Daily Solutions Podcast: Recent Episodes
Float Tank Solutions
https://youtu.be/JpDzbMd5In0
Something in the world of floating have you stumped?
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Show Highlights
Well, it's been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic and we know what you've been thinking: What have those Float On boys been up to? Well worry not! Graham and Ashkahn share all the big changes happening with restrictions lifting and life returning to a semblance of normalcy. If you've been following our shop operations at all, some of these changes might surprise you.
Listen to Just the Audio
Transcription of this episode... (in case you prefer reading)
Graham: Okay. Back again. Ashkahn: Back at it. Back with it, back on track. Graham: And back for you, back for you. Ashkahn: Let's put on some Burt Bacharach. Graham: All right. We have some stuff to talk about. Turns out who knew there was a global pandemic going on. A bunch of us just had to change every single way about how we operated our entire business. And in some areas, things are lightening it up, back at it getting back more towards normal-ish operations. Ashkahn: Yeah. We just had here in Oregon, June 30th was the no more stuff date. Official no more stuff day. Graham: So that's it. Now there's no cases of COVID anymore here and we...
https://youtu.be/HpsUSzirUPM
Something in the world of floating have you stumped?
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Show Highlights
The ol' Graham and Ashkahn podcast duo is back at it to announce the exciting new updates to the 2021 Float Conference! Check the episode out to find out about the dual track digital and in person attendance options, the changes to bonus activities, and the new parade float format where every attendee marches throughout each conference talk (that last one may not be accurate).
Show Resources
Floatconference.com Roy Vore FloatCon 2018 - Should We Worry about Germs in Float Tanks? Roy Vore FloatCon 2019 - Float Center Sanitation: Managing the Float Solution
Listen to Just the Audio
Transcription of this episode... (in case you prefer reading)
Ashkahn: Heyo. Graham: Whoa. I was going to say something first then you hopped in. Ashkahn: Yeah. Hopped in with the Heyo. Graham: Yep. Ashkahn: Yep. Graham: I was just going to say, Hey. All right, wait, we're shadowed. We've got G & A here. Yep. We got the old Gold & Amber. Ashkahn: We got the old crew back together, teams back together. We both went on our sort of solo podcast careers for a while there and... Graham: Yeah. You may have caught the the Graham Hour. It was mainly about large-scale finance and sort of mergers and acquisitions, that kind of thing. Ashkahn: ... and Kahn’s Cons, where I taught you all about how to take advantage of people in many situations. Graham: That's right. And this series of inmate interviews as well, I think. So we're back, back together. Ashkahn: Yep. Graham: And we got some big announcements. We're actually going to be doing a couple episodes coming up here because we can't even fit all of them into a single episode. Ashkahn: Yeah. Otherwise, it'd be like 25 minutes long or something outrageous like that. Graham: Who has time for that kind of thing? Watch this episode. It's like a half an hour. So what's the first thing we got going on? Ashkahn: Yeah. What's going on? Oh, you know what's going on. Graham: I already forgot. Ashkahn: Well, so the Float Conference is coming up. Graham: Oh yeah. Ashkahn: And we're excited. And we just wanted to do a podcast episode because we're excited about the Float Conference. Can I get a heyo? That's right. Graham: Okay, you got it. The heyo makes sense now knowing our topic. Yeah. Float Conference is coming up in August. Ashkahn: Yeah. Graham: August 25th through 29th. Ashkahn: For the whole shebang. Graham: For the whole shebang. Yeah. It includes some extra things on the side. Ashkahn: And the main bulk of the conference conferences, the 27th, 28th, and 29th that sort of Friday through Sunday. Graham:
Grashkahmn are back to talk about the latest product they've been putting together during quarantine: The Buoy Project, a social media toolkit designed specifically for float centers.
Beyond just a shameless plug, the boys use the episode to explain the nature of the project and what they hope it can turn into in the future with the help of the industry.
Graham and Ashkahn kick off the New Year by discussing the things to consider when adding a float tank to an existing business. This is a fantastic episode to start with if you've already got a service-based business or are a practitioner looking to start up on your own and looking for ideas.
The boys talk about logistical considerations, the built-in advantages to adding on to an existing practice, as well as how nice it is to have a meatball sandwich after chilling out in a sensory reduced environment for an hour (Ashkahn has a serious one-track mind).
Graham and Ashkahn round out the end of the year by talking about all the naughty and nice things about having business partners.
It's a shorter compilation today, which gives you plenty of time to talk to your own business partners about what you think about them!
The holidays are a busy time for float centers and it often means lots of new customers asking questions. This means it can be a really great time to brush up on the facts about floating. Fortunately we've formed a folio of fantastic studies for you to fancy. Feliz Navidad!
In every service business, there's a running joke that someone likes that's usually somehting along the lines of "this job would be great if it weren't for all the customers!" (cue laugh track and uproarious applause), well, the boys have not shied away from talking about the difficult sides of running a shop like ours. We've got episodes about handling negative Yelp reviews, customers too intoxicated to float, and even what to do when it's time to 86 a problematic client.
You can tell this episode was recorded a little while ago, really close to after we all got back from the Conference. The boys are a little tired today, but they still have lots to talk about.
Grashkahmn share their initial reactions to the Conference now that it's being run by the industry as a non-profit. This is a nice episode especially if you're looking for some insights on their behind-the-scenes perspective on this big industry event and how it has changed this year.
Something in the world of floating have you stumped?
