pulse spa magazine december 2015

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 n P U L S E . E X P E R I E N C E I S PA . C O M

2015 ISPA CONFERENCE & EXPO RECAP

Opportunities, Building Camaraderie

race yourself for a confession: I’ve never

considered myself a performer but, in my

heart, I’ve always known that life itself is

a performance. When I first thought of

the idea during my morning walk in a

nearby St. Louis park, I immediately called ISPA Visionary

Award recipient Boldijarre Koronczay about dressing up

in his iconic fashion style and having impersonators

dance to the tune of Dirty Dancing’s “(I’ve Had) The

Time of My Life” on the General Session stage. His

response? “Michael, I love this, let me help.” It was a

crazy idea but we had to do it!

When we heard the joy and laughter from the

audience, we knew the outside-the-box idea paid off—it

helped set the tone of what was to come at this year’s event! And more importantly, we learned

to bend our personal feelings, think intuitively to come up with a solution, and trust in each

other and in our teams that the outcome would far exceed the risk.

No doubt, throughout Conference, joy and laughter were recurring themes. It was evident in

every genuine smile from exhibitors who welcomed attendees to their booths, in every friendly

tease and laughter while attendees hugged old and new friends, and even in the tears shed as

attendees felt moved by the powerful

stories told by inspiring speakers like

Amy Purdy, Dr. Bertice Berry and Scott

Harrison.

There were so many memorable

moments at this year’s ISPA Conference

& Expo as recapped in this Pulse issue.

But, ultimately, we hope you found

your own memorable moment, one

that made you say: “Wow, I just had

the best time of my life!” Thank you for coming home, for being part of this year’s event, for

trusting in each other, sometimes being a bit crazy and learning the powerful sense of

community—we owe our “best time of our lives” to each and every one of you!

—MICHAEL TOMPKINS, CHAIRMAN

2 PULSE n December 2015

ISPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS(Term starting mid-December)

CHAIRMEN’S COUNCIL

Past ISPA Chairmen who are current members:

Gayle Brady • Brady Spa Consulting

Jeff Kohl • Spa & Club Ideations

Jean Kolb • Well By Choice

John Korpi • Korpi & Korpi

Kate Mearns • 5 Spa Consulting LLC

Jim Root • Glen Ivy Hot Springs

Jane Segerberg • Segerberg SpaConsulting, LLC

Deborah Waldvogel • Sedona Resorts

2016

ELECTED OFFICERS

CHAIRMAN Michael TompkinsPALM Health

VICE CHAIRMANTodd ShawThe Club at Las Campanas

SECRETARY/TREASURER Laura ParsonsZaSpa at Hotel ZaZa

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Ella StimpsonThe Spa at Sea Island

DIRECTORSSharilyn AbbajayISPA Foundation Vice Chairman

Noel AsmarNoel Asmar Group, Inc.

Blake FeeneyFeeney & Co.

Michael HarmsworthESPA International (US) Ltd.

Todd HewittFour Seasons Toronto

Kristine HuffmanHuffman Hospitality Concepts

Garrett Mersberger Kohler Co.

Julie Oliff St. Regis Aspen Resort

Frank PitsikalisISPA Foundation Chairman

Eric StephensonWell World Group

Dawn TardifBodiScience Wellness Center & Spa

Todd WalterRed Door Spas

Lynne McNeesInternational SPA Association

MEDICAL ADVISORBrent A. Bauer, MDMayo Clinic

FROM YOURCHAIRMAN WELCOM

E!


THE MAGAZINE FOR THE SPA PROFESSIONAL

Pulse is the official publication of the International SPA Association, a member organization for the spa and wellness industry. Copyright 2015.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent

of ISPA. All inquiries should be sent to Pulse, 2365 Harrodsburg Road, Suite A325,

Lexington, KY. 40504 USA. Canadian publication agreement No. 40042114.

PULSE ACCEPTS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. Please include your name, title, company,

address, phone and email address. Only your name, title, company and location will be

published in the magazine. The editor reserves the right to edit for clarity and content. By

submitting the letter, you are giving ISPA publishing rights.

Pulse (USPS 017-893, ISSN 15259226) is published 10 times a year – January/February,

March/April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December

by Associations International, 2365 Harrodsburg Road, Suite A325, Lexington,

Ky., 40504. Periodicals postage paid at Lexington, Kentucky, and additional mailing

offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Pulse, Attn: Member Services, 2365

Harrodsburg Rd., Suite. A325, Lexington, Kentucky, 40504, USA.

PULSEis the magazine for the spa

professional. As the official

publication of the International

SPA Association, its mission is

to serve as the preeminent

resource of expert insights,

trends, tools and research to

help spa professionals create

innovative solutions and make

informed business decisions.

EXECUTIVE

Lynne McNees • ISPA President

EDITORIAL

Mae Mañacap-Johnson • Editor

DESIGN

Marja Walker

ADVERTISING AND SALES

Whitney Elswick

Tara Finn

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

Katherine Blake

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Chris Guzicki

EDITORIAL OFFICESInternational SPA Association

2365 Harrodsburg Road, Suite A325

Lexington, Kentucky 40504, USA

Phone: 1.859.425.5062

1.888.651.ISPA (4772) • Fax: 1.859.226.4445

experienceispa.com

“We all have stories to tell. Whichever role we mayplay in this life—parent, partner, healer, mentor orentrepreneur— we write our own tales of sorrows, surprises and joys.”

MARION PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO

FLASHBACKAdmit it, for a moment you were duped! And yes, you probably can’t

help but still laugh at the thought of getting pranked by ISPA Chairman Michael

Tompkins and 2015 ISPA Visionary Award recipient and Éminence Organic Skin

Care President Boldijarre Koronczay. Want to hit the replay button on their “(I’ve

Had) The Time of My Life” performance? Visit pulse.experienceispa.com to launch

the hilarious video!

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! @ISpaDoYou

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!International SPA Association

—MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON, EDITOR@ISPAPULSEEDITOR


W hen I look back at the 2015 ISPA Conference & Expo, I can’t seem to

shake off the words of charity: water founder and General Session

keynote speaker Scott Harrison (page 38) who said: “Invite people

into the story.”

We all have stories to tell. Whichever role we may play in this life—parent,

partner, healer, mentor or entrepreneur—we write our own tales of sorrows, surprises

and joys. In fact, our lives are made up of more than one story. As complex as our

emotions are, our lives are often a compilation of many tales.

Paralympic bronze medal winner Amy Purdy (page 36) said it best at this year’s

General Session when she compared her life to a book and asked a pivotal question:

“If my life was a book and I was the author, how would I want my story to go?”

It was a powerful moment because, often spinning our wheels like mad hamsters

in our desperate attempt to outpace our busy lives, we often forget to reflect how our

life stories would read. Does it start with something like, “Once upon a time, there

lived an optimistic dreamer…”? Or do we often play the victim or villain in our own

stories by sabotaging our lives with tales of fear, pessimism and lack of purpose?

Whether you were at this year’s ISPA Conference & Expo or simply experiencing

the event through this Pulse recap (page 40), I encourage you to explore your own

life story. Pen the next chapter of your life with pages of resilience, generosity, hope

and positivity. Above all, invite others into your story—it’s a powerful way to turn

your life story into a bestseller and leave an inspiring footnote in the lives of others.

DECEMBER2015


VOLUME 25ISSUE 10

General Sessions TakeawaysBY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON34Special Pulse Advertising Supplement

Building a Standout Brand52

Special Anniversary SeriesMarking a Milestone

BY ANDREW DEWSON

28

Additional ISPA Conference& Expo Sponsors58

2015 ISPA Conference & Expo

RELIVE THEMOMENT BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACOB KEPLER

THE PAST,

40


IN EVERY ISSUE

2 From Your Chairman

6 Pulse Preview

12 Pulse Points

14 Member Profile: BodiScience

Wellness Center & Spa

Seeing an Opportunity in Crisis

BY MAE MAÑACAP JOHNSON

18 Member News

BY TARA SALAH ELDIN &

SARAH HARMON

22 Conversations: Ryan Levesque

Marketing Expert and Author

of Ask.

BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

60 Ask the Expert: Tanya Chernova

Professional Development

Session Speaker

62 Success Stories: Stewart Griffith

President, TouchAmerica Inc.

64 ISPA Foundation

65 A Day in the Life:

Ann Brown

Spa Shiki Spa Director

Saltability CEO

BY CHRISTINA BUSWELL

66 ISPA Snapshot Survey

67 ISPA News

68 Product Spotlight

71 Social Connections:

Susan Michele

President of Operations,

Milk + Honey Spa, Austin, Texas

72 End Notes

ABOUT THE COVERIn this wrap-up edition of the 2015 ISPAConference & Expo, the Pulse cover capturesthe camaraderie and sense of community thatran deep throughout the three-day event.

COVER PHOTO © JACOB KEPLER PHOTOGRAPHY

14

65 71

6260

22


PULSE POINTS

report entitled “#ListenLearnLead Global Research 2015” by Accenture highlights global professionals’sentiment about cutting through the “noise” or distractions in today’s digital workplace. The global survey asked hundreds of respondents from the U.S., Germany, The Nordics (Denmark,

Finland, Norway and Sweden), Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the U.K., Thailand, thePhilippines and South Africa, to name a few. Overall, the results indicate that 64 percent find it significantly more difficult to practice the art of

listening in today’s workplace, especially with all the digital distractions. When asked what interruptstheir workday, respondents cited the following:

Listening is Becoming MoreDifficult Amidst the “Noise” in Today’s Digital Workplace

A total of 96 percent of global professionals consider themselves good listeners, despite the fact that thevast majority (98 percent) spend part of their workday multitasking. In fact, up to 80 percent of respon-dents admit to multitasking during conference calls. Two-thirds (66 percent) check work emails while 22percent admit that they access social media accounts while on a conference call.Evaluate your own spa or workplace to minimize or eliminate work distractions. Have processes in

place for conference calls or while answering work phone calls, especially when speaking with spa guests,to encourage less multi-tasking and more active listening.

Telephone Calls UnscheduledMeetings/Visitors

Emails CommitmentsOutside of Work

InstantMessaging

Texting

30%

79%72%

46% 45% 28%


MEMBER PROFILE

W hen life throws youlemons, you makelemonade. This wascertainly a life lesson

BodiScience Wellness Center & SpaPresident Dawn Tardif learned when facedwith life-altering events. The idea oflaunching her own business was inspiredby two major events that took place at acrucial point in her life: the breast cancerdiagnosis of her mother and the need tosupport a friend about to take a careerchange in cosmetology. “These two lifeevents engaged me in seeking out alter-native health modalities, leading me to

BODISCIENCE WELLNESSCENTER & SPA

Seeing anOpportunity in CrisisBY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

study East Indian philosophy.” Her mother’s diagnosis has certainly

left a profound impact on Tardif, whichled her to leave a gratifying career in theretail and fashion world as well asquestion, investigate and take anunorthodox approach to her mother’sdisease. “Seeking this path was because, as a

child, I had a deep sense that there wasmore to health and wellness than whatappeared to be the mainstream ofallopathic medicine. Over the next 25years, I would begin a journey that I hadnever expected,” she says.

Tardif drew her courage to start her own spa business from

her mother, Dorothy, (right in photo with Jane Iredale) who

showed deep resilience even in the face of a cancer diagnosis.

December 2015 n PULSE 15

Early YearsTardif learned of her mother’s diagnosison June 21, 1991, the same day shesigned the lease for her retail andesthetic center. Then called Body Sense,the spa occupied a mere 750-square-footspace.“The way my mother handled her

fight gave me the inspiration to go forthand follow my dream, and her strength,conviction, persistence and faith in meignited my vision to become a reality,”she says.Tardif wanted to bring much of the

Eastern philosophy she had studied tothe spa world, creating a business thathas blazed a trail in alternative therapy,nutrition, exercise and meditation. Backthen, few businesses looked at theirclients’ overall wellness, mental as wellas physical health. “We have developed a true ‘wellness

relationship’ with our clients, many ofwhom have been with us since we firstopened our doors,” she says. “Wenourish a professional relationship bydelivering quality care which has

achieved great client retention, even tothe point that we now treat many of ouroriginal clients’ children and extendedfamilies. No loyalty program cancompete with that.”

