida until her business partner had a major accident and the pandemic hit. Heather used her background in marketing to run successful ads and local campaigns. She shares her high-level strategies for measuring the success - or lack thereof - of each campaign, as well as some tools she used to create c...
Aug 27, 2020•32 min
We’ve seen it happening more and more lately, and it can be heartbreaking to hear about float centers closing their doors, but tonight’s special guest brings some hope and an amazing spirit about closing the doors to his center. Carlos Casias of Float Los Alamos recently announced that he’ll be shutting down his operation after about four and a half years of ups and downs. He talks about the struggles his center encountered last year, and how they had big plans to restructure, rebrand, and relau...
Aug 05, 2020•42 min
We’re getting excited about the 2020 Virtual Float Conference! We searched high and low to find some folks who are willing to talk to us about what’s happening with this year’s event, and thankfully, we found a few board members who were willing to talk about this year’s event! We got the inside scoop about what’s coming up this September, including how you’ll have an opportunity to not only hear some amazing speakers, but also have really cool ways to connect with fellow attendees, “create your...
Jul 29, 2020•40 min
As we’re all re-emerging from the COVID closures, we have to be smart about what to expect and how we operate. Jeremy Jacob, owner of FLOAT in San Antonio, joins us to share his experiences. He recently expanded his center with additional tanks and new services, and then closed after just 6 weeks. He talks about how his reputation and the trust his guests have in his center have helped him stay afloat (pun intended) as he reopened. The crew shares how they cut some costs and how they tapped into...
Jul 28, 2020•34 min
In the past few episodes, you’ve heard how important it is to continue marketing efforts. In this episode, we dive in deeper into one particular marketing strategy - consultation programs. First, you’ll hear some tips about what to look for if you’re hiring a marketing partner, and then Kyle from Maximum Floats sheds light on some things that float center owners can do on their own to implement programs that bring in new guests and increase the frequency in which they float. One of the key point...
Jul 16, 2020•1 hr 5 min
As we’re all starting to emerge from the COVID closures, it’s important to start thinking strategically about ways to increase revenue. When it comes down to it, there are three major buckets for doing just that. The crew talks about some of the ways they each 1) increase the number of sales, 2) increase the dollar amount of each sale, and 3) increase the frequency of sales for each customer, and how these strategies play into both the short-term and long-term plan. We realize that feels like a ...
Jul 03, 2020•51 min
We’ve been missing everyone fiercely, so we opened up the link for anyone to join for our freestyle conversation. This episode is a free-for-all, as we invited the community to join us. We dabble through some fun new projects coming from Luke at Mandala Float Systems and Juliet and the crew at Float Tank Solutions. We check in with several folks from around the industry, including an appearance from “the other Graham” The conversation flows through the COVID-19 reopening, potential round 2 shutd...
Jun 22, 2020•1 hr 44 min
It’s an interesting world, floaty friends. Tonight is a special night. We’re dipping into a bit of the emotional state behind the COVID-19 pandemic that has bled into a fight for racial justice. Some of us have been caught in the crossfires, but we’re all here to stand up for what’s right, and to look out for each other and our guests. We never could have imagined what that would mean, but in this episode, we’re here to share some quick updates about our own centers, but more importantly, what’s...
Jun 05, 2020•58 min
If you’re thinking about reopening soon, you likely have a ton of questions about what to do to ensure you’re keeping your center as clean, disinfected, and sterilized as possible. Kim’s center is already open, while Drew’s center is open to members only, and Gloria is about to reopen, so they each share a bit about what they’re doing and the new tools they’ve implemented. This episode is all about the magical UV fairy, errrrr robots who have wands to make the virus go away. We dive into how to ...
May 28, 2020•42 min
Here we are, two months after “the big closings”, and some float centers are reopening and some are still waiting patiently (or impatiently, as the case may be). Given the complexities, added stipulations, and overall confusion with the PPP and EIDL, the crew chats about the funding they each received or didn’t receive. As we share our personal experiences, we urge you to remember that these are just that - our personal experiences, not legal or accounting advice. You’ll hear a bit about the str...
