Scaling Smart: When & How to Open a Second (or Third) MedSpa Location

So your medspa is booked out, your clients are raving, and your revenue is finally giving you some breathing room. First off: congratulations. That didn’t happen by accident.

You’ve built something real. Something profitable. And now you’re wondering: is it time to expand?

Opening a second (or third!) location is an exciting milestone—but it can also be one of the riskiest moves you make if you don’t scale strategically. In this post, we’re walking you through exactly how to know if you’re ready to grow, and how to make sure your next location doesn’t just open—but thrives.

Let’s get into it.

How to Know You're Ready to Scale

Growth for the sake of growth can be dangerous. You need to scale from strength.

Here are the green lights we look for:

Profit Margins Are Strong and Stable

Your original location has a net profit margin of at least 20%
You’ve consistently met or exceeded revenue goals for the past 6–12 months
You have predictable monthly cash flow, not financial chaos

Team Maturity

Your staff can operate independently (i.e. you're not micromanaging daily)
You have a strong, trustworthy spa manager or clinical lead
Systems are followed without you needing to constantly oversee

Brand Demand

Clients are traveling from other cities to see you
You have a waitlist, limited availability, or turning away bookings
You’re well-known in your market or have hit local media exposure

Pro Tip: If your current location can’t run smoothly without you for a week, it’s not ready to clone. Build depth first.

Systems to Lock In Before You Expand

A second location doesn’t fix disorganization—it multiplies it. Before you sign a lease or scout a zip code, your original business should already be running on systems, not memory.

Systems You Must Have:

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for everything: front desk, inventory, injections, sanitation, client flow, post-care
Training protocols: How new hires are onboarded, evaluated, and signed off
Inventory management systems: Tools like Aesthetic Record or Boulevard
Client communication workflows: Email/text reminders, follow-up messages, rebooking flows

Suggested Tool: Use Trainual or OneNote to house all your SOPs in one place for easy team access and accountability.

Choosing the Right Location

Your dream neighborhood might not be your best business decision. Location should be driven by demand, data, and visibility.

What to Look For:

Demographics: Look for zip codes with high income, high female population, strong spending on wellness/aesthetics (check census.gov or Claritas MyBestSegments)
Competition: Is the area oversaturated, or is there an unmet demand?
Foot traffic & parking: Visibility matters, but convenience matters more
Proximity to your current site: Can you still manage both without burning out?

Tip: Consider partnering with a commercial realtor who specializes in medical or wellness space. They know the game.

Staffing & Leadership Consistency

If your new location is only as good as the injector inside it, you don’t have a scalable business—you have a duplicate hustle.

Hiring Strategy:

Don’t just hire injectors—hire culture fits.
Look for internal promotions first (can someone from your current team lead the new location?)
Have leadership training modules in place before launch

Training Tips:

Shadowing at your flagship location before they ever touch a client
SOP quizzes and roleplays
Weekly check-ins post-launch (Zoom or in-person)

Budgeting & Financial Modeling

No one wants to admit it, but plenty of second locations fail because the numbers didn’t work. Do not rely on hope or hype to carry you through the startup phase.

Budget Essentials:

Lease, buildout, permits (expect delays!)
First 3–6 months of payroll, rent, product, and insurance
Marketing launch costs: grand opening, local ads, content creation

Forecast Like a Pro:

Project revenue conservatively (50-70% of your first location's monthly sales for first 3–6 months)
Build a runway: Have at least 6 months of operating expenses in reserves

Tool Tip: Use a basic spreadsheet to model your forecast before you invest a single dollar.

Final Thoughts: Grow on Purpose, Not Impulse

Scaling your medspa can absolutely transform your income and impact. But only when done with intention.

If your operations are dialed in, your team is solid, your clients are loyal, and your brand demand is outgrowing your space—you’re ready. The next step is to treat expansion like the new business it is. Plan it. Budget for it. Staff it. Systematize it.

Need Expert Eyes on Your Expansion Plan?

At The Business of Aesthetics, we help medspa owners like you scale without sacrificing sanity or service quality. Whether you’re preparing to launch your second location or want help getting your systems in place, we’ve got you.

Schedule a free 60-minute strategy call with Carla and Bruno and get a personalized roadmap for your growth.