Learning from a MentorShe credits having a great teacher, onewho inspired her to chase her dreams, asthe other reason that motivated her toopen the spa located in Beverly,Massachusetts. At cosmetology school,which she attended at least partly toaccompany a friend, Tardif met Gilbert

Gallant who gave her a deeper under-standing of the inner-workings of the spaindustry.“He would tell me that my approach

to the business of health and beauty wasunique. It was not until I graduated andheard about spas that I finally put all thepieces together. Creating a businessbased on different business principles iswhat Gilbert was trying to tell me,” sherecalls.Equipped with the knowledge, she

applied all the learnings to her business,which eventually grew in size. In 2005,BodiScience moved to a 3,800-square-foot space that now has a much largerretail center and seven treatment rooms.The rooms comprised of a couples/yogaroom, transition room, esthetic/massagerooms, employee area, nail/chair massageand a private space for consultations. The spa went through a rebranding in2013, introducing a new name and logo(Bodhi-tree), which signifies a safe and

DAWN TARDIFPresidentBodiScience Wellness Center & SpaBeverly, Masachussetts“We all have heard

that ‘the Chinesesymbol for crisis iscomposed of twocharacters: one foropportunity, theother for danger.’”


MEMBER PROFILE

Spa open date: June 1991

Square footage: 3,800

Number of treatment rooms: 7

Rebranding: 2013

Signature treatments:Ayurvedic treatments

Charitable initiative:WelcomeHome Warrior

Contact:BodiScience Wellness Center & Spa100 Cummings Center, Suite 150FBeverly, Massachusetts 01915Phone: 1.978.927.9909Website: bodiscience.com

ABOUT THE SPA

sacred space, much like safely shelteredunder a tree’s nurturing branches.“Our methodology and concept has

never changed, we have rebranded thepackaging of how we deliver our conceptto our valued clients. If we were to goback in time and place our current brandin 1991, the consumer would not havebeen ready for us. We have watched theunfolding of alternative medicinebecome more accepted, along withknowledge about our food, ourenvironment and our energetic body.This awareness has catapulted ourbusiness into what my intentions hadbeen from the inception. We have come‘full circle,’” she says.

Facing ChallengesLike any other business, the spa wentthrough challenging times. “Ourcompany was devastated by a flood inOctober 2011. It was our mostchallenging time,” Tardif recalls. “Asmost may imagine, any crisis can be acrucial turning point in any business.Teamwork and morale are the two areasthat are paramount to navigate throughand succeed.” Tardif says her team’s ability to work

together was the reason why they wereable to quickly manage the crisis. Teammembers helped through the long hoursof cleanup and setup of the satellite areain order to continue to serve guestswhile the spa was in the process ofremediation.“We all have heard that ‘the Chinese

symbol for crisis is composed of twocharacters: one for opportunity, theother for danger’. We truly took themoment to create an opportunity for usto strengthen our bond as a team,allowing us to deliver exceptional serviceto our clients and keeping our business

strong,” she says. “Many people told meto temporarily close down and focus onthe remediation. Many small businesseswent out of business, as the financialhardship was unbearable.”But the spa did not only survive, but

came out stronger than ever. About tomark its 25-year anniversary, BodiScienceplans to offer a US$19.91 pricing ontreatments as its way to reflect back onits opening year. BodiScience has alsoteamed up with Diamond Way Ayurvedato create the “Welcome Home Warrior”project, helping veterans struggling withpost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Inthe long-term, Tardif is looking intooffering entrepreneurs who share hervision to join the business and grow thebrand in other locations. As far as valuable lessons she

learned, she says resiliency, consistencyin service and integrity are key qualitiesto success. “Develop resiliency. Youneed to be adaptable and resilient to besuccessful for the long haul. Attainconsistency through systems. Cultivate

integrity. When your external actionsreflect your internal code, you are inalignment with your morality. Take pridein every task, interaction and treatmentyou deliver.” n


MEMBER NEWS

THE SPA SHIFTAnnouncements marking spa industry players on the move.

l Michael Choiniere is the new Director of Sales and Marketing ofFlorida’s Carillon Miami Beach.

l Georgiann Reigle joins Aromatherapy Associates in Frisco, Texas, asVice President for Asia.

l Steven A. Rudnitsky is now the President and Chief Executive Officerof Miraval Resort & Spa’s Miraval Group based in Tucson, Arizona.

l Julie Oliff is now the Director of Operations, Residences at the St.Regis Aspen Resort in Aspen, Colorado.

l The Spa at Rancho Valencia in Santa Fe, California welcomes NoelDaniel as General Manager.

l Brennan Evans is the new Vice President of Operations of Trilogy SpaHoldings, located in Temper, Arizona.

l Skin Authority, based in Carlsbad, California, welcomes AllysonArchambault as East Coast Director of Strategic Accounts andMichelle Horner as Director of Customer Care and Education.

l Walt Disney Company Spa Director Ginger McLean joins theFlorida Spa Association as Board Member.

BY TARA SALAH ELD IN AND SARAH HARMON

GIVING BACK1. StressBusters Wellness Day Spa, located in Laguna Hills, California, held a foodand clothing drive for those affected by the Valley Fire in northern California. Thefire burned down more than 600 homes and displaced 37,000 residents in thetown of Cobb. Stressbusters Wellness Day Spa owners Mikki and MichaelAnderson dropped off the donations at the donation center at Napa Fairgroundsin Calistoga. Mikki also volunteered her time to provide free aromatherapy andmassage treatments to evacuees.

2. Based in Evergreen, Colorado, Tallgrass Aveda Spa & Salon celebrates its 20thanniversary with a salute to military men and women. Expanding its Soldier BoxProject, now on its seventh year, the spa shipped at least 100 care packages totroops in Afghanistan for the holidays. The spa also gave away 50 complimentaryspa services to military women during Veterans Week in November.

3. Apothederm Skin Care, of Bothell, Washington, donated all of the furniture anddécor used in its booth at this year’s 2015 ISPA Conference & Expo. The companyhas initiated a new program to lower its carbon footprint and promote sustain-ability by repurposing items. These items were purchased locally in Las Vegas,Nevada, for the Conference and were donated post-event to Heaven Can WaitAnimal Society. The organization will use Apothederm Skin Care’s donation on-site and in its fundraising efforts.

Michael Choiniere

Noel DanielJulie Oliff

Michelle Horner Ginger McLeanAllyson Archambault

Brennan Evans

Georgiann Reigle Steven A. Rudnitsky

3

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BRILLIANT IDEA1. Serina And Company, LLC, located in Orange, California, has released its newAromaTherapy jewelry line. Each piece of jewelry has a locket with an interchangeabledisc where the wearer can place a few drops of his or her desired oil to help ease anyanxieties.

NEW ON THE MENU1. One Ocean Resort Hotel and Spa, located in Atlantic Beach,Florida, is ready for the cold season with its Winter Refresh –Luxury Hand & Foot Renewal. This treatment hydrates andexfoliates, featuring ingredients like sugar, lemon, botanicalextracts, Vitamin C and includes a lactic acid peel.

2. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, based in Hong Kong, willoffer Silent Night after 5 pm on December 16 in all of its spas.During Silent Night, the spa will turn off its music and encourage “no talking” among guests inorder to allow for an experience of complete silence, contemplation and mindfulness.

MEMBER UPDATES1. Adam Broderick Salon & Spa has undergone renovation, resulting in a freshnew design. Located in Ridgefield, Connecticut, the 12,000-square-footproperty includes a nail bar, spa, boutique and salon.

2. Skin Authority has recently launched a new website and mobile app. Thewebsite displays a new look and more simplified navigation. The My SkinAuthority App is a free, interactive mobile app that will connect the userwith a certified skin-care coach.

3. Éminence Organic Skin Care has launched an improved professionalwebsite. The new website features a quick order tool, order history look-up,access to past invoices and the capability to repeat and edit previouslyplaced orders.

4. Comphy Co. has launched an upgraded interactive website (comphy.com).The new site features custom experiences for spa, hotel and home, alongwith improved functionality and navigation. Improved Design-a-Bed andDesign-a-Spa Table tools and additional products offer spa professionalsmore choices and a stress-free online experience on any device.

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2. The Meritage Collection, parent company ofEstancia La Jolla in California, has announced apartnership with Clean the World to help fightthe spread of preventable diseases. The lifestylehotel brand sends discarded soap and bottledamenities to Clean the World recycling centerswhere they are sanitized and then distributedglobally to children and families in need.


PULSE: What is the “Ask Formula”?Ryan Levesque: The “Ask Formula” is a way of askingquestions that reveals what your customers really want—andbased on that, allows you to customize your offersand segment your market so that you are offeringthem exactly what they are asking. This processalso builds trust with your prospect so that they aremuch more likely to buy what you’re offering—andthen become repeat customers.

P: You wrote in your book: “The right way touse surveys is counterintuitive.” Do you careto elaborate?L: What’s counterintuitive about our surveys is this:Most businesses, when they do a customer survey, willask people to rate their current products or services ona number scale. And then they ask: “What kinds ofservices or products would you like to see us offer?”Here’s the problem with that: People are really bad at

knowing what they want. There are two kinds of questions thatpeople are good at answering: 1. What they don’t want. 2. What they have done in the past.

P: What are your three most important tips on how togrow one’s online subscriber base?

L: Number one is segmentation. Whenyou have the ability to sort your prospectsand customers into different “buckets,”you’ll ultimately see your retention ratego up because people feel like you aretalking to them personally.

Tip number two is to use constantfeedback loops. I like to ask mysubscribers simple questions in emails,and ask them to simply hit reply andrespond that way. It works everytime—and that not only createsengagement, it also gives you insightinto what your prospects andcustomers are thinking.

The last tip is use surveys. If youhave an opt-in form on your site, and you’re just asking for

name and email address, then simply by changing that to ashort quiz or survey, you’re going to get more leads and opt-ins, more engagement, and you’re going to have moreinformation about who your prospective customers are. We get

CONVERSATIONS WITH RYAN LEVESQUE BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

Ask author RYAN LEVESQUE outlines an online survey

formula that helps to uncover what potential clients

want and a process to effectively convert prospects into

loyal customers. He calls it the “Ask Formula.”

“I came up with the concept after struggling to build

my own online business. It was really a process of trial

and error, seeing what was working and how we could

make it better. It took me a while to perfect it, and the

person who was instrumental in that was Dr. Glenn

Livingston, a good friend of mine, who was doing a lot of

work with the survey concept,” Levesque says, recalling the journey he took to create his

unique marketing concept.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 24


over 52,000 leads per day across all the markets that we work in.

P: You mentioned that, a lot of the time, onlinemarketing survey fail because people ask the wrongtype of questions. How do you determine what theright questions are?L: The right questions are really based on the two types ofquestions that people know how to answer: What they don’twant and what they have done in the past. That’s what webase our survey questions on. There are a few more elementsthat come into play which involve some deep customerpsychology, which I explain fully in the book.

P: When it comes to survey marketing, you learnedthat there is no one-size-fits-all. What are the things toconsider when creating a customized survey specific tothe spa industry?L: The first step is to know who your market is. That’s thewhole purpose of doing the initial Deep Dive survey. So many

Four Types of Surveys inthe “Ask Formula” SurveyFunnel System

1.The “Deep Dive” Survey. This is an open-ended surveythat’s designed to help you better understand your

market, and get a sense for the language that they use—sothat you can use it yourself in your sales copy.

2.The “Micro-Commitment Bucket” Survey. This is thefirst thing that people see on your homepage or

landing page. It’s designed to do two things simultaneously:engage your prospects and build trust, as well as segmentthem based on their responses so that you can customizeyour marketing to them.

3.The “Do You Hate Me?” Survey. This survey got its namefrom a subject line of an email designed to provoke a

response from your prospects. It’s an email follow-up to thepeople who didn’t buy your offer to discover why. The purposeis to get insight into the objections and hot-buttons so that youcan optimize and tweak your sales messages over time.

4.The “Pivot” Survey. Sent out by email, the finalsurvey’s goal is to redirect your prospects who don’t

buy into a different offer that might be a better fit for them.

CONVERSATIONS WITH RYAN LEVESQUE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

business owners start out thinking, “Oh, yeah, I know who mymarket is and what they want,” but in reality, when we dothese surveys for them, they are shocked by what the actualresults are. I’ve been surprised myself when I’ve done these inmy own businesses. The rule is: You never want to guess. Youalways want to ask. You want to know.

P: In the funnel process, how does one convertsubscribers into clients or customers?L: In the funnels that I create, the process looks something likethis. A prospect gets to your landing page, they watch a shortvideo that asks them to take a short quiz. Once they take thequiz, they are asked to type in their email to get the results.Then they go to a sales page that gives them a customized offer(generally you’ll have three to five different ones), based ontheir survey answers. If they buy, you take them through a process of additional

offers, and then continue to give them additional (customized)offers through email. If they don’t, then there’s that follow-upemail sequence wherein you are trying to get them to buy andfigure out why they’re not buying, so that you can offer themsomething else.

