Pulse SPA Magazine June 2017 by Bel SPA

Leaving DIGITAL DETOX

DISTRACTIONS BEHIND

FROM YOUR CHAIRMAN

2017 ISPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTED OFFICERS CHAIRMAN Todd Shaw The Peaks Resort & Spa VICE CHAIRMAN Todd Hewitt Shangri-La International SECRETARY/TREASURER Garrett Mersberger Kohler Co. IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Michael Tompkins Hutchinson Consulting DIRECTORS

hen I think about productivity, I can’t help but think that it’s our industry that drives the foundation of having a productive life. How will you be productive daily? The only answer is by building a foundation in your life with the same things we preach to our guests: health, wellness, exercise, balance. We have a responsibility as leaders in the spa industry to set the example of wellness for both

Sharilyn Abbajay ISPA Foundation Vice Chairman Noel Asmar Noel Asmar Group, Inc. Scott Duncan Spa Gregorie’s Blake Feeney Chaleur Beauty

our employees and our customers. What do you need to do to make your mind and body

Michael Harmsworth ESPA International (US) Ltd.

as healthy as possible? Is it meditation? Is it yoga? Regular exercise? Healthy eating?

Patrick Huey

Whatever it may be, as wellness leaders we have to lead the way so the rest of the world

Kristine Huffman Huffman Hospitality Concepts

will follow suit. The first step could be taking a good look at ourselves and figuring out our weaknesses. Do you have trouble focusing on projects? Do you tend to snap when you’re stressed? Are you too stressed in general? These are common in any industry, but luckily, we the purveyors of wellness know the tools to fix them. I love the list of 10 Ways to Boost Productivity (page 34) compiled by some of our fellow ISPA members. They don’t just say, “Put down the phone” or “shut off your social media.” We know, Facebook will kill us! Aren’t we sick of hearing it? Technology can be overwhelming, but it can also be an incredible tool for communication, innovation, problem-solving, and, yes, productivity. We have an opportunity in our industry to show the rest of the world how to balance incredible technological

Julie Oliff St. Regis Aspen Laura Parsons ESPA International (US) Ltd. (Spa Division) Frank Pitsikalis ISPA Foundation Chairman Eric Stephenson Well World Group Dawn Tardif BodiScience Wellness Center & Spa Robert Vance Well & Being Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Lynne McNees International SPA Association

innovation with healthy lifestyles. So, my fellow spa leaders, I leave you with another challenge. Are you willing to take a good look at yourself? Are you strong enough to admit your weaknesses? And better yet, will

MEDICAL ADVISOR Brent A. Bauer, MD Mayo Clinic

you commit to work hard to not only make yourself better, but our industry as a whole more

CHAIRMEN’S COUNCIL

productive?

Past ISPA Chairmen who are current members: Gayle Brady • Brady Spa Consulting Jeff Kohl • Spa & Club Ideations Jean Kolb • Well By Choice —TODD SHAW, CHAIRMAN

John Korpi • Korpi & Korpi Kate Mearns • 5 Spa Consulting LLC Jim Root • The Westmoor Club

Todd Shaw MBA

@tddshaw

Todd Shaw

Jane Segerberg • Segerberg Spa Consulting, LLC Ella Stimpson • The Spa at Sea Island 2

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Deborah Waldvogel • ResortSuite

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE SPA PROFESSIONAL

EXECUTIVE Lynne McNees EDITORIAL Kelly Heitz DESIGN Marja Walker ADVERTISING AND SALES Tara Finn ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Jessica Pfister PRODUCTION MANAGER Chris Guzicki

Pulse is the official publication of the International SPA Association, a member organization for the spa and wellness industry. Copyright 2017. 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,

EDITORIAL OFFICES International 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

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.

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is 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.

Well, hello there! I feel like I know so many of you already,

Operate Efficiently with a

but a formal introduction is always nice.