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Show Highlights
Hooo doggie! This is a big one! This Tank Topic is filled with useful information about what you should know before talking to health departments. It's a little long for a compilation episode, but it's definitely worth the time, especially if you've got a stressful conversation with your local department on the horizon.
Show Resources
https://www.floattanksolutions.com/86-contact-health-department-daily-solutions-podcast/ https://www.floattanksolutions.com/understanding-chlorine-use-in-a-float-tank-dsp-174/ https://www.floattanksolutions.com/how-to-get-your-water-tested-dsp-359/
Recent Podcast Episodes
Post Pandemic Changes – OSP 13
by Float Tank Solutions | Jul 22, 2021 https://youtu.be/JpDzbMd5In0Something in the world of floating have you stumped? Show HighlightsWell, it's been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic and we know what you've been thinking: What have those Float On...
The 2021 Float Conference – OSP 12
by Float Tank Solutions | Jul 19, 2021 https://youtu.be/HpsUSzirUPMSomething in the world of floating have you stumped? Show HighlightsThe ol' Graham and Ashkahn podcast duo is back at it to announce the exciting new updates to the 2021 Float Conference!...
What’s The Buoy Project? – OSP 11
by Float Tank Solutions | Jun 29, 2020 Grashkahmn are back to talk about the latest product they’ve been putting together during quarantine: The Buoy Project, a social media toolkit designed specifically for float centers. Beyond just a shameless plug, the boys use the episode to explain the nature of the project and what they hope it can turn into in the future with the help of the industry.
Adding Float Tanks to an Existing Business – OSP 10
by Float Tank Solutions | Jan 6, 2020 Graham and Ashkahn kick off the New Year by discussing the things to consider when adding a float tank to an existing business. This is a fantastic episode to start with if you’ve already got a service-based business or are a practitioner looking to start up on your own and looking for ideas. The boys talk about logistical considerations, the built-in advantages to adding on to an existing practice, as well as how nice it is to have a meatball sandwich after chilling out in a sensory reduced environment for an hour (Ashkahn has a serious one-track mind).
Graham and Ashkahn are back to give their recap on the Float Conference. No, not THAT Float Conference, the Russian Float Conference.
The guys got to go speak at the float event on the other side of the world and are reporting back on what that was like, how their industry is shaping up, and some of the lessons we can learn about their industry over there.
Additionally, Graham and Ashkahn lied to you. The show notes will not have a puppet show in them.
This Tank Topic covers everything you need to know to get your e-mail on. You wanna know how long your e-mail newsletter should be and what topics you should cover? You wanna know how frequently to e-mail for special deals? You even wanna know how long your e-mails should have to be? You wanna know all these answers all at once? We freaking got you! I'm so glad you asked, cuz we literally just put this episode together. I'm really glad you're gonna find it useful. Rock on, dude. Synchronicity!
Summer may be coming to a close but we've still got Tank Topics to help you beat the heat.
This collection focuses on managing employees, so we share everything from what to look for when hiring, what orientation looks like, and how we at Float On have structured our management hierarchy. Also... Ashkahn likes socks, so send him some.
This is a bit of breaking news for the float world. There was a clearly defined case of someone getting sick in a float tank and Graham and Ashkahn are here to tell you what you as a float center owner (or future owner) should know about it and the steps you can take to keep yourself informed on this issue and make sure you don't repeat any of the same mistakes.
Graham and Ashkahn are here to fill you in on all the exciting updates to the Float Conference, now that it's a non-profit, along with what to expect this year.
They're hopping in quick to let everyone know what's going on before early bird tickets close, so definitely check the link in the description if you haven't got tickets yet!
So by now it's old news that Chris and Donna Petrovics have closed up shop at ProFloat Inc. At Rise earlier this year, they gave an emotional, heartfelt farewell talk to the industry. There were tears, hugs, and words of love and encouragement all around.
This interview takes place immediately after their speech, and the effect of it still hangs in the air during our conversation. Be warned, this interview may make you misty eyed while listening. Although it's possible that it's just the chopped onions that exist in the background.
This Tank Topic is all about how to get startup funds for float centers and understanding the different avenues for funding as a whole. The guys talk about everything from bank loans to securing investors to funding everything yourself and what that looks like.
Come listen to Graham and Ashkahn pick the brain of Juliet, who are all in the studio talking about the State of the Industry Survey that has been released by Float Tank Solutions (hey! That's us!). To find out what's new in this year's survey and information on where to go to fill it out, check out this episode!
Graham and Ashkahn are BACK!
The newly monikered Occasional Solutions Podcast hits the ground running to share some big news about Water Activity. The Float Boys bring their banter to bear to the benefit of you, buds. Thanks to information and collaboration with Roy Vore, they found a way to measure the way pathogens spread through float tank water.
Listen now to hear them dive into the nitty-gritty of new research on float tank water! You don’t wanna miss this.
This tank topic is all about social media, how to use it, what the tools are, and what it's freaking good for.
Derek Wyatt is featured prominently in these episodes as well, given that he's our social media wiz over here at Float On. It's chalk full of amazing info that'll make your Facebook posts shine!
In this second release of the Occasional Solutions Podcast, Juliet sits down with Angela McAllister the owner of Lucidity Float and Wellness Center in the Southside of Chattanooga, Tennessee and Wendi Elmore, an employee at Float STL and graduate from the University of Missouri. She has since dedicated her time and efforts to spaces that support the self-care and economic empowerment of people of color, LGBTQIA and gender non-binary communities through tools that include yoga, meditation and now floating.
Something in the world of floating have you stumped?