May 21, 2020•43 min
Depending on where you are in the country, your float center might be looking at opening up soon. In fact, Indiana is starting to reopen, so Kim and Gloria are gearing up, and Drew isn’t far behind. The crew checks in on the emotional roller coaster of it all, including the 4 locations + a full-time corporate gig life for Glo-Mo. (Who’s a control freak? No one on this podcast….) Using the newly released FTA guidance, everyone chips in on what they’re doing that aligns - or doesn’t (but mostly do...
May 06, 2020•1 hr 12 min
So, the world is in waiting, and some of us are ready to “live free or die”. With many centers, including ours approaching 6 or so weeks since closing, it’s time to check in to see what’s happening in the minds of each co-host in regards to the financial assistance they’ve received, and their plans for reopening each center. You’ll hear a little venting, a little conspiracy theory, a little morality, and definitely some practicality as Dylan, Kim, and Drew share their views about reopening and u...
Apr 24, 2020•49 min
In our last episode, we invited the float industry to join us as we talked to a small business attorney in a live recording. After his departure, we stayed on for this bonus episode as we check in to see how everyone is doing during this time. You’ll hear from Beth Jones, the current FTA president and a fellow float center owner, about how her center bounced back after a devastating hurricane hit her area a couple of years ago. Others share what they’re doing during “downtime”, how their mental ...
Apr 03, 2020•29 min
The information shared in this episode is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. As a small business owner, times are certainly challenging right now. Most float centers have closed their doors and now need financial assistance to cover expenses and take care of their employees. For this live-recorded episod...
Apr 01, 2020•47 min
NSFW: It’s vent time, ladies and gentlemen. This episode contains a few four-letter words. Times, they are a bit strange. Someone’s binging on Netflix, someone’s not sleeping, somebody is hanging with the Tiger King, and someone else might be getting cozy with the whiskey. With all four co-hosts’ centers closed during the COVID-19 closures, the crew chats about their expectations for the national relief programs and what they’re each doing during the “downtime”. You’ll hear a few ideas for keepi...
Mar 27, 2020•1 hr 15 min
If you listened to last week’s episode, get ready to zoom out, spin around, and question it all. Blood, sweat, and tears. It’s all here because it’s pretty amazing what can happen in a week, salty friends. The crew, along with Sanda (Dylan’s amazing partner at The Float Shoppe and in life) comes back together to hash out what they’re feeling, what they’re doing, and how they’re handling the way events have unfolded in the last week with the COVID-19 virus. If you’re debating closing, you’ll hear...
Mar 18, 2020•1 hr 31 min
Coronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 - it has so many names, and just as many stances to take. Are you a prepper? Avoider? Non-believer? Or just a float center owner who needs to be prepared to handle your business in this uncertain time? In this episode, we invited a special guest, Jason MacDonald to join us to talk about what we, as owners, should and shouldn’t do. Jason is an industry advocate who has spoken at past Float Conferences, and he is a health inspector in Alberta, Canada. Jason dispel...
Mar 11, 2020•1 hr 12 min
There are murmurs of a new hope for the FTA as Beth Jones joins the podcast and discusses how the FTA awakens. Sponsors Float Helm Floataway Special Guest: Beth Jones. Support Art of the Float
Mar 05, 2020•37 min
The crew discuss the pitfalls of employee management and brainstorm ways to improve morale, employee output and overall cohesion. Sponsors Float Helm Floataway Support Art of the Float
Feb 27, 2020•54 min
NSFW: This one might just be too hot y’all. We’re here to talk l-a-u-n-d-r-y friends. You might not be ready for this one, but you’re about to hear some passion. The crew is ready to talk about the honest to goodness truth of what most float centers REALLY do - laundry. Considering using a laundry service? Get ready to reconsider, unless you want arms of steel or you have a bank account that’s made of steel. It’s time for the battle of onsite laundry versus noise leaks, actual leaks, and the pro...