Lean Team (page 30) when

My name’s Kelly Heitz. I love dogs, pizza,

addressing an issue that is

yoga, and hiking. I believe a single song

affecting the entire

can change your whole day and that

industry: staffing

positivity is contagious. I am also so

shortages. She encourages

grateful to be a part of this spa world as

members to use each

the editor of Pulse. I know how important

other for advice and

of a role I have as purveyor of information

guidance. For who else could understand

in the industry and I want you all to

better than a fellow ISPA member?

know I don’t take that lightly. I come from

I’ve already seen the power of this

the world of publishing, having worked at

organization in the short time I’ve been

several consumer magazines before

here. From successful collaborations

settling down here at ISPA, but I am

(Success Stories page 62) and industry-

excited to dive headfirst into this associ-

promoting events (See + Be Seen page

ation. I am thrilled to be a member of

32), to sharing tricks of

such a groundbreaking group of people. If

the trade (Improving Men’s

there’s one thing I’ve learned in the short

Health Through the Spa

time I’ve been at ISPA, it’s that the world

page 42) and personal

of spa and wellness is on the rise and

stories (10 Ways to Ramp

ISPA members are steering the ship,

Up Personal Productivity

which is so amazing to both witness and

page 34), the news, infor-

be a part of.

mation and advice that each

I’ve also noticed that, as an associ-

member is passionate about

ation, you’re incredible about helping each

sharing allows every member

other. The entire ISPA staff has been so

of ISPA to grow in tandem.

warm and inviting to me. They took no

Because that’s what we are really here

time in welcoming me into their clan and

to do, right? We’re here to build the spa

immediately made me feel like this was

industry from within by strengthening

my home; that I’m exactly where I’m

each other. I can’t wait to be a part of it

supposed to be. The members of this

with you all.

incredible organization also never hesitate

Top: My little family! My husband Kevin, our golden Bogey and me, all wearing our Kentucky blue! Go Cats! Middle: Me with my snowball on top of Pike's Peak. I hadn't seen snow in two years so I grew partial to this little guy. Bottom: My new ISPA family! I had so much fun at our holiday retreat painting these pretties and getting to know my new team.

to help each other out. Former ISPA chair Ella Stimpson points this out in How to 6

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—KELLY HEITZ, EDITOR

FOLLOW KELLY

@PulseEditor @ISPAPulseEditor

JUNE

VOLUME 27 ISSUE 4

Ssshhhhh!

Why Spas are Silencing Our Digital Addiction

BY KELLY HEITZ

10 Ways to Boost Your Productivity for a More Effective Workday BY KELLY HEITZ

38 The Elephant in the Office How to Address Social Media Use with Your Employees BY KELLY HEITZ

Men’s Health 42 Improving Through the Spa BY KELLY HEITZ

54 Performance Products

Special Pulse Advertising Supplement

Meeting the Demands of the Diverse Spa Guest

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pulse.experienceispa.com 20

IN EVERY ISSUE 2 6 14 16 18

From The Chairman Pulse Preview ISPA News and ISPA Calendar Pulse Points Member News BY TARA SALAH ELDIN AND BRIANA LEE

32 46

53 62

Conversations: Kim Scott Leadership Coach and Author of Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity BY KELLY HEITZ

28 30

Trending: Tech Trends Where Technology is Headed and How the Spa Industry Can Jump on Board Solving Problems: How to Operate Efficiently with a Lean Team

A Day in the Life: Alexa Gallegos Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Glen Ivy Hot Springs, Corona Calif.

ISPA Foundation Success Stories: Springs Eternal Spa at Omni Bedford Springs Resort + Makes Scents Natural Spa Line How Creative Partnerships Can Lead to Spa Magic BY KELLY HEITZ

BY KELLY HEITZ

SEE + BE SEEN

BY KELLY HEITZ

Member Perspectives: The Spa at Four Seasons Bahrain Bay Where Luxury and Innovation Meet The Beach House at Ocean Edge A New Spa Means New Challenges and New Adventures

Ask the Expert: Arianna Huffington Founder of The Huffington Post and Thrive Global