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Show Highlights
This Tank Topic is about the finer details on building materials. Ashkahn takes a little break for these episodes as Jake (really good guy) steps in from the past to share his expertise on construction, the best materials to use for building float centers (and the rooms within them). Listen to all of this before starting your construction!
Show Resources
https://www.floattanksolutions.com/hdpe-dsp-123/ https://www.floattanksolutions.com/best-quietrock-for-float-rooms-dsp-257/ https://www.floattanksolutions.com/should-i-use-spray-in-insulation-for-my-float-center-dsp-271/
Recent Podcast Episodes
Post Pandemic Changes – OSP 13
by Float Tank Solutions | Jul 22, 2021 https://youtu.be/JpDzbMd5In0Something in the world of floating have you stumped? Show HighlightsWell, it's been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic and we know what you've been thinking: What have those Float On...
The 2021 Float Conference – OSP 12
by Float Tank Solutions | Jul 19, 2021 https://youtu.be/HpsUSzirUPMSomething in the world of floating have you stumped? Show HighlightsThe ol' Graham and Ashkahn podcast duo is back at it to announce the exciting new updates to the 2021 Float Conference!...
What’s The Buoy Project? – OSP 11
by Float Tank Solutions | Jun 29, 2020 Grashkahmn are back to talk about the latest product they’ve been putting together during quarantine: The Buoy Project, a social media toolkit designed specifically for float centers. Beyond just a shameless plug, the boys use the episode to explain the nature of the project and what they hope it can turn into in the future with the help of the industry.
Adding Float Tanks to an Existing Business – OSP 10
by Float Tank Solutions | Jan 6, 2020 Graham and Ashkahn kick off the New Year by discussing the things to consider when adding a float tank to an existing business. This is a fantastic episode to start with if you’ve already got a service-based business or are a practitioner looking to start up on your own and looking for ideas. The boys talk about logistical considerations, the built-in advantages to adding on to an existing practice, as well as how nice it is to have a meatball sandwich after chilling out in a sensory reduced environment for an hour (Ashkahn has a serious one-track mind).
We're BACK! (sort of)
The Not-So-Daily Solutions Podcast is back with some interviews from the Rise Float Gathering. When we were there, Juliet had a chance to speak with a lot of the speakers about their presentations and we decided to share them with all of you! Here's her conversation with Glenn and Lee Perry along with Stephen Johnson where they talk about how the industry has changed and the future of their plans to preserve their legacy in the industry.
We hope you enjoy!
Something in the world of floating have you stumped?
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Show Highlights
This Tank Topic covers important things you should discuss with your customers before floating. Some of these can be mildly unpleasant to the rare instances of medical issues that could prevent someone from floating.
Show Resources
Risks of floating with a tattoo? – DSP 55 Thoughts on floating with tinnitus – DSP 126 Should People with Ear Tubes Float? – DSP 286
Recent Podcast Episodes
Post Pandemic Changes – OSP 13
by Float Tank Solutions | Jul 22, 2021 https://youtu.be/JpDzbMd5In0Something in the world of floating have you stumped? Show HighlightsWell, it's been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic and we know what you've been thinking: What have those Float On...
The 2021 Float Conference – OSP 12
by Float Tank Solutions | Jul 19, 2021 https://youtu.be/HpsUSzirUPMSomething in the world of floating have you stumped? Show HighlightsThe ol' Graham and Ashkahn podcast duo is back at it to announce the exciting new updates to the 2021 Float Conference!...
What’s The Buoy Project? – OSP 11
by Float Tank Solutions | Jun 29, 2020 Grashkahmn are back to talk about the latest product they’ve been putting together during quarantine: The Buoy Project, a social media toolkit designed specifically for float centers. Beyond just a shameless plug, the boys use the episode to explain the nature of the project and what they hope it can turn into in the future with the help of the industry.
Adding Float Tanks to an Existing Business – OSP 10
by Float Tank Solutions | Jan 6, 2020 Graham and Ashkahn kick off the New Year by discussing the things to consider when adding a float tank to an existing business. This is a fantastic episode to start with if you’ve already got a service-based business or are a practitioner looking to start up on your own and looking for ideas. The boys talk about logistical considerations, the built-in advantages to adding on to an existing practice, as well as how nice it is to have a meatball sandwich after chilling out in a sensory reduced environment for an hour (Ashkahn has a serious one-track mind).
Tank Topics – Business Partners
by Float Tank Solutions | Dec 30, 2019 Graham and Ashkahn round out the end of the year by talking about all the naughty and nice things about having business partner...
Here's a topic for everyone in the industry: Memberships! We've put together the best Daily Solutions into a triple threat of solutions. This collection covers everything from discounts, to marketing, to a detailed analysis of how Float On's own memberships.
Download it into your brains here!
Any float center owner knows that these tanks and the rooms they live in are fickle creatures that need particular supplies to maintain. This Tank Topic is a great collection of practical tips and tricks for keeping tanks, showers and rooms clean and happy.
We've already landed in St. Louis, checked in to our AirBnb, and have been greeted by the warm embrace of our float family here for the Rise Float Gathering. The welcome party was wonderful. Drinks were had, stories were shared, and old friends greeted each other and new relationships formed across tables in excited conversations about salt damage, float tank research, and the wild stories we're all bringing in from our parts of the world. Already, it promises to be a fun, exciting, and invigorating weekend here at the Donald Danforth Center.
Check back in for live updates to all the speakers, events, and goings on this weekend at the Rise Float Gathering.