P: Sometimes, the problem with survey is that youcould get lost in all the data. How can one simplify the analysis and interpretation of data to apply theinformation in practical terms for one’s own business?L: I have a very specific process for doing the analysis. Yes, theinitial analysis takes some time, and some familiarity with aMicrosoft Excel sheet. The goal is to find what I call your“buckets” that address 80 percent of your market and createoffers based on those. So, let’s say for spas, you have people who come for health

reasons, people who come to relax and escape, and peoplewho do spa treatments mainly for beauty purposes. Now, thosewould be my guesses, but of course, you have to confirm thatby doing the surveys and following the formula. There’s no wayout of it—but it works. n

WHAT ADVICE can you give to business owners to help them build trust in an online world? Click here toread more insights from Levesque.


Special Anniversary Series

IN THE FINAL PART OF THIS SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY SERIES celebrating ISPA’s 25-year anniversary,Pulse shares the limelight with ISPA members that also mark a major milestone this year.

BY ANDREW DEWSON

TWO BUNCH PALMSRESORT & SPADesert Hot Springs, California

People werevisiting the siteof Two BunchPalms for over 600

years to take advantage of thehealing properties of the region’s hotmineral waters before the spa wasfounded in 1940. The spa tookadvantage of the natural geothermalpools at Desert Hot Springs, California,and became the first hot springs resort inthe country during the modern spa era.“We define the modern spa era

between 1940 when Deborah Szekelystarted Rancho La Puerta to the 70s whenSheila Cluff opened Oaks at Ojai and MelZuckerman created Canyon Ranch,” saysCEO Kevin Kelly. “During the last 25years, Two Bunch Palms evolved underdifferent ownerships to expand itsofferings from body therapies to mud andWatsu treatments, which Two BunchPalms spa is now known for.”The spa’s most recent leadership,

consisting of Hollywood producers andsustainability experts, has taken pains tobridge the spa’s past and present, empha-sizing the property’s historic roots, basedon recent archaeological findings dating

LONGEVITY TIP: “Trust your instincts. Do your homework. Stay disciplined to your businessplan and brand message. Persevere. Persevere. Persevere.”

Left photo: CEO Kevin Kelly takes pride in Two

Bunch Palms Resort & Spa’s signature therapies,

such as its mud treatment (above), and of the

property’s Sustainable Wellness model.

thelocation’s

mineral springs’use by six

centuries. At the same time,to celebrate its 75th anniversary, TwoBunch Palms embraces a “SustainableWellness” model, which includes theinstallation of a new 3.5-acre solar farm.The farm, which will generate power

while saving 375 million gallons of waterand preventing the emission of 13.5million pounds of carbon waste, wascommissioned on June 21 this year tocoincide with the summer solstice. Thishas made Two Bunch Palms the firstcarbon-neutral resort in North America.The spa has also recently renovated itsrooms, developed healthier cuisine andintroduced movement and enrichmentclasses.“We see ourselves as the model of

‘Sustainable Wellness,’ which we defineas the evolution of mind-body-spiritmovement expanding into the intercon-nectivity of the individual to itscommunity and natural systems,” Kellysays. “We also seek to better understandand promote the mystical origins of ourmind-body-spirit movement with newresearch and science on energy, geneticsand lifestyle medicine while sustainablyconnecting the interplay between theindividual, community and naturalsystems.”

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 30)

75YEARS!


CLARINSParis, France

One of the true iconicbrands in the spa andbeauty world, Clarinscelebrates 61 years of

innovation, leadership and industry-leading vision. “Everything Clarins istoday–its clear dynamicvision–started with one visionaryman, Jacques Courtin-Clarins,”says Senior Director of SpaDevelopment Milana Knowles. Courtin-Clarins revolutionized

traditional face and body treatmentsworldwide through the Clarins Method,known as The Clarins Touch. Today, TheClarins Touch is used by more than 3,000beauty therapists in 50 luxurious Spas byClarins around the world, as well as at in-store spas operated in major retailers.“With the opening of Clarins’ first

Beauty Institute in Paris, Courtin-Clarinslaid the foundations of modernaromatherapy and explored transformativeeffects of lymphatic drainage in both facialand body treatments Knowles says.While the brand grew to become a

global powerhouse in skin care andbeauty, Clarins continues to embrace theentrepreneurial spirit that was first sparkedby its founder. “In a world of huge corpo-rations, the brand’s family ownership hasallowed it to retain its flexible and entre-

LONGEVITY TIP: “Respect lies at the heart of the Clarins ethic: respect for nature andpeople, respect for the customer, respect for life. As Chairman Christian Courtin-Clarins has said,‘Clarins’ mission is to make life more beautiful for future generations.’ It is the connection withspas that has helped Clarins develop products to meet women’s beauty needs. [This aligns withthe words] of our founder Jacques Courtin-Clarins: ‘My passion for women’s beauty has markedmy life. This passion, shared with a whole team, is the secret to Clarins’ success.’”

Clarins Senior Director of Spa Development Milana

Knowles (left) shared how Clarins founder Jacques

Courtin-Clarins (above) revolutionized face and

body treatments through The Clarins Touch.

preneurialspirit,” she says.“Clarins remains

faithful to its originalphilosophy—listening to

women to truly understand their needs,and developing safe, natural and highlyeffective skin-care products. It is acompany that has always believed in theimportance of solving beauty problems by tapping into the fusion of plants and technology to enhance beauty andwell-being.” Clarins opened its first Spa by Clarins

in 2001 which serves as the brand’sshowroom for its products, customizedexperiences and unique applicationmethods. “Known for the quality of itstreatments and its holistic approach towell-being, the Spa by Clarins conceptcan now be found in 50 exotic locationsworldwide, such as in Mauritius, theSeychelles, St.Barths and Mexico. Each

one is a magical getaway,” she says.To mark its 60th anniversary last year,

the company launched the new ground-breaking mind-and-body Energy FlowRitual exclusively for Miraval Resort & Spain Tucson, Arizona. Clarins also openedits new headquarters in Paris last year, intime of its anniversary. The new facilityreflects the brand’s deep commitment tosustainability and the environment. “Theseven-floor facility is a combination ofcutting-edge technology and environ-mental awareness through the lowconsumption of heating and coolingsystems, the rainwater collection forwatering green spaces, and the automaticcontrol of lighting. It also continues toserve as an inspiration to creating break-through beauty concepts and products,”she says.

MARKING A MILESTONE

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28)


61YEARS!


COOPER FITNESSCENTER & SPADallas, Texas

Not many people cangenuinely lay claim tolaunching an entire movementand altering the lexicon at the

same time. Dr. Kenneth Cooper, founderof Cooper Fitness Center & Spa, can justi-fiably make such a claim: without him theaerobics revolution of the last 40 yearsmight not have happened. His 1968 best-selling book called Aerobics, whichoutlined his exercise routine, changedhabits and created wellness breakthroughsfor millions of people. At 84 years of age,the “Father of Aerobics” remains anaerobics guru and a remarkable personaltestament to his own philosophy.Celebrating its 45th year, the 30-acre

Cooper Aerobics Center is home to TheCooper Institue 501(c)(3) and sevendiverse entities, including Cooper Spa.“Our approach is simple,” says AssistantGeneral Manager Sarah Carroll, “Whenyour body is fit, you look better, you feelbetter. At Cooper Spa, we embrace thatsame approach and call it Beautiful Fit.”After converting two racquet ball

courts into a two-story facility, CooperSpa was eventually opened in 1998.“What began as a simple menu remainsjust that,” says Carroll, “but with apoignant message about the purposes ofstress-relieving and therapeutic

LONGEVITY TIP: “Stay true to yourmission. Over the years the industry haschanged and grown, as have we and aspart of Cooper Fitness Center & Spa, ourprimary goal is to encourage our patronsto enjoy longer, healthier lives.”

approachesto the wholebody.Cooper Spacurrently has ateam of over 30well-versed service providers,many of whom have been with CooperSpa since 1998—so they are close tocelebrating their 20-year anniversaries with us.”Having been in the same building for

over 40 years, a US$6 million renovationwas completed in 2013, during whichtime the spa remained 99 percent opera-tional. “Cooper Spa is fortunate to have atalented, mature and creative team,” saysCarroll. “During the renovation, theseskills were imperative to our continuedsuccess and retention of clients. The teamwas able to maintain an average 65percent retention and 68 percentoccupancy rate during the renovationperiod.” Rewarding staff members with anexcellent package of benefits helps thebusiness to retain high-quality, motivatedstaff.To celebrate 45 years in business, the

spa has given its guests an additional 45bonus points every service rebooked over

the summer, while an internal initiativehas allowed staff members to donate to“Give for Good.” To encourage loyalty, thespa offers a spa rewards program.“Utilizing SpaSoft’s loyalty programming,points are earned and redeemed at thetime of purchase.”Over the years, Cooper Fitness has

innovated by combining fitness and spatreatment and turning its clients on topreventative health and wellness. Withexciting plans for future growth, Dr.Kenneth Cooper can look back on a lifethat has created a lasting legacy.

Assistant General Manager Sarah Carroll (left)

says Cooper Fitness Center & Spa embodies the

fitness philosophy of its founder, Dr. Kenneth

Cooper (above), who is also reputed to be the

“Father of Aerobics.”

MARKING A MILESTONE


45YEARS!


SPA OHTLI ATCASAMAGNA RESORT& SPAPuerto Vallarta, Mexico

Opened in 1990,CasaMagnaResort & Spawas one of the

first resorts opened by MarriottInternational in Mexico. The 433-roomresort includes a 22,000-square-foot OhtliSpa, one of the largest spas in PuertoVallarta, a resort town on Mexico’s Pacificcoast. CasaMagna General Manager David

Eduardo Gauna Palacios says Marriott’s 88years of experience in resort and hotelmanagement has ensured that CasaMagnaResort & Spa’s operations are guided bythe Marriott brand core values. “Corevalues are beliefs and philosophies thatmake up the foundation of the company.They should not change over time. Corevalues are the ideals that serve as thefoundation of all aspects of Marriott’sspirit to serve.”One of its fundamental core values is

“putting people first.” “Take care ofassociates and they will take care of thecustomers,” Palacios says. “Our culture isthe experience we create in the minds ofour customers and is demonstratedthrough the behavior of our associates.”To show dedication to customers, the

resort “pursues excellence.” It believesthat “success is never final” so itembraces change.

LONGEVITY TIP: “Always putpeople first, lead by example andinnovate every day. Never stop asking:‘How can I do better?’”

CasaMagna General Manager David Eduardo

Gauna Palacios (left) thinks the resort and spa's

success is due to Marriott's core values that have

guided its team's spirit to serve.

“How we dobusiness is asimportant as thebusiness we do,” Palaciossays, stressing another Marriott core valuecalled “act with integrity.” Finally, thespirit to serve is embraced at CasaMagna,creating a resort that is rightly considereda flagship at a business with over 4,000properties.Retaining loyal customers at a resort

spa is no easy feat, considering most arevisiting for a brief vacation rather than forlong-term stays. Palacios says that despitethat, Spa Othli has managed to createloyalty through Marriott’s strategy ofdiversion and inclusion: “Marriott’sstrategy is to embed global diversity andinclusion into our organization so that itis integral to how we do business,” hesays. Othli Spa at CasaMagna will celebrate

its 25th anniversary by including thenumber 25 in its menu as often aspossible. Guests will be offered a range of25-minute yoga and Crossfit classes, a 25percent discount on spa treatments and a

25th anniversary soccer tournament. Theresort will also recognize loyal associatesduring the resort’s anniversary party. There is more to CasaMagna’s

success than Marriott’s leadership. OthliSpa has worked hard to reflect the localcustoms of healing and hospitality.“Representing the local culture, throughour Othli Spa, reflects a cultural sensi-tivity and the integration of healing andhospitality with the traditions of thediverse generations of people who haveshaped Puerto Vallarta.” n

25YEARS!


MONDAY’S GENERAL SESSION TAKEAWAYS

eynote speaker and ZuckerbergMedia CEO Randi Zuckerberg

opened this year’s General Sessionswith a roundup of technology trends.Despite the nagging narrative aboutthis generation’s addiction totechnology and inability to

unplug, Zuckerberg brought forward a 360-degreeview on the opportunities and challenges thatsocial media and technology present in our lives.“I’d like to look at technology both from the lens ofopportunities and challenges.”While she ended her talk with a reminder to

embrace a digital detox, she also presentedtrends and new ways of thinking to encourageISPA attendees to leverage the power oftechnology to their advantage.

