pulse spa magazine march april 2016

M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 1 6 P U L S E . E X P E R I E N C E I S PA . C O M

STRONG

RULE!UNCOVERING THE POWER OF

FEMININE LEADERSHIP

Women

e all have been under their wings at one point: women leaders who embody

both nurturing qualities and fortitude in character. These women who

modelled the very first idea of leadership in our heads may be our grand-

mothers, who wouldn’t let age get in the way of discovering new things, or our

mothers who, often putting themselves last, teach us the value of leadership

with servitude. It could also be our favorite aunt or niece, who first taught us to sprinkle fun

while we take on creative adventures, or our first-grade teachers who inspire us to excel because

they see our potential.

Some of us are even lucky to look up to women leaders at work, particularly those who are

not afraid to show us the ropes and allow us to spread our wings so we can soar even higher

than them. In our industry, Deborah Szekely embodies the idea of a woman leader who

continues to push the industry to become a forerunner in health and wellness.

Personally, there are many women who made an impact in my life through their example,

character and leadership. Among them are Canyon Ranch founder Enid Zuckerman and this

year’s ISPA Dedicated Contributor Jean Kolb. Enid was the epitome of spa lady, teaching me

about the beauty of space, art, leadership presence and what spa-goers want when they come

to a spa. Jean had a firm grasp on continuing to move ISPA forward during the downturn of the

economy, setting a roadmap for former ISPA Chairmen Deborah Waldvogel and Ella Stimpson,

and me, to continue in getting ISPA back to strength. I admire these women immensely.

As we celebrate “Women and Mother Earth” in this Pulse issue, I encourage you to look back

with gratitude to all the women leaders who inspired you and helped you become who you are

today. One of my favorite quotes from a female leader and entrepreneur is by Mary Kay Ash,

founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc. who once said: “Aerodynamically, the bumblebee

shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know that so it goes on flying anyway.” I’d

like to think that’s what great women leaders do—they make the impossible possible.

—MICHAEL TOMPKINS, CHAIRMAN

2 PULSE � March/April 2016

ISPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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 ShawLa Quinta Resort & Club

SECRETARY/TREASURER Laura ParsonsESPA International (US) Ltd. (Spa Division)

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 HewittShangri-La International

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 YOUR


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 2016.

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

Tara Finn

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

Ashley Roberts

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

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! @ISpaDoYou

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!International SPA Association


“... there’s no better

example of a couragous

spirit than my mother

who, until her last

breath, taught me the

meaning of true grit...”

MARION PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO

—MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON, EDITOR@ISPAPULSEEDITOR

I AM WOMAN. HEAR ME ROAR.*

Watch me defy the odds as I stand up faster with each painful fall, like a Paralympic

ski athlete with imaginary wings that soar from the top of rolling and snow-capped

mountains (read Conversations on page 26).

I AM WOMAN. HEAR ME ROAR.Let me scream my femininity in subtle ways, through generosity and compassion

to support selfless endeavors that are “For the Good of Women” (read on page 33).

I AM WOMAN. HEAR ME ROAR.Be touched by my nurturing spirit, as evident by my deep commitment to “Heed

the Call of Mother Nature” (read on page 54).

I AM WOMAN. HEAR ME ROAR.See me carve my own path as I refuse to be defined solely by my DNA and work

hard like a mad and brilliant genius at the path I chose to excel (read Ask the Expert

on page 62).

Yes, the world is full of them—women who are unafraid to lead, courageous in

the face of adversity and generous with a nurturing spirit. In my life, there’s no

better example of a courageous spirit than my mother who, until her last breath,

taught me the meaning of true grit as she battled cancer with grace and hope with

every ounce of her strength.

This Pulse issue celebrates every inspiring women who may have mentored you,

taught you, challenged you and showed you your full potential. So next time you

see a woman leader, step aside. She is woman. She will roar.

To Lori: Your Light Shines On

The spa world has earned another warrior in heaven. The passing of spa veteranand former ISPA board member Lori Hutchison weighs heavy on so manypeople’s heart, especially among those once touched by her light. I was lucky

enough to be among them. With fondness I recall how she, ever bubbly and kind,touched me by the generosity of her spirit. To Lori, you will be dearly missed. Gogentle into the good night.

* From the song “I am Woman” by Helen Reddy

MARCH/APRIL

2016


VOLUME 26ISSUE 2

Event Planning and Spa PartiesIt’s All in the DetailsBY ALEXANDER MENRISKY

42The Art of AromatherapyUnderstanding the Healing Power of ScentBY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

48

VoicesA Call for Spa Professionals to Protect

our Industry’s FutureBY LYNELLE LYNCH

30

Pulse Special Advertising Supplement

Beauty Finds for Women59

Green BusinessHeeding the Call of Mother NatureBY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

54

The New Girl Starts Monday...Now What?BY MERIT GEST

28

BY ANDREW DEWSON

ANDMAE MAÑACAP-

JOHNSON

WomenFOR THE GOOD OF

33

ISPA Board of DirectorsCall for Applications

BY SAMANTHA SMITH32

65


2 From Your Chairman

6 Pulse Preview

14 Pulse Points

16 Member Profile: StressBusters

Wellness Day Spa

Putting Safety First in Pregnancy Treatments

BY MAE MAÑACAP JOHNSON

22 SEE + BE SEEN

24 Member News

BY TARA SALAH ELDIN & BRIANA LEE

pulse.experienceispa.com

The cover uses the metaphor of “Superwoman” to

depict the power of feminine leadership. This Pulse

issue celebrates the nurturing spirit of women

leaders, their ability to lead with equal measure of

empowerment, empathy and conviction.

COVER PHOTO © SHUTTERSTOCK

16

26 47

62 71

67

IN EVERY ISSUE26 Conversations: Bonnie St. John

Author of How Great Women Lead

BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

47 Success Stories: Michele and Jeff Kohl

Spa & Club Ideations, LLC

62 Ask the Expert: David Shenk

Author of The Genius in All of Us

64 ISPA Foundation

65 A Day in the Life: Robin Jones

Oncology Certified Massage Therapist

Glen Ivy Hot Springs, Corona, California


66 ISPA News and ISPA Calendar

67 ISPA Snapshot Survey

68 Product Spotlight

71 Social Connections:

Paul Schmidt

Executive Director,

Green Spa Network

72 End Notes

ABOUT THE

COVER


PULSE POINTS

The following are the top nations “veryconcerned” about global climate change:

79% Burkina Faso

75% Brazil

75% Peru

74% Uganda

73% India

72% Philippines

71% Ghana

CLIMATE CHANGE TOPS AS GLOBAL CONCERN

With March 20 celebrated worldwide as “EarthDay,” there’s a growing interest in the topic of climate change and its impact. In fact,according to a Pew Research Center survey,respondents in 19 out of 40 nations cited

climate change as their biggest global concern, ahead of globaleconomic instability and terroristic threats.With more than 45,000 respondents, the survey indicates that

more than half in every Latin American nation are “very concerned”about climate change. In fact, a median of 61 percent of LatinAmericans are most worried about it, the highest share of any region.This is followed by Africans, with a median of 56 percent of respon-dents in the Sub-Haran African region worried about climate change. Rounding out the top three regions that ranked climate change as

their top global concern is Asia (43 percent), with Indians (73 percent)and Filipinos (72 percent) significantly more worried about it.

CLICK HERE to read more aboutthe Pew Research Center’s survey.

March/April 2016 � PULSE 15

Research by Mintel estimates that one in fivewomen use a cleansing brush skin-care deviceas part of their daily beauty routine. Thereport, entitled Beauty Devices – U.S. , statesthat convenience and the promise of profes-

sional results are two key factors that drive women topurchase skin-care devices.“There is disparity in the beauty devices market, with sales

of skin-care devices gaining momentum, while growth in thehair appliance market is stagnant. The promise of professionalresults at home is helping to drive sales of skin-care devices,”says Shannon Romanowski, Mintel senior beauty & personalcare analyst.Sonic cleansing brushes generate the highest usage among

listed devices in the U.S., with 20 percent of respondentsstating that they use the device. Women are most likely toassociate cleansing (44 percent) and exfoliating (55 percent)benefits with skin-care devices.In terms of demographic, the highest users of skin-care

MINTEL RESEARCH:

One in Five Women Use a Cleansing Brush Skin-Care Device

devices tend to be young, from 18 to 24 years of age.Household income is a significant category driver, with thosein the US$75,000 groups reporting above-average usage ofskin-care devices. Despite a much younger user demographic, there is strong

interest in the skin-care device category across age groups inwomen. In fact, respondents from 18 to 54 years of age reportsimilar interest to test and purchase devices. Price is the topbarrier preventing them from doing so.When asked what motivated them to purchase new

devices, cleansing brush users say they are motivated topurchase by a variety of factors, including special offers (28percent), reviews (28 percent) and family/friend recommenda-tions (26 percent).When carrying skin-care brush devices for retail in your

spa, consider clearly communicating benefits that matter mostto female guests like “exfoliating” and “cleansing” as well asproviding discounts and referral rates to help market thedevices and drive retail revenue.


MEMBER PROFILE

W hen Mikki MelindaAnderson, along withhusband Michael,founded StressBusters

Wellness Day Spa in Laguna Hills,California in 2000, the couple had aclear vision in mind: to create a day spathat offers one of the highest standardsin pregnancy massage therapy in OrangeCounty. Today, not only does the spacontinue to attract a growing market of

STRESSBUSTERSWELLNESS DAY SPA

Putting Safety First in Pregnancy TreatmentsBY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

expectant mothers, it is also themassage provider for Mission Hospital inMission Viejo, California and servespatients from its Women’s WellnessCenter. Anderson, a certified clinical

aromatherapist and pregnancy massagetherapist since 1993, claims the day spahas since earned the trust of obstetri-cians/gynecologists, midwives anddoulas in local hospitals and prenatal

facilities who often recommend theirpatients to the spa for a massagetreatment. In fact, Anderson is “the onlymassage therapist in Orange Countywith official and legal hospital privilegesto work with high-risk and hospital-bound pregnancies.” In total, 42 percent of the spa’s

clientele are expectant mothers. Part ofthe spa’s appeal among pregnantwomen is the vast range of pregnancy


services it offers, from pregnancy, post-partum, labor and induction massagetreatments, pregnancy facial therapy,sore foot massage to infant massagetraining.

Hiring is KeyTo maintain the spa’s high standards inproviding specialized treatments,Anderson—who recently became aNational Certification Board ofTherapeutic Massage & Bodywork(NCBTMB) continuing educationprovider in “Pregnancy Massage,”“Essential Oils for Health and NaturalLiving” and “Aromatherapy forPregnancy and Labor”—pays closeattention to hiring qualified staff.“Our staff members are passionate

about our mission and are as loving asthey are talented,” she says. To help herfind the best fit, she looks for qualitieslike top-notch education, combined witha passion in the field, particularly inpregnancy and oncology massage. “Wedo not hire students from subparschools,” she says, adding that she oftenrequires from 750 to 1,000 hours ofmassage education.

High-Risk PositionBecause of the high risks that incorrectmassage treatment positioning ortechniques may pose on expectantmothers and their unborn child,Anderson emphasizes the importance ofrequiring therapists to undergo apregnancy massage training and earntheir certification.“Any massage therapist anywhere

offering pregnancy massage must beprenatal trained and certified in order towork with these precious clients and

their babies,” Anderson insists.Of all the possible points of concern,

she is most worried about the dangers ofprone-facing (face down) contouredpregnancy cushions and/or pregnancytables with cut-outs for the stomach andbreasts that some hotel spas use forguests who are up to seven monthspregnant. “Spas that are now offering risky

prenatal positioning [must] be madeaware of the risks a prenatal guest is

exposed to, and show safe and effectivealternative positions for the good of allinvolved,” she says. “Such a cushion ortable can be safely used up to 14 weeksof pregnancy, no further.”She states that prone-facing position

is risky for pregnant guests because itwill make it more difficult for therapiststo read facial cues as well as for gueststo communicate while treatment isongoing.


MEMBER PROFILE

Intrauterine PressureAccording to Anderson, the most validreason why prone-facing position shouldbe avoided is because it can increaseintrauterine pressure even before thetherapist increases pressure bymassaging. There are many expertinsights that support this known risk,including Leslie Stager, registered nurse,leading pregnancy therapy massageeducator and author of NurturingMassage for Pregnancy. “Such pressure strains the posterior

spine and pelvis, increases sinuspressure (being pregnant already causesexcess mucous production), contributesto neck and hip misalignment and hasthe potential to stimulate the uterinecontractions, potentially threatening thepregnancy,” Anderson says.

Safety FirstWhen it comes to pregnancy massagetreatment, safety of the expectant guestshould come first. One way the spa, anassociate member of the Green SpaNetwork, makes guest safety a priority isthrough its commitment to the use oforganic and/or plant-based cleaningproducts devoid of toxins. More importantly, StressBusters Day

MIKKI MELINDA ANDERSONVP, Director of Holistic Services • StressBusters Wellness Day Spa • Laguna Hills, California

“Spas that are now offering risky prenatalpositioning [must] be made aware of the risksa prenatal guest is exposed to, and show safeand effective alternative positions for the goodof all involved.”


Spa open date: November 11, 2000Square footage: 2,000 square feet

Number of treatment rooms: 5

Number of full-time staff: 2

Number of part-time staff: 9

Guest ratio percentage: 75percent female, 25 percent male

Method of staff payment: Hourlyand commission

Signature treatment:StressBusters Signature Massageand StressBusters Prenatal Massage

Product lines used: EpicurenDiscovery, Osmosis Pur MedicalSkincare

Contact information:StressBusters Wellness Day Spa26548 Moulton Pkwy Ste DLaguna Hills, CA 92653-6200

Phone: 1.949.831.1988

Website: stressbustersspa.com

ABOUT THE SPASpa performs its pregnancy massagetreatments in the safest positionpossible: the side-lying and/or semi-reclining posture.“Such positions should be offered

regardless of the guests’ perception orpreferences in this regard. Providing safeand effective pregnancy massage shouldbe and will be the standard in the future

Anderson, who is adamant about safety first when providing pregnancy massage treatments, offer

the following advice:

l Have all pregnant clients fill out a “Confidential Health Intake Form for Pregnancy” that notes

any current or former high-risk pregnancy problems, current pregnancy discomforts, weeks or

pregnancy term, as well as her date and physician or midwife information.

l Ensure that all therapists providing prenatal massage are certified in pregnancy massage.

Therapists should know what a pregnant body is going through during each trimester and the

bodywork precautions for certain medical conditions.

l Utilize prone positioning for the pregnant client on a body cushion or pregnancy table only for

the first 14 weeks of gestation. For the remainder of the pregnancy, to eliminate risks, use side

lying or semi-reclining positions only.

l Use unscented or very lightly scented lotion/oil for the prenatal massage. Aromatherapy should

only be used sparingly for pregnancy and only if approved by a clinical aromatherapist.

l Provide prenatal bundles (e.g., massage, facial, etc.) to ensure repeat visits throughout clients’

pregnancy and post-birth.

for everyone,” she says. “Since manypregnancy problems go undiagnosed, oreven if the mother is diagnosed withsome type of condition, the mom maybe uninformed on the impact suchprone-facing pressure could cause her. Itis up to those of us who are experts atpregnancy massage to dictate the safestand most effective positioning.” n

PregnancyMassage BestPractices

5:05 PM


SPOTTED AT SEPHORA.Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare co-founder and CEO Carrie Grosswas seen at Sephora with her fieldteam for an instore beauty consul-tancy and product demonstration ofits Alpha Beta Beauty Peels. Skinexpert and Dr. Dennis Gross USARegional Manager KhorenManoukwas also on-hand to provideguests beauty tips.