Sat May 04
9:00 am — 9:15 Opening Remarks - Jake and Kevin In between mic troubles, Jake and Kevin kicked off the event with a warm conversation around the stage, greeting Glenn and Lee Perry as they came in. They brought warmth to the otherwise sterile Dansforth Plant Science Research center. Jake led a guided meditation to bring everyone present this morning. Feeling the entire room exhale in unison while centering ourselves was the perfect sort of magic to open the weekend with. Not to be outdone, Kevin taught everyone some laughter yoga and had the entire audience playing with each other like schoolyard children. 9:15 am — 9:45 Stephen Johnson Our resident industry poet opened with "wild psychonauts are not typically welcome in polite society. This is why we gather." So often, his words create a synthesis between spirituality and logic. His piece this year explicated the parallel's between gathering with our floaty brethren and floating in our tanks. It's a helpful reminder in our interconnected nature and how sharing our experiences together make us stronger. Following his talk, Jake and Kevin sat him down on the couch on stage and just talked. About philosophy, playfulness, and perception. He shared his plans on making a documentary with his son to talk with the industry all across the country. He mentioned a release sometime around the beginning of next year and it will be fully available to the industry. 9:45 am — 10:25 Lee and Glenn Perry The spirit of playfulness continued as the parents of the industry came onto the stage. Glenn briefly played hide and seek while a mic'd Lee tried to quietly ask for a pen. Even while Glenn discussed his challenging personal growth found through floating, there was a conversational warmth that exuded from them. The couple announced their intention to release a book January 6th, 2020 about their experiences with John C. Lilly, building the float industry, and what they've learned about the world. Glenn talked about the dichotomy between Love and Fear. About how certain people may embody these traits, and each of us are somewhere on the spectrum, humorously saying "we are each somewhere between the Dalai Llama and Donald Trump." While sharing the story of his first float, he offered his insights on how we can remain present while living in a society that seems intent on preventing us from doing so. "It takes Herculean effort to remain present while in fear" and reminded us all that the act of floating is a defiant act and is one of the single greatest tools to mitigate fear and stay present every day. Lee spent her time on stage petitioning the entire industry to help them name their book, or if anyone has particular things that they would like to see in the book. To find more information about their book, go to samadhitank.com/book-buynow and if you have any suggestions, go to samadhitank.com/contact.
11:05 am — 11:40 Angela McAllister The owner of Lucidity Float in Chattanooga, Angela talked about the importance of dealing with stress and negativity. As float center owners, how can anyone authentically encourage customers to remove stress if the owners aren't living that experience. A theme in the discussions today. She started her professional life with a degree in environmental science and advocated for public ...
This is a simple two episode compilation about advice on building your own float tanks. The guys are pretty against the idea. Having built two of the 6 tanks at Float On in house, they personally know the challenges that arise with this and how many unexpected obstacles you have to get over to make it happen. In between their blanket condemnation of the idea, though, are really helpful tidbits of what to look out for if you absolutely cannot be dissuaded.
Something in the world of floating have you stumped?
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Show Highlights
In the second of our Tank Topics episodes, we take a look at what starting a business looks like and how starting a float center is the same as any other business, and how it's wildly different. For all those pie in the sky moments where you want to start a business but you don't know where to start in starting a business. Start here.
Show Resources
How do you Start Opening a Float Center? – DSP 285 Basics of Opening a Business – DSP 287 How long does it take to open a float center – DSP 38
Recent Podcast Episodes
Post Pandemic Changes – OSP 13
by Float Tank Solutions | Jul 22, 2021 https://youtu.be/JpDzbMd5In0Something in the world of floating have you stumped? Show HighlightsWell, it's been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic and we know what you've been thinking: What have those Float On...
The 2021 Float Conference – OSP 12
by Float Tank Solutions | Jul 19, 2021 https://youtu.be/HpsUSzirUPMSomething in the world of floating have you stumped? Show HighlightsThe ol' Graham and Ashkahn podcast duo is back at it to announce the exciting new updates to the 2021 Float Conference!...
What’s The Buoy Project? – OSP 11
by Float Tank Solutions | Jun 29, 2020 Grashkahmn are back to talk about the latest product they’ve been putting together during quarantine: The Buoy Project, a social media toolkit designed specifically for float centers. Beyond just a shameless plug, the boys use the episode to explain the nature of the project and what they hope it can turn into in the future with the help of the industry.
Adding Float Tanks to an Existing Business – OSP 10
by Float Tank Solutions | Jan 6, 2020 Graham and Ashkahn kick off the New Year by discussing the things to consider when adding a float tank to an existing business. This is a fantastic episode to start with if you’ve already got a service-based business or are a practitioner looking to start up on your own and looking for ideas. The boys talk about logistical considerations, the built-in advantages to adding on to an existing practice, as well as how nice it is to have a meatball sandwich after chilling out in a sensory reduced environment for an hour (Ashkahn has a serious one-track mind).
Tank Topics – Business Partners
by Float Tank Solutions | Dec 30,
Welcome back to DSP! We covered so many things over the course of 366 episodes, we thought we'd highlight some of the topics we covered in our new ongoing series of compilations: Tank Topics.
With our first Tank Topic, we're covering how to choose a location and all the things to consider, from construction to hipness. Check it out now!
Our final episode of the Daily Solutions Podcast. Join us as we take calls from the float industry and Graham and Ashkahn answer your most pressing questions. Watch the video on YouTube at https://youtu.be/wpTYbPAOg9E or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FloatSolutions/videos/267233400579454/
This isn't an episode. Stop reading this, silly!