ABOUT THE COVER

BY KELLY HEITZ

66 68 71 72

ISPA Snapshot Survey

Guests are looking

Product Spotlight

to spas as a place to

People of ISPA: Renata Hermes Group Spa Director and Co-Owner Duniye Spas, Maldives

End Notes

leave the stress of our ever-connected world behind. June’s cover illustrates that getting rid of distractions, for you, your employees, and your guests, can be both freeing and productive. COVER PHOTO © SHUTTERSTOCK

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ISPA NEWS

Renew Your ISPA Membership June 30 marks the end of the 2017 ISPA membership year. If you have not yet renewed your ISPA membership, be sure to do so before the end of the month to continue receiving the priceless benefits that can’t be found anywhere else, like the new ISPA Academy and monthly issues of Pulse. ISPA’s DON’T new membership year will officially begin July 1. FORGET! Once you renew your membership, don’t forget to update your company profile so the most up-to-date information appears in your ISPA Member Directory listing.

JUNE IS... ●

Men’s Health Awareness Month! See how spas are helping male guests focus on health. page 47

To update your profile:

UPDATE YOUR MEMBER PROFILE 1. Log on to experienceispa.com. 2. Click on My Account in the top right-hand corner. 3. Choose Manage My Account from the menu bar. 4. Update the information that has changed. 5. Click Save.

2017 ISPA Buyer’s Guide 7

Deadline for auction donations to be included in pre-Conference issue of Pulse

Ad close date for pre-Conference issue of Pulse

The third annual ISPA Buyer’s Guide was recently distributed to spa members to allow easy identification and communication with ISPA resource partners. As an added benefit, you have 24/7 on-the-go access to the digital version of the Guide at experienceispa.com. Be sure to check the digital version 24/7 often, as it will be updated on-the-go quarterly with new ISPA access to the digital resource partners who are version continuously joining the ISPA community.

FOLLOW ISPA

June Snapshot Survey opens

Respondents receive June Snapshot Survey results

Twitter & Instagram: @ISpaDoYou facebook.com/InternationalSPAAssoc

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pinterest.com/intispaassoc LinkedIn: International SPA Association

GLOBAL WELLNESS DAY!

What are you doing to “say yes” to wellness and spread the concept of living well throughout your community?

Final day to renew membership for the year

PULSE POINTS

Smartphones are Killing Our Productivity DO YOU HEAR IT? That buzz from your phone innocently lying on your desk? How many times a day do you hear that buzz? Can a device that does so much for us (communication, banking, health tracking, etc.), really be causing so much harm? The answer is a resounding yes. Since our cell phones allow us to multitask more than ever, just hearing the buzz of our phone can interrupt our thought process long enough to consider all the tasks we perform on our phone. That one buzz can make us think of reminder lists, paying a bill, making an online purchase, checking your calendar, or even liking a post on Facebook. According to recent online CareerBuilder research, which included a representative sample of 2,186 hiring managers and human resource professionals and 3,031 full time, U.S. workers in the private sector across industries and company sizes, more than 8 in 10 workers (83 percent) have smartphones, and 82 percent of those with smartphones keep them within eye contact at work. And while only 10 percent of those with smartphones say it’s decreasing their productivity at work, 2 in 3 (66 percent) say they use it (at least) several times a day while working.

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“While we need to be connected to devices for work, we’re also a click away from alluring distractions from our personal lives like social media and various other apps,” said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder. “The connectivity conundrum isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it needs to be managed.” The key to managing smartphone and social media use isn’t blocking certain websites or banning the use of cell phones in the workplace. Your employees also want to feel trusted and be given the freedom to do their work without Big Brother watching over them. Haefner suggests having an open dialogue with employees about tech distractions. Acknowledge their existence and discuss challenges and solutions to keep productivity up. Oh, and maybe switch the phone to “do not disturb” to put the buzzes at bay. WANT TO KNOW

what else is

distracting your employees? Click here to access a chart of CareerBuilder’s most interesting findings.

“...living in our modern environments contributes to late circadian timing regardless of season and that a weekend camping trip can reset our clock rapidly.”