SEE + BE SEEN

RED CARPET READY. SkinAuthority was behind-the-scenes tohelp E! News correspondent CarissaLoethen get ready for the GoldenGlobes Awards red carpet. To prepLoethen’s skin, her makeup artistEmily Hache used Skin Authority tohelp achieve a flawless look.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. ISPA Chairman Michael Tompkins spoke atthe 2016 HOPE Global Forums in Atlanta, Georgia. In photo, Tompkins with St.Louis City Treasurer Tishaura Jones.

ISPA BOARD AT WORK. The ISPA Board held its first board meeting forthe year at the Sheraton Grand in Phoenix, Arizona to set strategies and discussgrowth plans of the association.

From left: Todd Walter (Red Door Spas), Blake Feeney (Feeney and Co.), Garrett Mersberger(Kohler Co.), Sharilyn Abbajay (Red Door Spas), Michael Tompkins (PALM Health), FrankPitsikalis (ResortSuite), Dawn Tardif (BodiScience Wellness Center & Spa), Julie Oliff (St. RegisAspen), Todd Hewitt (Shangri-La International), Kristine Huffman (Huffman HospitalityConcepts), Eric Stephenson (Well World Group), Laura Parsons (ESPA International-Spa Division),Michael Harmsworth (ESPA International), Ella Stimpson (The Spa at Sea Island), Noel Asmar(Noel Asmar Group), Todd Shaw (La Quinta Resort & Club) and Lynne McNees (ISPA).

Want a post-ISPA Board Meeting update?

WANT A POST-ISPA BOARD MEETING UPDATE? Click here to watch a video update by ISPA Chairman MichaelTompkins and stay in-the-know about plans for the ISPAcommunity.

� Phytomer Group Brands, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, has welcomed KarenHogan as Regional Account Manager.

� San Diego’s SpaTerre at Kona Kai Resort has appointed Tricia Sterling as its newSpa Director.

� Thomas Mangas has been appointed CEO of Starwood Hotels & ResortsWorldwide Inc., based in Stamford, Connecticut.

� Mia Kyricos reassumes her role as President and Founder of strategic advisorsKyricos & Associates, headquartered in York, Maine.

� Body Bliss, based in Sedona, Arizona, has appointed Thalia Walkup as BusinessDevelopment Manager.

� Gianpaolo Bellomunno will serve as Corporate Director of Sales & Marketing atGrand Velas in Mexico.

� Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa has appointed Ben Stewart, who will be based atRed Door’s flagship location on 5th Avenue in New York City, as NationalCreative Director. Timothy Wanrey has also been named National StyleEducation Director of the hair salon business at The Red Door Union Square, RedDoor Spa’s newest location in New York City.

� Joseph C. Magnacca has been named CEO of Massage Envy Franchising LLCwhile former CEO Dave Crisalli will serve as a member of the company’s boardof directors.


MEMBER NEWS

THE SPA SHIFT Announcements marking spa industry players on the move.

BY TARA SALAH ELD IN AND BR IANA LEE

GIVING BACK1. Touch America Inc., of Mebane, North Carolina, announced plans to expand theirCommunityTouch program which supports sustainability initiatives, community events,and nonprofit organizations. VP of Market Development Aubrey Griffith-Zill will lead agroup of high school students on a trip to Trinidad this spring to participate in community-building projects.

2. Universal Companies Inc., of Abingdon, Virginia, has awarded a total of US$8,000 tobeauty schools to strengthen their education programs. The company presented US$5,000to the Beauty For Life Foundation to benefit students of the Marinello School of Beauty andUS$3,000 to the scholarship program at Delta Career Education Corporation, whose schoolsoffer career-focused degree and diploma programs in fields with high-employer demand.

3. HydroPeptide, located in Issaquah, Washington, has announced a new initiative topartner with charity:water in 2016 to build 12 wells, which will be primarily fundedthrough the net profits of EYE AUTHORITY.

4. In time for Women’s month, Elemis partners with Women for Women International, anorganization that helps female survivors of war-torn countries reclaim their lives. As partof the organization’s “She Inspires Me Campaign,” Elemis launches its Pro-CollagenMarine Cream Ultra Rich Special Edition to help fund a class of women in Afghanistanin a year-long program that will offer them financial emancipation.

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Tricia Sterling

Thalia WalkupMia Kyricos

Timothy WanreyBen Stewart

Gianpaolo Bellomunno

Joseph C. Magnacca

Thomas MangasKaren Hogan

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BRILLIANT IDEA1. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program have joined forces to launcha healthy living wellness program at the hotel group’s property in Turkey. The program will offer tailor-made experiences, including one-day assessments, five-day retreats, and á la carte services in additionto the resort’s first-class fitness center and offerings like healthy cuisine and wellness classes.

2. The staff at SiSpa at the Marriott Pompano Beach Resort & Spa in Singer Island, Florida has completedtraining on spa treatments for guests with cancer. It’s new “Comfort Care Classics” menu featurestreatments specifically designed for those suffering or recovering from cancer. SiSpa is the only spa inPalm Beach County and one of two in Broward County trained in such specialized services.

MEMBER UPDATES1. Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat in Australia has released three new premium accommo-dation options. The new Meditation Suites are designed to encourage mindfulness,meditation and yoga practice. All three suites feature a private deck with a day bed,deep bath, king-sized bed, private laundry facilities and specialty inclusions, such as ayoga mat, meditation cushion and an iPod with built-in meditation sessions and music.

2. Dr. Mariela Silveira, medical director and co-owner of Kurotel-Longevity MedicalCenter and Spa in Brazil, was guest speaker at the 2016 The New York Times TravelShow. For the first time this year, The New York Times has created a feature totallydevoted to Wellness Travel, and Kurotel, which has recently been recognized with theCrystal Award for Best Wellness Travel Property in South & Central America, ishonored to represent South America as well as highlight the center’s innovativeapproach to brain health.

3. Noel Asmar Group Inc. is now an Official License Merchandise Partner of the RolexKentucky Three-Day Event, taking place April 29 – May 1. Noel Asmar Equestrian willsponsor several riders at various levels of competition. Noel Asmar offers high-performance technical and transitional styles using innovative fabrics, two-wayzippers and hidden gussets.

4. GOCO Hospitality has acquired Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Corona, California, as well asan adjacent 65-acre plot. The company plans to expand the property into a 90-roomretreat and wellness resort community. The plan for expansion includes additions suchas a comprehensive wellness center, medi-spa, organic farm, center for holisticmedicine, residential units and more. CEO/President Jim Root and the Glen Ivy teamwill continue day-to-day operations of the resort.

5. The parent company of Bon Vital’ has sponsored Nicole Bucar, a member of TheMassage Therapy Foundation’s Running for Research Team, to participate in the 2016Boston Marathon on April 18. Proceeds from Bucar’s marathon run will benefit theMassage Therapy Foundation Research initiatives. Additionally, Bon Vital’ andThera�Pearl products were also given to the entire Running for Research Team toenhance their training programs.

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NEW ON THE MENUGrand Velas Riviera Nayarit has launched a new treatment called The Sunrise Massage for babies whichaims to stimulate the baby’s senses and central nervous system as well as promote sensory and cognitivedevelopment. The resort also offers a Baby’s First Haircut and Baby Concierge services.

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PULSE: How did you discover the world of skiing?St. John: One Christmas vacation, a family friend reached outand invited me to go skiing with her family, an example ofopenness and willingness to throw away stereotypes. I had seenTeddy Kennedy ski on one leg and my mother found a brochurewith an amputee skier on it, so I knew amputees could ski. But itwas very hard to find equipment. I found anold pair of ski pants at the Salvation Armyand wore knitted mittens. The first time Iwent on ice, it was awful. I kept falling andknocking other people over. It took me threedays to learn how to stop. I would ski andcrash, ski and crash. By the end of the week, Icould turn right and left and I could stop.Because I didn’t give up, I could go fast after justa few days. It was a rush because I could gofast—I was hooked!

P: How did being an athlete help prepareyou to become a better leader?SJ: Disabled sport is a great metaphor for today’s business world.In traditional sports, people are given the best finance, trainingand equipment. They are groomed and selected to get to the nextlevel. There is much more of a pathway for athletes. In disabledsports, I had to find my own equipment, find my own coachesand put the program together using my own initiative. In today’sbusiness world, things are changing so fast. Competition isintense, and people have to try to compete without necessarily

having everything they would want to do it perfectly. Being adisabled athlete gave me more perspective on how things worknow.

P: The book How Great Women Lead was a bondingadventure between you and your daughter, Darcy.What inspired you to bring her along with thisjourney and why does her young perspectivematter in shaping the content of this book?SJ: I was interested in writing a book about the futureof women’s leadership and, by taking my daughteralong, it allowed me to focus on the world she will beleading in and the kind of leader she is going to be.When I got the idea to write the book, I initiallythought of interviewing only politicians and CEOs.Instead, Darcy pushed me to include fighter pilots,orchestra conductors and activists. Her perspectivereally made it a much more interesting book.

Shortly after Darcy was born, I interviewed a series ofleaders for a book called How to Get Ahead at Work WithoutLeaving Your Family Behind and what I found was that manygreat leaders who were also great people living good lives usedtheir work to teach their children, so I learned that model. Byinvolving her, it was a way to improve my work/life balance andgive her an opportunity to grow.

P: In your own definition, what makes a great leader?SJ:My favorite definition is that “great leaders make the invisible

CONVERSATIONS WITH BONNIE ST. JOHN

Leadership consultant and best-selling author of How Great Women Lead, BONNIE ST.

JOHN’S life is a story of triumph despite adversity. At age five, her legs were amputated

due to deformity, but rather than being held back by her disability, she rose on top of life’s

challenges to eventually become the first-ever African-American to win Paralympic

medals in ski racing, taking home a silver and two bronze medals in downhill events at the

1984 Paralympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

“I grew up in San Diego where I had never seen snow before. My family had no money.

My mom was a school teacher and a single parent,” she recalls of her early childhood. It

wasn’t until a family friend invited her to go skiing that she discovered the world of skiing.

Since then, and despite the numerous times she crashed and tumbled on ice, she fell in

love with the sport and, ultimately, the idea of not giving up.


visible to others.” They see where the team or organization isgoing and they help others see that too. I think that’s what distin-guishes leadership from management. Leaders help people get toa new place. You can be a leader at every level, helping tomobilize people to get better. As former U.S. Secretary of StateCondoleeza Rice once said: “Management and leadership are twosides of the same walnut, but being aware of the difference andaware of what you are doing helps.”

P: Based on your research for the book, what are some ofthe challenges women in leadership face today?SJ:One thing that we saw a lot in the women we interviewed forthe book is that women tend to hold on to detail a lot more thanmen. We are wired that way. It is harder for women to let go. Theshift from management to leadership can be very challenging, andso can delegating.

P: Your famous words—immortalized on Starbucks cupsas part of the company’s “The Way I See It” campaign in2006—were: “I learned that people fall down, winnersget up, and gold medal winners just get up faster.” Whyis it often more important to get up faster than have thebetter skill sets in order to succeed?SJ: [Harvard Business School professor] Rosabeth Moss Cantorsays that resilience is the new skill. Given the level of change andvolatility, leaders and the rest of us all need to be more adaptableand flexible than we have been in the past. Even if you have thebest tools and skill sets, you will still get knocked down in thisturbulent world. So being able to get up faster is a real skill toreassess and move forward quickly. n


WHO AMONG THE top women featured in St. John’s book best exemplified exceptional leadership qualities? Click here to read more of her expert insights.

“Great leadersmake the invisiblevisible to others.”

1. Prioritize prioritizing. “This was an advice given to me by

neuroscientist David Rock. It’s one of the hardest things for

our brain to do. It involves seeing the future and making

decisions based on that. Great leaders have to set aside time

to prioritize well, usually early in the morning, a time when

you are not interrupted.”

2. Wake up your spirit every day. “Ken Blanchard, co-author

of The One Minute Manager, gave me this advice. Our ‘spirit

self’ wakes up more slowly than our ‘task mind.’ He recom-

mends a low time in the morning to wake up your spirit. You

are more likely to keep your cool, more likely to be angry

when you are supposed to be angry. When you’re too busy,

not fully awake, we get these things wrong. For him, it means

getting up at 5 am and playing with his dogs. For some

people, it could be exercise, but for others, that can be a chore.

It’s really important for leaders to have that internal compass

functioning every day.

3. Have a touchstone for your purpose. “When now

Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell was in

leadership at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, she said it

is so easy to get caught up in red tape, minutiae and politics.

One thing she did at the Gates Foundation to not lose sight of

what matters was to hang a picture of a young African girl in

the conference room. She told her team that the African girl

was the boss. So in projects that may involve tens of millions

of dollars, they would turn to the wall and ask: What would

the boss think of that? It helped create a touchstone. So

whatever your mission is, do you have a way to pull yourself

back to your core purpose at a moment’s notice?”

DAILY HABITS OF GOOD LEADERS3

Perfectionism is also an issue we get caught up in. I wastalking with Clare Shipman (author of The Confidence Code),and she said that perfectionism can be a result of a lack ofconfidence, which I thought was very interesting. So, ourtendency to get into perfectionism, to hold on to details and totry to do so much ourselves can make it hard to let others stepin and dedicate ourselves to leadership.

P: What’s your best piece of advice to women leaders?SJ: There are also a lot of challenges in the system that we workin. We still have to navigate a fine line between being strongenough to lead without being labeled difficult! I would say twothings to women in leadership: A woman needs to find a culturein which she can thrive, where her values and authenticity aresupported. If you’re trying to fit in with a culture that goes againstyour nature, you will be exhausted and won’t do your best work.Secondly, find sponsors as well as mentors. A sponsor issomeone who is really advocating for you to get to the next level,to carve out a career path that will maximize your potential.


In the first scenario, the spa is limited in their pool ofcandidates by those who can come in and “hit theground running.” Most

likely, because the spa is so busy, youwon’t have time to train them and the new hires will be left on their ownto do things the way they’ve learnedelsewhere, which may be quite adifferent process from your own. The danger, of course, is that clientshave inconsistent experiences at thespa and may not return. You stand to lose not only the investment inhiring that person, but also repeat

business from clientele. In the second scenario, a potential

top performer that leaves too sooncreates more costs in terms of timeand effort you’ll have to put back intothe hiring process, not to mention thepotential negative press that spreadslike wildfire across social media,making it tougher for you to hire thenext person. These two different scenarios share

a common solution…deliberateonboarding, which addresses thefollowing questions:

l How do you ramp up top performersfast?

l How do you weed out nonperformersfast?

l How do you create an environmentwhere people want to give their alland stay forever?

l How do you protect the investmentof time, money and effort thatyou’ve already poured into thehiring process?

Deliberate onboarding is the processof mapping out the expectations youhave of new hires and creating specifictraining experiences to help themsucceed. Here are the four steps:

SCENARIO 1: Things are going well and your spa is very busy. You are in a catch 22—too

busy to take the time to add more staff but too busy to keep up the pace without more help.

Your plan is to find someone with experience who can jump in and start working, someone who

doesn’t need training.

SCENARIO 2: Only one of the last five people you hired is still with you 30 days later. Three

of them would have been great and you were sorry they left so quickly. They were busy right

away, so what went wrong?