And don't even think about listening to the recording. What are you, incapable of listening to requests? There's no more podcast! We already told you that.
Jeez, what a persistent person you are, still looking at this...
Don't you have anything better to do? Forget this... I'm outta here!
Peace.
Graham and Ashkahn finish up their penultimate episode by answering the most important question of all, "how to start a salt tank business?"
They answer this question with the thoroughness and severity it deserves.
Earlier this year, Float On changed its membership structure along with its prices. It was mentioned on the podcast a little while ago, but it was still too early in the change to extract any meaningful data from it. The guys promised to get back to it.
Before it's too late, Graham and Ashkahn fulfill their promise to divulge how their single priced membership structure is going.
It's possible to have a nearly infinite recursion of productivity vs. financial data. You can break down how much you could save per float by switching to a cheaper q-tip, but in the end, is it worth it?
Ashkahn and Graham discuss how they handle financial details at Float On and where they emphasize detail over broad strokes and convenience.
In a previous episode, Graham and Ashkahn shared their experience running Groupons with Float On from like... 6 years ago.
Groupon called them up and offered them an opportunity to try Groupon again and see what they thought of the experience. So here's their updated review of the modern Groupon process.
Graham and Ashkahn roll up their sleeves and get down and dirty dealing with objections to floating. To shake things up a bit, they're ignoring claustrophobia and talking about some of the other things people bring up when they say they're hesitant to try floating.
It's no secret that Graham and Ashkahn are shutting down the podcast (check out the resources for details on how to call in for the finale), but why?
Today, Graham and Ashkahn talk about all their projects that they'll be dedicating themselves too now that they don't have a daily podcast to rush to, everything from the mundane to the insane.
Every once in a while during float industry events, during this podcast, or talks given by health department professionals and the like, they'll say something like "if you get your water tested and...". But how does a float center do that? Where should they look? Is there just a lab that they can send their float solution to? Are all labs the same? How much does it cost?
Ashkahn and Graham take on the difficult task of making sense of microbiology testing laboratories, regulatory institutions, and acronyms, all so you don't have to.
Graham and Ashkahn take a break from all the doom and gloom of the float world to talk about the amazing things that floating has brought them. What they love, the things that surprised them, and the many ways in which they're inspired to stick with it and pioneer in this wild and crazy industry.
Sometimes, the hardest part of starting any project is to just take the leap of faith complete step one.
With some words of encouragement and caution, Graham & Ashkahn channel their inner Tony Robbins and encourage a highly knowledgeable aspiring float center owner, to trust their gut and start their float center.
How long should you run the filtration system for between floats? It's an eternal question that has plagued float center owners since the dawn of time (Or at least until 1978 when the first float center opened up).
Ashkahn and Graham break down the science behind why you should filter for as long as you do and how to properly plan for it. This densely packed episode is filled to the brim with a summary of knowledge on water dilution, filtration, flow meters, and water sanitation brought over to float tanks from the pool and spa world. Take notes as you listen, there's a lot to assess.
Recognizing that your employees rock is one of the most valuable traits an employer can have, but only as long as said employer is able to properly acknowledge that appreciation.
Graham and Ashkahn share their take on rewarding employees for their hard work and how to make it count when you want to give them a gift. The duo has no shortage of examples of how they've shown their appreciation at Float On, and this episode is dense with examples of nice gifts and rewards to provide staff, from the practical to the symbolic.
The question asker today calls out Graham and Ashkahn on their most common marketing tip: giving away free floats!
The guys are put on trial and forced to defend the practice from someone who has experienced some major fallout from giving out floats to people. They offer some solid advice on how to make sure your free floats reach maximum effect and reassurance in the fact that it's a relatively low risk practice.
Graham and Ashkahn have some fun and talk about all the crazy things they'd add to Float On if money were no object. They cover everything from the impractical to the insane. And Ashkahn reveals his love of robots... and sandwiches.
There are rumors everywhere in the float industry about float centers billing insurance for floats and how they pulled it off. This podcast is no exception!
Listen to Graham and Ashkahn opine on the hypothetical and the barely confirmed tales they've heard about the possibility of float centers getting that sweet sweet insurance payout, and then listen to the guys talk about the realities of accepting insurance and how it's not all it's cracked up to be.
Graham and Ashkahn take on the unenviable task of talking about the harsh realities that the float industry will likely face in an upcoming recession, as well as how to be prepared for it.
The guys discuss what it was like for Float On opening during 2010, and the pragmatic view of the things most likely to get cut and who will and likely won't survive an economic downturn.
One of the most amazing things about the float industry is how open and friendly everyone is. Every float center we've ever talked to has stories about receiving help, advice, or information from another center or offering it themselves. It makes sense that float center owners would want to pass this goodwill on to the next enthusiast who comes knocking, but it can get a little time consuming talking to everyone.
Graham and Ashkahn share advice on how to enthusiastically and efficiently talk to new floaters without burning yourself out or make it feel like you're having the same conversation 100 times in a row.
If you run a business, one of the benefits is that it's run exactly the way you want it, right? If the "millennials" that you hire don't do the job exactly the way you want, they're wrong, right?
Well, maybe. It could just be that the people on the ground doing the day to day operations have their own ideas about what works best. Efficiency is a big deal when running a float center and if there's something that takes 20 seconds longer per room, that could be the difference between a late float and an on time one.
Ashkahn and Graham share their perspective on how best to manage employees who have different ways of operating their shop and how the standards were formed at Float On.