Top Trends in the Digital AgeBY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

RandiZuckerberg


Embrace the age of entre-ployee.The lines are getting more and more blurred between being anentrepreneur and being an employee. “Today, there are so manyways to be highly entrepreneurial even in a bigger company,”Zuckerberg says. Google is a good example of a company that nurtures the

entrepreneurial spirit of their employees by allowing them towork on their passion projects. “They feel that if they give theiremployees time to be creative, they’d be better at their regularjobs,” she says. Another way to encourage an entrepreneurial spirit is by

organizing a hackathon, an event that originated in thetechnology world where programmers collaborate and compete tocreate a new product or solution. “It doesn’t have to be ahackathon. It can be a ‘create-a-thon’ or a ‘thinkathon’,” advisesZuckerberg. “Pick a problem that’s been plaguing you or yourbusiness. Gather a group of people and you’ll be amazed by whatyou’ll come up with if you give yourself permission to becreative.”

Think like a media company.Zuckerberg says, in the age of the Internet, all of us are a mediacompany.“Do you have an editorial calendar? Do you think about your

point of view? Because I guarantee you, more and more of yourcompetitors are thinking of themselves that way,” she says.Companies like Red Bull and Ben & Jerry’s are among those

that excel in having a media company mindset. Topshop isanother good example of a brand that thinks like a mediacompany. During New York Fashion Week, they put out digitalbillboards that display “hastags” of real-time fashion trends,bridging the company’s tech-forward marketing with Twitter.“Being the first in your space to try something new is always

going to get a lot of attention,” Zuckerberg says. “If you think likea media company, you have an incredible opportunity to be anexpert and a thought-leader.”

Reinvent retail.In today’s world, money is no longer the only currency.Zuckerberg says many more businesses are looking at social reachas top currency in retail. The Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour Hotelin Australia is a good example of a company that is reinventingthe business world. This hotel, designed with Instagrammers inmind, offers free accommodations to those who have 10,000Instagram followers. Social reach has become a currency as agrowing number of businesses would rather have a social mediacelebrity’s influence over money. “This is something to thinkabout since all of us have customers who are more influential orlouder than others,” Zuckerberg says.

In Their Words

“We wanted to teach people to be their own tech-healer—that we can now take all these marvelous newscience, teach ourselves and people to apply it in aloving way. And for the naysayers, we can nowconvince them in ways we’ve never done before.”

DR. PAMELA PEEKE • Health and Fitness Expert,

Author, Scientist and General Session Guest Speaker

“I am very proud to say that we have served over 1,500organic meals just in the first year. Truly, everybody whoare going through such hardships in their lives areextremely desperate to do anything and everything theycan to feel better, so this is why I believe so much in thiscause. This is why I think it’s so important to keepEminence Kids alive and grow it as big as possible.”

BOLDIJARRE KORONCZAY • President of Éminence

Organic Skin Care and 2015 ISPA Visionary Award

Recipient

WANT TO KNOW MOREabout Éminence Kids? Visitpulse.experienceispa.com tolearn how you can be involved.


or Amy Purdy, speaking at the 2015ISPA Conference & Expo GeneralSession feels like coming full circle.

Before she lost both of her legs tomeningococcal meningitis, she workedas a 19-year-old massage therapist and

esthetician at the Canyon Ranch. “I used to[come] to this Conference, but now I’m on

stage—it’s amazing how life goes!” she says.As the first-ever double-amputee bronze medal

winner in snowboarding at the 2014 ParalympicGames, Purdy tells an amazing story of courage andresilience. “Every challenge is what forces us to look atwhat we’re really made of. It’s what makes us digdeeper and find our fire,” she says.

You are the author of your life.When Purdy contracted the near-fatal disease, she was given lessthan a two percent chance to live by her doctors. She lost aspleen, kidney functions and eventually, both of her legs had tobe amputated. “I was physically and emotionally broken.”But the hardest part has yet to come. Fitting and learning to

walk on her prosthetic legs were extremely painful and difficult atfirst, which pushed her to depression. “The thought of living therest of my life with these chunks of hardware as my legs wasdepressing. Little did I know at that time that my biggest loss willbecome my biggest asset,” she says. It was at these dark times when she felt her life swirling out of

control that she was forced to find a silver lining. “This promptedme to ask myself that very important question: If my life was a

TUESDAY’S GENERAL SESSION TAKEAWAYS

Declare Your IntentionBY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

Amy Purdy


book and I was the author, how would I want my story to go?”she says as she reflected back how she needed to let go of the“old Amy” in order to write a new chapter of her life.

Allow challenges to be stepping stones to helpyou find your creative path.Refusing to let her disability prevent her from snowboarding, shedecided to go back to the snow-capped mountains and descendthe slopes. “I remember just being so discouraged that I thought, ‘I can

walk away right now because I can’t do this,’” she recalls. But shedidn’t. Instead, she persevered and kept pushing. Realizing thather difficulty was mostly because she was wearing a pair ofprosthetic feet not customized for the sport, she asked herprosthetist to make her a pair that would help makesnowboarding possible.“That’s when I learned that the borders and obstacles in our

lives can only do two things: Stop us dead in our tracks or forceus to be creative,” she says. “We don’t have to be limited by ourcircumstances. Our circumstances can actually open up a wholeworld of unlimited possibilities.”

Declare your intention to the world.While at a speaking tour with Oprah, Purdy learned a mostvaluable lesson on the power of intention. “Not trying to dosomething. Not hoping to do something. Absolutely going outthere and doing it. Declaring your intention,” she says.When she and her husband Daniel founded Adaptive Passion

Sports, their intention was to provide resources to kids, youngadults and veterans with permanent disabilities who are intoaction sports like snowboarding and skateboarding.“Telling everyone about your intention is one of the scariest

things to do. What if we fail? It’s so much easier to keep ourhopes and dreams to ourselves. But I believe that if you declareyour intention, the universe and all the people around youconspire to help make your goal into a reality,” she says.It was also the couple’s intention to turn athletes who are part

of the program into elite competitors, in their bid to addsnowboarding into the 2014 Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia.“Standing at that podium had two meanings for me. One, it

represented all the hard work that went into my legs, training andfiguring out what I was capable of. Two, it represented the prideand gratitude of being part of a community that, no matter howhard things got, never gives up,” she says.Ultimately, the author and co-founder of apparel line Element

Eden lives a life with no regrets. “My legs haven’t disabled me. Ifanything, they have enabled me. They have forced me to rely onmy imagination and to believe in the possibilities.”

In Their Words“We are all dedicated contributors each in our ownway. The definition of ‘dedicated’ is truly being devotedto a cause. It’s not the work, it’s the purpose of workthat drives me. Share your passion, impart it freely.What I do know for sure, if you keep your eye on theball, you have a better chance of hitting the home run.”

SHARILYN ABBAJAY • Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas

SVP Spa Operations and Strategic Retail Development

and 2015 ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award Recipient

“I asked myself: Where is this [insecurity] coming from?There’s a beautiful Arab proverb that says ‘when aperson seeks his purpose, the universe conspires toanswer’. The trick of life is in knowing that you deservegoodness—knowing that you are worthy. We only findthat in each others’ eyes.”

DR. BERTICE BERRY • Transformative Speaker,

Author and General Session Guest Speaker


Find your life purpose.As a nightclub promoter in New York, Harrison seemed to have itall—a famous girlfriend, a grand piano in his apartment and anexpensive BMW. Yet, despite all the worldly gains, he feltcompletely empty. “It looked great on the outside, but on theinside, it was very dark,” he says.In his struggle to find meaning in his life, he made a radical

change. He left New York behind and all its temptations tocommit a year of service to the poor. Unfortunately, his reputationas a nightclub promoter didn’t serve him well when he first triedto apply to humanitarian organizations as a volunteer. “No onewould touch me with a ten-foot pole because I get people drunkevery night. The only one that didn’t reject me was Mercy Ships.They told me that if I paid them US$500 a month, I couldvolunteer,” he says, laughing at the thought of it now.On his second tour with Mercy Ships, he learned about the

lack of access to clean water in many poor countries. “We knowthat dirty water is the source of so much sickness in the world. In

cott Harrison, founder of charity: water,closed the 2015 ISPA Conference & ExpoGeneral Session with a powerfulmessage: We can all be part of amovement that’s powered by everydayheroes. He spoke not only of the power ofgenerosity that connects us all in the most

human level, but also of the need for radical trans-parency when it comes to giving. “What we focus on isradical transparency, trying to move the needle forward,telling people what we’ve done with their money andusing technology and data to show impact.” In his talk, he highlights at least three meaningful

insights.

WEDNESDAY’S GENERAL SESSION TAKEAWAYS

Take Part of theMovementBY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

ScottHarrison

In Their Words


fact, 56 percent of all the sickness in the developing world comesfrom dirty water,” he says.This realization has led Harrison to his life purpose: help

provide access to clean water to people who need it most. Twoyears after he volunteered for Mercy Ships, he founded charity:water.

Help tell other people’s story.“The story that has impacted me the most on a visceral level isthe story from Ethiopia of a 13-year-old girl named Letekeros,”Harrison says. Letekeros’ daily routine included an early morningwalk for water. She would get up daily while it was still pitch blackoutside, grabbed her clay pot and met up with her friend.Together, they would walk down a steep ravine so they could waitin line for hours to fill their jars with water. One day on her way back home, she slipped and fell, then

dropping and breaking her clay pot. She watched in horror aswater slipped out into the dust. Not only did she waste eighthours trying to get the water she accidentally spilled, but worse,the clay pot was a valuable asset for the family.The “shame of her carelessness” and the consequence of

leaving her mother and sister without water was too much for herto bear. “She took the rope and untangled it from the handle ofthe clay pot, threw it over a tree branch and hung herself,”Harrison recounts her story.“This story hit me at such a deep level. This is not about the

663 million people who are drinking bad water because of wherethey were born. It’s not about this huge statistics, but it’s about littlegirls with names, and feelings and hopes and dreams,” he says.

Invite people into the story.One of the creative fundraising ideas initiated by charity:water isthe idea to donate birthdays. On the first year anniversary of theorganization, Harrison gave up his birthday and asked people togive a monetary gift equivalent to his age. The idea soon caughton and people from all walks of life started donating birthdays tohelp bring clean water all over the world.Perhaps the most powerful story yet is that of nine-year-old

Rachel Beckwith, whose last wish was to give up her birthday toraise funds for charity: water. She was killed in a car accidentshortly after her ninth birthday. Her goal was to raise US$300 forcharity:water. Word of her generosity spread like wildfire andthrough people’s donations all over the world, up to US$1.2million was raised in her memory.“What this tells us as an organization is that, this story

doesn’t belong to us. This is not charity: water’s story. This is thestory of our community,” he says. “And we need to keep invitingpeople into this to bring the best of themselves, whether it’s theirbirthday or their crazy idea.” n

“As I do each year I want to remind you of your power.Every day you have the opportunity and the obligation,from my point of view, to help your clients by goingbeyond the healing therapies and services you offer. Iwant you to be leaders, counselors, advisers andfriends to your clients, their families and communities.”

DEBORAH SZEKELY • Rancho La Puerta and

WELLNESS WARRIOR Founder

“It’s the aliveness and purity of the food that ignites thealiveness and purity within us. It’s the subtlety andcomplexity of real taste—not taste covered up oraccentuated by salt or sugar or preservative—thatexcite the internal systems within us or reorganizethemselves in a healthier, more vibrant pattern.”

ALICE WATERS • Chez Panisse Founder and 2015 ISPA

Alex Szekely Humanitarian Award Recipient


AH, WHAT A JOURNEY THAT WAS!Can you recall the many adventures and

magical moments at the 2015 ISPA Conference

& Expo? From the thrill of making new friends

and reconnecting with lifelong peers, to the rush of

discovering business opportunities, this year’s event was

one heck of a fun, energizing and inspiring ride.

Oh, where to start? How about that powerful moment

when Scott Harrison, charity: water founder and General

Session keynote speaker, shared the story of Rachel Beckwith, a

nine-year-old who, after a month into her charity: water campaign,

tragically passed away in a car accident but left this world with a legacy

of generosity? Or who could forget the inspiring

story of Amy Purdy whose life is the very

definition of courage and intention?