SOUND FAMILIAR?

The New Girl Starts on Monday…Now What?BY MERIT GEST


TO ACCESS the complimentary Merit-based Measure-Upassessment and help you assess onboarding gaps in your spa orcompany, visit meritbasedonboarding.com/mb-measure-up.

STEP 1: Measure-Up.Before my esthetician knows whichfacial will be best for my skin, sheexamines my skin under a bright lightand a magnifying mirror. You can do thesame with your processes for hiring,onboarding, selling and retention. Acomplimentary Merit-based Measure-Upassessment is available to you (seedigital box for website link). How doyour processes “measure up” to thoseconsidered “best-in-class”? Before youcan offer the hydrating facial, it’s best toidentify the problem as dry skin.

STEP 4: Alignment.As we all know, hydrating facials are nota one-time thing. To maintain myhealthy glow, I get facials on a quarterlybasis. Guess what? Onboarding is thesame deal. It is a work in progress.Sometimes you need to get rid of somedead skin to reveal better skin andsometimes you need to shed old waysof training that no longer give you the

QUICK TIP: Ask current staff these fourquestions to identify gaps in youronboarding process:

1. When you started, what was hard tofigure out?

2. How long were you working here untilyou finally felt you hit your stride?

3. How well did our onboarding trainingprepare you for your day-to-day work?

4. What would you add to our onboardingtraining?

QUICK TIP: Identify all of the expecta-tions you have of new hires for a specificrole in three categories:

1. Information they need to KNOW

2. Actions they need to be able to DO

3. Systems and tools they will USE*

QUICK TIP: Tell your staff you’ve hiredsomeone and put them through the firstday on the job to see what is reallyhappening when a new hire starts. Youcan learn a lot from your “undercover newhire!”

QUICK TIP: To keep your process inalignment with your values, culture,systems and tools, it is important that youreview the process at least on an annualbasis to keep it fresh and relevant.

STEP 2: Mechanics.Once you’ve selected the proper facial foryour client, you assemble the equipment,tools and products you need for thetreatment. If the treatment room wasmissing the towel you needed, you wouldlikely stop and find a towel before youbegan. When new hires start, it isimportant to prepare in advance so youare not only clear about all of your expec-tations of them, but also that you haveeverything you need for their onboarding.Any gaps you uncover in the “Measure-Up” phase would be handled in this step.This step takes some deliberate thinking,but “done is better than perfect” andsome thinking and planning is better thannothing.

STEP 3: Implementation.As a spa enthusiast, implementation ismy favorite part. In our facial example,implementation is the act of conductingthe facial. In terms of onboarding newhires, the implementation step happenswhen you test the process you’vedesigned with a real person, either“undercover” like a secret shopper or withyour actual new hire.

A good hiring process is obviouslyimportant to identify the candidateswith the potential to be great in yourorganization, but don’t stop there. Adeliberate onboarding process gets yourgood hires off to a great start and setsthem up for long-term success. Your next new hire feels special, theylearn the ropes quickly and becomevaluable members of the team fasterthan you anticipated. They tell theirfriends, who are also top in their field,making it easier for you to recruit toptalent and grow your business. Clientsare thrilled. They refer more friends.Finally, your spa is on autopilot and youcan relax and enjoy a facial. n

MERIT GEST has been working with companies to grow revenue, increase

profitability and reduce turnover for more than 20 years. She created The Merit-

based Onboarding Methodology™ to enable clients to better prepare new hires for

success with onboarding programs that are flexible, collaborative, consistent,

automated, scalable and creative. To listen to her Professional Development Session

(PDS) entitled “Onboarding: The Vital Gap Between Hiring & Productivity” at the 2015

ISPA Conference & Expo, purchase the PDS Audio Recordings at experienceispa.com.

results you want. As you will learn newthings through implementation, you’ll beable to adjust and align your process.

“Most likely, because the spa is sobusy, you won’t have time to trainthem and the new hire will be left on their own to do things the waythey’ve learned elsewhere.”


A Call for Spa Professionals toProtect Our Industry’s FutureThe U.S. Department of Education’s new “GainfulEmployment” regulations threaten to disrupt spa and salonemployers’ access to qualified professionals.

As the spa industry continues to thrive, new regulations put forth by the U.S.

Department of Education (DOE) threaten employers’ and consumers’ long-term

access to educated, qualified beauty and wellness professionals, including

massage therapists, estheticians, cosmetologists and nail professionals.

Specifically, the threat stems from regulations that would restrict federal funds

(financial aid) for students pursuing career training at “trade schools.” In

addressing the national issue of student debt levels, the DOE has placed trade

schools in its crosshairs, creating a situation that could ultimately result in a

shortage of qualified beauty and wellness professionals.

A Closer Look at GainfulEmploymentWhat does Gainful Employment mean toyou? Many people would describe againful career as one offering plenty ofopportunity and abundant marketdemand.Unfortunately, such a rational

definition of Gainful Employment is notwhat the DOE has in mind. At the sametime, the U.S. Department of Laborprojects a 38 percent increase in jobgrowth for skin-care professionals, theDOE has chosen to define a careereducation program’s success based on the

income that a graduate earns the first yearout of beauty school. Such a restrictivebasis for evaluating a career program’ssuccess could put the future of the beautyand wellness industry—including theprofessional spa industry—at risk.The American Association of

Cosmetology Schools (AACS) estimatesthat as many as one-third of its memberinstitutions—who provide 87 percent ofthe nation’s licensed estheticians, cosme-tologists, barbers, massage therapists, andnail technicians—could be forced toclose within the next two yearswithout Congressional intervention.

LYNELLE LYNCH is the president

of Bellus Academy, leading

institution for advanced education

which San Diego Magazine dubbed

as “the Harvard of Beauty Schools.”

Lynch’s multi-faceted background

is painted with professional

achievements in fashion, business,

marketing and even politics, but it

is at Bellus Academy where she has

discovered her true passion.

Her entrepreneurial spirit and

commitment to excellence has

earned her multiple awards,

including SD Business Journal’s

“Women Who Mean Business

Award” (2012) and AACS “Director

of the Year” (2012 and 2008), and

the San Diego Chamber of

Commerce’s Women in Business –

Winner of the Small Business

Achievement Award (2010).

VOICES


HOW CAN THE SPA COMMUNITY HELP fight the"Gainful Employment" regulations? Visit click here to find ways to get involved.

How ISPA Members Can Help:Educate and AdvocateISPA members can make a difference andhelp Congress to rethink this regulation.The first step is to become informedabout the regulations and engage withmembers of Congress to ensure they havean accurate understanding of what is atrisk from an economic and employmentperspective.As background, it is helpful to under-

stand the different types of highereducation in America. Harvard Universityopened in 1636 as an institute of highereducation to train future ministers. Asthe young nation grew, more universitiesopened offering an array of educationalprograms. The federal government giftedland to states, establishing a system of“land grant” universities like San DiegoState and Colorado State. These publicuniversities continue to be funded bystate and federal government coffers, withjust 21 percent of their operating budgetsderived from tuition revenues.Trade schools are frequently referred to

as “private for-profit” schools and werecreated to provide education for in-demand careers across a breadth ofvocations, including beauty and wellness.In contrast to state-funded universities,tuition at private for-profit schools covers91 percent of operating costs. Privateschool owners invest their own resourcesin the infrastructure and curriculumnecessary tools to educate students.

Gainful Employment and Accessto Federal FundsThe regulation titled “GainfulEmployment” applies only to private for-profit institutions offering career educationand certificate programs at communitycolleges. Under this regulation, students’access to federal funds is determinedbased on their projected earnings the firstyear following their educational program’scompletion.Such a short-sighted approach will not

only fail to address the nation’s studentdebt concerns, but will create a shortageof professionals who can deliver in-demand services. The Great Recessionproved that in good times and bad,Americans seek out services performed bybeauty and wellness professionals. “Theseservice-related occupations are performedby licensed professionals who cannot andwill not be replaced by technology or havetheir jobs outsourced overseas,” says SteveGunderson, president and CEO of theAssociation of Private Sector Colleges andUniversities (APSCU).

However, the good news is that Congresshas the authority to repeal or modify theregulations through revisions to theHigher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). As part of a process called reautho-

rization, which takes place every five tosix years, the House and Senate EducationCommittees will begin to review thehigher education policies and makerevisions to the law, which in turn impactthe regulations.As part of this reauthorization process,

AACS is calling upon Congress and theEducation Committees to protect whatthe U.S. Bureau of Labor Statisticssuggests is a growing component of theU.S. economy. Over a 10-year period, jobdemand is projected to grow 38 percentfor skin-care specialists, 16 percent formanicurists and pedicurists, 13 percent forhairstylists, and 11 percent for barbers. While school owners will certainly be

affected, it is vitally important that policymakers take a broader, holistic view of theimpact these changes would inflict on theindustry. To facilitate revision to theseregulations, AACS is seeking support fromthe broader beauty and wellnesscommunity, and is requesting that profes-sionals, employers and organizations likeISPA join efforts to educate and advocatefor changes to the law that will protectthe spa and salon sector from unintendedconsequences.Throughout 2016, AACS will develop

short, concise, advocacy campaignscalling upon the professional beauty andwellness community to notify Senatorsand Representatives of the need to protectthe collective interests of the entirecommunity. We are grateful to ISPA andits members for helping preserve theeducational pipeline that fills employers’employment demands. n

The decrease will exacerbate anemployment challenge that beauty andwellness professionals are already strug-gling to address. “The nation currentlyfaces a shortage of licensed professionalsrequired to enable salons and spas tooperate at their peak and the demand forproperly educated and licensed profes-sionals is growing,” says Jim Cox,executive director of the AmericanAssociation of Cosmetology Schools.

A Window of OpportunityThe regulations developed by the DOEhave the potential to significantly reducethe number of institutions preparinglicensed professionals to meet theindustry’s workforce needs and they couldbe implemented by the end of 2016.

“ISPA members can make a differenceand help Congressrethink [the GainfulEmployment]regulation.”

The ISPA Board is the elected voiceof the ISPA membership. If you would

like to take the next step in becoming a

leader within the association, we encourage

you to put your name forward to serve.


t is time for ISPA members to put their nameforward to serve on the ISPA Board of Directors.Annually, the ISPA Nominations Committee seeks outindividuals passionate about leading the association withISPA’s Vision “to be the leader in promoting and enhancing

the well-being of the spa industry and the people it serves.” This committee, consisting of active ISPA leaders, guide candi-

dates through a detailed application and interview process to seekout the spa industry’s strategic-thinkers. The 2016 ISPANominations Committee is comprised of Co-Chairs SharilynAbbajay (Red Door Spas) and Frank Pitsikalis (ResortSuite),serving alongside Cathy Cluff (Oaks at Ojai), Jean Kolb (Well byChoice), Jim Root (Glen Ivy Hot Springs), Jane Segerberg(Segerberg Spa Consulting), Ella Stimpson (The Spa at Sea Island)and Deborah Waldvogel (Sedona Resorts). The ISPA Chairman,Michael Tompkins (PALM Health), also works with thecommittee in an advisory role.

Selection Process Beginning April 1, primary and secondary members of ISPA canvisit experienceispa.com to submit their application to serve onthe ISPA Board of Directors. Applications will be accepted for 30days, closing on May 1. Each qualified applicant will participate ina first-round interview, conducted via telephone, with twocommittee members (taking place in June). Those applicantsmoving forward will receive a second interview (in July) with theentire committee present in one location, also via telephone. During the 2016 ISPA Conference & Expo, the Nominations

Committee will announce the recommended slate of candidatesto the ISPA membership. Immediately following, the slate willthen be available for voting. Members of the ISPA Board ofDirectors are elected to serve up to a three-year term, and areeligible for re-election to a second term following the sameprocess. New directors take office during the first board meetingfollowing the annual Conference and participate in a compre-hensive orientation process beforehand. n

ISPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ISPA Board

Application

Opens April 1

Call for Applications BY SAMANTHA SMITH

ISPA Board Service Requirements: l A minimum of two days’ participation during three

board meetings annually, which includes a financialcommitment to cover expenses.

l One to two hours each month on spa business andcommunications.

l One week to attend the annual Conference & Expo.

l One to three hours of conference calls each month.

l One to two hours a week reviewing board informationfor effective governance.

l Being available as/when needed while working a full-time position.

Application Fast Facts l Ensure your membership status is active and that you are the

primary or secondary member on your ISPA account.

l You will be required to provide a high-resolution professionalheadshot, a current version of your professional resume andthree professional references when submitting your application.

l If you cannot complete your application in one sitting, you do have the ability to save and come back to your responsesin the application.

l Once your application has been received by the ISPAheadquarters, you will receive an email confirmation thatincludes a copy of your application.

l The deadline for applications is May 1. Late applications are not considered.

l We are here to help! For inquiries, reach out to Samie Smith at [email protected] or 1.859.219.3619.


Women constitute the largest

market for the spa industry.

In fact, according to the ISPA

Foundation Consumer Snapshot

Initiative, 47 percent of the U.S. spa industry’s

market consist of male spa-goers, which

means the majority (53 percent) of spa-goers

are female. It is not surprising that, as a

community known for its philanthropic efforts,

several ISPA members support organizations

that empower and better the lives of women.

BY ANDREW DEWSON

ANDMAE MAÑACAP-

JOHNSON

WomenFOR THE GOOD OF


Sanctuary on CamelbackMountainParadise Valley, Arizona

Manctuary on Camelback Mountain was first intro-duced to Colleen’s Dream by a resource partnerthat supports the local organization. “Colleen’sDream is a wonderful organization that helps

fund research for ovarian cancer, and we at Sanctuary onCamelback Mountain wanted to do our part in helping find acure,” says Spa Director LaRae Verros.The story of Colleen’s Dream started in 2007 when Colleen

Drury, who inspired the birth of the organization, was diagnosedwith late-stage ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is often referred toas “the silent killer” of women because many do not discovertheir disease until it is in the late stages, which leads to manywomen succumbing to the disease within a short period of time.

To support the organization, the spa offered a “Spa for aDream” promotion in October through November last year. Tenpercent of the revenue raised from a selection of spa treatmentswas donated to the organization. “It ended up being a really successful promotion and our

donation totaled US$6,400. We also hosted a bag-stuffingevent to put together spa goody bags, which included itemsdonated from spa vendors, for women who have beendiagnosed with ovarian cancer. Members of Colleen’s Dreamhand-delivered the bags,” Verros says.In addition, Verros says, like any other promotion,

marketing was a critical component to its success. “We got theword out through email blasts, our resort website and socialmedia,” she says.

TOP TIP: “I’d advise spa owners to dotheir research to ensure their support isgoing to a reputable organization thatapplies their donations to the appropriateareas.”

