Editor’s note: Made in Tarrant is an occasional Q&A series on small businesses started in Tarrant County. Submit your business here.
Contact information:
Fort Worth Float Company
5934 River Oaks Blvd.
Fort Worth 76114
682-360-3964
Fort Worth Float Company opened a little over seven and a half years ago. The business offers sensory deprivation flotation tanks to create a relaxing experience. Various pricing and packages are available, and there are three tanks. Business editor Bob Francis spoke with Kevan O’Malley, founder and owner of the company. This interview has been edited for clarity, grammar and length.
Francis: Tell me how you started the company.
O’Malley: Probably eight or nine years ago, my wife bought me my first float. I used to be a preschool teacher. Floating was always something kind of in the back of my mind; I just wanted to go try it. One year, she took me for my birthday and I got hooked on it right away. I saw how much it did for me and mentally being able to withstand 12 to 13 6-year-olds at a time.
Francis: Were there any places in Fort Worth offering these services then?
O’Malley: No. The closest one was in Dallas.
Francis: How did you get started?
O’Malley: I had a good amount of money saved up. So, most of it, I just put into it myself. I started in a little salon over by Ridgmar Mall. I was there for about two years. Pretty quickly, it got busy and popular enough that I needed my own bigger space. So, I moved to my current space, where I’ve been for about five years. Eventually, I added a second tank and just added a third back in December.
Francis: How did you market the company?
O’Malley: A lot of it was just word of mouth, going to different events and talking to people. I also taught myself how to use Facebook and Instagram.
Francis: How much does a standard float cost?
O’Malley: Standard prices, we charge $74 for an hour float and then $94 for an hour and a half. But I also have packages and memberships, which most people do to make it more affordable.
Francis: What do you think makes float therapy attractive to people?
O’Malley: I’ve noticed, especially since COVID, people are trying to take better care of themselves and looking for things like this. But you know, no matter what, these days, everybody’s so stressed out and just dealing with so much that they see how much this does for them — just having that time by yourself not having to do anything or worry about anything for a while.
Francis: What were the big challenges with the business?
O’Malley: One of the big ones, when I first started, was that the original tank I had wasn’t very good quality. I had to learn quite a bit of mechanical things, electrical work, on how to keep it up and running. Probably about a year and a half ago, I finally replaced that one. Since then, the mechanical side has been much easier, with more reliable tanks. After that, it’s mostly just been spreading the word and helping people have as good an experience as I want them to have. I’ve pretty much done this all by myself since I opened, without many employees, just so I can keep the standards up where I want them to be.
Francis: Do you have any advice for people starting their own business?
O’Malley: I’d say be prepared to put a whole lot of time into it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But if you do have your own business, you’re going to be on the clock all the time. So, just make sure that it is something you love and you’re prepared to put that much work into it.
Francis: What do you love about it? What brings you satisfaction?
O’Malley: My favorite thing is people coming in, especially if they may be a little bit hesitant or nervous about the experience, and then just seeing how much they change when they come out. I can always tell by how slow they walk out if it was a good one or not. People are always in such a hurry and feel like they have to be somewhere, doing something. Then, to see them walk out so slowly, with a big smile on their face. That’s really satisfying for me.
Francis: Anything else you’d like to say about the business?
O’Malley: I’d just say I’m really happy and feel privileged to be the first one doing this in Fort Worth and to have provided this experience for so many people over the years.
I’ve got some people who have floated over 100 times. It’s cool to see.
Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details.
