Pause Studio Franchise

Pause’s first affiliate-operated studio opened in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles in August 2016. The network added West Hollywood in May 2021, El Segundo in June 2022, Brentwood in March 2023 and Studio City in December 2023. The FDD identifies Jeff Ono and John Klein as founders; they serve as President and CEO respectively. Pause Franchisor Inc. was organized in Delaware on January 10, 2022 and began offering franchises on July 27, 2022. Its parent is Pause Holdings, Inc., formed in January 2021.

The August 26, 2026 FDD distinguishes two studio formats. Option 1 is approximately 2,000 to 2,200 square feet, with one float room and no cryotherapy. Its estimated initial investment is $755,663 to $1,084,566. Option 2 is approximately 2,600 to 3,400 square feet, typically with two float rooms and cryotherapy, and an estimated investment of $912,654 to $1,571,431. The Option 2 low estimate uses a reduced equipment package without cryotherapy and with one float tank, subject to approval. Optional equipment, equipment shipping and sales tax are excluded from those equipment estimates, and build-out assumptions include landlord allowances.

The standard initial franchise fee is $60,000. Multi-unit development is a separate agreement for at least two studios, with a development schedule and a separate franchise agreement for each location. Customers can buy single services, packages or location-specific memberships. Medical services require appropriately licensed care providers and the applicable Medical Director or professional-practice arrangements described in the FDD. Read more about Pause’s history and the franchise opportunity.

Before opening, the franchisee or Operating Principal and any employed Manager must complete initial training. The curriculum estimates 40 hours of instruction and 50 hours of on-the-job training, delivered online, at Pause headquarters in Los Angeles or at the studio as designated. Subjects include services and products, pre-opening procedures, team development, marketing, sales, daily operations, management, inventory, client service, memberships, cleaning and the Zenoti point-of-sale system. Initial tuition covers up to three attendees; owners pay travel, living expenses and employee wages. Professional licenses and required clinical qualifications are separate from this franchise training.

Pre-opening support includes operating manuals, prototype plans, approved supplier and product information, site review and ordering assistance. The owner locates and secures the premises, engages an approved real estate broker and arranges the build-out. Pause provides site-selection and opening guidance to the extent it considers advisable. The FDD estimates nine to twelve months from signing to opening, subject to site, construction, licensing and other requirements. A $40,000 opening marketing campaign runs within the 90 days before opening and first 30 days of operation.

Continuing support includes periodic marketing, management, supplier and operating assistance, manual updates and administration of the advertising fund. Additional training, field visits and conferences are provided as the franchisor considers necessary. Conferences, if held, require attendance and may have fees, with travel and living costs paid by the franchisee. Replacement managers and care providers must complete the required training within 30 days; additional training is charged at the then-current rate, listed as $500 per day. Owners remain responsible for maintaining and updating the required computer systems.

Pause may suit an owner who wants to lead a service-focused studio offering several wellness experiences under one brand. Single sessions, packages and memberships give customers different ways to visit, while the two studio formats provide different space and equipment configurations. The operating manual, structured training and supplier standards give the team a common framework for appointments, member service and daily operations.

This opportunity calls for full-time operational leadership. An entity’s Operating Principal must hold at least 51% of its voting and ownership interests. If that principal will not supervise the studio for more than 40 hours per week, the franchisee must employ an approved full-time Manager. The owner retains direct management and decision-making control, and must complete training even when a manager handles daily supervision. A suitable buyer will be prepared to lead staff, oversee the membership experience and coordinate the qualified professionals required for the studio’s service mix.

For further reading, explore Pause Studio Franchise: Services, Training and Ownership.