S


Kashwere, LLCNorthbrook, Illinois

Mashwere, LLC President and co-owner MerriGleckler learned about Colleen’s Dream whenshe met its founders, Nicole and Billy Cundiff,in July last year. “During that meeting, I learned

about ovarian cancer’s staggering 70 percent death rate with noearly detection. I was horrified that, like many other women, I,too, was misled to believe that pap smears provide earlydetection! When I learned how misinformed I was aboutovarian cancer as well as realizing I was not alone, I was deter-mined to help make a difference,” Gleckler says. It was at that moment that she made the decision to join

forces with the founding couple so that, together, they couldshare this knowledge and help raise funds for scientific researchso that an early detection test can be established. “I feel it is important to give back and use our platform to

benefit others. It’s actually our brand mission to ‘touchpeople’s lives’ as much as possible. Kashwere supportsColleen’s Dream financially and our products help makewomen ‘feel good’ while battling cancer.”To help support Colleen’s Dream’s mission, Kashwere

collaborated with ZENTS, Kypris, COOLA Suncare and Essence

of Vali to create the “Feel Good Bag.” Sanctuary on CamelbackMountain also participated in this initiative.“Kashwere and these other companies each donated 100

‘feel good items’ to include in the customized gift bag, whichmyself and those from Colleen’s Dream hand-delivered towomen during their chemo treatments,” she says. In addition,the company also donated 100 custom travel blankets andsocks. Gleckler, along with her sister, Lisa Jadis, and friend, Natalie

Fopeano, also created a customized Circle of Good necklacesymbolizing total wellness, in which a percentage of the saleswill be donated to Colleen’s Dream. “We believe that togetherwe can make a difference,” she says.Many more functions are currently being planned for 2016,

including the annual kickoff of the Colleen’s Dream Gala. As forGleckler, she sets her sights on raising awareness for the causeand is committed to supporting hospitals that specialize inoncology care, such as Johns Hopkins University, University ofArizona Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center,UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, and many others.

From left: Dr. Janicek, Merri Gleckler, Nicole Cundiff (co-founder of Colleen’s

Dream) and Linda Wagner at the Arizona Oncology.

TOP TIP: “Although these organizations support women-specific diseases, these diseasesaffect both men and women as every man has a mother, grandmother and may have a wife,sisters and aunts. Thus, it is imperative we educate and include men in our efforts.”

K


East Village SpaDes Moines, Iowa

Mt is hard for most of us to imagine thepredicament and anxiety of becoming homeless.It can happen for many reasons, such as a coupleof bad financial decisions, substance addiction

and domestic abuse. The Beacon of Life homeless shelter in DesMoines, Iowa, provides women from all walks of life with shelter,security and a chance to rebuild lives. For East Village Spa owner Cassie Sampson, the prospect of

helping to give women a second chance and rebuilding their self-esteem was inspiration enough to get involved. A casualacquaintance with the home became something more seriousover time: “I had attended fundraisers for the shelter but Irealized that there was a need to foster self-esteem and educatethese women about the importance of caring for themselves.”For many of these women, caring for themselves had become adistant memory and an irrelevance.Sampson, who also serves on her local YMCA board, has

used her work to support local communities since it opened its

doors in 2008. The annual “Spalloween” event, when allproceeds from the spa on October 31st go to support an animalrescue organization, set the tone for a business that prides itselfin giving back.The formal support for Beacon of Life came about almost by

accident. East Village Spa (which has now grown from itsoriginal 1,800-square-foot location with four staff into a 6,000-square-foot spa with 15 staff) was changing resource partner forits skin-care products and had a lot of leftover inventory. “Instead of selling it in a clearance sale to our customers, we

immediately thought of the women at Beacon of Life,” saysSampson. “We provided complimentary facials and six months’worth of products so that the women could continue theirestheticians’ recommendations as they transition into new lives.”East Village Spa’s work with the women of Beacon of Life

has been recognized by many local media outlets in Iowa. Ithas also generated a very positive response among the spa’sguests and, perhaps more importantly, in the self-esteem andhope among the home’s residents. Supply drives and otherfundraising activities are planned to maintain the relationshipbetween East Village Spa and Beacon of Life—a relationshipthat is providing women with transformation, renewed vigorand, most importantly, hope.

TOP TIP: “Philanthropy is a great way to reach out to your community and build good will,so any employee struggling to convince their spa manager or owner about a project needsto stress that aspect. Owners need to be open to suggestions—an organization that staffmembers care about deeply will create enthusiasm, team-building and pride for yourbusiness.”

I


Makes ScentsNatural Spa LineLancaster, Pennsylvania

Meather J. Kreider, owner of Makes Scents NaturalSpa Line, says the company was inspired tosupport Clare House, a Pennsylvania-basedorganization that provides homeless children and

women a support system and safe refuge, after a serendipitousmeeting with one homeless woman named Elby. “While driving from work, my husband Nathan and I saw a

young girl, maybe in her mid-20s, hunched over, sitting on arecycling bin, and holding a small cardboard sign that read:‘Anything you can give is appreciated.’ While anyone who livesin or around Lancaster knows panhandling is a major issue inthe city, this was different. I could literally see—and feel—thisyoung woman’s broken heart and worn spirit. It was written allover her face: shame, embarrassment, hopelessness,” recallsKreider of that touching moment. “Behind all of the sadness and dirt was a beautiful girl. I

learned she sleeps in a graveyard and has nowhere to go. Iasked her if she knew of any of the local resources for homelesswomen, like Clare House, but she knew of none. My heartached for her,” she says. Kreider was so moved by thatmoment, even filled with guilt, that she was inspired to chooseClare House for their drive last year.In its second annual drive for the homeless community in

Lancaster County, the spa plans to continue to build and growthe initiative each year. “During our first annual drive, wesponsored a One Warm Coat® Drive, and with the help of ourcommunity, we were able to help many in our local homeless

community stay warm over the cold winter season,” she says.The company’s effort struck a chord in its local community.

“Every day in Lancaster city, we are faced with the reality of thestruggles faced by the homeless, low-income and uninsuredpopulation. The people Clare House serves could quite possiblybe a previous neighbor, friend, or another person we’veencountered in the past. None of us are immune to the possi-bility of the downward spiral that leads to homelessness. That’swhy we feel so strongly that more compassion, more volun-teerism, and increased social responsibility are needed to helpmake a difference in the lives of those who need it the most,”she says.Kreider believes that it’s important to reach out directly to

those in need the most, much like Elby. To remind her of this,Kreider says she keeps in mind the words of EvalinaDombrowski, executive director at Clare House: “Our work isno good if the families who need us don’t know we’re here.” Elby may have been touched by the generosity of the couple

on the day they met, but it was Elby who changed Kreider’s life.“I am so glad I got to meet Elby, because she reminded me howeasily our wonderful lives can be taken away from us and howgrateful I am for what I have. The homeless population is nearand dear to my heart, and this community will continue to beat the center of our philanthropic endeavors,” she says.

TOP TIP: “Don’t put compassion andgiving back on the back burner. Just getstarted! I absolutely love the saying, ‘Itcosts zero dollars to be a decent person.’We can all volunteer time or resources.We just need to make it a priority andtake action. Also, involve your staff. Askthem how they would like to supporttheir community. Our team loves animals,and one of our goals in 2016 is tovolunteer some of our time during our 40-hour workweek to a local animal shelter.”

H


Tallgrass AvedaSpa & SalonEvergreen, Colorado

Mew spas are in a better position to give back totheir community than Tallgrass Aveda Spa &Salon in Evergreen, Colorado. The spacelebrates its 20th anniversary in 2015, and in

that time has gone from five employees to 70, making it thethird largest employer in Clear Creek County. From breastcancer awareness campaigns to providing funds and services toa local battered women’s shelter, Tallgrass has always had afocus on philanthropy. Its support of women in the military and its association with

Women’s Veterans of Colorado already stretches back at leastseven years. From an initial campaign to send care packages towomen serving in Afghanistan to the current, much more hands-on work, Tallgrass has been an active and appreciated member ofColorado’s extended military family. “We expanded our celebration of women soldiers by donating

hair and makeup services for military women who were havingLinkedIn and resume photos taken at the Women’s Veteran ofColorado Conference in September,” says Tallgrass spa owner andfounder Gail Ridings. “We were so well-received, met so manyamazing women and really felt that we were making a difference

by helping the military women look and feel better.” Tallgrass’ celebration of women in the military continued

throughout last year with a giveaway of spa treatments to womenin the military—whether on active duty, reserves or retired—during the week prior to Veteran’s Day. The spa also gave “extrememakeovers” to four military women who spa staff met at theannual Women Veteran’s Veteran of Colorado annual conference. Ridings believes that Tallgrass’ commitment to philanthropy

and to giving back to its community has been a crucial elementin its business growth. “We believe that our commitment tophilanthropy is one of their deciding factors in choosing topatronize Tallgrass,” she says. “We send a monthly e-newsletterreporting on our efforts, publish a philanthropy report on ourwebsite each year, enjoy enthusiastic coverage by the local printand digital media and have signage in the spa asking for ourcustomer’s participation. And they respond positively.”Tallgrass proves that actively engaging in philanthropic efforts

on a regular basis is not an impediment to business growth. Onthe contrary, it can act as a catalyst to bring new business in andto inspire existing customers.

TOP TIP: “Encourage staff and guests toparticipate in philanthropic efforts, soalways become involved with organiza-tions that mean a lot to the people yourbusiness relies upon. We are veryfortunate to love our jobs and make acomfortable living. We believe ourmission is to ‘awe and inspire’ each otherand everyone we touch.”

F


Bio Natural Inc dba BioRepublicSkincareAtlanta, Georgia

Mespite being a business that is still very much inits infancy (it is just a year and a half old),BioRepublic is already creating a major name foritself within skin care and philanthropy.

Founders Paolo Montonelli and Justin Hong wanted to showtheir commitment to sustainability and to women’s issues fromthe moment they launched the business with their first line ofeco-friendly sheetmasks in October 2014.A partnership with their local Atlanta-based chapter of

Dress for Success was just the kind of philanthropic partnershipthey were looking for, and according to Montonelli, it is a

partnership that “gives back to our community in a way thatmakes sense, given the nature of our business and products.After meeting with the director of our local Dress for Successchapter to understand their approach to empowering women,we knew we had found the right partner.”Dress for Success is a worldwide nonprofit organization that

empowers women in the workplace by selling gently-usedwomen’s business attire, providing a professional supportnetwork and career development tools. The organization hashelped over 850,000 women in 20 countries by providing themwith skills, counseling and clothing, helping them to re-enterthe business world or take their first steps on the ladder.Montonelli believes that many more businesses can and

should embrace the social issues that are important to theiremployees and customers. “There are so many opportunities toget involved, especially at the local level,” he says. “We donatefree facial masks for every purchase in our online shop. We alsosupport Dress for Success by donating product for theirfundraisers. As of now, we are only working with their Atlantachapter; however, we hope to expand the partnership to otherregions in the near future.”BioRepublic’s approach to philanthropy is a crucial part of

its business plan, and proves beyond doubt that a businessdoes not have to be mature or long-established to make givingback a major part of its work.

TOP TIP: “Find an outstanding partner, one that complements your business and could useyour help. Despite the amazing work Dress for Success does, we find that a lot of peoplestill don’t know what they do. We want to build long-term success for them and for us.”

D


Eastern VibrationKathmandu, Nepal

Minging bowls have a long tradition in easternhealing and wellness. Christine Hays had spentmost of her working life in the spa and wellnessworld, but it was repeated visits to the Kingdom

of Nepal that led to the start of Eastern Vibration. The companysells handmade singing bowls, Tingsha bells and other Nepalesetribal wares, all made by local artisans with a portion of the profitshelping to support poor Nepalese families. It was during one of these visits that a chance conversation

with a street child revealed just how difficult life for some womenin Nepal had become: “There are many street children and mostdon’t go to school as they are on survival mode, just wantingfood,” says Hays. “One day, I asked a child why he wasn’t inschool, his response: ‘How will I eat if I go to school?’ We endedup getting close to three particular children and we found theirmothers who were struggling and fending for themselves, sendingthe children out into the streets as they couldn’t afford taking careof them.”The women who Hays found were making necklaces and

selling them to tourists, making around US$5 to US$10 a day tofeed themselves and their children. In many cases, they were notmaking enough to feed their children, hence, the stark choicemany youngsters faced between getting an education and havingenough to eat. It’s a choice that many women throughout theworld face, and many will go hungry in order to give their childrena chance to break out of the cycle of poverty.Although Hays, along with her son Jahmaal, started Eastern

Vibrations in 2012, it was the 2015 earthquake in Nepal thatreally brought the importance of her work home. Even thedwelling she shared with her son was destroyed by the quake,leaving them without shelter or food. Hays describes her feelingsat the time she managed to escape to India as “survivor’s guilt,”something that inspired her to do what she could for those thatshe left behind in Nepal. “In the aftermath of the earthquake thatdevastated the lives of so many in Nepal, we are looking toextend the range of products and the families we support.”Hays also notes that the aftermath of a significant event like

the April 2015 earthquakes in Nepal takes years to heal, but themedia moves on in weeks, even days. One thing that hasremained constant is the support of the spa industry: Ready CareIndustries has contributed enormously by purchasing a significantamount of necklaces each month since June and has been giftingthem to spa directors in their circuit. Six Senses Spas in Qatar andSri Lanka have also been contributing, all of which has made asignificant contribution to Eastern Vibration’s efforts to rebuild aschool destroyed by the quake. The long-term outcome of the efforts of Hays, her son and

Eastern Vibration will take years to come to fruition. What iscertain is that many Nepalese lives, particularly those of womenand children, will be improved, thanks to the support of the spaindustry.

TOP TIP: “Actions need to be strategic and intentional. Reach out to as many people as youcan through social media, making sure those that you need to contribute know what theyare contributing to.”

S


InternationalSanctuaryIrvine, California

Mccording to data compiled by InternationalSanctuary (iSanctuary) and published on itswebsite, 80 percent of people in slavery arewomen and more than half of those enslaved are

children. Every minute around the world, an estimated fourchildren are forced into slavery and sold for either sex or labor.When founder Stephanie Pollaro first learned about

modern-day slavery and came across the stories of those forcedinto slavery in a magazine article she read in May 2003, shefound a life-long calling. “The article outlined the brutality ofhuman trafficking in India and around the world,” Pollarorecalls. After multiple short trips to India and a one-yearvolunteer stint with an Indian NGO in Andhra Pradesh thatserved women and girls in red-light districts, Pollaro was struckby the need to provide skills training and employment alterna-tives for girls and women rescued from exploitation. In 2007, Pollaro founded iSanctuary and realized her dream

of creating a business that helps those freed from enslavementto sustain themselves with marketable artisan skills.“iSanctuary was created to address the many needs of these

young women through holistic care and empowerment. Thewomen are placed in mentoring programs, and provided withan education, medical and dental care, scholarships, and micro-loans in order to prepare them for the future,” says MichelleJohnson, head of distribution. Over the last eight years, the company has worked with more

than 300 women from nine countries. “Most of our work hasbeen organic and unstructured. However, we are now taking whatwe have learned and redeveloping our program to be moremeasurable,” says Johnson.iSanctuary partners with other organizations working in India.

“These organizations do the rescuing of the young women, aswell as provide safe homes for them to live in after being rescued.These organizations then refer specific clients to our program,”Pollaro explains their process. Providing both skill sets and a support system is critical to the

re-integration of the victims into society, primarily because theyare often rejected by their community and family, with noemployable skills or education. iSanctuary provides supportthrough its “The Academy” program.“In 2016, we will expand and re-structure our activities into a

new system that actively addresses our goals for The Academy,these includes effectively preparing participants to thrive in theworld beyond iSanctuary, creating a replicable program modelthat can be adopted at new Sanctuaries and using jewelryproduction as a structure through which to learn additionalimportant professional and personal skills,” says Pollaro. n

TOP TIP: “One huge way in which spascan partner with iSanctuary would bethrough carrying PURPOSE Jewelry. Themore jewelry we sell, the more survivorswe are able to employ. This also allowsfor more awareness and exposure aboutthe issue. It gives guests a tangible wayto get involved.”