Feb 20, 2020•33 min
While we’ve all heard that Facebook is the place to spend your advertising dollars, no one can (or should!) resist the opportunity to welcome the media - from the news to magazines to local influencers and more. The gang is here to share how to get media folks into your space, what to expect, and how to prepare. Each person shares what kind of coverage they’ve gotten for their center, and how that went, as well as how much control they’ve had over the end result, and how to ask for more, if you ...
Feb 13, 2020•49 min
It’s time to get real. Really real. In part 2 of this episode, the crew talks through the challenges of “doing it all” – balancing families, spouses, pets, other jobs, other projects, and all of the demands that come with running a business. They’ll weave through hard topics like burnout, recognizing when it might be time to sell and move on, and beating death, and you might even hear something about screaming, swearing, and punching (pillows). They ponder the types of business owners, recognizi...
Feb 06, 2020•57 min
It’s time to get real. Really real. In part one of this episode, the crew talks through the challenges of “doing it all” - balancing families, spouses, pets, other jobs, other projects, and all of the demands that come with running a business. They’ll weave through hard topics like burnout, recognizing when it might be time to sell and move on, and beating death, and you might even hear something about screaming, swearing, and punching (pillows). They ponder the types of business owners, recogni...
Jan 30, 2020•39 min
Drew approached the crew with a simple question… “To expire, or not expire?” Little did he know, he was opening a can of worms that - once opened - could never really be answered, at least not with a straightforward yes or no, at least. You’ll hear why Gloria and Kim are sticklers about protecting member deals and the value of their regular price, and why Dylan considers the impact of the expiration on potential memberships. Drew shares his experience of offers several small sales one year, and ...
Jan 23, 2020•44 min
If it’s on the internet, it must be yours for the taking, right? And since we’re one big, happy loving float family, we always share and play nice, yes? Well, maybe not. After a discussion was posted in the Float Collective about the sharing/borrowing/stealing of content, the Art of the Float crew is diving into the great debate to share their ideas about what’s right, what’s wrong, what’s a little right, but maybe not, and what’s probably always cool. Since Dylan and Kim have unique perspective...
Dec 13, 2019•37 min
Hap-, Hap-, Hap-, Happy Holidays, to you! The crew is back to dish about how the holiday season is kicking off. With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday/Sunday (is that really a thing, Gloria?!), and Cyber Monday in the rearview mirror, Dylan, Drew, Gloria, and Kim talk about the sales they’re doing… or not doing and why. Is it better to create FOMO (fear of missing out) with shorter timeframes to capture deals? Or continue that chill, floaty vibe with a longer sale that doesn’t rush anyone? W...
Dec 05, 2019•40 min
In this episode, Juliet Mylan, Supreme Float Historian from Float Tank Solutions, joins the crew to hash out the nitty gritty details about the 2019 State of the Float Industry Report that was just released. Juliet dishes out some humility and some words of wisdom about taking the survey data with a 50-pound bag of Epsom salt. You’ll hear a little behind the scenes info about what didn’t make the report and why, as well as some hopes and dreams for the future industry reports. Sponsors Float Hel...
Oct 16, 2019•44 min
The hype is real… and long lasting. The crew is still buzzing from all things FloatCon2019. You’ll hear their takes on the venue, format, and favorite speakers, as well as the most important part of the Float Con experience. Woven throughout are stories of burnout, leaning on each other, finding inspiration, sharing struggles, learning, and operating on minimal sleep… all while soaking in the latest floaty research. Sponsors Float Helm Floataway Support Art of the Float...
Oct 10, 2019•48 min
The gang talk with Graham Talley (Float Tank Solutions, Float On) about the Float Conference this weekend! It's a fun loose episode that captures the excitment and love for the float conference. Join us in the fun! Please take the time to fill out our Float Tank Review Survey! It takes 4-5 minutes to fill out, you'll recieve 11 float photos as thanks, and you can find it right here ! Sponsors Float Helm Floataway Support Art of the Float...
Sep 25, 2019•37 min