A Camping Trip Might Help You Sleep e all know lack of sleep can be a huge productivity killer. When our sleep cycle is off or we aren’t getting nearly enough Z’s, we can feel the effects begin to take a toll on our work performance. So how can we reset? According to researchers reporting in Current Biology in February 2017, a camping weekend might do the trick. “Late circadian and sleep timing in modern society are associated with negative performance and health outcomes such as morning sleepiness and accidents, reduced work productivity and school performance, substance abuse, mood disorders, diabetes, and obesity,” says Kenneth Wright of the University of Colorado Boulder and lead contact in the study. “Our findings demonstrate that living in our modern environments contributes to late circadian timing regardless of season and that a weekend camping trip can reset our clock rapidly.” To conduct the study, Wright and his team sent five active people camping for a week in the chilly Colorado winter, right around the time of the winter solstice when the days were at their shortest — no flashlights or cell phones allowed — and watched what would happen to their sleep and hormonal rhythms.

With increased time spent outdoors, people in the study started going to bed at a more reasonable hour. Their internal clocks, measured by the timing of when melatonin levels began to rise in their bodies, shifted more than two and a half hours earlier. Their sleeping patterns followed these changes in melatonin levels and people went to sleep earlier. The researchers didn’t stop there. They were curious whether a camping trip in the summer would also shift the clock, and it did. This time, they sent nine active people camping while another five stayed at home. A weekend spent camping prevented the typical weekend pattern of staying up late and sleeping in and prevented individuals’ circadian clocks from being shifted even later. The findings show that people are responsive to seasonal changes in daylight just as other animals are. While our modern conveniences may leave us out of synch, our clocks can be readily reset with light exposure. If a person wants to go to bed at an earlier hour, then a weekend spent camping could be just the thing, Wright says. So pack up the gear and head into the wilderness for a weekend to reset your clock and get your productivity back on track. n

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MEMBER NEWS

B Y TA R A S A L A H E L D I N AND BRIANA LEE

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

Marriott International appointed David Flueck as senior vice president.

●

Sense, A Rosewood Spa at CordeValle in San Martin, California appointed Michelle Christensen as spa manager.

●

Pure Spa at Pelican Grand in Fort Lauderdale, Florida appointed Tina Gerson as Director of Sales.

●

The Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. has appointed Jeff David as Managing Director.

●

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii has appointed Colin Clark as General Manager.

●

Four Seasons Resort Lana’I has appointed Shaw Coté as Spa Director.

●

Heidi Ueberroth has joined the Board of Directors at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in Toronto, Canada.

●

Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts has appointed Michael Newcombe as Chair of the Global Spa and Wellness Task Force, which guides Four Seasons’ global spa strategy.

●

Hilton Worldwide has appointed Greg Hartmann as Senior Vice President – Luxury, Lifestyle, Resort and Corporate Development.

●

The Grove Resort & Spa in Winter Garden, Florida has appointed Tobby Rau as Director of Operations and Katie Tully as Director of Guest & Owner Services.

David Flueck

Michelle Christensen

Tina Gerson

Jeff David

Colin Clark

Shaw Coté

Heidi Ueberroth

Michael Newcombe

Greg Hartmann

Tobby Rau

Katie Tully

NEW ON THE MENU 1. Pier House Resort & Spa in Key West, Florida introduced two new offers that incorporate tropical ingredients including the Springtastic Spa Pedi and Island Tranquility Body Treatment.

2. Soleil Toujours launched A La Carte, a 360-degree solution for luxury sun and skin care. Central to A La Carte are poolside SPF spa treatments featuring therapeutic bodywork combined with after-sun protocols using Soleil Toujours Borad Spectrum UV products.

3. The Spa at One Ocean Resort & Spa in Atlantic Beach, Florida 4

introduced two spring spa offers including the 90-minute Sea Dreamer Mani/Pedi Escape and the Spring Into Relaxation rejuvenating full body treatment.

4. Deer Lake Lodge & Spa in Montgomery, Texas introduced on-site chiropractic consultation and adjustment services for guests.