A


Spa parties have grown in popularity and, when done right, can bring in a great dealof revenue. But, if proper planning is not made to ensure that logistical require-ments of a spa party is covered, group party services can pose complex nightmaresin booking, facilities management and treatment preparation.

“Spa parties give guests the rare opportunity to spa together within an exclusive privatespace,” explains Shannon Stringert, director of spa, salon, & fitness at Cosmopolitan of LasVegas, Sahra Spa & Hammam in Nevada. “While spas have always been popular for anindividual or couples’ retreat, now more than ever, we are seeing the increase in requests forgroup spa and wellness experiences.”

BY ALEXANDERMENRISKY

SPAPartiesAll in the Details


Party PlanningJessica Pickard, promotions and eventscoordinator at BJ Grand Salon & Spa,recommends taking several factors intoconsideration when designing spa partyofferings, especially the size of thegroup—the size of the party has to fitthe spa area. Furthermore, the exactservice must be clearly envisioned,including what staff and resources willbe necessary and what menu items arepopular enough to include.“Guests want the details,” Pickard

says. “Before you begin offering spaparties, be prepared and organized.Create protocols on bookings, the day offlow and have answers to potential

questions a guest may have. Bringingalcohol into the spa is always aquestion.”BJ Grand Salon & Spa’s most popular

spa party is Girls Night Out, whichchauffeurs eight to 10 guests to the spaby limousine for a blowout and fullmakeup application for one to twohours, after which the limousinecontinues to chauffeur them for a nightout. The spa also has a partnership witha local winery so that if the girls decideto make it their destination, they receivefree wine with dinner.Sahra Spa offers suites in Las Vegas

that fits up to 12 guests in a private,1,400-square-foot “spa-within-a-spa,”

combining an entertaining area with spa accommodations and even a butler.The amenities include plush seating, a flat-screen television with DVD player,wet bar, whirlpool tubs, steam room,showers and changing and vanity areas, capable of hosting a variety of spa parties unlimited by type ordemographic. Guests can also choosefrom a complete menu of spa services.However, Stringert recommends always surprising guests with something special, based on theiroccasion.“Depending on the purpose of their

visit, you could offer a glass ofchampagne at check-in or a personalized

“While spas have always been popular for an individual or

couples’ retreat, now more than ever, we are seeing the

increase in requests for group spa and wellness experiences.”

— SHANNON STRINGERT • Director of Spa, Salon, & Fitness

Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Sahra Spa & Hammam • Las Vegas, Nevada


note welcoming them to the spa that isset alongside their robe and slippers,” hesays. “Have a party or suite host on-sitefor the day of the event. This personshould be focused on executing aseamless experience for the guest.” Healso recommends designating a singlegroup reservations specialist or manageras a point-of-contact for event and partyregistrations, to avoid miscommunica-tions regarding reservations.At Fayez Spa in London, Ontario in

Canada, Fayez Tamba also has spa partyitineraries organized according to groups’specific objectives and size, rather thanpre-designed packages. Because FayezSpa can host up to 40 guests, Tambapays close attention to its employees’ability to plan and execute the events.“Each event is considered to be an

extension of our strategic public

relations philosophy in that each newguest has the potential to be convertedinto a repeat client. In turn, the guestcan also refer new clients within her/hiscircle of friends, family and colleagues,”Tamba says.

Demographics and DemandsThe large Sahra Suite at Cosmopolitan ofLas Vegas is a popular choice forbachelor and bachelorette parties,birthdays, girls’ weekends and othercelebrations. To deal with the challengesof diverse occasions, Sahra Spa &Hammam employs a Spa & Salon GroupExperience Manager to focus on buildingrelationships and experiences withguests.Similarly, BJ Grand Salon & Spa’s

bridal coordinator and spa day coordi-nator become points-of-contact for

organizing large parties. “This eliminatesan unknowing staff member from havingto try to figure out a guest’s questions orchallenges,” Pickard says. “We workpersonally with them to create an eventthat meets their needs for relaxation andbeauty.”Centralized management and flexi-

bility also allow spas to quickly shifttheir game plan when spa parties attractan unexpected demographic. Forexample, while BJ Grand Salon & Spa’soriginal Girls Night Out target youngwomen ages 20 to 35, women between35 and 65 ultimately showed moreinterest, and so Pickard redirectedmarketing by word-of-mouth and socialmedia toward these individuals.Word-of-mouth has been an especially

powerful marketing tool for Fayez Spa,whose spa parties have been most

“Each event is considered to be an extension of our strategic

public relations philosophy in that each new guest has the

potential to be converted into a repeat client.”

— FAYEZ TAMBA • Owner

Fayez Spa • London, Ontario, Canada


popular with a different demographic:corporate and professional groups. Inaddition to the mostly 24 to 59-year-oldindividuals who book events for weddingsand reunions, health care, pharmaceutical,education and financial business groupsmake up a large part of the spa’s groupclientele.“The flexibility of our two relaxing

lounges contributes to our success inhosting corporate groups,” Tamba says.“The space is easily converted from twodesignated function rooms to becomeone larger space that is ideal forseminars and workshops. Coincidentally,some of the corporate clients purchaselarge numbers of gift cards that they useas rewards perks or incentives, and somesegments of those create their owngroup bookings.”

Party RewardsWith the sheer number of guestsinvolved in spa parties, these servicesare undeniably huge revenue-generatorsfor spas—both immediately andindirectly through referrals. “Girls NightOut is a small part of our business but ahuge part of our new client acquisitionstrategy,” Pickard says. “We have long-term clients that bring in their friendsand those guests continue to come backfor future appointments.”Stringert, on the other hand,

estimates that annual revenue fromgroup business at Sahra Spa & Hammamis in excess of US$650,000—but heemphasizes how proper planning plays amajor role in achieving this figure. “Wefocus on training the staff in guestservice essentials including spa etiquette

and proper verbiage, so they are able toexecute flawlessly on the day of theevent,” Stringert says. “Our spa & salongroup experience manager is responsiblefor setting the staff up for success bysharing all of the group details andmaking sure that the team anticipates allattendees’ needs.”Coordination at BJ Grand Spa &

Salon is the responsibility of seniorreceptionists, who have extensiveknowledge of day-to-day scheduling andbusiness to begin with. “We make surethey have all the information needed tospeak with a guest, organize the servicesthey are requesting, and can book alltheir guests to create a smooth andrelaxing experience,” she says. “We alsohave them go over everything withsomeone on our management team so

“Girls Night Out is a small part of our business but a hugepart of our new client acquisition strategy. We have long-term clients that bring in their friends and those guestscontinue to come back for future appointments.”

— JESSICA PICKARD • Promotions and Events Coordinator BJ Grand Salon & Spa • Springfield, Illinois


that plans are double-checked andwithout errors.” Pickard has also writtenan entirely separate protocol on booking,organizing and preparing events in orderto properly prepare staff.All the same, the complex nature of

these events can be difficult to handle.“Some events provide learning experi-ences despite our long-term successhosting them, and conducting post-mortems after each event provides

insights that can be incorporated intofuture events,” Tamba says. “However,the foundation for continued eventsuccesses is predicated on staffinvolvement that clearly identifiesevents’ requirements, needs, objectivesand goals that must be met, as well toclarify the expectations of all staffinvolved.” Meeting these expectations isthe first step in throwing a successfulparty.

“Every guest has one universaldemand—to have an amazing spaexperience,” Stringert says. “You don’talways have to reinvent what you havein place to make this happen. Listen tothe guest’s needs and craft a thoughtfulresponse. Add small personalizedtouches to the guest experience whereyou can, and if you cannot accom-modate a request, make sure to offer anappropriate alternative.” n

1.Purpose of the Party. This is the number one thing to take into considerationwhen you are first planning your spa party. Determine whether the purpose of theparty is for guest appreciation, to introduce a new product, service or staff, to raise fundsfor the community, to have a grand opening, or anything similar. This will determine thebudget, design and atmosphere of the entire event.

2.Time and Date. Picking the correct time and date will ensure the success of anyspa party. Every spa is different, but the failsafe time to pick is that of your busiesttime and day of the week as this has already been proven to be a time available for yourguests. The other great way to pick a time or date is to pick a similar time and day ofanother successful event in the past with similar target demographics.

3.VIP Invites. You can either have an exclusive VIP event or you can start with yourVIP Guests and also invite others. Be sure to include your target market top guests.Invite them with a personal phone call and, when possible, send a mailed invitation with ahand addressed. These are the people spending the most amount of money in your spa, andwhenever you can encourage them to try something new, it is a great benefit to you.

4.Cost or Free. Determine the purpose of your event. If it is an event that you needexact numbers for, or there is limited space available, by charging for the event, youwill ensure guests are committed to coming. If you are having a free event for anyone inattendance, be sure to account for larger numbers so you can accommodate.

5.Promotions. One of the easiest ways to draw people into a spa party is to havegreat promotions. There are a variety of different promotions that work well in spas;however, the most popular seems to be a Buy One, Get One (BOGO) or Buy 3, Get 1 Freepromotion. You may also offer a grand prize for booking an appointment at the event, ifthis is your desired result.

At the 2015 ISPA Conference & Expo, Professional

Development Session (PDS) speaker and Mountain Waters Spa

and Wellness owner, Marni Beninger, tackled “The Art of

Event Planning for Spas.” Here, she offers five planning tips:

BEST TIPS FOR PLANNING A SPA PARTY

WANT MORE expert insights on event planning? Click hereto purchase the PDS Audio Recordings and access expertinsights, including Marni’s full session.


S pa & Club Ideations, LLC was founded in 2001 byhusband-and-wife team Jeff and Michele Kohl out of apassion to deliver wellness solutions across the

corporate and private sectors. Building a successful businessrequires the ability to see when an industry is changing andunderstanding how to take advantage of that change. Theyrecall a mentor asking them if they were willing to go out andplay in traffic—they both replied with a resounding yes—sothey formed their company.

Early RootsJeff and Michele’s passion for the industry goes back to theearly 1980’s were they were founders of Firm Fitness, Inc., abusiness that brought fitness and wellness services into privatehomes and businesses. It was not just a personal fitnesstraining business—Michele hired massage therapists andathletic trainers, bringing spa-style fitness and wellness tomany private clients, plus a handful of high-profile businesses,including Walt Disney World Resorts, Isleworth Country Cluband NFL Quarterback Challenge. Firm Fitness, Inc. was amongthe first to bring this now widely available concept to themarket.From those early days of providing fitness and wellness-

specific services, the company has evolved to delivercutting-edge solutions to spa clients across a broad range ofservices. From marketing and strategy planning, staffing wageanalysis and new facility construction to spa menu andproduct line development, the company delivers solutions witha “customer first” mentality.

Building Connections with ClientsOne of the many defining moments for the business is thecouple’s close association with Walt Disney World in Floridaover the last two decades. In fact, Jeff was invited to become afounding “cast member” of the Disney Institute, the enter-tainment giant’s first foray into the world of spa and wellness.Its success led Jeff to play a significant role in the first Disneycruise ships—where the team truly developed the values thatstill drive their company today. The Kohl’s relationship with Mayo Clinic, which started in

2013, has solidified their reputation as a serious, dedicated and

results-driven development partner. Over the past two years,the team has had the pleasure of opening the first-of-its-kindspa facility with Mayo Clinic. As part of Mayo Clinic’s HealthyLiving Program, it marks the first time a top U.S. health-careprovider entered into the spa business. The relationship with Mayo Clinic has also led Michele to

publish a white paper. Entitled “Spa Cleanliness – MultipleSteps,” it is based on her 10-month experience of openingMayo Clinic’s spa.

Keys to SuccessAs business partners, the couple learned the importance ofplaying up each other’s strengths. Jeff is the big-thinker andprogressive project-mover, while Michele is more focused onthe detail and project programming and processes.Together, their greatest strength is having a business model thatthey firmly believe in and a passion for the development of theindustry. Both have frequently mentored young businessowners. Michele, in particular, finds gratification in looking intothe future of their clients’ businesses, both large and small. Thecouple finds it most rewarding to bring new projects andproducts to their partners, to connect with businesses andindividuals, and proactively connect these same businesses andindividuals to others. �

NOTE: One of ISPA’s most active veteran members, Jeff is a former three-term

chairman and treasurer of ISPA and a multiple-term chairman of the ISPA Foundation.

SUCCESSstories Inspiring Tales of Startups, Growth and Overcoming Hardships

MICHELE & JEFF KOHL Spa & Club Ideations LLC • Las Vegas, Nevada

Seeing an Opportunity in Change


Understanding the Healing Power of Scent

THE

AROMATHERAPYof



The art of aromatherapy has latelyseen a renaissance, thanks in part to thespa industry which has helped raisedawareness and interest in healing scentsand essential oils. “I think there was ahuge explosion in interest inaromatherapy and its potential curativepower about 15 years ago. This seemedto be followed by a decline in interest asthe word ‘aromatherapy’ was used andabused in marketing spins, leading tomisunderstanding and a degree ofcynicism in the minds of consumers,”says Nick James, founder and CEO ofBody Bliss located in Sedona, Arizona.James further noted that over the

past six or seven years, a more sustainedand grounded interest in the use ofessential oils has developed, in tandemwith peoples’ growing concern withpersonal care choices that are healthyand sustainable, both for themselves andfor the planet. “It is our concern at BodyBliss to encourage this interest and tobuild upon it so that people can beginto discern what constitutes genuine,

therapeutic aromatherapy, and canappreciate that aromatherapy can have amarked impact on their well-being.”In our final Pulse interview with the

late Geraldine Howard, president ofAromatherapy Associates located inFrisco, Texas, she said that, when itcomes to building interest, education iskey. Howard observed that in certainconsumer sector, there is a far greaterunderstanding and appreciation of theimpact of using aromatherapy productsand people are looking more and morefor solutions to help them get throughtheir stressful lives.

Howard said her team work reallyhard to educate people on the benefitsof using therapeutic-grade blends andways to incorporate them into their busylives. She had noticed a huge impact inthis area.

Sourcing OilsBecause not all essential oils are sourcedthe same way, it’s important to find outhow resource partners select and sourcetheir oils as well as develop their uniquearomatherapy blends. “Kneipp tests allraw ingredients before we use them in

product formulations to ensurethat they are what they claim to

Aromatherapy is a major component in the spa experience, which is why spas

should not undermine the value of essential oils as healing agents. “Although

the term ‘aromatherapy’ was not coined until about 100

years ago, it has deep roots in history dating back to

plant-based therapy and the use of essential oils for incense, medicine and

perfumery thousands of years ago,” says Michael Fensterstock, founder of

Aromaflage based in New York.

