HOW I GOT STARTED By Stefan Yablonski
TAMMY LYNN WILKINSON Owner of Aqua Spa Float Center & Wellness Boutique in Oswego started the business after she and her fiancé used a float center. ‘We were simply in awe,” she says, adding that the business is about to announce a major expansion and the introduction of IV infusion
Q: How did you come to be interested in this type of business? A: Our interest blossomed from a
Christmas present. I gifted my fiancé, Terry, a certificate for a couple’s float experience at a local float center in 2017. Twenty minutes into our first float — we were simply in awe!
Q: So, it was a great experience? A: I had struggled with lupus for
years and the relief I experienced from floating was nothing short of a miracle. Post float, I felt less pain, had less inflammation and also noticed a dramatic decrease in stress and anxiety. Terry’s experience was very similar. An athlete since high school and committed fitness aficionado, he noticed immediate relief from chronic back muscle soreness and tightness. He was also astonished at the long-lasting calming effects that the magnesium Epsom salts provided for days after the float. Q: How large of an investment did you make? A: Terry and I opened this business
together; we are equal partners. We’re not comfortable talking about our investment in specific dollar amounts. We’re happy to reiterate our $2 million investment.
Q: How long have you been in the spa business? A: Aqua Spa Float Center & Wellness
Boutique opened in 2020. Our team was hired right before the pandemic shut down and we used that time to research licenses and industry trade groups. Terry and I endeavored to travel to other wellness centers around the country for some R&D.
Q: What else did you do? A: Terry and I also attended our first
float conference in 2019 in Denver, Colorado. There, we were able to meet with various industry experts and leaders. Fun fact: We aspire to host the 2024 Float Conference right here in Oswego. In addition, we are members of the Float Research Collective, Float Tank Association and Salt Therapy Association.
Q: Did you need any special training ... special licenses? A: All of our team members have
completed the Float Tank Solutions training course and are certified cryotherapy technicians. We also continue to research and stay current on all industry standards.
16 OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2023