5. Lake Austin Spa Resort has marked its 20th year with 20 new

5 18

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treatments and activities including the Weekend Warrior and Neroli Blossom Sensory massages as well as new programming and guest instructors.

BRILLIANT IDEA Massage Envy has introduced a first-of-its-kind self-care program, treating therapists and estheticians like professional wellness athletes to encourage health and wellbeing among staff. It includes new techniques for warming up, recovery and building overall body strength to help therapists and estheticians operate at peak performance, and also covers preventative care, best practices, training and tools so that therapists can be proactive in taking better care of themselves, and franchisees can cultivate an environment where self-care is a priority.

MEMBER UPDATES

1. Sundara Inn & Spa in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin announced the property’s first expansion, which will include a second outdoor pool, expanded culinary experience, rooftop gardens, retreat space and new fitness areas. Construction began in the spring of 2017 and will last one year.

2. Matrix Fitness launched a new collection of products and programming including the Versa Functional Trainer, Versa Duals, 3xe and 1xe Consoles, and MX4 Training System, designed to meet the needs of a wider range of fitness facilities.

3. Noel Asmar of Noel Asmar Group Inc. was recognized by the Surrey Board of Trade for their 2017 Women in Business Entrepreneur category.

4. [ comfort zone ] and Glen Ivy Hot Springs Resort in Corona,

California announced a partnership which includes the launch of [ comfort zone ] products and treatments in the resort’s spa.

5. FarmHouse Fresh completed design of their 8,700 square foot corporate headquarters and founder Shannon McLinden’s personal residence in McKinney, Texas. The headquarters features a working farm and animal sanctuary, serves as a training facility for spa estheticians and massage therapists, and houses the company’s operation, design and product development teams.

6. Four Seasons Bahrain Bay is hosting a Ramadan celebration throughout the month of June, which includes spa specials as well as a buffet of global cuisine and traditional music in the Arabesque themed Al Bahrain ballroom overlooking the Arabian Gulf.

GIVING BACK 1. Massage Heights announced that it raised $31,500 for its nonprofit

organization, the Massage Heights Family Fund to help provide financial relief and assistance to U.S. Massage Heights Retreat team members and their families in times of crisis, need or hardship.

2. Eastern Vibration has teamed up with Christine Clinton Cancer Care to bring healing touch and sound therapy to spa clients with cancer. The Touch and Vibration for Cancer Care program teaches therapist how to work with cancer patients and use sound vibration for therapy.

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The Spa at Four Seasons Bahrain Bay Where Luxury and Innovation Meet n the Kingdom of Bahrain’s capital city of Manama, The Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay is a soaring architectural statement on its own exclusive man-made island. As the second largest Four Seasons spa with 17 treatment rooms and five swimming experiences, The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain combines the same beauty and innovation as the building it is housed in. Director of Spa Chandarella Luzon gives insight on what it’s like to run a spa in such an inspiring, yet challenging environment.

“While it’s true that technology lacks the personal interaction, we are glad to live up to our guests’ expectations once they arrive.” — CHANDARELLA LUZON, DIRECTOR OF SPA

Using Technology to Enhance Guest Experience For booking incredible treatments and experiences, The Spa’s guests rely on the Four Seasons Mobile App, a tool Luzon

Every detail of The Spa at Four Seasons Bahrain Bay exudes luxury by combining modern design with traditional details.

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has found useful for promoting The Spa to hotel guests. “The new app literally puts our legendary customer service in the palm of our guests’ hands,” she says. “Through many features and functions, guests can easily check-in and check-out, order room service or amenities, or book their preferred spa appointment well ahead of their arrival to Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay.” While many may vew this technology as impersonal, Luzon doesn’t see it that way. “While it’s true that technology lacks the personal interaction, we are glad to live up to our guests’ expectations once they arrive to our spacious spa. Exceeding guests’ expectations is something we are constantly striving for at Four Seasons.”

Meeting the Demands of Spa Guests The Middle East is the fastest growing area in the world for wellness tourism, therefore it’s important for Luzon to pay attention to guest needs and expectations in order to keep The Spa at Four Seasons top of mind for potential and repeat customers.