AROMATHERAPY

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Geraldine HowardEDITOR'S NOTE: The passing of Geraldine Howard is a sad moment in the spa industry. In my

final interview with this inspiring woman who helped shape the spa industry through her

vision, leadership and strength of character, we honor her memory through her final words in

this fitting feature. She will be deeply missed, but her legacy lives on. Thank you Geraldine for

being a bright light!


be. This makes Kneipp unique but wehave been completely devoted to plantingredients for more than 120 years. Ourresearch facility tests each plant formutations, other matter that makes itsway into the plant via air and waterpollution, etc. The plant must meet astandard to be used in formulation,”says Mary Leber, CEO of Kneipp in NewYork.James, on the other hand, looks for

small-scale artisanal growers and distillers,wherever possible. “When we started thecompany, we noticed a patternemerged—the best oils almost alwaysseemed to come from small farms. As

time went on, we realized that this is noaccident. Artisanal distillers are moreinvested in the well-being of the land theywork on and also take a more consideredapproach to the process of extracting theoils from the plant material.” Aromaflage is also conscious not only

in sourcing essential oils regulated by theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency asnatural insect repelling oils, but also howit develops its blend. “Aromaflage is hand-mixed by a group of women fromSoutheast Asia called Thai Yai—a subsetof the Shan culture. These Thai Yaiwomen are ethnic minorities who have nocountry and most of them live along the

Thai Burma border, in the jungle, and aretreated inhumanely,” says Fensterstock.This partnership began when, while

on a trip in Southeast Asia, Fensterstockdiscovered a local aromatherapy blend andwas so impressed by it that he decided tofind out the people behind the product.This led him to his Southeast Asianpartner who is committed to uplifting thelives of ethnic minority women. “Our partner in Southeast Asia has set

up a safe village in the hills where these

MICHAEL FENSTERSTOCK • Founder Aromaflage • New York, New York

“Our research facility tests eachplant for mutations,other matter thatmakes its way intothe plant via air andwater pollution.”

MARY LEBER • CEOKneipp • Kingston, New York

“Aromaflage is hand-mixed by agroup of women from SoutheastAsia called Thai Yai—a subset ofthe Shan culture.”

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 52)


“It is of utmost importancefor spa owners to requestthat their suppliers haveoils that are GC/MS tested.So many companies makeclaims that their oils arepure and therapeutic,when they don’t have thistesting done. It is literallyimpossible for a companyto validate the quality oftheir oils without this test.It is also important to useessential oils in organiccarrier oils and lotions,since the carrier oils areusually 95 to 99 percent ofan aromatherapy productthat is applied to the skin.Pure essential oils areextremely potent andshould always be dilutedprior to application. Eachspa should consider theirunique clientele to selectwhich essential oilproducts to carry, as thereare many selections.Providing a variety ofchoices that reflect yourcustomers’ needs will putyou in their graces.”

l l l

CARY CASTERCEO, 21 Drops

Delray Beach, Florida

Aromatherapy Brands

“When considering anyaromatherapy productor process, first ensurethe client finds thearoma to be pleasing.Humans have some 5million scent glands and you don’t want tooffend any of them!Second, ensure that theproduct is pure. Purity is important and petro-chemical diluents areabsolutely forbidden.”

l l l

ERIC SNYDERTechnical Director, EuroSpa Aromatics

Long Beach, California

“VOYA is renowned forusing seaweed andseaweed extractthroughout all of itsproducts and treatmentranges. VOYA’s choice ofingredients enhancesthe powerful seaweedextracts by blendingthem witharomatherapy oils,which functions toheighten their detoxi-fying and relaxingbenefits. It’s all aboutfinding out what theclient wants for theirbusiness to see howyour products will fitinto their spa structure,in a bespoke andpersonalized manner.

l l l

EMMA ROBERTSHead of Sales,

VOYA Products LtdCo. Sligo, Ireland

“Our focus andpartnership with thespas are based onbrand-building for boththe spa and SERENEHOUSE. Our assortmentof aromatherapyproducts and scentsincludes unique blendsthat cover many of thesingle note products;however, we’veexpanded with singlenote scents for abroader offering. Ourfocus is to partner withthe spa owner and tohelp educate them onour wide range ofproducts and how wecan help them bestserve their specificspace and clientelewhile supporting andenhancing their brandimage.”

l l l

MICHAEL JEANSSONVice President, Sales

SERENE HOUSESturdevant, Wisconsin

“We recommend usingnatural fragrance to addto the ambiance of theclient’s spa. In keepingwith a holistic approach,we believe that an in-depth consultation todiscover the needs ofthe spa-goer on the dayis essential. At Petalwell,we have developed theperfect solution foradding a layer of thera-peutic fragrancethroughout thetreatment room.”

l l l

JACQUELINE OGLESBYDirector of Operations,

PetalwellCarlow, Ireland

MICHAEL FENSTERSTOCK • Founder Aromaflage • New York, New York

AT A GLANCE


women can work in a healthy workingenvironment. Additionally, our partner isalso in the process of trying to help thesewomen’s family members get legalizationpapers so that the families can betogether,” he says.

Integrating AromatherapyWhen selecting the right aromatherapyproduct to add into one’s retailcollection or use during treatments,Howard advised to make sure that itpasses the “smell test.”

She explained that before performingany of Aromatherapy Associates' treat-ments, the therapist will conduct a"smell test" to select which blend ismost appropriate to use, so they can besure guests are really getting what theyneed for that day. AromatherapyAssociates has an extensive range ofblends designed to cover a huge varietyof concerns, such as stress, sleep,energy levels, emotional challenges, skinconditions and even digestive issues, sothere is no need to custom-blend for

every individual client. Howard said shebelieved relaxation and stress cannot becovered with one essential oil alone andadvised spas to have a selection to fitthe need of the individual client.Similar to Aromatherapy Associates

that do not offer custom-blendingoptions, Kneipp formulates its products tooffer guests’ desired effects.“We train all accounts on the plant

ingredients that we use in Kneipp formu-lations. Kneipp has on-staff chemists,naturopathic doctors, herbologists and

TREND: Healthy Living “Recently, aromatherapy has been moving in bold new directions andplaying a greater role in the treatment of mood enhancement, sleep therapy, pain therapy, massage andcognitive function,” Fensterstock says. Consumers are increasingly demanding products that can helpthem relax, sleep better and de-stress during or after a busy day, and aromatherapy is the perfect fit forthe industry as it trends toward holistic fixes.

TREND: Artisanal and Organic Oils “As people become increasingly informed, the demand fororganic certified and artisanal oils is on the increase. People generally love to feel connected to thesource and story behind the products they use, and with aromatherapy, this ties directly into the landand the way we treat the planet. Knowing that an essential oil has been produced without the use ofchemicals and artificial fertilizers is an important aspect for consumers, and the pay back is that with justa little extra investment on their part, they can expect much better therapeutic results,” says James.

Leber agrees, adding that consumers want to know the story behind the product. “Consumers wantto know what the ingredients are—in plain English. They want to know where they come from and howthey are harvested,” Leber says.

TREND: Home Stress Reduction “One of the uses of aromatherapy is to strengthen the self-healingprocesses by preventative methods and indirect stimulation of the immune system in order to have apositive effect on the spiritual and overall medicinal well-being,” Fensterstock says.

In addition, Howard said consumers are demanding products that can help them relax, sleep betterand de-stress after, or throughout, a busy day. Sleep and stress in particular are huge concerns for many.

TREND: Customization Spa consumers are increasingly demanding a greater degree ofcustomization in aromatherapy. “Scent has a significant impact on memory, emotion and body, andmarketers understand the validity behind wild harvesting the most effective botanicals for use inaromatherapy,” Fensterstock says.

Trend: Aromatherapy Tech Consumers are constantly looking for new ways to use aromatherapyblends and new gadgets to facilitate healing. Ultrasonic essential oil-diffusers are a particularly big hitaccording to James, due to their quiet, heat-free and elegant designs. “This revolution has broughtaromatherapy into fresh perspective for many consumers,” he says.

AROMATHERAPY TRENDS

THE ART OF AROMATHERAPY

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 50)


pharmacists—in addition to usinguniversity and hospital research fortesting the efficacy of each product,” saysLeber.James, on the other hand, recom-

mends finding a resource partner willingto understand the wellness outcomes aspa wants to focus on and build anaromatherapy program based on it. “Itis always good to have a clearly definedconcept or benefit to be able to offerguests, and to be able to offer retailcomponents that can help the guestsextend the benefits of their spa visitonce they get home,” he suggests.“Scent and aromatherapy are soevocative, and we are able to help spasdevelop whole lines of custom-createdblends that will tell the story of, orcapture the essence of, their particularproperty. This may be based onbotanical, cultural, geographical orhistorical themes—whatever the case,

guests love toassociate a scentwith a story.”

Train to ConnectTraining is anotherimportant component whenintegrating aromatherapy into spas. “Wepersonally like to visit our partners andtrain them on our philosophy of well-being and our dedication to using nontoxic and insect-repellent ingredients fortheir guests to use to feel well and enjoythe outdoors,” Fensterstock says.It’s equally important that therapists

are trained properly and understand thehistorical background and powerfulbenefits of each ingredient used in orderto help them appreciate the power ofessential oils. “We aim to establish aconnection between therapists who areusing the oils, and the places where theoils are framed and distilled. Then we

ignite the passion thera-pists have for aromatherapy

by raising their awareness of thehealing potential in the oils.”To help them do this, Body Bliss

offers an app that allows bothconsumers and spa therapists to learnmore about essential oil blends.“Because custom-blending can requirean incredibly deep knowledge, combinedwith many hours of practical experience,we developed the IntentionalAromatherapy app,” James says. “Theapp has the flexibility to allow you tocreate blends that address issues at thelevel of body, mind and emotion, as wellas a guide for free blending, customblending for gift-giving and creatingblends that match your numerology.” n

“When we started the company, we noticed apattern emerged—the best oils almost alwaysseemed to come from small farms.”

NICK JAMES • Founder/CEO Body Bliss • Sedona, Arizona

“We work really hard to educate people on the benefits of using therapeutic-grade blends and how to incorporate them into their busy lives.”

— GERALDINE HOWARD • President • Aromatherapy Associates • Frisco, Texas


On April 22, the world celebrates Earth Day.The annual event helps to raise environ-mental awareness and mobilize meansto encourage the protection of MotherNature. Such celebration couldn’t beany more but timely as the worldfaces the most daunting threat of

climate change. In fact, a report by Pew Research Center

states that a global median of 54 percent ofrespondents surveyed in 40 countries aroundthe world are “very concerned” aboutclimate change (read more about this studyin Pulse Points, page 14).

GREENHeeding the Call

of Mother Nature

BusinessBY MAE

MAÑACAP-JOHNSON


“Isn’t it ultimately the objective ofevery business to provide a product or service that improves the well-being of their customer in some form? If we provide that well-being,how can we ignore the impact thedelivery of that product or service has on the environment? Without a

planet that is well, we cannotbe truly well.”

nvironmental awareness and protectionresonate deep within the spa industry.“Isn’t it ultimately the objective of everybusiness to provide a product or servicethat improves the well-being of theircustomer in some form? If we provide thatwell-being, how can we ignore the impact

the delivery of that product or service has on the environment?Without a planet that is well, we cannot be truly well,” saysSzilvia Hickman, senior vice president of Szep Elet, exclusivedistributor of ilike organic skin care.The Indiana-based company takes this mission to heart.

“We are developing businesses that create products that helppeople reduce their impact on the environment while at thesame time improving their own personal well-being,” she says.Blake and Carmen Gendebien, founders of A Wholesome

Glow located in Canton, New York, share similar views. “Webelieve a healthy lifestyle means more than a few moments perday of environmental awareness. As farmers and spa owners,we have a responsibility to be advocates for wellness, whichmeans healthy people and a healthy planet. All businesses playan important role in educating others of how they can optimize

their own mindfulness to be stewards of sustainability in theirown communities. This inspires people to take importantaction and leads to better choices and a better world for futuregenerations,” says Carmen Gendebien.

Good Business Sense For many businesses, protecting the environment is not only amoral responsibility, but also makes good business sense. “Forus, caring for our planet and its inhabitants is a defining corner-stone of our company. How ironic would it be that a companyrelying so heavily on the goodness of Mother Nature wouldconduct its affairs in a manner that are detrimental to oursource of raw material? One could argue that our desire toprotect the environment is for self-serving reasons, as withoutthe bountiful of natural ingredients, we wouldn’t have the rawmaterial to make our products,” says Blue Beautifly CEO VidaKaramooz. Shelley Lotz, author of Green Spas and Salons: How to

Make Your Business Truly Sustainable and founder of Vios SpaGroup, states that promoting green initiatives is a necessity intoday’s market, primarily because consumers demand it. “Fromusing organic products with sustainable packaging to assessing

SZILVIA HICKMANSenior Vice President • Szep Elet, exclusive distributor of ilike organic skin care • Indianapolis, Indiana


indoor air quality, spa wellness extends to everyday businesschoices. Choosing responsible vendors who have natural andorganic products and supplies is an easy way to green up aspa,” she says. She warns, however, on the dangers of greenwashing, a

common marketing practice employed by some businesses todeceive consumers on environmental claims. “Of course, beingsustainable addresses more than just products. Avoid thegreenwashing bandwagon by being transparent and educatedabout your business choices. Are you really green or juststarting on the path? Be prepared to answer questions fromclients on your green measures,” she says. Gendebien, on her part, says their green efforts have helped

to enhance the quality of the ir businesses. “On the farm, oursustainable efforts help us conserve and protect our soil structureand reduce soil erosion. We are also able to reduce fertilizer costsand save significantly on our water usage. At the spa, thesebenefits are evidenced in our treatments, materials, utilityexpenses and the quality of the services we provide,” she says.

Eco-Friendly Initiatives A Wholesome Glow is well aware of consumers’ growingdemand for sustainable practices and clean products,which is why it operates its farm with philosophical,

CARMEN GENDEBIENCo-Founder • A Wholesome Glow • Canton, New York

“On the farm, our sustainable efforts help us conserveand protect our soil structure and reduce soil erosion.”

SHELLEY LOTZConsultant and Author • Green Spas and Salons: How to Make Your Business Truly Sustainable • Ashland, Oregon

ecological and environmental consciousness. “All of the milkproduced on our farm, is cooled with naturally cold water onits way to the tank. This is also the water supply for over 400of our dairy cows. Nothing leaves our farm except our milk andA Wholesome Glow products. All water, animal food andwastes are reused and recycled back into the farm. Our animalsare a part of a healthy ecology and we must provide them witha healthy environment to thrive in, every day,” Gendebien says. Blue Beautifly categorizes its eco-friendly initiatives in three

buckets: procurement, plant operations and post-consumer. Inprocurement, the company ensures that all ingredients aresourced from organic farms. “With an eco-friendly mindset, weare keenly concerned about the air and water pollution causedby chemical fertilizers and pesticides due to oversprays and runoff. In addition, the dramatic decrease in bee population islargely attributed to conventional farming. Therefore, bypurchasing USDA Certified Organic ingredients, we are certainthat none of our products contribute to environmental degra-


dation as a result of conventional farming,” Karamooz says.In terms of operations, the company’s goal is to attain 100

percent renewable energy for its facility. To further minimize itscarbon footprint, the company uses 100 percent post-consumer paper, printed with soy ink, and fully biodegradableingredients. “Among the most harmful things to theenvironment is disposing complex compounds into the wastewater that are hard to remove or take years, decades, orcenturies to decompose. For example, many municipalitieshave begun to detect traces of prescription drugs in their watersupplies recently. Another recent example is passage of theMicrobead-Free Waters Act that is intended to eradicate the useof synthetic plastic microbeads in personal cleansing productsby January 2018,” she says.Hickman, on the other hand, says Szep Elet’s green initiative

is evident in its products. In fact, ilike Organic Skin Care’sCarotene Essentials Moisturizer was recognized by the 7thAnnual Beauty with a Conscience Awards for purity of its ingre-dients. “Besides implementing earth-friendly practices in ouroffice and business practices, we continue to develop and

provide products that have a real impact on both personal andplanetary well-being,” she says.