Opening a float center is stressful, and when you first get started, there's a lot of uncertainty involved. Will people keep coming in to floating from one month to the next? Will it be enough to cover costs? What happens if surprise expenses rise up and throw your center underwater.
Graham and Ashkahn discuss the existential dread involve in being a small business owner and what they do to not worry so much about the future of Float On. And also self-immolation.
Recently, the float community has been introduced to some companies willing to lease float tanks for businesses. These are usually different from manufacturers and come with a small fee associated with it.
Graham and Ashkahn discuss the issues to consider when looking at these companies and in what situations they might be a viable alternative to purchasing tanks outright.
If you're opening a new center and trying to anticipate your business, what's a reasonable amount of paying customers to expect? What about total capacity including free floats?
Graham and Ashkahn dominate the mic to drop some knowledge on the float family regarding what to expect.
Graham and Ashkahn share what they think is the most time consuming part of running a float center. And then next most time consuming things, as well. A great episode outlining the realistic challenges in taking on management of a business.
Ashkahn and Graham talk about all the different things that could possibly cause discoloration or odd odors in your float tank solution. There's any number of things that could be at fault and it's difficult to suggest it remotely, so instead they answer a handful of similar questions by offering broad troubleshooting advice on how to handle it when something comes up.
Ashkahn and Graham respond to a follow up question about cleaning the waterline of the float tank without running the risk of contaminating the float tank solution with disinfectant.
Graham and Ashkahn announce the final episode of the Daily Solutions Podcast which will also be a live call in show, happening November 29th at 3pm PST. Set it on your calendars and call in. More details to follow.
Float On was built on a culture of bartering. Trading stuff to make sure as many could float as possible. It helped generate lots of goodwill in the community and helped spread word of mouth in the early days. It also led to things like the Art Program, trading floats for art, which has been replicated by float centers all across the world.
Graham and Ashkahn share their thoughts on barter and why it's been so successful for them and why they keep doing it even 8 years later.
What is your plan for evacuation in your float center if there's a fire? What if there's a tornado? Earthquake? Blackout? These are important things to figure out when operating your small business. If you have staff, it's a good idea to review your emergency policies regularly. Make sure that your practices are in place in writing and you review them personally.
Graham and Ashkahn share their thoughts on how best to handle these things in a float center while making sure to consider specific issues not present in other industries.
Ashkahn and Graham talk about Ozone in this episode. Everything from different types of ozonators to the efficacy of it as a water treatment system compared to other systems.
Ozone is very effective, but there are concerns about its use that aren't present in other types of water treatment, and fortunately the guys give us a lot of information on what to consider when putting together our own systems.
Graham and Ashkahn delve into the wild world of credit card processing. There's a massive industry of businesses that exist between when your customer swipes their credit card and when it goes into your bank account. The industry seems to be designed to be confusing and some companies only perform certain tasks, making it very difficult to compare services.
The guys give their advice on how to handle finding the right credit card processor for float centers and what to look out for when you're on the hunt.
There are tons of anecdotal stories about pregnant people having great experiences with floating, but what are some of the things you should consider if you're going to encourage floating while pregnant.
Graham and Ashkahn share what they've heard about it and how to frame the conversation with an expecting parent while still covering your bases from a liability standpoint.
A lot of small businesses have a romanticized idea of what "shares" in a business actually mean. Float On did, once upon a time. What does it mean to give shares of your company to someone? Is it a good way to reward a valuable and dedicated employee? Are there other, more appropriate rewards that you can offer instead?
Graham and Ashkahn review this question in detail, sharing many questions that any float center owner should consider before offering an employee ownership of your company.
Do you need a business plan if you're not building a business from the ground up?
Graham and Ashkahn chime in and give a solid "maybe" as a response. It depends on a lot of factors, for sure. Do you already have financing? Are you maintaining the existing business model or revamping it?
What's the best way to clean the inside of a float tank? And what sort of product should you use?
It turns out that this deceptively simple line of questioning has a major explanation involved. Ashkahn and Graham share what they've learned at the World Aquatic Health Conference about surface disinfectant and the best way to protect your float rooms.
Most float centers run a tight schedule with narrow margins for the transitions between floats. Oftentimes relying on their customers to take reasonably timed showers to fit that schedule. If a single customer takes a shower that's a bit too long, it can throw of the schedule for the rest of the day!
What if showers were in a separate room? Then customers could shower as long as they want! Ashkahn and Graham explain why this is an extremely bad idea.
Float centers, more so than some other brick and mortar businesses, tend to be desperate for maximizing the efficiency of their space. And float rooms would have so much extra space if they didn't have to deal with a door swinging in and out all the time. Why don't float centers do it this way instead?
Well... Graham and Ashkahn explain exactly why centers don't do this already, along with the vast majority of other buildings being made currently. It's likely a code violation and even if it weren't, it'd probably be unnecessarily hazardous to travel through your center that way.
Let's say you buy a center and want to use H2O2 instead of the chlorine that was being used by the previous owner. Or maybe you want to switch over to H2O2 after using chlorine for a while. Let's further assume that this is in compliance with your health department and your UV system is sized adequately. What else do you need to know to make this happen? Do you need to change the water?
Ashkahn and Graham lay out all the things to consider and why someone may or may not want to replace the solution in their tank at the same time as replacing the water treatment method in a float tank.
It's not an easy decision to sell a float center. But when you do come up to that point, what do you do? Who do you talk to and how does it work? Should you hire on a broker? What sort of timeline should you expect?
