Portland played host once again to the industry’s Float Conference, a chance for float fans near and far to come together. With a schedule full of presentations by scientists, artists, healthcare professionals, and float gurus, it was a banner year for the annual conference.
True REST took full advantage of the opportunity by inviting the entire team, from franchisees to corporate support, for a weekend full of education and team building. With the first ever True REST convention on Friday, followed by the Float Conference, it was a perfect occasion to take stock of the industry. A few overarching themes emerged:
Community
Why does a float center thrive? What is drawing in new float enthusiasts all over the country? The overwhelming response throughout the weekend was COMMUNITY.
Indeed, the industry as a whole maintains a reputation for embodying health, acceptance, and integrity; attendees from around the world descended on Portland to educate and share, guided by a higher calling to improve lives through flotation therapy.
Nowhere was the sense of community more apparent than in True REST’s franchise convention on Friday, where franchisees had an opportunity to come together and share their passion.
After listening to stories of how each partnership made the decision to join the True REST team, Chief Opportunity Officer Jim Rowe said it best: “For all of you, this wasn’t a sales job. You didn’t have to convince your partner to come on board. You knew there was something special here.”
No matter the reason they began floating, number of years in the industry, or where their practice has taken them, everyone in the room agreed – flotation isn’t just a career opportunity. It’s a lifestyle.
Innovation
What is pushing the industry forward? How do we continue to turn skeptics into float junkies? Science and art are coming together to provide new research and new technology for the new generation of float devotees.
Presentations from an array of researchers at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research revealed exciting progress in understanding the neurobiology of flotation therapy. While the research is still in its early stages, results seem to prove that science backs the anecdotal brain boost that float fans have described for decades.
True REST Founder Nick Janicki is also at the forefront of innovation, creating a new True REST Float Pod unlike any of its predecessors.
Check out his short description of improvements to the pod:
The Design
The structure of this pod is inspired by the Flower of Life geometry. Nick Janicki crafted this design in late 2012 after deep meditation and began his research on acoustical engineering and scalable geometries. After two years of design, The True REST Pod reflects nearly perfect Fibonacci scaling.
The Material
The True REST Pod is built using a basalt fiber mesh, instead of fiberglass. Basalt has natural EMF (electromagnetic field) blocking properties, superior heat retention, and a higher tensile strength. Basalt is a naturally occurring mineral. The True REST Pod will utilize a no-VOC (volatile organic compound), non-toxic epoxy.
The Door
A patent pending hinge mechanism smoothly opens and closes the pod door. This hinge enables our clients to easily close the door without reaching above the head. The large double doors also allow for easier entry and cleaning in between clients.
Integrations
Sound technologies have the ability to create a profound shift in mood, stress levels, and awareness. The True REST Pod will offer a high fidelity sound system to allow for greater exploration of self and a faster shift to the theta brainwave state. Frequencies under 20 hz are ‘felt’ through the body, not heard. These vibrations can have therapeutic effects on the mind and body. By combining flotation therapy with the full spectrum of sonic frequencies, the True REST Pod allows the human being to experience deep relaxation.
Growth:
Where do we go from here? Now that we have the momentum, in what direction do we drive it?
The consensus is that we need to spread the floating gospel to push the industry into the health and wellness mainstream. While the floating community may know that flotation therapy is for everyone, we still face the stigma of a strange, fringe hobby.
Again, True REST proves to be on the cutting edge of flotation therapy’s future. Our expanding list of franchisees didn’t hesitate to try new therapies that compliment float therapy, with some investing in technology to improve the experience for veterans, clients with PTSD, and those with anxiety.
Nick Janicki also announced an exciting partnership between True REST Spas and LA Fitness. Launching in early 2017, smaller True REST Spas will operate within select LA Fitness locations, with service offerings to help gym-goers of all kinds recover both physically and mentally.
It is obvious that we are in an era of growth, opportunity, and optimal health in the float industry. With support, passion, and innovation as a guide, Float Con 2016 ushered in an exciting year for flotation therapy, while the team at True REST proved that we truly represent The Science of Feeling Great.