But it wasn’t all “pass the Kleenex” moments as

there were tons of laughter and light-hearted

highlights in between. From “funny girl” Dr. Bertice

Berry to the impersonators of ISPA Visionary Award recipient

Boldijarre Koronczay and ISPA Chairman Michael Tompkins

who pranked the audience as they danced on stage, the 2015

ISPA Conference & Expo was everything we could hope for in a

life-changing adventure. So buckle up, we’re taking you along

for one last ride down memory lane!

THE PAST,

CLICKHERE TO

LAUNCH ISPA’SVIDEOS!

2015 ISPA Conference & Expo

@HHHealth: 1 bag = 1 year’s tuition fora child in a developing country. Lovethis idea. You rock, @resortsuite!

RELIVE THEMOMENT

BY MAE

MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

PHOTOGRAPHY

BY JACOB KEPLER


A WORD FROM THE WISE.Wise Voices guest speaker, Dr. GladysMcGarey, shared the stage with TheMarsh, A Center for Balance and FitnessFounder Ruth Stricker, to give attendeesvaluable nuggets of wisdom about life,healing and disease.

TECH TRENDS. Randi Zuckerbergopened the General Sessions with a timelytalk about technology trends and how theyare changing the spa landscape.

@Wellness_Org:@randizuckerberg says tech has given us somany advancements, butwe also need to #unplug.We completely agree!

PLOTTING THE JOURNEY. First-time and veteran attendees gathered for Connect &Explore—a first-timer’s intro to ISPA.

@TweetDania: First GeneralSession and the energy in the room is electric!

IT’S SHOW TIME. Attendees start their ISPA Conference & Expo journey with a warmwelcome at Registration. New this year, the selfcheck-in kiosks afforded attendees the convenience to check in and print out their own badges.

@farmgirl_fresh: Get on with your life! You are not your illness.#GladysMcGarey


BUILDING BRIDGES. Attendees had severalopportunities to build their business networks andconnect with peers, including at the ISPA ExpoReception which was sponsored by Elemis.

@CourtSyverson: Amazing week spent withold friends, meeting new friends, and collaborating with the best in the industry.

ISPA VISIONARY AWARD. ÉminenceOrganic Skin Care President Boldijarre Koronczay leftthe audience bursting into laughter with his ownbrand of wit and humor during his acceptancespeech of the 2015 ISPA Visionary Award during theGeneral Session, sponsored by HydroPeptide.

EXPO CONNECTIONS.Attendees used their Expo time tonot only discover new productsand technologies, but alsoconnect with potential resourcepartners who could give theirspas the business edge they need.

Riversong Spa: So amazing tobe in Vegas and celebratingBoldijarre’s ISPA Visionary

Award for his contributions to theindustry. The event is amazing andis exceeding my expectations!

@StefanieAMullen: Great day at #ISPA2015. So many fabulousbeauty products to get lost in. I never want to leave!

FULL PAGE AD

SECOND STAGE TALKS. Attendees flocked to the SecondStage to listen in to bite-sized talks from experts, guest speakersand industry peers on relevant business topics.


IDEAS AND INSIGHTS. With several concurrent sessions tochoose from, attendees had every opportunity to pick the educationalsessions that meet their business needs the most.

@AvantGardSpa: Lots of spa-ducation going on here,joined by spa professionals from 43 countries.

A TIME TO PAUSE.Attendees took time topause at the RelaxationArea, de-stressing whilelearning the latesttreatment protocols andscientific breakthroughsin skin care and spa treatments.

SCIENCE IN WELLNESS. Dr. Pamela Peeke helpedshed light on exciting scientific discoveries, like microbiomesand epigenetics, which affect how we view health and wellness.

@DamonCoryWatson:@PamPeekeMD talks tech,data, and science—excitingstuff at #ISPA2015.

@BodySugaringAus:Blessed to be listening to such

great minds. Innovationis everywhere.

TAKE A BREAK. When it was time to recharge and take a break,attendees huddled with peers over a cup of coffee or tea offeredduring the daily Morning Coffee, Morning Refreshers and Energy Breaks.

@bellasante: The ISPA huddle. General Session break!


STORIES FROM THEHEART. Dr. Bertice Berry rocked the General Session stage with her inspiring stories that left the audiencelaughing, inspired and energized.

@Lornamac80: Omg, thereare not enough words toexpress how amazingthat talk was!@DrBerticeBerry, youtruly are an inspiration.

@SpeakMillennium: What an inspirational keynote thismorning at #ISPA2015! Thank you @amypurdygurl for sharingyour story!

amypurdygurl: Honored to be the keynote speaker today for the #ISPA2015 Conference in Vegas! It literally is“coming home” for me. I lived in Vegas and as a massage therapist, I would come to this Conference to learnabout new products. Now, 15 years later, I am the keynote speaker! Pretty amazing how life works! #fullcircle

A TALE OF COURAGE. Amy Purdyshared a personal story of courage andresilience, telling ISPA attendees to beunafraid to declare their life purpose and touse the power of intention.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE. Red Door Spas SVP Spa Operations and Strategic RetailDevelopment Sharilyn Abbajay accepted the 2015 ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award with agrateful heart, looking back at her journey and challenging ISPA attendees to have thecourage to fail in order to succeed.

@AprilleRay: “Don’t seize themoment, let the momentseize you.” - SharilynAbbajay @ISPAConference.

@EstheMentor: AmyPurdy will make youfeel like you canconquer the world!

@SpaChappelle: @DrBerticeBerry,you have my heart WIDEopen...#deepgratitude.

ISPA Foundation's Mary Tabacchi Scholarship recipients Taylor Toreno

and Anne-Liise Verpson were all smiles as they were recognized on the

General Session stage.


OH, IT’S ON! Attendees stirred up a friendly bidding war at this year’s ISPAFoundation Live & Silent Auctions as they outbid peers for a chance to win excitingproducts, one-of-a-kind collectibles and Great Escapes generously donated by the ISPAcommunity. This year’s auctioneers—Dr. Bertice Berry, Keith Howard and JeanKolb—helped raise the stakes.

@LECSpaEquipment: Join the LiveAuction at #ISPA2015. There are manyinteresting things.



CHANGING HOW WE EAT. ChezPanisse founder and food revolutionary AliceWaters accepted the 2015 ISPA HumanitarianAward with grace and humility, challengingthe ISPA community to help spark a love forclean and sustainable food choices in orderto nourish the mind, body and soul.

AGENT OF CHANGE. charity: water founder ScottHarrison closed the General Session with his moving story ofcourage to heed the call for personal redemption and bringclean water—one of life’s most basic necessities—into thelives of those who need it most.

@LiveLoveSpa: Not a dry eye in the room!Thank you @scottharrison for inspiring us allto make a change!

@RannonGale: @scottharrison,thank you for giving

such an amazingspeech this morning at #ISPA2015. Can’t wait to donate my nextbirthday.

@dfiske: Real food fans theflames for our bodies to

regenerate. @AliceWaters


EXPLORE THE PAST, RELIVE THE MOMENT


KEEP CALM AND PARTY ON. ISPA attendees partiedthe night away as they wrapped up the 2015 ISPA Conference &Expo with a fun Farewell Party at LIGHT Nightclub sponsored byTechnogym.

Cheers! Attendees raised their glasses to another successful ISPA Conference & Expo.

jamuspa: #ISPA2015Conference just keeps gettingbetter & better! #spalife

@spasofamerica: Kudos to all participantsfor an incredible #ISPA2015! Save thedate Sept 13-15, 2016 for #ISPA2016.

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Phytomer Group Brands

Sanitas Skincare

Spa Week Media Group, Ltd.

SpaRitual

THALGO America

SILVERAMSkier Agency Inc.

Bio Natural Inc dba BioRepublic SkinCare

COOLA Suncare

Element Eden

Éminence Organic Skin Care

FarmHouse Fresh

Grounded Beauty

LEMI GROUP

Mio Skincare

Natura Bisse International

Organic Male OM4

Skin Authority

WebMD

Zents Body Care

BRONZEAmerican Spa Magazine

Coastal Salt & Soul

EuroSpa Aromatics

Impact Cryotherapy

Intrinsics

Kneipp

Max Pack & Apple Display

Organic Spa Magazine

RevitaLash

Savvy Travelers

Skin Inc. Magazine

Youngblood MineralCosmetics

Thank You for the Love


THE VENETIAN, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

SEPT. 13 - 15, 2016TUESDAY-THURSDAY

2016 ISPA CONFERENCE & EXPO

Special Pulse Advertising Supplement

BUILDING A STANDOUT

BRAND

What are the key benefits offered by your product?

The VitaSkin™ Exfoliating Peels are a collection of natural

peel solutions that complement the existing routine for each

of the four VitaSkin™ pillars: Firm, Bright, Calm, and Clear.

These results-oriented home-care peels, formulated

with alpha hydroxy acids and natural active ingre-

dients, deliver visible results without the need for

downtime.

SPECIAL PULSE ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

What are the key benefits offered by your product?

Please prepare to melt! Pure shea, cocoa and mango

butters have been combined into our richest, solid

scrumptiousness that melts on contact with skin,

resulting in a massage oil that is heat-retaining, sultry and

pourable. Scented with all-natural sugar-plum rose, it’s just

beautiful for winter treatments.

How do you encourage your team to be your brand’s biggest advocate? “We use feedback and ideas from our

employees in the development of new products. This gets everyone on board because our employees know we are working to

develop products which provide the solutions we are all looking for. We also invite all of our employees to participate in our

charitable causes, including volunteering at Éminence Kids’ soup nights.”

— Boldijarre Koronczay, President

How do you encourage your team to be your brand’s biggest advocate? “We are such fans of our own creations because

each product begins with our true loves—good food and drinks. Our epicurean focus makes us a dream-factory of new

product development, so the hardest part for our team is not advocacy, but the waiting time between concept and launch.”

— Shannon McLinden, President and Founder

What makes your brand a standout? Éminence products are

proudly free of parabens, animal by-products, propylene glycol,

sodium lauryl sulfates, harmful colorants and

fragrances, mineral oils, petroleum, and other

harsh cosmetic chemicals. They are also

handmade without any severe heating or

hydrogenating processes that can affect

the nutritional content and potency of

natural ingredients.

Éminence Organic Skin CareFirm Skin Acai Exfoliating Peeleminenceorganics.com | 1.888.747.6342

What makes your brand a standout? “FarmHouse

Fresh natural and organic spa products and celebra-

tional treatments smell delicious. They also use

regional ingredients harvested from U.S. farms like

organic pumpkin puree. FarmHouse Fresh products

were voted by American Spamagazine readers as one of

the “Top 5 Favorite Body Care Lines” in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

FarmHouse FreshPlum Chiffon Shea Butter All-Purpose Balmfarmhousefreshgoods.com | 1.888.773.9626


What are the key benefits offered by your

product? GrandeLASH-MD is a seven-time award-

winning eyelash conditioning serum that enhances your

natural lashes while making them look longer, thicker

and fuller in just four to six weeks.

What makes your brand a standout? Grande

Naturals, LLC offers a 90-day money back guarantee on

all products as our way of assuring customers that every

product works. Every product is not only intended as a

cosmetic but serves a purpose to make users feel more

youthful and beautiful.

What are the key benefits offered by your

product? Our products contain ingredients like

glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, exfoliating

peptide and mushroom enzyme. Resurface,

clarify, brighten and smooth away the appearance

of wrinkles with five powerful daily exfoliators. A

retinoic-like peptide accelerates brightening and

anti-aging results. Anti-redness peptides and

antioxidant-rich red and green teas soothe the

skin and quench free radicals.

What makes your brand a standout?

HydroPeptide leads the anti-aging skin-care

industry with a proprietary clean science

approach that delivers unparalleled results by

combining more than 70 botanicals and antioxi-

dants with over 60 unique peptides, including a

probiotic peptide preservative system.

HydroPeptide retail products and professional

treatment solutions are available worldwide in

finer spas and dermatology offices.

Grande Naturals, LLCGrandeLASH-MDgrandelash.com | 1.877.835.3010

HydroPeptide5X Power Peelhydropeptide.com | 1.800.932.9873

How do you encourage your team to be your

brand’s biggest advocate? “I know that my products

work and I encourage my employees to use

them and share their excitement about

them with friends and family. The

support for Grande Naturals grows

because these products work and

succeed in making users feel bold

and beautiful.”