Strengthening Initiatives Implementing environmental best practices requirecommitment and dedication, especially since challenges arebound to arise in the process. “To us, the biggest challenge isfinding suppliers who adhere to our strict eco-friendlystandards. Therefore, we spend significant time vetting oursupplier’s credentials and certifications to ensure that theirsocial and environmental standards have been validated bytrusted third party entities,” Karamooz says.Hickman, on the other hand, believes that in order to have

a successful green initiative, one must focus on educatingguests and staff members in order to help them change habits.“People are creatures of habit—both in what they do and

what they believe they know. Eco-focused initiatives, whetherin the form of how we go about our daily lives or introducingproducts that challenge commonly held beliefs, requires thatwe first change our habits that are usually driven by short-term

“With an eco-friendly mindset,

we are keenly concernedabout the air and waterpollution caused bychemical fertilizers andpesticides due tooversprays and run off.”

VIDA KARAMOOZ, PH. D.CEO • Blue Beautifly • Oakland, California


rewards, question what we “know,” reeducate ourselves andspread the word to others through a new deeply held belief,”Hickman says, adding that it is a process that takes time,dedication and a focus on simplicity.Gendebien, on her part, says the most challenging part

usually takes place during the launch of new ideas or productsin the market. “There is always a learning curve. Workingtogether is the best way we have learned to understand thesenew concepts and communicate as a team to support newchanges,” she says.Teamwork is critical, so is customer support. “Ask your

customers and your staff for eco-friendly ideas. They generallyhave the most innovative and practical ideas. By doing so, youwill also enlist their support and active participation to ensuresuccess of the initiative. Because no matter how good your ideamay be, it won’t succeed without their enthusiastic support,”says Karamooz.Apart from community support, Gendebien says it’s

important to review utility costs, water usage and wastemanagement. “By making upgrades to energy efficientequipment, lighting and water systems, you can reduce your

footprint as well as annual costs,” she says. “Plan ahead. Makesmall changes every year to keep increasing your sustainability.This will add value year over year to your bottom line andenhance your business, culture and personal satisfaction alongthe way.” Lotz, a board member of the Green Spa Network, recom-

mends taking measures like changing the treatment menu toreduce resource use, replacing bottled water with water stationsand glasses and conducting an energy audit. “Start byassessing your current practices and then decide what yourstaff and your clients care about the most or what would makethe most difference. What are you most passionate about?Focus on what energizes you and let that guide you on yourpath to creating positive changes for your company, clients,and the people you work with,” she says. n

Marketing YourSustainabilityMessageIt’s often challenging to get the word outabout your green practices to ensure thatyour staff and community associate yourbrand with your green mission. To helptell your sustainability story, Lotz recommends doing the following:

l Feature your sustainability on your website and on socialmedia outlets. Change up the messages and beconsistent with regular posts.

l Use collateral throughout the facility on your greeninitiatives. You can highlight different efforts throughoutthe seasons if you live in a place that enjoys the fourseasons: For example, water in the summer; energy useduring wintertime.

l Supporting eco-organizations through partnerships ordonations makes clients and staff members feel goodabout your company’s efforts. Don’t underestimateteam-building efforts and the connection betweenpeople working together on something they arepassionate about.

l Sustainability campaigns add interest and excitement tobusiness as usual and support staff engagement andpublic relations.

WANT TO read more tips on how toimplement meaningful sustainabilitypractices? Click here to read more insightsby Lotz.

“Start by assessing your current practices and then decidewhat your staff and your clients care about the most or whatwould make the most difference.”

SPECIAL PULSE ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

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AWHOLESOMEGLOW.COM • 1.315.294.0808

BEAUTY FINDS for the Modern Woman

The modern woman has become more discriminating when it

comes to beauty and skin care. More savvy than their grandmothers

when it comes to understanding ingredients, seeing the truth past false

advertising and demanding to see visible results, today’s female guests know

exactly what they want.

In this Special Pulse Advertising Supplement, skin-care brands talk about

their “female favorite” products and which new demands from the female market

are on the rise.

What benefits does this product offer to female spa-goers?

Our products are 100 percent handcrafted, made on our family

farm. We use the highest quality ingredients to create the

ultimate and authentic farm-to-bottle experience for

naturally inspired luxury. Our products evoke a true sense of

relaxation, nature, nourishment and well-being. They provide

a unique, pampering retreat and indulgent reprieve and do

double-duty to soothe and use easily, every day. We believe in

keeping comfort simple so our products are multi-functional,

beautiful and perfect for the whole family.

What are some of the new demands seen from the female

market?

Women are leaders in so many ways. Women have become

stronger, more independent, self-aware and compassionate

about how they live their lives and interact with the world.

There is a fresh appreciation for freedom, substance and having

new experiences tied to what we love. In many ways, women

are beginning to simplify the demands on themselves and

honor the ease of making happier and beautiful new choices.

This is empowering and we at A Wholesome Glow love it!


Quinsyberry Botanical Body Oil FarmHouse Fresh

FARMHOUSEFRESHGOODS.COM1.888.773.9626

Organic Regenerating Oil Serum Blue Beautifly

BLUEBEAUTIFLY.COM • 1.510.900.3877


Parched winter skin will love this vitamin-rich antioxidant

body oil. Made with blackcurrant extract and a blend of

botanical oils that help rehydrate, refresh and bring radiance

back. The light apple blossom scent is so dreamy and uplifting,

you may be tempted to sip!


market?

Proof in performance. So many products on the market

present claims that do not meet customers’ expectations.

Consumers want products that live up to their claims.


A number of factors can cause weakening of the skin, resulting in

premature aging, distress and irritation. Women’s delicate skin is

particularly susceptible to environmental pollutants, sun

damage, prescription drugs, synthetic body-care products and

hormonal changes. Rich in nourishing precious oils, high in fatty

acids, and live botanical extracts, Organic Regenerating Oil

Serum is specifically formulated to strengthen the skin’s natural

regenerative process, lipid barrier and protective function.


market?

For years, women were led to believe that skin-care products

containing oils cause breakouts and clogged pores. However,

emerging discoveries indicate that oils are the best way to get

natural vitamins and antioxidants directly into the skin.

Accordingly, we at Blue Beautifly are seeing an increase in

consumers’ demand for our oil serums that are filled with potent

precious oils and super-charged with live botanical extracts.


Optimal Skin ProMoisturizer ESPA International Ltd. (US)

US.ESPASKINCARE.COM1.786.350.1192

Eye Authority HydroPeptide

HYDROPEPTIDE.COM1.800.932.9873


This four-dimensional eye cream immediately brightens dark circles

while diminishing the look of expression lines, wrinkles and

puffiness. Proceeds from the sale of Eye Authority go toward our See

the Difference campaign in which we help to build 12 clean water

wells in developing countries in 2016.

What are some of the new demands seen from the female market?

Probiotics in skin care is gaining traction among ingredient-savvy

customers. The Eye Authority contains a probiotic preservative

system that also helps moisturize the skin.


The Optimal Skin ProMoisturizer contains key ingredients. South

African resurrection plant delivers deep, long-lasting hydration

while reviving skin and minimizing the redness and sensitivity caused

by dehydration. Sunflower extract and Inca Inchi oil boost and

preserve optimal moisture levels by strengthening the skin’s natural

moisture barrier. Winged kelp extract provides antioxidant

protection and enhances the levels of hyaluronic acid in skin to

optimize hydration and boost the production of collagen and elastin.

What are some of the new demands seen from the female market?

Naturally advanced facials are definitely back on the agenda. We’ve

seen a sharp rise in the demand for results-driven, highly efficacious

and specialized facial treatments. Our clients want to look great for

their age, combat the effects of environmental damage on their skin

and, ultimately, ensure they remain looking healthy—just without

the surgery, injections or chemical skin care. All ESPA facials use our

99 percent (on average) natural skin-care products, alongside

expertly applied manual protocols that both instantly and, in the

longer-term, physically improve the skin.


Pulse: What inspired you to write this book?David Shenk: In my experience, books find the author. Inresearching my last book, about the extraordinary history ofextraordinary chess players, I stumbled onto the whole new fieldof “expertise studies.” It amazed me how little was publiclyknown about this new research. It was a story that had to be told.

P: Based on your research, what do you think is the biggestmyth told about our genes?S: Scientists have been updating their understanding ofgenetics for a hundred years, but very little ofthat new understanding has gotten out to therest of us. The general public is still stuck withthe very old notion that genes contain directblueprint designs for traits—our eye color, height,intelligence, musicality, athleticism, etc. The truthis that genes contain information about howproteins are constructed, and nothing more. Howthat information turns into the actual constructionof traits is a complex process that involves criticalinput from the environment. The notion of “innate”gifts is a flawed one.

P: Can you cite a few pieces of research that support theepigenetics or gene expression model?S: My book cites hundreds of pieces of research—in fact, theentire back half of the book is a compendium of citations. Forcedto pick a single scientific article, I would choose “Nature, nurture,and the disunity of knowledge,” published in 2001 in the Annalsof the New York Academy of Sciences, by Michael Meaney, who

ASK THE EXPERT

is the director, program for the study of genes, behavior and theenvironment at McGill University. According to Meaney, “thereare no genetic factors that can be studied independently of theenvironment.” He continues to elaborate that “there are noenvironmental factors that function independently of thegenome” and that [a trait] “emerges only from the interaction ofgene and environment.” I would also strongly recommend thebook Evolution in Four Dimensions, by Eva Jablonka (Tel AvivUniversity) and Marion J. Lamb (University of London).

P: You mentioned that there is evidence thatmeditation practitioners’ brain changes shapeand form as they meditate. Can you share realresearch behind this claim?S: Here is a summary from a 2005 study¹:“Previous research indicates that long-termmeditation practice is associated with alteredresting electroencephalogram patterns,suggestive of long-lasting changes in brainactivity. We hypothesized that meditationpractice might also be associated withchanges in the brain’s physical structure.

Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess corticalthickness in 20 participants with extensive insight meditationexperience, which involves focused attention to internal experi-ences. Brain regions associated with attention, interoception andsensory processing were thicker in meditation participants than

In The Genius in All of Us, author DAVID SHENK debunks long-held

notion that geniuses are born and that genetics dictate greatness.

According to Shenk, our DNA does not determine our ability to excel

and succeed. In fact, he argues that “our problem isn’t our inadequate

genetic assets but our inability, so far, to tap into what we already

have.” So if DNA alone does not make us geniuses, the next logical

question is: How much of a factor does environment play? Shenk

offers some thought-provoking insights.

DAVID SHENK

FOOTNOTE:

¹ Lazar, et al. “Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness.”

Neuroreport. 2005 Nov 28; 16(17): 1893–1897.


WANT A LIST of scientific research andstudies that support the claim of epigenetics?Click here to access a collection of scientificbooks and articles, compiled by Shenk.

matched controls, including the prefrontal cortex and rightanterior insula…The thickness of two regions correlated withmeditation experience.” These data provide the first structuralevidence for experience-dependent cortical plasticity associatedwith meditation practice.

P: What are some of the factors that contribute to greatness?S: It starts and ends with perseverance, with the understandingthat you have to keep pushing yourself beyond your currentcapability. In your practice and training, you work over and overto get better at something you can’t quite do, and once you getthere, you extend your ambition further, working to get good andsomething that’s even further out of your reach. You treat failureas an opportunity to build skills you don’t have, as opposed to aflashing message that says, “Sorry, you can’t ever do this.”

P: Can you identify factors that could prevent us fromreaching our true genetic potential?S: Very few of us come close to our theoretical potential in anydomain, because doing so involves a lifetime of focus, sacrificeand perseverance. And that’s fine. Living an extreme life dedicatedto being the very best is not necessarily a life that it is healthy formost of us to lead. But it’s important to understand that a lot ofthis has to do with personal choice, not genetic limitation. There

are genetic limitations, of course, but they are far fewer than wetypically accept.

P: For leaders who do not tolerate mediocrity, what can theydo to identify and tap someone else’s full potential?S: You start with expecting excellence, setting the bar high. Youalso encourage risk-taking, and make people comfortable withfailure as part of the process. If people are afraid to fail, they’llnever take the necessary risks. So you need to reward ambitionand perseverance.

P: Can you give examples of famous individuals who youbelieve exemplify the idea that geniuses can be made?S: Let’s start with possibly the most famous example of innateability: Mozart. If you look closely at his life, very closely (as I doin my book), it’s actually a story about having extraordinaryresources, an extraordinary teacher (his father), very earlyexposure, enormous ambition, and a work ethic that pushed himfrom doing very ordinary work to extraordinary work over manyyears’ time. Interestingly, the cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s early childhoodresembled Mozart’s in some powerful ways. Another amazingthing to realize is that, using the modern teaching principles ofDr. Shinichi Suzuki, many thousands of very young violinists cannow play as well as Mozart did when he was young.

P: For those who have yet to discover their true talents andabilities, what advice can you give to guide them toward thepath of genius?S: With all due respect, it’s not about “discovering” your truetalent or hidden abilities. It’s about finding what you most wantto be great at, what you want to spend your entire life workingat, and then deciding that you are never, ever, ever going tostop trying to become better at that. It’s about choosing adomain, and a lifetime of practice and process, that will befulfilling to you along the way. And, guess what? It’s also okay tochange your mind and go in a different direction, or to decide thatyou simply don’t want to do what it takes to become truly great.It’s okay to decide you’re going to not be the greatest tennisplayer but instead be the greatest friend. n


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

Why Participating in the ISPA U.S. Spa Industry Study Survey MattersEach year, ISPA members gain access to valuable new insights from the ISPA U.S. SpaIndustry Study, commissioned by the ISPA Foundation and conducted by PwC. Howis the survey conducted? What’s new and exciting in the upcoming report? Moreimportantly, what is the benefit of participating in the annual survey? ISPAFoundation Chairman Frank Pitsikalis connects with PwC Global Research DirectorColin McIlheney to talk about the firm’s research process and the report’s value to theISPA community.

Pitsikalis: What makes the ISPA U.S. Spa Industry Study so valuable for ISPA members?McIlheney: It’s the definitive study of the U.S. spa industry. It provides vital information on keystatistics such as revenue and visits while also highlighting crucial trends. Over the past 17 years,it has become a much-valued resource as it contains historic information showing the rise of theindustry and the issues that it has faced. In recent years, there has been huge interest in the topicof compensation. This has enabled many spas to benchmark themselves against industry norms.

P: Can you tell us about the process PricewaterhouseCoopers uses to develop ISPA’sindustry reports?M: At PwC, we use a tried-and-tested approach. Each year, the questions are reviewed—are theystill interesting and up-to-date? We look at who is in the sample receiving the survey. This year,more than 10,000 spas were identified—some have taken part every year, others are taking part forthe first time. In addition, we encourage the known spas to help “snowball” the sample by encour-aging spas we may not know of to take part.We monitor the returns as they come in, sending out reminders and tracking key aspects like

type of spa and geography. The final stages are closing the books and analyzing the results. Thisis followed closely by distilling the key messages for my annual “state of the industry” review onthe main stage at the ISPA Conference & Expo.

P: Is there anything new that we can expect from the 2016 ISPA U.S. Spa Industry Study?M: The big focus for 2016 is compensation. There is a massive appetite for information on pay andalso on vacancies across the industry. You can expect to see much more granular information onthis vital area. Everyone is also excited to see what spas identify as the “next big thing”.

BY THE NUMBERS

Participate in the 2016survey before March 4thto be part of this year’sfindings. All partici-pants will receive acomplimentary digitalcopy of the ExecutiveSummary and exclusiveaccess to compensationdata.

