Growing up in a small village near in Thailand, Nuttha Goutier was used to getting massages as “just a normal routine.” After moving to B.C., she wanted Canadians to see that self-care could be part of a regular schedule, too—“not luxurious,” she says.
She and her husband (and now business partner) Jacques Gouthier opened Sabai Thai in 2005 in North Vancouver with little capital, relying on just themselves and a landlord who, as Jacques says, “gave us a shot.” From day one, the duo’s core belief was “to truly care for others” by bringing locals a Thai standard of service in the form of massages, facials and reflexology packages at an affordable price.
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Two decades later, Sabai Thai Spa Inc. has grown from a single location into a wellness chain. The company now operates seven corporate locations across B.C. (with an eighth set to open at the time of writing) and has franchised out 10 new spots, with another two franchises opening this year. Their team has expanded to 158, supported by systems Jacques says they finally “ironed out probably around location four.” As they survived through recessions and COVID, Nuttha says, they learned to see “opportunity in challenging times” and to adapt their business model when needed.
Sabai Thai Spa Inc.’s next chapter is defined by scale, according to the Goutiers. When asked about their goal of 100 new spas opening in Canada, Jacques jokes, “You can put the extra zero on that, globally.” That doesn’t mean they’ll be taking on 100 franchise partners; rather, they hope to leverage talent and providing people with more than one opportunity as they grow and scale themselves within the brand.
What’s an odd job you’ve had?
JG: I worked at a fish hatchery.
NG: I grew up doing many kinds of farm work.
What’s the best leadership advice you’ve ever received?
NG: Follow your dream, lead with your heart, do your research, focus on impacting the community rather than profit and leave something behind.
JG: Don’t expect people to follow you for no reason—you must give them reasons.
What’s your favourite local business besides your own?
NG: Trail Coffee.
JG: Cactus Club.
Check out the full list of Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 winners and finalists here.