— Alicia Grande, Founder and CEO

How do you encourage your team to be your brand’s biggest advocate? “Practice what you preach! If my team does

not believe I am the biggest brand advocate, they will never buy into what I want them to do. Genuine excitement in the

mission, goal and objectives by your leader has an enormous impact on your team’s excitement to go out and do the work.”

— Neal Kitchen, VP of Strategy & Development


What makes your brand a standout? Pevonia is made in the

USA with European heritage. Empowering professionals with

unique, exceptionally crafted formulas, Pevonia is a clinically

proven, award-winning natural skin care that takes pride of its

advanced manufacturing and delivery systems for optimum

absorbency. It boasts of unprecedented support via dedicated

account executives and technical/practical/business-building

training from multi-licensed, industry-leading educators. Pevonia

is a market pioneer and global leader—126 countries strong!

What are the key benefits offered by your product? Phytomer’s biotech-

nological innovations offer a comprehensive approach to anti-aging with our

new XMF WHITE Skin Translucency Cream—the perfect cream to even out skin

tone, erase dark spots and smooth out wrinkles.

What makes your brand a standout? Phytomer is one of the only spa

brands with our own laboratory where we research and manufacture our own

exclusive active ingredients and cosmetic formulas to offer cutting-edge spa

experiences and products that deliver remarkable, instant results.

Phytomer Group BrandsPHYTOMER XMF WHITE Skin Translucency Creamphytomerusa.com | 1.800.227.8051

How do you encourage your team to be your brand’s biggest advocate? “I encourage my team through a unified

vision and powerful flow of ongoing communication! By keeping our entire organization abreast of all corporate initiatives,

philanthropic outreach, education, sales and marketing efforts, we empower them to remain connected and engaged with

the company and brand at all times. We are all passionate ‘Pevoniacs!’”

— Philippe Hennessy, President/CEO

How do you encourage your team to be your brand’s biggest advocate? “Our team is passionate in creating solutions

to the needs and challenges of our spa partners and in helping them become successful and profitable. Delivering these

solutions while supplying natural, pure and sustainable products allows our partners to experience instant skin-care results

that they can feel good about.”

— Lenette Casper, President

What are the key benefits offered by your product? A revolutionary

product, these plant stem cells-based and high-performing products are

perfect for in-spa treatment and at-home maintenance. Featuring a duo-

dermal target repair technology, the extraordinary three-in-one

exfoliating, contouring and regenerating wellness therapy infuses

skin with the latest de-aging actives and natural stem cells to

dissolve unwanted fat and cellulitic deposits, reduce skin

sagging and repair sun damage.

Pevonia International, LLCStem Cells Phyto-Elite® Intensive Body Corrector Treatmentpevoviapro.com | 1.800.PEVONIA


What are the key benefits offered by your product? RevitaLash

Advanced Eyelash Conditioner is the heart of the RevitaLash brand

and features our most innovative technology for lash beauty. Our

proprietary technology, BioPeptin Complex®, helps condition the

lashes and defend against breakage and brittleness for more

dramatic and luxurious eyelashes.

What makes your brand a standout? The RevitaLash

brand started as a single product that revolutionized the

beauty industry. We created a new category with our

ground-breaking technology and helped thousands

of women feel more confident and beautiful. In

2016, we will celebrate 10 years in business and

feel fortunate that we are known as a company

with a heart—trusted for safety, performance

and beautiful lashes.

What are the key benefits offered by

your product? ResortSuite WEB is a

unique, integrated booking engine that

provides a “one-stop shop” for guests to

book real-time accommodations, spa

services/ treatments, activities/classes, golf

tee times, ski lift tickets, purchase gift

certificates and view online member state-

ments. The ResortSuite Activity Scheduler

will now allow guests to view scheduled classes, events, activities, programs

and more in a highly visual, weekly view to allow guests to easily plan their

stay itinerary.

RevitaLashRevitalash® Advanced Eyelash Conditionerrevitalash.com | 1.877.909.5274

How do you encourage your team to be your brand’s biggest advocate? “Many members of the ResortSuite team have

actually come from a hospitality background. They understand the ins and outs of our customer’s businesses and really strive to

make the product work for them. Our team believes in our product and we are constantly brainstorming innovations to push

the boundaries of guest-experience technology.”

— Frank Pitsikalis, Founder & CEO

How do you encourage

your team to be your

brand’s biggest

advocate? “We

educate our team on our

unique heritage and

inspire through the funda-

mental philosophies that we have held since our

inception—to draw forth natural beauty through

the creation of highly innovative products

utilizing best practices in quality and safety. Each

team member carries this ethos forward, creating

a strong network for success and growth.”

— Dr. Michael Brinkenhoff,

Founder/President and CEO

What makes your brand a

standout? The ResortSuite brand is

synonymous with top-level

integration and stellar customer care.

ResortSuite SPA can stand alone as a

best of breed spa software and can

also integrate within the ResortSuite

suite of modules, as well as very

tightly with other popular PMS

solutions, such as OPERA and LMS. Our team takes a lot of pride in listening to

our customers’ needs and using their feedback to continue to innovate and

grow ResortSuite.

ResortSuiteResortSuiteresor tsuite.com | 1.866.4RSUITE


What makes your brand stand out? Grounded Beauty Massage Table Pads helpto prevent work-related inflammation in massage therapists and estheticians’ bodies.Over a period of 15 years, Earth FX Inc., with researchers from five different univer-sities, performed and published 18 peer-reviewed studies which showed howgrounding prevents inflammation and stress. Grounding your massage tables is animportant new tool to help maintain a long, happy and healthy career.

What exciting new product did your company showcase at the 2015 ISPA

Conference & Expo? Grounded Beauty offers major health and beauty results withno extra work. Grounded Beauty Silver Pillow Cases, made with silky silver fiber fabrics,reduce inflammation and promote facial skin blood flow. A perfect product to helpgenerate new revenue, Grounded Beauty Massage Table Pads drains static and stressfrom clients’ bodies. This reduces inflammation in massage therapists and estheticians’bodies. Results are immediate and evident.

How did your sponsorship at the 2015 ISPA Conference & Expo help

create business opportunities for your brand? We were able to have a sampleof our new Grounded Beauty Pillow Case delivered to every attendee’s hotel rooms atthe Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino so they could experience better sleep while at theISPA Conference & Expo. It was a fabulous way to market the product!

2015 ISPA CONFERENCE & EXPOAdditional Silver Sponsors AS OF OCTOBER 21, 2015

AMSkier Agency Inc.The Daily Pulse, Monday’s Edition

AMSKIER.COM • 1.570.226.4571

Grounded BeautyThe Daily Pulse, Wednesday’s Edition

GROUNDEDBEAUTYWHOLESALE.COM

1.888.223.8454

What makes your brand stand out? Now in the third generation of familyleadership, AMSkier partners with clients to provide first-class insurance supported by“Broad Shoulders, Bright Ideas.” AMSkier is a distinguished insurance resource andtrue, caring partner dedicated to creating a culture of safety for its clients—whether it’sbusiness or personal insurance and exclusive worldwide program for children’s campsor leading spas and resorts.

What exciting new product or service are you showcasing this year? Afteryears of partnering with resorts, spas and hotels on a regional basis, AMSkier haslaunched a world-class partnership for leading resorts and spas across the country. Wehave created an inspired insurance program with cost-reduction strategies for workers’compensation, reduced health-care costs with approved providers and proven preventionstrategies, and workplace safety best practices that improve claim outcomes.


create business opportunities for your brand? The 2015 ISPA Conference &Expo was a great venue to meet spa owners across the country and introduceAMSkier’s new, national spa and resort insurance program.

What makes your brand stand out? Natura Bissé’s continued commitment to

research, development and innovation has resulted in the creation of exceptional

lines based on the use of the highest concentrations of highly effective ingre-

dients and new textures. All of these lines are developed with cutting-edge

technology that has become the trademark feature of Natura Bissé’s identity and

prestige.

What exciting new product did your company showcase at the 2015 ISPA

Conference & Expo? Natura Bissé presents Oxygen Body Perfection, a purifying

ritual that revitalizes and deeply hydrates to restore the skin’s beauty and

freshness. Utilizing powerful ingredients such as quinoa extract, chia oil, spirulina

algae and artichoke extract, this body-revitalizing experience eliminates toxins,

reduces fluid retention and provides an excellent source of antioxidants to the

skin.


create business opportunities for your brand? ISPA always provides a

wonderful platform for Vendors and Buyers to strengthen existing relationships

and create new ones. Natura Bissé loves and welcomes all opportunities to share

with all attendees the latest innovation through beauty and luxury skin-care.

Natura BisséInternationalMorning Coffee

NATURABISSE.COM • 1.972.791.1500


PULSE: Why is goal-setting important in any business?Tanya Chernova: Goals are essential to propel ourselvesthrough life and carve out certainty from the unknown. Theyserve as motivations to keep on working, learning, giving andcreating. They serve as landmarks on how far we have come, howmuch we have grown and how much we have achieved. Studies have proven over and again that people and

businesses with clear goals achieve more over their lifetime andhave a higher rate of happiness and fulfillment. As humans, thefeeling of success propels us forward. Setting and achievingshort-term goals energize us as individuals and as a team. Itreassures us, that despite the unknowns, what we are doing isworking. This gives us the courage to keep risking and growing.

P: Can you share at least three of the most essential thingsto keep in mind when setting goals?C: First, set purpose-driven goals that reflect the mission of yourspa. A task-driven goal such as “smile at every guest” makesthem feel robotic and doesn’t create an authentic connection tothe “why.” A purpose-driven goal to achieve the same outcomeis to say: “It’s our goal to make every guest feel welcome, safe andrelaxed; that’s why we begin every visit with a loving and genuinesmile.” Task-driven goals can feel like a burden. Purpose-drivengoals feel inspiring and encourage us to grow. Second, set clear expectations and provide an example so the

team can visually connect to what the outcome looks like. Inother words, role play the scenario you wish to see in your spa soeveryone has a common vision of what you are looking for.

ASK THE EXPERT

Finally, find a fun or creative way to follow up or check in ona daily basis (or help them self-evaluate their performance). Anynew habit requires reinforcement from the beginning until itbecomes a neuronal pattern in the subconscious mind.

P: How can managers ensure that employee goals arealigned with the company’s overall strategy and mission?C: Set goals that feel inspiring when others hear them. Begin yoursentence with “At ______ spa, our mission is to…. Therefore, ourgoal is to….”

P: Can you share some tips on how to regularly track goals? C: Goals are set in the conscious mind, which is engaged in onlyone to five percent of our day. Ninety-five to 99 percent of thetime we are in the default, automatic subconscious mind. Wesimply forget the new thing that’s required of us if it isn’t top ofmind. Find an easy way for team members to review their goals at

least once a day. If you can, make it a mantra, a song or a rhymeso it’s easier for team members to make a connection.Make the time to meet one-on-one at least once a month and

to have daily team huddles that last no longer than three minutesto remind teams to focus on the spa mission and how achievingtheir goals make a difference.

TANYA CHERNOVA returned at this year’s ISPA

Conference & Expo as a Professional Development Session

(PDS) speaker to tackle the importance of goal-setting and

its role in achieving success. “Each business begins with a

vision for success. Goals help us chart our course toward

the fulfillment of this dream in small, manageable and

measurable steps,” Chernova says.

Here, she dives deeper to share practical tips on how to

set goals, track milestones and measure success.

TANYA CHERNOVA

MISSED CHERNOVA at this year’s ISPA Conference & Expo?Purchase the PDS Audio Recordings to hear all of the educa-tional sessions, including Chernova’s talk on goal-setting.

P: What are some of the common measurement metrics toconsider when measuring goal success?C: Every goal has key performance indicators such as number ofguests seen per day, number of retail units sold per guest,percentage pre-booked, increase in average service ticket, and soon. The key is to look at the goal and ask yourself: “What are theindicators that prove I am moving in the right direction orachieving my result?”

P: How important is reward in motivating employees tomeet their goals?C: Rewards are subjective. Find out what motivates your teamand do more of that. I highly recommend reading The 5 LoveLanguages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapmanand Paul White.

Always find time to give meaningful acknowledgment as everyperson inherently wants to know they matter. Purpose-drivengoals create internal fulfillment with less requirement for materialreward. Task-driven goals—or goals that generate money requirecompensation. Commissions, bonuses or gifts have to be enoughto count. Sometimes, fear or apathy holds people back fromtrying so the reward has to outweigh these two emotions. n

How to Help andMotivate Employees Noton Track in Meeting GoalsAsk them to explain the goal to see what their

perspective of it is. It is likely that they don’t see

the big picture. Ask them to reformulate the goal

so they feel they own it.