Having never sold a business, Graham and Ashkahn aren't exactly experts on the subject, but they offer informed advice on where to sell and how long it'll probably take.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) required the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop regulations protecting the privacy and security of certain health information. This means that most medical information recorded by healthcare providers has to be stored based on a certain standard of security.
This is only just now becoming an issue in the float industry as centers are starting to accept insurance and medical referrals. However, this is still extremely rare. If this is something that may affect you personally, definitely research additional resources to make sure you're in compliance.
Graham and Ashkahn light one up to honestly answer what they think about people coming into float centers high.
The guys share their experiences having Float On share a wall with a dispensary and the number of problems (or lack thereof) that it has caused over the course of many years.
Sit back, grab some munchies, and enjoy the ride with these guys.
Have you ever wondered why the UV light on a float tank needs to be replaced so often? If the light is glowing, doesn't that mean it's working?
Ashkahn and Graham tackle everything you need to know about UV light, how it works in a float tank, and most importantly, how it can go wrong. This episode is dense with information useful for anyone who uses UV in their float center.
The Model Aquatic Health Code is a document released by the CDC and has made waves throughout the float industry as this year it included a section on the ideal health department code for float centers as well as pools and spas. Some folks are worried about this because it may mean more rigid and unruly regulations in certain areas.
It's been a few months since its release, so Graham and Ashkahn give an update to how it has impacted the industry and what it means going forward. Also, Ashkahn learns to abuse the show notes.
If you've ever looked at a collection of logos from various float centers, they can start to look a little similar. How do you avoid this when designing your own float center logo? Is it a big deal?
Graham and Ashkahn dish on logo design, the importance of simplicity, and a not so subtle reminder that the "don't be an asshole" rule exists for a reason.
Graham and Ashkahn consistently emphasize the importance of mailing lists, but today they dive in deep to talk about how to build a mailing list, giving their best tips and tricks to collecting emails and how to make sure you're getting the right people signed up.
Graham and Ashkahn address the unenviable task of dealing with disagreements between staff members as a small business. This is an area that Float On has needed a lot of help with in the past. The best practices of Human Resources aren't very intuitive in interpersonal relationships, so hiring a professional is almost always a good idea.
The military is famously tight lipped about the research it does in general. No less so than when researching seemingly benign practices like float tanks. Graham and Ashkahn give their scoop on what they know about the military's use of float tanks in their research and training programs.
Every float center has to compromise somewhere on how much cleaning to do between transitions. Where do you draw the line and how do you make sure that you're keeping your employees happy without sacrificing sanitation?
Graham and Ashkahn remind everyone that "perfect" sanitation doesn't exist and that making solutions collaborative in a work environment can do wonders for morale and problem solving in situations like this one.
Most websites you visit are filled with words. And that may seem simple, but if you build a website, you're going to have to be the one to come up with those words. How do you decide what to put up there and how much is too much? What should you focus on?
Graham and Ashkahn tackle the elusive web copy problem for float centers and provide some helpful tips for anyone who's feeling a little overwhelmed at the concept.
What's it like to be the first float center to open in an area? How do you handle it?
Graham and Ashkahn explain what it was like opening Float On, being one of the first dedicated float centers in the United States. The exciting thing is that creating awareness is really fun, but it can be a little stressful since your float center will represent floating as a practice for people.
Many of the tips here are the same for anyone opening a center: focus on awareness, be prepared to educate, and make sure your floats are the best they can be.
Is it better to have a light colored room that hides salt, or a dark colored room that easily shows it?
Graham and Ashkahn dish out some strong opinions on this idea, especially the idea that dark colored rooms and tanks are good for maintaining employee accountability.
Ashkahn and Derek talk about algorithms, those pesky bits of code that push your posts up or down on social media and search engines and leave you scrambling for ways to get likes and clicks, constantly mixing it up to just be seen.
The duo discusses how algorithms affect everyday posts for small businesses and how to keep up on information about the constantly changing nature of these systems. The main takeaway is, if your content is fresh, non-repetitive and you aren't trying to game the system, you likely have nothing to worry about.
Any sales related business knows that commissions are the gold-standard incentive program for drumming up business, but how does it work in a float center for memberships?
Derek and Ashkahn talk about the mixed success they've experienced at Float On each time it's been tried.
Single float memberships have become increasingly more common in the float industry, typically with the option to purchase additional floats for the month at a discount. But how do you properly incentivize those members to float more than a single time per month?
Ashkahn and Derek talk marketing tips to keeping your float center top of mind and making sure your members are active regularly.
Float On has been known throughout the years for pulling off outlandish marketing stunts with mixed success. For example, we ran a giveaway on social media back in 2014 for a full year of free floats to our lucky winner.
Derek and Ashkahn provide a follow up on the success of that campaign and talk about the primary, secondary, and tertiary benefits that came from doing such a major giveaway.
Social media seems to be the only marketing platform that anyone talks about anymore. How to do facebook ads, when to post on Instagram, how to improve Google SEO... it's a broad topic that seems to dominate the conversation in marketing.
Ashkahn and Derek explain not only why it seems this way, but the misconception of relying too heavily on social media in marketing strategies, as well as a defense of social media as a platform.
Derek and Ashkahn give the low down on pitching memberships to customers. A lot of float center owners don't want to come off as pushy sales people after people get out of their floats.
Ashkahn sympathizes with this a lot, since that's exactly how he felt when he first started selling memberships for Float On. He and Derek suggest a perspective shift on the idea of memberships, as lots of customers end up being appreciative of the opportunity, and don't feel like they're being overly pitched to.
