
Stephen Smith
Founder & CEO
Planet Beach
Stephen Smith, CFE, is the CEO of Planet Beach Franchising Corporation, a company that has over 500 Planet Beach associates worldwide and 260,000 tanning members. Mr. Smith has always had the entrepreneurial spirit about him, and he enjoys being part of an industry that helps people look and feel good about themselves. He previously was involved in three Gold's Gym locations as an owner. Later, he moved on and opened his first tanning salon, Electric Beach , in New Orleans . He recognized an opportunity to bring professionalism into an emerging industry via franchising, and with the help of some of his colleagues, who are still with him today, he created the concept for Planet Beach in 1995. The first franchised location opened in 1996, and today there are over 400 salons throughout the United States, Canada and Australia.