Help them write down the exact step-by-step

process they have taken to achieve their goals

and find out where the breakdown may be.

Discover what is sabotaging them. What are

the negative thoughts or obstacles in their way?

What are their core beliefs? What new self-talk or

habits will they need to form in order to succeed

more consistently?

What support do they require? Each person

requires something a little different. Ask them

what the best way is to keep them on track.

Apps That Help Track Goalsand Form New Habits

irunurun.com habitlist.com stridesapp.com

goalsontrack.com nozbe.com

lifetick.com

WHAT ARE SOME of the common mistakes managers make when setting employee goals? Click here toread more insights from Chernova.


STEWART GRIFFITH TouchAmerica Inc. • Mebane, North Carolina

SUCCESS STORIES

S ometimes, a business opportunity may be sparked by astroke of romantic serendipity. This is how theTouchAmerica Inc. story was born. The idea for the

business came when TouchAmerica Inc. President StewartGriffith first met his wife Robin Zill at a party. “She had justbecome a massage therapist and didn’t have a massage table,”Griffith recalls. “So I offered to build her a portable massagetable—hoping to get a date!”

Filling the GapThe couple soon saw a business opportunity to serve a youngbut growing spa industry in the early 1980s. Griffith and Zilleventually decided to take advantage of the burgeoning spaindustry and launched TouchAmerica Inc. in 1983.“TouchAmerica Inc. identified the need for quality massagetables and spa equipment,” Griffith says. “We knew we wereuniquely positioned to serve this booming market.”

Today, the company has grown from a small-town portablemassage table manufacturer into a global supplier of wellnessfurniture and equipment. Aside from its factory located inNorth Carolina, the company also has international partners,specifically in China, as part of its global expansion strategy.TouchAmerica Inc. has teamed up with Double DragonFurniture Factory to provide outside U.S. clientele originalequipment manufacturer (OEM) and customized products andsolutions.

“Beyond manufacturing, we have become a 360-degreesolutions provider for longtime customers like Aveda, HyattHotels Corporation and Starwood Hotels & Resorts WorldwideInc. We are honored these high-profile companies look to us tooffer innovative ways to bring spa and wellness services to thepublic,” he says.

Focus on SustainabilityTouchAmerica Inc. and its overseas operation, TouchInternational, strive to embrace sustainability in all aspects of itsoperations.

“From the original TouchAmerica Inc. massage table made

from a salvagedshipping pallet, to ourfirst manufacturingfacility located in a re-commissioned textile mill, we have a deepcommitment to preserving the environment,” Griffith says. “Atthe request of our longtime clients Estee Lauder, Aveda andL’Oreal, TouchAmerica and Touch International are frequentlyaudited for environmental and social compliance. We alwayspass with flying colors!”

One of the most challenging times for the company, and forGriffith personally, was the passing of Robin, his wife of 25 years.“Robin’s passing in 2007 from cancer was pivotal for the entirecompany,” Griffith says. “Robin was a driving force in the spaindustry. A founding ISPA Board member, she holds the title ofbeing the only spa professional to be honored with both the ISPAVisionary Award and ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award.”

Continuing the LegacyCarrying on her mother’s legacy of social consciousness isdaughter Aubrey, who is the driving force behind GlobalTouchProgram, TouchAmerica Inc.’s charitable initiative. “I’m proudthat my son, Hart, and daughter, Aubrey, are part of the business,continuing on the path Robin and I forged with that first massagetable more than 30 years ago,” Griffith says.

To help envision creative wellness solutions for spas, salons,lodging and retail, the company formed an advisory board. “Theboard represents the top echelon of spa developers, designers,architects, operators and suppliers—including former ISPAChairman Deborah Waldvogel, current ISPA Board member BlakeFeeney, and former ISPA Board members Cheryl Hartsough, ThorHolm and Diane Trieste,” he says.

When it comes to secret to longevity and success, Griffithsays it’s important to focus on the customer. “Support yourcustomers with innovative products that match their currentneeds. Listen to them constantly for feedback and new ideas,” hesays. “In addition, stand behind your work. Don’t shy away fromadmitting a mistake and correcting it. And don’t ever give up. Youcan’t lose if you don’t quit.” n

From Small-town to Global Brand

Inspiring Tales ofStartups, Growth andOvercomingHardships

ISPA Full Page Ad_111915R.indd 1 11/19/15 2:23 PM


ISPA FOUNDATION

OFFICERS

CHAIRMAN Frank PitsikalisResortSuite

VICE CHAIRMAN Sharilyn AbbajayRed Door Spas

DIRECTORSTodd ShawISPA Vice Chairman

Michael TompkinsISPA Chairman

Lynne McNees ISPA President

MEDICAL ADVISORBrent Bauer, M.D.Mayo Clinic

HONORARY BOARD MEMBERSRuth StrickerThe Marsh, A Center for Balance and Fitness

Deborah SzekelyWELLNESS WARRIOR

The ISPA Foundation wishes to thank the following supporters for their generous contributions:

LUMINARY

Ruth Stricker

BENEFACTOR

Dr. Howard Murad

PATRON

Massage Envy Franchising, LLC

Red Door Spas

FOUNDATION

ISPA FOUNDATIONBOARD OFDIRECTORS

2016

HANDING OVER THE REINS

JEFF KOHL: When I first stepped into the ISPA Foundation chairman role off the heels of past ISPAFoundation Chairman and SpaBiz President Edwin Neill, I was most eager to build upon key initiatives likeeducation and research, which help to strengthen ISPA’s voice in the industry. As I hand over the reins toyou, what do you look forward to achieve as the new ISPA Foundation chairman?FRANK PITSIKALIS: The ISPA Foundation must continue to provide the industry with the vital researchand education it needs to grow and help identify exciting new opportunities. I look forward to working withspa leaders, resource partners, sponsors and complementary organizations to help fund new initiatives thatwill provide our industry with the resources to continue to grow.

K: In the past years, we’ve successfully extended mentorship opportunities to ISPA Foundation MaryTabacchi Scholarship recipients. What ISPA Foundation-led initiatives do you envision that could furtherhelp develop future spa leaders?P: I believe the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship has been such an important initiative for ISPA to help engageyoung, potential leaders in our industry. The selection process alone is a special opportunity for our futureleaders to engage with so many amazing and established leaders who dedicate their time to the process toselect and mentor the new graduates. I believe we can continue to find new opportunities to inspire strong,young leaders to realize that the spa industry is a wonderful industry to be a part of. If we want to continueto grow as an industry, our best and brightest must stay engaged and inspired.

K: It’s amazing to think ISPA turned 25 this year. If you can go on a time-machine, how do you envisionanother 25 years of ISPA’s history?P: I foresee such exciting times ahead for ISPA in the next 25 years. As year after year, I see strong leadersfrom around the world join the ISPA Board and our committees, I can’t help but think about what theirunique brand of leadership will do to continue to strengthen our association and our industry. I see ISPAdoing many more events and initiatives globally so that many more spa professionals around the world willfind more opportunities to leverage our resources and ensure a vital global spa community is that muchcloser together with the help of ISPA.

Immediate Past ISPA

Foundation Chairman

Jeff Kohl welcomes

Frank Pitsikalis into

his new role as ISPA

Foundation chairman.

In a friendly chat, Kohl

connects with Pitsikalis

to talk about his vision for

the ISPA Foundation and

its initiatives.

TO READ MORE, click here. Plus, be sure to visit biddingforgood.comto join the ISPA Foundations' monthly online auctions. This month's

auctions features products by Elemis.


ALife!

The life of a spa professional is a continuous cycle of dailyresponsibilities that help make the spa world go round. Pulseasks ISPA members to give us a sneak peek into their dailylives to help us understand the roles they play and the difference they make on a daily basis.in the

directors or owners who received thetreatment on-site eventually becameclients.

Today, Brown juggles her timebetween expanding the businessclientele, keeping track of inventory,providing support to staff members andmost importantly, spending quality timewith family.H 6:30 am Speed-walks for 25 minutes,followed by an hour of hot barre class atSpa Shiki where she also works as spadirector. H 9 am Takes a cup of BulletproofDecaf coffee with coconut butter whileplanning three tasks to accomplish forthe day. “I try to complete two to threetasks each day, keeping in mind the sizeof the task and knowing that some aremore of an on-going project.”H 10 am Sets a priority list for emails

and checks retail orders that need to beshipped.H 12:30 pm Lunch with the husband.“He works very close by. Having lunchtogether gives us time to catch upsince we have a 10- and an 11-year-oldwho want us to give them most of ourattention.”H 1 pm Takes a look at inventory levelsto ensure that future orders are fulfilledin a timely manner.H 2 pm Checks emails. “I usually havea daily chat with our PR person to goover any opportunities to get socialmedia exposure or editorial space.”H 4 pm Picks up the kids from school. “Ihead home with them after school threedays a week to do fun stuff like kayakingor jet-skiing since we live close to a lake.The other two days, I work as efficientlyas I can to tie up any loose ends. n

Day BY CHRISTINA BUSWELL

When Saltability CEOand Spa Shiki SpaDirector Ann Brownsaw the waste and the

toxic chemicals used in cleaning uphot stones after a traditional hot stonemassage treatment, a business ideastruck her. Why not create aninnovative product that not onlyprovides the therapeutic benefits ofhand-carved Himalayan salt stones butalso eliminates waste and the time-consuming cleanup? It was then thatshe started working with anengineering company to create an eco-friendly, nontoxic warmer that requiresno water to heat up mineral-richHimalayan salt stones. This, in theprocess, required no heavy cleanupafter a hot stone massage treatment.

Saltability, among many ISPA Exposuccess stories, was launched at the2014 ISPA Conference & Expo. “Mymotto is ‘go big or go home,’” Brownsays, referring to her decision to launchher company. During the launch, theybrought in two therapists whoperformed specialized treatments toattendees. Eight out of the 10 spa

l Day-to-day challenges: “Not getting distracted and staying on mymission of accomplishing two to three goals a day is often the mostchallenging part of my day. I have come to realize that there is as much ofan entrepreneur in my head as a manager—-and those are two verydifferent hats to wear. Sometimes I just need to give myself a minute tofigure out which one to put on and which one to take off.”

l Time-management: “I am quite mindful to stay productive especially asI grow my own business. I am even more mindful to give back to myselfafter a very busy day and that might include yoga, walking, kayaking, aHimalayan detox bath or some reading.”

l Most rewarding part: “Seeing new clients fall in love with usingHimalayan salt stones and salts for spa treatments.”

ANN BROWNCEO, Saltability

Spa Director, Spa Shiki


CHECK YOUR INBOX for the next Snapshot Survey link and participate in the survey to receive the full monthly results.

The monthly Snapshot Survey gives ISPA members the opportunity to participate in useable

and relevant industry research. September’s survey asked members to share ways they

keep their treatment and retail product lines fresh and up-to-date. The spa industry is

constantly evolving and the survey results provided a very encouraging picture of an

industry that is constantly striving to keep up with trends and exceed customer expectations.

Eighty percent of respondents said they are looking to add or change retail product lines while 63

percent are looking to change their treatment offerings. The report also outlined creative incentives

implemented by spa respondents to help motivate staff members to sell, including contests, gift certifi-

cates, monthly round tables and bonuses.

Resource partners, on the other hand, tend to focus on strategic marketing and rollouts for their new

products. Education is their other area of focus, as new products require training to sell effectively.

Worldwide Human Rights Day

Last day to complete DecemberSnapshot Survey

International Children’s Day

Last day of Hanukkah

December Snapshot Survey resultsavailable


16

24-31

DECEMBER 2015December is...l World HIV/AIDS Awareness Month

l Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month

l Universal Human Rights Month

World AIDS Day

First Day of Hanukkah

National Pastry Day (U.S.)9

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ISPA offices closed for the winter holidays

ISPA NEWS

Start 2016 with a Clean (and Updated) Listing!

When did you last update your ISPA member profile?

Help ISPA ensure that we have the most up-to-date

information for you and your company by taking a

few minutes this month to check your listing. Remember, this is

how fellow industry peers and spa-goers can connect with you.

UPDATE YOUR MEMBER PROFILE1. Log on to experienceispa.com.

2. Click “Manage My Account” in the top-right corner under the My Account button.

3. Use the Edit button to change any information.

The Gift that Keeps on GivingThe Professional Development Session (PDS) Audio Recordingsfrom the 2015 ISPA Conference & Expo are a great resource toshare with your team and help generate fresh ideas and inspi-ration for your business! Whether you missed this year’s ISPAConference or were only able to attend to a few of the sessions,this complete package allows 24/7 access to a wealth of expertinsights and information. Visit experienceispa.com to purchasethis educational tool which can help guide your business!