If float tank water is safe, in part because of all the salt, then why is there such a huge emphasis in the industry for water treatment? After all, there haven't been any reports of anyone getting sick because of floating.
Ashkahn and Graham tackle this question and challenge the idea on its face, because, well, just because something hasn't been reported doesn't mean it doesn't happen, and given how little is known about water treatment in float tanks, it's a good idea, as an industry, to minimize the risk of infections and illness as much as possible. Really, there's a lot of reasons, from peace of mind, complying with health regulation standards, and even marketing, to maintain your float tank solution to as high a standard that you can.
Graham and Ashkahn discuss soundproofing windows of a float center, but first they talk about which situations may even warrant soundproofing in the first place. It may be that soundproofing is better prioritized elsewhere.
If you do decide to soundproof your window, the guys give you some tips on how best to do it and what to look for when picking out which type of glaze you may want along with a few other options.
If there's one thing Ashkahn and Graham have learned, it's reopening. Float On has had to shut down for repairs so many times over the years that they've got the process down to a science.
They share their secrets for making sure you have a full week after opening, build momentum, keep your members happy in the downtime and throw a kickin' reopening party!
Graham and Ashkahn talk about what it's like when inspiration strikes, how they chase their floaty muse to a solid marketing idea and form it into an actionable plan.
The reality is that it mostly involves a lot of listening and willingness to try, and fail at, new things. As with so many things, play to your strengths, focus on the things you're passionate about and the rest is practice.
Ashkahn and Graham talk about how the Float Conference has been going since they handed off the reigns this year. Big decisions are still incoming, but there's a lot of ways you can help out or get involved.
If you'd like to offer your help, services, or suggestions for the new Non-profit of the Float Conference, or if you'd just like updates to how it's going and where it might be held next year, email conference@floathq.com, and the Conference will know to contact you.
While they haven't tried it themselves, Ashkahn and Graham liberally distribute their opinions on the use of VR in float tanks and what they think might be better, using it before, after, or during a float.
A/B Testing is a method to compare one system against another. Most often, this is used to compare the performance of one version of a website to another in real time.
Graham and Ashkahn talk about A/B testing (or "the old onesie-twosies" as Ashkahn says) and how it can be used to improve a float center's website.
Graham and Ashkahn break down the real truth about how closely they watch their budget for Float On on a monthly basis.
The truth is... not much. As it turns out, monthly expenses for float centers don't have huge variations unlike businesses that rely on retail, for example. Graham and Ashkahn explain they developed a sense for what's within reason.
Float Ambassadors have been with the industry since the beginning, but gained popularity sometime in the last few years. What are ambassadors and how to float centers find them? When they do find them, how do they get them to represent floating?
Graham and Ashkahn share their experiences with the practice of finding float mavens out in the world and the impact they've had on Float On.
It's no secret that the inventor of the float tank, John Lilly, was also an early psychonaut and used the tank for mental exploration in conjunction with LSD. Not everyone in the float community appreciates this shared history and some actively try to distance themselves from it given the taboo nature of psychedelics.
Graham and Ashkahn share their thoughts on psychedelics and floating and how, as a business, they can be completely separated while still being important, as well as explaining why some people might reasonably decide to disassociate from them.
Most float centers divide on floats offered between 60 or 90 minute floats, but some split the difference right down the middle and offer 75 minutes. Graham and Ashkahn share their thoughts on this tactic, what they see as the pros, cons, and things to consider when implementing it.
Graham and Ashkahn give their perspective on the pros and cons of giving free floats away for teachers. Giving out free floats is the Float On way and giving them to a specific group of people who could really use them sounds like a good idea.
The guys break it down and address some of the concerns any float center may have about running a program like this.
With the push from Justin Feinstein at LIBR to get more float centers involved in research, many float center owners are chomping at the bit to push studies forward on the benefits of floating. But where do you start and how do you make it happen?
Graham and Ashkahn discuss this idea and how to do research right, as well as some of the things that might be helpful OR harmful to the world of floating in the eyes of the scientific community. There's a lot of nuanced things to know about proper research and if you go in overzealous without considering how established science is done, it can harm the reputation of the practice.
Graham and Ashkahn offer some helpful tips to keep in mind when planning out the electrical framework for your float rooms. How many circuits you should plan for, where to place outlets, GFCI compliance, just to name a few.
Definitely an essential episode for anyone to listen to before going into their build-out phase.
Seeing float tanks in the national news and culture has increased in regularity within the last few years. Graham and Ashkahn discuss how these things get on such a large platform. The guys briefly go over some of the major stories that have been all over the media and how those stories happened. Mostly it comes down to luck, but there are a few things that can increases the chances of your float center getting on national TV.
Someone wrote in and asked, again, despite the repeated warnings of the previous episode covering this topic, how to build a float tank properly. Graham and Ashkahn try their best to restrain themselves and offer some practical advice about how to build your own tanks while also repeatedly warning about things to look out for when going forward with the process.
Graham and Ashkahn talk about how they deal with other float centers spying on Float On. Basically... they don't. The float industry is a really open community and a lot of information is generally freely available. If someone is spying on a float center, that could be a result of poor communication skills or a lack of awareness of what information is actually out there. The guys share their advice on how to talk to someone who might be in that situation and how to move forward, hopefully as friends instead of rivals.
Graham and Ashkahn give the skinny on the foibles one my encounter when purchasing a float tank. These aren't specific to any one manufacturer, but they are useful things to look out for when shopping around for a tank.