Although growing her business to include multiple franchises may not have been in her original plan, Hakika Wise, Founder and CEO Kika Stretch Studios has found herself at the helm of a successful and growing enterprise.
In a recent interview, was originally featured in Black Enterprise, Wise shared her experience as an entrepreneur, and how her passion for physical movement turned into a successful business featuring her patented stretch, that has since been featured in The New York Times.
According to the interview, Wise first expressed her passion for physical movement and the creative arts through ballet at the age of 12, and later went on to receive her Bachelor of Science and Arts degree in dance at Montclair State University.
After a stint as a furniture saleswoman, Wise decided to take her talents back into the realm of fitness, and created and patented "The Kika Method." According to her website, The Kika Method is “…built upon Ms. DuBose's training in dance, personal training, the Alexander technique, Laban movement analysis and advanced anatomy. Her stretch coaches are thoroughly trained in her techniques of unlocking flexibility.”
The Kika Method is a gentle, assisted stretching process that is intended to help recipients reduce stress, eliminate pain, and leave them feeling energized.
Wise began offering sessions in three different studios in 2015 and 2016, and after her method started garnering more attention, she officially decided it was time to expand.
Speaking to Black Enterprise, Wise stated:
“I realized then that there was only one of me and I couldn’t be everywhere. So I hired and trained several coaches, and because I had developed my method on my own, I already had many of my process and procedures documented.”
From this point on, Wise has worked on franchise development and is in the process of finding suitable owners for the studios.
Landing on the right fit is important to Wise, and above all, she is interested in finding owners that have the right blend of passion, people skills, and a genuine desire to help others, she shared with Black Enterprise.
Black Enterprise also reported that the franchise ownership is an excellent option for millennials as it offers the flexibility of schedule and a moderate investment under $100,000.
“Millennials are less focused on how much money they can make on this business, and more on how they are providing a service that really helps people feel better after a session,” Wise said.
In the interview, Wise also suggested easing into franchise ownership, and setting realistic goals when first starting out.
“Be passionate about whatever opportunity you are pursuing; you don’t have to quit your job to go after your dream – work your way into it; if you’re feeling overwhelmed — “Delegate, delegate, delegate!””
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