Boxing Day(the U.K., Barbados, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, Bermuda, New Zealand, Kenya, South Africa, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago)

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Christmas Day

New Year’s Eveand National Champagne Day


1. Male Factor. Elemis added Anti-Fatigue Day Creamand Anti-Fatigue Eye Gel to its Men skin-care collection. Themoisturizing day cream contains Amazonian Pracaxi oil thatregulates imbalances in the skin’s hydration levels. The eye gelcontains sugar-beet Betain, yeast extract and Golden Root toreduce signs of fatigue. ELEMIS.COM | 1.866.643.0856

2. Alligator Totes. Action Bag Company’s embossed

alligator-textured and reinforced grommet rope handle bags

offer an upscale appeal. Available in two sizes and in black orwhite. ACTIONBAG.COM | 1.800.824.2247

3. High-Class Relaxation. Gharieni Group’s Corian®

Collection, which consists of the wellness table MO1, thedesigner table Libra for hydro treatments and the new multifunctional PediSpa. The Corian Collection is made of asolid, non-porous material by DuPont™. GHARIENI.COM | 0.2841.88.300.0

4. All-day Wear. Osmosis Pur Medical Skincare’s Longwear

Lipstick comes in eight shades, each with advanced mineralpigment color for intense vibrancy and a matte, cashmere softfinish. OSMOSISSKINCARE.COM | 1.877.777.2305

5. Turn Back the Hands of Time. Vie USA’s

TIME CONTROL Deep Wrinkles EGF Serum is a high-tech anti-aging serum packed with an Epidermal Growth Factors(EGF)-mimicking peptide to reprogram the youthful functionsof the skin. VIEUSA.COM | 1.877.843.0800

6. S.O.S. Dry skin? Kerstin Florian International’sWinter Rescue Kit contains Travel Neroli CleansingMilk, Travel Neroli Water, Travel Rescue Crème andEye Rescue Sachet, At-Home Peel Pad Sheet andBrightening Eye Crème Sachet in TSA-approvedsizes, making the kit perfect for holiday travels! KERSTINFLORIAN.COM | 1.888.537.7846

7. Inspiring Reads. New Harbinger Publications

releases a collection of gift-perfect books, includingReady, Set, Breathe: Practicing Mindfulness with YourChildren for Fewer Meltdowns and a More Peaceful Familyby Carla Naumburg, Ph.D. and Big: The Little Book of Change by Amy Johnson, Ph.D.

NEWHARBINGER.COM | 1.510.652.0215

8. Hand Rejuvenation. Jan Marini Skin Research Inc.’s

Marini Luminate Hand Cream helps to improve texture,brighten overall skin tone, decrease the appearance of wrinklesand lighten the appearance of pigment. JANMARINI.COM | 1.800.347.2223

9. Supreme Nourishment. Phytomer Group Brand’s

Pionnierre XMF Perfection Youth Rich Cream combines breakthrough biotechnological anti-aging power with a lipid-replenishing marine oil for intense nourishing and moisturizing. PHYTOMERUSA.COM | 1.801.284.8200

10. No-Rinse Body Treatment. Makes Scents Natural

Spa Line’s “Versatile” Body Treatment Line offers spas theoption to offer body treatments without the need for rinsing.MAKESCENTSSPALINE.COM | 1.717.824.3094

Looking for productsto add to your spa orretail list? Here are some good finds.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

FINDS

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Lynne McNees • President

[email protected] • 1.859.226.4260

Crystal Ducker • Vice President

of Research & Communications


Katherine Blake • Project Manager


Megan Browning • Marketing Manager


Jennifer Duckworth • Senior Director of Events


Tara Finn • Sales Manager


Sarah Harmon • Customer Experience Manager


Allie Hembree • Public Relations Manager


ISPA STAFFProudly serving ISPA and the ISPA Foundation

MISSION ISPA advances the spa industry by providing

invaluable educational and

networking opportunities,

promoting the value of the spa

experience and speaking as the

authoritative voice to foster

professionalism and growth.

VISION To be the leader inpromoting and enhancing the

well-being of the spa industry and

the people it serves.

Kerri Keefer • Director of Exhibitor Relations


Briana Lee • Project Manager


Mae Mañacap-Johnson • Editor


Allison Martin • Membership Account Executive


Tara Salah Eldin • Project Coordinator


Amber Phillips • Events Manager


Ashley Roberts • Project Coordinator


Samantha Smith • Project Manager


Elyse Vincent • Membership Manager



Älsa Energy 311.844.438.2572alsaenergy.com

AM Skier Agency Inc. 591.570.226.4571amskier.com

Bed of Nails 451.424.442.0660bedofnails.org

Chaleur Beauty By Forever YoungIntellectual Property, LLC 131.844.242.5387foreveryoungintellectualproperty.com/chaleur/

CND 611.800.833.6245cnd.com

Coastal Salt & Soul 631.310.321.7845coastalsaltandsoul.com

Éminence Organic Skin CareIFC, 11.888.747.6342eminenceorganics.com

ESPA International (US) Ltd. 171.888.705.0102us.espaskincare.com

FarmHouse Fresh INSERT1.888.773.9626farmhousefreshgoods.com

Fitness on Demand 251.877.474.0505fitnessondemand247.com

G.M. Collin Skincare 111.800.341.1531gmcollin.com

HydraFacial MD – Edge Systems LLC BC1.800.603.4996skinhealthforlife.com

HydroPeptide 91.800.932.9873hydropeptide.com

AD INDEX

Bold indicates year-round Pulse advertisers and 2015 ISPA Conference & ExpoSponsors.

ISPA would like to thank the following Pulseadvertisers for their support of the association:

ISPA Welcomes New Membersto the ISPA Community

Matrix Fitness 51.866.693.4863matrixfitness.com

Natura Bisse International 591.972.791.1500naturabisse.com

Nelly De Vuyst 231.800.263.8888derme.ca

Noel Asmar Group Inc. 491.800.772.1408noelasmaruniforms.com

PCA Skin IBC1.877.722.7546pcaskin.com

Phytomer Group Brands 271.800.227.8051phytomerusa.com

ResortSuite 31.866.477.8483resortsuite.com

Sonäge Skin Care 571.818.772.1490sonage.com

Sothys USA Inc. 71.305.594.4222sothys-usa.com

SpaRitual 20, 211.818.988.2228sparitual.com

Spa Week Media Group, Ltd. 431.212.352.8098spaweek.com

True Results 291.800.445.6457biotone.com/true-results

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics 691.805.577.0102ybskin.com

Vie USA 261.877.743.0800vieusa.com

Éminence Organic Skin Care 53FarmHouse Fresh 53GrandeLASH–MD 54

HydroPeptide 54

Pevonia International, LLC 55

Phytomer Group Brands 55ResortSuite 56RevitaLash 56

Special Pulse Advertising Supplement

EDUCATOR

Hugh Jones

Margaret Kleber

Reneta McCarthy

Wilson Lee

RESOURCE PARTNER

Back Label

California Wilshire Appraisal, Inc.

DreamTime Inc.

Footnanny, Inc.

FTR International Inc. N.V.

Gamma & Bross USA

Impact Cryotherapy

Kirsti Wolfe Designs, Inc.

La Mer

Nordic Hotel Consulting

Satya Jewelry

SkinCeuticals

So Pretty Cara Cotter

SpaMedix

Sparkle Collagen

The Industry Source

The Marshall Plan

Total Spa Concepts

True Results

WellnessMats Fitness

SPA

A La Mode Spa and Salon

Abilene Christian University

Au Premier Expert Cheveux SpaUrbain

Avenue Apothecary & Spa

Beaches Ocho Rios

Blue Harmony Spa

Body Sage Spa at the RustyParrot Lodge

Bombshell Beauty Lounge

Euphoria Wellness Spa

Four Seasons Buenos Aires

Glade Spring Spa

GRUPO VIDANTA RIVIERA MAYA

Healthland LLC

Hilton Barbados Resort

Hilton Waikoloa Village

Hotel Del Coronado

Makn Lmnade Inc

Massage Life Center

Merle Norman Spas

Organic Plum Studio

Pier House Resort & Spa

Remede Spa

Remede Spa at St. Regis SanFrancisco

Riversong Spa

Sanctuary Spa at Jeffrey Ridha M.D.

Sandals Ochi Beach Resort

Sandalwood Spa

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Shady Canyon Golf Club

Skyline Spa & Health Club

Spa 10

Spa Botanica San Marcos,Embassy Suites San MarcosHotel, Spa and ConferenceCenter

Spa Unique

SpaHalekulani

The Alaska Club

The Fairmont Le ChateauMontebello - The Spa

The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua -Wailea

The Spa at Luxor

The Spa at Sun Valley

The Spa at Willows Lodge

The Zen Spot

Treasure Island Resort andCasino

SPA UNDER DEVELOPMENT

Five Wellbeing

Flawless Skin & Body Care

Joi Center

OMassage

Prosperity LLC

Sycamore Spa

STUDENT

Bonyad Neshan

Brooke Devlin

Daivelyn Silva

Elyse Wolin

Jeremiah Sammons

Kathy Mitchell

Lori Moore

Magnus Giaever

EDITOR’s NOTE: This list includes new members from September 30,

2015 – November 17, 2015. You can access the online membership

directory at experienceispa.com.


Like a true community, let's make meaningful connections. Aimed at

helping ISPA members discover each other, share one another's passions

and inspirations, and hopefully kick-start warm introductions among peers,

this section called Social Connections is all about building bridges. Share

your passion with Pulse and see yourself featured in this section.

1. Book currently reading: Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

2. Favorite travel destination: The Abacos, Bahamas

3. Most used app(s): todoist, Flipboard

4. Fitness routine: Yoga and walking along the hiking trailaround Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas.

Favorite inspirational quote: “What lies behind us and whatlies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes

SOCIAL

SUSAN MICHELE n PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS n MILK + HONEY SPA n AUSTIN, TEXAS

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5. Favorite musician: Yo-Yo Ma

Can’t-live-without cosmetic: Lip balm

6. Favorite charity to support: Feeding America

Inspirational business icon: Dame Anita Roddick

7. Hotel amenity you can’t live without: Luxe bathrobe

Best piece of advice you’ve received:Ask “why not?” n

CONNECTIONS

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Writing a monthly column is a challenge and we are always

searching for inspiration. Over the years, I have gathered

inspiration from Ruth Stricker’s the Marsh Monthly

newsletter. The recent October issue particularly

resonated with me. Ruth’s column opened with a story many of you may

be familiar with:

One day a professor handed out an exam to his students with the

text facing down, as usual. He asked the students to turn over the

papers. To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions—just a

black dot in the center of the sheet. The professor told them: “I want

you to write about what you see on there.”

At the end of the class, the professor took all the exams, and

started reading each one out loud, in front of all the students. All

of them, with no exception, defined the black dot, trying to explain

its position in the center of the sheet. After all had been read, the

classroom silent, the professor started to explain: “I’m not going to

grade you on this, I just wanted to give you something to think

about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone focused on the black

dot—and the same happens in our lives. We have a white piece of paper to observe and

enjoy, but we always focus on the dark spots.”

“Our life is a gift given to us with love and care, and we always have reason to

celebrate—nature renewing itself every day, our friends around us, the job that provides

our livelihood, the miracles we see every day. However, we insist on focusing only on the

dark spot—the health issues that bother us, the lack of money, the complicated

relationship with a family member, the disappointment with a friend. The dark spots are

very small when compared to everything we have in our lives, but they’re the ones that

pollute our mind. Take your eyes away from the black dots in your life. Enjoy each one of

your blessings, each moment that life gives you. Be happy and live a life filled with love!”

As Ruth so eloquently stated in her summation of the story, “The professor’s point well taken—

let us acknowledge the black spot and then fill out the white space with optimism, gratitude and

celebration!”

I am guilty of focusing on the black dot—if I don’t have something to worry about, those who

know me know that one of my “gifts” is that I can quickly make something up to worry about!

As we head into 2016 and reflect on our white space, let’s all make an effort to let the dot go and

be grateful for the many things we have to celebrate.


—LYNNE McNEES, ISPA PRESIDENT

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!@LynneMcNees

CONNECT WITH MEON FACEBOOK!Lynne Walker McNees

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pulse spa magazine december 2015

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