Sponsored content by Hydrate IV Bar.

Every franchise system has owners who set the standard. At Hydrate IV Bar®, that’s Nicole and Kevin Poel, named 2026 IFA Franchisees of the Year. One a registered nurse and the other a pharmacist, the Poels own two Colorado spas, one in Westminster and one in Lakewood. Their story shows what’s possible when the right owners find the right franchise partner.

Founded in 2016 and franchising since 2020, Hydrate IV Bar® now has 30+ U.S. franchises. The brand offers IV therapy, injections, and additional wellness services across five pillars (illness, wellness, recovery, performance and beauty), and every treatment is administered by Registered Nurses under the direction of a doctor. It’s a category on the rise: the global IV hydration therapy market is projected to more than double, from $3.13 billion in 2026 to $6.4 billion by 2034, according to Fortune Business Insights.

A brand worth choosing without shopping around

Kevin first pitched the idea of an IV therapy business in 2014, after seeing mobile IV companies in Las Vegas. Eight years later, Nicole was a regional director of clinical operations, burned out and considering a return to bedside nursing. Then a former colleague, Michelle Kimble, posted on LinkedIn about Hydrate IV Bar®. “I showed Kevin and said, ‘We missed our chance. You had this idea years ago,'” Nicole recalls. “And he said, ‘Well, maybe not.'”

Michelle, a part-owner in several franchise locations, connected them with Hydrate IV Bar® founder Katie Wafer Gillberg and Managing Partner Amy Dickerson. The Poels thoroughly vetted the leadership but never looked at another IV bar. “We really clicked with them and fell in love with the brand,” Nicole says. 

Part of the pull was the mission. After years in hospitals, the Poels wanted to help people stay well, not only treat them once they were sick. “We really wanted to be on the proactive side of medicine,” Nicole says. The brand’s promise of wellness from within gave them exactly that.

What clinical expertise alone can’t give you

People often ask why a nurse and a pharmacist didn’t start their own IV bar. “Owning a business is completely different,” Nicole says. “It’s not just clinical and day-to-day operations. It’s the marketing and everything else behind it.”

The franchise gave them a recognized brand from day one, a vetted point-of-sale system, inventory tools, and a proven playbook. New owners also receive online and in-person training, site selection, marketing assistance, and weekly mentorship calls that continue long after opening day. That framework lets them focus on what they do best: clinical quality and smooth operations.

Built to grow

The Poels opened Westminster with only minor construction. As client demand there grew, a second spa became the natural next step. Their second spa, in Lakewood, was a ground-up build-out that took more time and more patience. “You don’t know what you don’t know, and now we know,” Nicole says.

Clear roles made growth possible. Nicole leads day-to-day operations, hiring, training, payroll, and scheduling, and is in the spa almost every day. Kevin, who maintains his career as a pharmacist, owns the data, metrics, finance and accounting. Their setup shows that ownership doesn’t require both partners to leave their careers. “If you have a partner in franchising, have very clear roles and stay in those lanes,” Nicole advises.

nchisor has a clear lane, too. While owners run their spas and lead their teams, the Hydrate IV Bar® corporate team builds the brand and vets and refines the systems every location runs on. That shared structure lets owners like the Poels grow without rebuilding the foundation each time.

A franchisor that knows your name

What stands out most to the Poels about Hydrate IV Bar® isn’t a system. It’s the people. “They are working hard every day and are thinking about ways to make the brand better and help franchisees,” Nicole says. “We really chose a franchise that cares about us. We’re not just a royalty payment.”

Her advice for anyone considering ownership: be patient and determined. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s completely worth it,” she says. “If we had the opportunity to do it all over again, we absolutely would.”

Your story could be next

Hydrate IV Bar® is looking for passionate owners to bring wellness from within to new communities, with a full-spa model and a lower-investment Mini Bar option. You don’t need a medical background to own one: every service is delivered by Registered Nurses under a doctor’s direction, so owners can focus on building the business. The first step is a conversation with our franchise team. Explore franchise opportunities and talk to the people who helped the Poels get started.

Read about the 2026 Franchisee of the Year award winners HERE.

Sponsored Content. Created by or on behalf of the sponsor, who paid for its placement. Views expressed are the sponsor’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the IFA. Placement of this content is not an endorsement