6.7%Growth in number of spa visits over the course of 2014

70%Percentage of spas reported increase in demand from September 2014 to March 2015

20,660 Number of spa establishments in the U.S. in 2014

US$88 Average spa revenue per visit

74%Percentage of spas that plan to add new treatments in 2015

Here are some of the numbers from the 2015 ISPAU.S. Spa Industry Study:


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

reference the compiled oncology therapyscenarios and best practices.“I wanted to create a network of infor-

mation, where the therapists could writedown their experiences,” she says, sharingthe inspiration behind her “case study”initiative. Out of the resource, she hoped tofind out how her fellow Glen Ivy oncologymassage therapists conducted the intake,what they gleaned from the intake and,using the information, how they createdthe framework for their massage. “I envisioned a [resource] where

feedback, questions and answers takeplace. Questions like: Why did you askthat? Why didn’t you ask that? What didyou base that decision on?” she says. “Ithought that if we all shared our experi-ences, it would help keep the training freshfor everyone, and become a great learningexperience for all.”Jones believes that the case study

compilation will be a valuable tool,especially in helping therapists retainknowledge and keep the training fresh.“It’s easy to learn something new, but theretention of that knowledge is a differentstory. It takes hands-on experience andrepetition in that experience to continue inthe learning process and fully grasp theknowledge,” Jones says. She hopes that, by sharing actual case

studies, she can help debunk the myththat massage therapy may cause cancer to

spread in different parts of the body.“Many therapists still feel that cancer canbe spread by massage therapy, and manymore feel intimidated by the medicalconsiderations. It is a shame for any clientto be turned away from a healing touch.This is why the oncology training is sovaluable,” she says, adding that the key toconfidence is having the tools to assess aclient and to develop a plan. While no days are alike, on a typical

work day, Jones’ day is often focused onproviding guests the healing touch theyneed:

� 9 am Meets with the team to discussupdates and to give each other encour-agement for the day ahead. “We also giveaccolades to anyone who has a signif-icant personal accomplishment to share,”she says.� 11 am Works with guests. “I lovebeing able to meet my client’s needs; tobe able to relieve their pain, or showthem a stretch that will help relieve theirpain, or give them appropriate referralssuch as to good chiropractors or medicalspecialists.”� 2 pm Ensures that appointment timesare kept. “Sticking to the 50-minutetherapy session is one of the toughestparts of the job. Knowing that I amhelping to relive acute pain and stress isso rewarding that I just wish I had moretime with each of our guests.” �

Day BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

When Robin Jonesattended Glen Ivy HotSprings’ three-dayoncology massage

education program conducted by Greet theDay, a nonprofit organization that trainsand educates spa staff on oncologicalmethods and practices, the veteranmassage therapist didn’t realize theprofound impact the experience wouldhave on her.On one particular day while working

with a difficult oncology patient, sherealized how most therapists would nothave the confidence to provide such ademanding patient the healing touch sheneeds. “The thought of that broke myheart. They need the healing touch badly!”she says. This experience, along with a refreshed

knowledge in oncology therapy (Jones hadpreviously trained with Greet the Day priorto attending Glen Ivy Hot Springs’program in March last year), inspired herto compile case studies based on herpersonal experiences dealing with her ownoncology patients. Her goal, ultimately, isto create a resource and feedback tool soGlen Ivy therapists can share and

ROBIN JONES Oncology Certified Massage TherapistGlen Ivy Hot Springs, Corona, California


ISPA U.S. Spa Industry Study closes

Employee Appreciation Day

International Women’s Day

Daylight Savings begins at 2 am

St. Patrick’s Day

March ISPA Snapshot Survey opens

International Day of Happiness

March ISPA Snapshot Survey closes

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MARCH/APRIL

March is...� Women’s History Month (U.S.)

� National Nutrition Month (U.S.)

� Hot Tea Month

April is...� Stress Awareness Month (U.S.)

� Occupational Therapy Month (U.S.)

� Autism Awareness Month

� Volunteer Month

National Walk to Work Day

World Health Day

April ISPA Snapshot Survey opens

April ISPA Snapshot Survey closes

Administrative Professionals Day

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ISPA NEWS

CALLING ALL SPA STUDENTS!

Applications for the 2016 ISPA Foundation MaryTabacchi Scholarship will be available beginningMarch 14. If you or someone you know is currently

enrolled in a spa management-related bachelor’s or master’sdegree program, be sure to visit experienceispa.com/about/ispa-foundation to learn more about the scholarshipand apply for this amazing opportunity.

Have You DownloadedYour USFR Digital Copy?Uniform System of Financial Reporting (USFR) for Spasrepresents the first successful, organized effort to establisha definitive uniform accounting system for the spaindustry. This book provides a recommended standardizedfinancial reporting system that will allow spa professionalsto measure, compare and report on the financial health oftheir business. All ISPA members receive complimentarydigital access to the USFR. Download your complimentarycopy or learn more about this great resource at experienceispa.com/resources/education-resources.

2016 ISPA

Conference & Expo Sept. 13 – 15

Tuesday – Thursday

THE VENETIAN, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA


STAY-IN-THE-KNOW about trends and hot topics in the spa industry by completing the monthly ISPASnapshot Survey. With your participation, you’ll receive the full report filled with insights from your spaindustry peers. Keep an eye on your inbox for next month’s survey.

Monthly Snapshot Surveys provide ISPA members a valuable look into the state of the spa

industry and its key trends as well as help to identify the needs of spa professionals.

Snapshot Surveys are conducted on the third Friday of each month, with full results

provided only to respondents two weeks from the release date of the survey. Knowledge is a valuable

tool and these quick surveys provide a wealth of information shared by ISPA’s members. The December

Snapshot Survey provides a “year in review” at a glance.

Social media still holds a great amount of importance for ISPA members, as it was reported that 70

percent of spas increased their Instagram usage, followed by 63 percent of spas increasing their time

spent on Facebook.

Eighty-five percent of all spas reported adding at least one new brand to their retail offerings in 2015.

When discussing changes made to their spas, 22 percent of spa respondents renovated. No spas

reported reducing the size of their spa and only two percent of all spas expanded.

Several questions asked both spa and resource partner members to identify their “favorite” of 2015 in

various categories. Apple devices ruled the technology category, with mentions of iPhones, iPads and

the Apple Watch appearing very frequently. When looking at favorite holiday gifts for employees, the

most common answers included bonuses (both through cash and gift cards), charitable donations,

homemade treats and spa products.


1. The redesigned and re-formulated [ comfort zone ]North America Renight Cream acts as a deep antioxidant, enhancing the star ingredient Goji Berry, asuperfood rich in vitamin A and B, for a replenishing andnourishing action. COMFORTZONE.IT | 1.212. 924.2454

2. DreamTime Inc.’s Shoulder Wraps are thoughtfully created with an herbal fill of cinnamon, clove and eucalyptus. It is packaged in a generous size and comes with a luxurious fabric to blanket guests in ahealing experience of sweet comfort. DREAMTIMEINC.COM | 1.831.464.6702

3. SpaRitual’s Close Your Eyes Organic Sugar Scrub

is formulated with certified organic sunflower and saffloweroils to deeply hydrate and condition hands, feet and body, leaving skin smooth with a youthful glow. SPARITUAL.COM | 1.818.988.2228

4. Proven to reduce the visible signs of aging in the eye area, True Results’ EYE SERUM Retinol Active .25%decreases fine lines, wrinkles and crow’s feet while increasingskin firmness and elasticity. Gentle yet powerful, it instantlyimproves skin hydration while smoothing texture and tone.TRUERESULTSSKINCARE.COM | 1.800.445.6457

5. Sparkle Collagen Dietary Supplement is packedwith the goodness of VERISOL Collagen Peptides, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to boost the skin’s collagen levels,leading to a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles as well as improved skin elasticity. SPARKLECOLLAGEN.COM | 1.844.894.3487

6. Footnanny, Inc.’s Foot Treatment Set includes Foot Salts (parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme and lemon scented), Footnanny Eucalyptus Foot Cream and TreatmentSocks. FOOTNANNY.COM | 1.800.505.2118

7. The abundance of Blue Beautifly Organic

Regenerating Oil Serum’s exquisite precious oils, such as sea buckthorn berry, pomegranate, tamanu, black seed, argan, jojoba, camellia seed and coconut, helps to restore the skin’s youthful glow, increase collagen production, and combat age spots and wrinkles. BLUEBEAUTIFLY.COM | 1.510.900.3877

8. Launching in early March, CellSurge Intensif byCelleClé is an exquisitely powerful concentrate thatcombines clinically proven plant stem cells with next-generation antioxidants to activate the youthful action of skin-replenishing cells, detoxifying and protecting themfrom age-inducing pollutants and free radicals. CELLECLESKINCARE.COM | 1.888.731.2525

9. jane iredale’s BeautyPrep trio of high-performanceskin care is the first specifically designed to optimize the wear and longevity of mineral makeup. Each prepares, protects and pumps skin full of hydration so makeup goes onsmoother and lasts longer. JANEIREDALE.COM | 1.800.762.1132

10. The Keratin Complex Express Blow Out is a unique, in-salon hair smoothing treatment for all hair types that reduces frizz and curl in just one hour. Its innovativedelivery system penetrates hair with keratin, resulting insmoother, more manageable hair without the wait. Express Blow Out is also perfect for spot treatments or quick smoothing touchups. KERATINCOMPLEX.COM | 1.561.206.6050

IDEASKeeping your spa and retail collection fresh is always a good idea. Here aremore reasons to think “product refresh.”

GOOD

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

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Lynne McNees • [email protected]

Crystal Ducker • Vice President of Research & Communications [email protected]

Megan Browning • Marketing [email protected]

Jennifer Duckworth • Senior Director of [email protected]

Tara Finn • Sales [email protected]

Allie Hembree • Public Relations [email protected]

Briana Lee • Project [email protected]

ISPA STAFF

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.

Proudly serving ISPA and the ISPA Foundation

Mae Mañacap-Johnson • [email protected]

Allison Martin • Membership Account [email protected]

Tara Salah Eldin • Project [email protected]

Elizabeth Pulliam • Membership Experience [email protected]

Autumn Phelps • Tradeshow [email protected]

Amber Phillips • Events [email protected]

Ashley Roberts • Project [email protected]

Samantha Smith • Project [email protected]

2016 ISPA CONFERENCE & EXPO

SEPT.13 -15, 2016THE VENETIAN, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

(TUESDAYTHRU THURSDAY)


SOCIAL

5 Biotone Professional Massage and Spa Products 1.800.445.6457 biotone.com

IBC Blue Beautifly 1.510.900.3877 bluebeautifly.com

20, [ comfort zone ] north america 21 1.212.924.2454 comfortzone.it

IFC, Éminence Organic Skin Care1 1.888.747.6342 eminenceorganics.com

AD INDEX

Bold indicates year-round Pulse advertisers and 2016 ISPA Conference & Expo sponsors.

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

ISPA Welcomes New Membersto the ISPA Community

CONNECTIONS

RESOURCE PARTNER

Olivina

A Wholesome Glow

Sans Skincare

Contours Rx, LLC

Delos Living, LLC

Talavera

EKWA Marketing

Life Elements

Chesapeake Bay Candle

Paddywax

mybody skincare

Kyricos & Associates

Soleil Toujours, LLC

El Dorado Golf and Beach Club

SPA

CElements Spa at the Hilton Palm Springs

Sanctuary Day Spa

Cottage Breeze Day Spa & Boutique

On The Side Day Spa

Spa & Salon at River Valley Club

Indulgence Massage & Bodywork

Beach House Day Spa

Shibui Spa at The Greenwich Hotel

Luna Mesa Day Spa Inc.

Shoji Spa & Lodge

Green Lotus Spa & Retreat

Woodhouse Day Spa – Carmel

SPA UNDER DEVELOPMENT

Blue Butterfly Spa and Salon

CORPORATE SPA HEADQUARTERS

Wyndham Worldwide

Seva

EDUCATOR

Loreli Hand

STUDENT

Heidi Sherwood

Paulina S. Chavez-Hemaidan

Wallapa Carlson

Ashley Henson

EDITOR’s NOTE: This includes new members from December 15, 2015 – February 2, 2016. You can access

the online membership directory at experienceispa.com.

7 ESPA International 1.888.705.0102 us.espaskincare.com

INSERT FarmHouse Fresh 1.888.773.9626 farmhousefreshgoods.com

8, 9 HydraFacial MD – Edge Systems LLC 1.800.603.4996 skinhealthforlife.com

11 HydroPeptide 1.800.932.9873 hydropeptide.com

BC jane iredale – THE SKIN CARE MAKEUP 1.800.762.1132 janeiredale.com

23 Nelly De Vuyst 1.800.263.8888 derme.ca

13 Phytomer Group Brands 1.801.284.8200 phytomerusa.com

3 ResortSuite 1.866.477.8483 resortsuite.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.

SOCIAL

PAUL SCHMIDT • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR • GREEN SPA NETWORK • JACKSON, WYOMING

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CONNECTIONS

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1. MOST USED APP: Google Maps and Uber keep things movingwhen I’m on the road.

2. FITNESS ROUTINE: Some call it “forest bathing.” I call it“hogging,” which stands for “part hiking, part jogging.” I do this at aminimum 20 miles per week in the mountains. Hogging uphill is thebest and doing it with my Australian Shepherds, Murphee andSukee, makes it even better!

3. BOOK CURRENTLY READING: Holonomics by SimonRobinson and Maria Moraes Robinson and The Book of Awakeningby Mark Nepo

Favorite movie: Life is Beautiful

Best piece of advice you’ve received: If you have a problem

with someone or something, a look in the mirror is the best accessto a positive solution.

4. GOOD CAUSES THAT YOU SUPPORT: Alpine Volunteer Fire Department/Search & Rescue and National Multiple SclerosisSociety

Most important business lesson learned: Never burn bridges.

5. A GREAT LEADER YOU’D LOVE TO SHARE A CONVERSATION WITH: Albert Einstein

6. HOTEL AMENITY YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Coffee

Best travel tip you’ve received: Roll your clothes.

Your idea of “me” time: Working in my wood shop or kitchen �

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If you are like me, you have been hearing a lot about author Brené

Brown for years—since her highly viewed TedX Talk on vulnerability

took the Twitterverse by storm. I wanted to experience her presence

firsthand and see what the buzz was all about, so I recently enrolled in

her Living Brave semester, COURAGEworks, which has fueled my excitement

for her opening keynote presentation at this year’s ISPA Conference & Expo.

Brené describes COURAGEworks as exercises that will encourage vulner-

ability, becoming braver, more daring, and courageous. I love the way Brené

explains the experience, “imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we’re all in

this together.”

I knew after the first few exercises that I was hooked. To kick off our class, Brené shared an

excerpt from a 1910 Teddy Roosevelt speech which I had never heard before but helped set the

stage for what it means to live brave and dare greatly:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man

stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs

to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and

blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because

there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do

the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself

in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high

achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”

We are truly blessed. When I think of all the brave leaders we have in the spa community

who are living bravely and daring greatly every day, it reminds me and the ISPA staff how

honored we are to be in their company.

How are you living bravely every day and when was the last time you failed while daring

greatly?


—LYNNE McNEES, ISPA PRESIDENT

STYLIN

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BY EC

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.COM

“There are no guarantees in the arena. We willstruggle. We will even fail. There will be darkness.But if we are clear about the values that guideus in our efforts to show up and be seen, we willalways be able to find the light. We will knowwhat it means to live brave.”

— Best-selling Author and 2016 ISPA Conference & Expo

Keynote Speaker Brené Brown

pulse spa magazine march april 2016

Documents