Andrew Rudnick was the owner of a successful weight loss and laser treatment center in his hometown of Boston when he chanced upon a walk-in medical spa offering Botox treatment. His immediate reaction was one of bemusement. After all, Botox was a treatment that consumers traditionally booked weeks in advance. However, after observing shopper after shopper walking into the clinic for nonsurgical procedures, he realized that cash-rich and time-poor consumers preferred the convenience of a walk-in model over the clinical environment of traditional beauty spas.
Today, retail-based beauty therapies are commonplace in shopping malls around the world. But back in 2002, the idea of offering a medical treatment in a retail environment was a novel one. The first challenge Rudnick encountered was finding the right venue for his beauty retail venture. Branding was also an issue. Part of the appeal of retail-based beauty treatments are their immediacy and accessibility. He dropped the weight loss part of his Medical spa business to focus solely on laser and skin care treatments. He adopted the name Sleek MedSpa, and opened a chain in upscale malls and retail areas.
Retail medical spas may seem like an odd choice of venture for a serial entrepreneur who previously cut his teeth in singles events. However, Rudnick has a knack of turning seemingly niche business ideas with limited appeal into highly lucrative enterprises. His Matzoball, a singles night, aimed at young Jewish professionals and taking place every Christmas Eve, has become an integral part of the Jewish-American culture. Now in its 32nd year, the ball has transcended the realms of the singles events market to become an institution that not only offers an alternative to online dating but augments the online dating experience.
Rudnick is a different type of entrepreneur though. The common thread running throughout Rudnick’s portfolio is one of life enrichment. Businesses like MedSpa and The Matzo Ball exist so people can lead better, more fulfilling lives full of purpose, whether that’s through achieving their dream body or meeting their dream partner.
Today, Rudnick lives in Florida where looking and feeling one’s best is big business. The retail-based format has proven to be the perfect model for MedSpa and its nonsurgical beauty treatments. Florida seems to be the ideal place for Rudnick, who, now in his fifties, is looking even more to the future, with plans to turn both Sleek MedSpa and The MatzoBall into global franchises.