Wellness & recovery services
Books and taxes for stretch studios.
Memberships that make up almost all the revenue, hourly stretch practitioners booked back to back all day, and a franchise royalty fee if you are part of one. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
February came in at $7,800. Membership renewals held steady, and staff hours matched session volume closely, so labor cost stayed right where it should.
- Monthly membership feesMemberships
- Single session, walk-inSingle sessions
- Stretch practitioner wagesStaff wages
- Franchise royalty paymentFranchise fees
- Booking softwareSoftware
Why your books are different
A stretch studio runs on membership volume and staff hours, not big tickets.
Almost all the revenue is a flat monthly fee, sessions are short and frequent, and the practitioners doing the work are staff on a schedule, not contractors splitting a fee. Priced and staffed this differently from a typical wellness business, the books need to match.
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1
Membership fees do not tell you whether sessions are actually happening
A member pays the same monthly fee whether they come in twice a week or not at all, so a studio can look financially steady on paper while actual session volume, and staff hours needed to deliver it, quietly drop.
What we doTracks session counts from booking data alongside membership fees, so revenue and actual usage tell the same story. -
2
Stretch practitioners are staff, not a room split
Practitioners who work a set schedule and see whichever client is booked next are almost always employees, and treating them as contractors because they work per session is a costly misclassification.
What we doKeeps staff wages in their own line and flags the working arrangement so the accountant can confirm the classification is right. -
3
Labor cost needs to track session volume closely
With short sessions booked back to back, staffing has to scale with demand almost hour by hour, and if wages are not compared against sessions run, it is easy to overstaff a slow week or understaff a busy one without noticing until the month is over.
What we doTracks staff wages against session count, so labor cost as a share of revenue is visible in real time, not just at month end. -
4
A franchise royalty fee is a real recurring cost, not overhead
A royalty percentage paid to a franchisor comes off the top of revenue every month, and lumped into general expenses, it hides how much of the studio's own profit is left after that fee.
What we doKeeps franchise royalty payments in their own line so profit after the fee is always visible.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a stretch studio.
Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- MembershipsMonthly unlimited or set-session plans, the bulk of revenue.
- Single sessionsWalk-in and first-time sessions, kept apart from memberships.
- Session packagesPrepaid multi-session packs, tracked as owed sessions until used.
- RetailStraps, bands, and small accessories sold at the desk.
Money out
- Staff wagesHourly pay for stretch practitioners and front desk staff.
- Franchise feesRoyalty and marketing fund payments, where applicable.
- Booking softwareScheduling for high-volume, short-session bookings.
- Liability insuranceCoverage for the sessions performed.
- Stretch tables and strapsEquipment purchase and upkeep.
What we watch for you
- Session count
Sessions run against membership fees collected, so usage matches what members are paying for.
- Labor share
Staff wages against total revenue, so scheduling stays matched to actual demand.
- Membership renewals
Fees collected against active members, tracked from the books, so a dip in renewals shows up early.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.
Ask Gus
Things stretch studio owners ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
Fees collected are steady, but session count from your booking data is down a bit from last month. Might be worth a look at scheduling or outreach to members.
Since they work your schedule and see whoever is booked next, they are almost certainly employees. I flagged the setup so the accountant can confirm it with you.
I keep it in its own line so you can always see what is left after that fee, rather than it disappearing into general overhead.
The tax side
The tax side of a stretch studio.
Most of what trips up a stretch studio is staff classification and knowing that a franchise royalty fee is a deductible cost, not just a drag on profit.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Worker classificationA stretch practitioner who works your schedule and uses your equipment is almost always an employee, not a contractor, even if paid per session.
- Franchise fees are deductibleRoyalty and marketing fund payments to a franchisor are ordinary deductible business expenses, tracked apart so profit after fees stays clear.
- The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when the books are right all year.
- Equipment write-offsStretch tables and studio equipment can usually be written off the year they are bought, depending on the year you are having.
Deductions stretch studios miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Staff wages
- Franchise royalty and marketing fees
- Stretch tables and straps
- Booking software
- Liability insurance
- Marketing and lead fees
- Uniforms
- Cleaning supplies
- License and permit fees
- Retail inventory
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
A stretch studio's year, kept every month.
New Year sign-ups bring a rush, and summer travel can slow membership usage. Your team keeps you ahead of the tax calendar through both. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan the year
New Year membership sign-ups get counted right, last year's return gets started, and a monthly set-aside gets planned so April is already handled.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill, because the set-aside has been running since January.
- July
Halfway check
Where you stand, what you will owe, and whether summer session counts dipped.
- October
Before the year closes
Gus looks at whether additional staff hours or equipment are worth adding before December.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for stretch studios. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions stretch studio owners ask first.
Are my stretch practitioners contractors or employees?
In most setups, employees. If they work your schedule and use your tables, that is usually the case regardless of how they are paid. Gus flags it and the accountant confirms.
How does Gus handle the franchise royalty fee?
It stays in its own line as a deductible business expense, so you can always see your studio's profit after the fee instead of it blending into general costs.
Membership fees are steady but I'm not sure if sessions are keeping pace. Can Gus tell?
Yes. He tracks session counts from your booking data alongside membership fees, so you can see actual usage, not just the money coming in.
How do I know if I'm overstaffed or understaffed for demand?
Gus tracks staff wages against session count, so labor cost as a share of revenue is visible without waiting until the end of the month to notice a problem.
My studio ran at a loss the first year with staffing and build-out costs. Is that normal?
It happens often given the upfront cost of tables and hiring a full staff. Gus tracks the loss correctly against future years, and the accountant makes sure it is used right on your return.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever