Jill Miller, chief operating officer of MSP Wellness, is working to help the franchisee open up to a dozen locations of the Profile by Sanford weight-loss program.
Profile by Sanford, which MSP Wellness this year introduced to the Twin Cities market, was developed by Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health.
Profile has locations in Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina and Minnetonka and is to open next month in Woodbury, Miller said.
MSP Wellness, based in Eden Prairie, plans to open 10 to 12 locations and hire an estimated 150 employees here in the next few years, Miller said.
Miller's responsibilities include overseeing operations, recruiting, marketing and assisting in finding locations. Miller also will work to develop servant leadership at each location.
Profile uses genetic testing to analyze how a member's body metabolizes fat, information that the member and a coach use to manage a weight-loss plan, Miller said.
Profile works with employers to become part of their employee health and wellness programs, Miller said. The largest local participant is HealthPartners.
There is no cost to employers, and employees get a discount on Profile membership, Miller said. Employers get reports on average weight loss and other metrics, although individual employee data is kept confidential.
Miller has 15 years of weight-loss industry experience as part of her two decades in domestic and international business development in multiunit business operations and sales.
She's worked for franchisers, for franchisees and has been a franchisee. "Franchisees typically are very smart entrepreneurs," Miller said. "What's exciting about working with franchisees is that they have a stake in the business."
Q: What do you like about working in the weight-loss field?
A: The purpose is to help change lives. When you see a member come in and start a journey and reach their goals and see their confidence and energy level increase, it not only affects them but their family as well. It's really quite amazing.
Q: What do employers like about the program?
A: Employers are very interested because it's science-based. Once they see those reports I think it's very eye-opening for them because the healthier their workforce is, the more productive they're going to be and the less time they're going to be missing from work.
Q: What makes servant leadership effective?
A: Over the years I have found that the way to build a very successful business is to provide service and serve our team members very well. When they know they're taken care of they can take care of our members and that can be their sole focus and passion.
Todd Nelson