The massage rooms at The Spa allow guests to completely escape.

“We are glad to see that more and more guests are interested in wellness therapies and Eastern treatments, and they have become more health conscious,” says Luzon. “We use their preferences and constructive feedback to continuously add new offers throughout the year that are in line with their needs.” An interesting way of doing that is revamping hotel and spa food offerings to compliment new treatment options. This allows guests to feel they are getting a more well-rounded experience. Says Luzon, “Our latest addition to the menu of Jasmine Lounge - our café located in the female Spa - is fresh raw vegan dishes along with slow-extracted juices. Our Executive Chef Stefano Andreoli is a great ambassador of health-conscious cuisine and we are very lucky to have him on board with us.” For Luzon, these spa menu updates are constant throughout the year. “We revisit our competitive analysis of the market on a regular basis to make sure we always create something extraordinary for our guests,” she notes.

Staff Training Because their menu is constantly being reevaluated, The Spa at Bahrain Bay is

dedicated to regular staff training and education. Annually, The Spa brings in product line experts to train the staff on best practices and uses. The Spa also runs in-house trainings bi-monthly during the busy months and monthly during the offseason to ensure the staff is always prepared to give guests the highest level of service. “These trainings guarantee that our staff will be able to provide the utmost in luxury service and expertise to our guests,” adds Luzon. “It’s what sets Four Seasons Bahrain Bay at such a high level in our guests’ minds.”

Marketing Solutions While it’s true the Middle East is a hotspot for wellness tourism, that only means the market is more competitive for The Spa at Four Seasons Bahrain Bay. “The Kingdom of Bahrain is a relatively small island in size, yet rich in history and culture,” says Luzon. “Hence the market is very competitive and indeed abundant in stand-alone and hotel spas.” And while it is a beautiful and unique addition to the Manama skyline, The Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay is still fairly new, having opened in March 2015. They still are working to earn the market’s trust. To do this, The Spa is extremely active

on social media, using Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Google+ to reach a range of potential guests. Luzon also partners with Four Seasons sister properties to capitalize on their particular expertise. “One of our most successful counter promotions is the Thailand Collection, which includes exclusive treatments from Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai,” explains Luzon. “We launched this promotion last September and ran it for two months with the support of two excellent spa therapists from Chiang Mai. The feedback from our customers was so great that we decided to launch it once again in 2017. We offer eight treatments under this initiative and it’s currently available both for males and females.” These partnerships allow The Spa at Four Seasons Bahrain Bay to expand their expertise and attract a broader range of guests. Plus, Luzon has found that mixing up her spas offerings proves beneficial. It never hurts to keep people on their toes.

SPA QUICK FACTS Spa open date: March 1, 2015 Facilities/amenities: 17 treatment rooms, unisex gym, female gym, 5 swimming experiences, salt inhalation room, jacuzzi, cool mist room, prayer room, Antigravity Yoga, Percentage of guests (male vs. female): 60% males, 40% females Number of full-time spa staff: 40 Product lines used: ila, Coola Most used marketing channel: members’ newsletter, website, social media, in-house promotional tools Website: ---Phone Number: +973 1.711.5000 Facebook: facebook.com/ FourSeasonsHotelBahrainBay Instagram: @fsbahrain Twitter: @fsbahrain

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The Beach House Spa at Ocean Edge A New Spa Means New Challenges and New Adventures pening a new spa can be an odd combination of stress and excitement. Stress because everything is new and you must implement and create everything from scratch. Excitement because it is a fresh start and, like Ocean Edge Resort, you know adding a spa will be an incredible asset in the long run. Project Director Suzanne Corcoran and Consulting Spa Director Joanna Roche share the struggles and success of opening The Beach House Spa at Ocean Edge in picturesque Brewster, Massachusetts.

Working Together Amid opening the brand-new Beach House Spa at Ocean Edge, Corcoran and

“We wanted the design of The Beach House Spa to be gender neutral. It’s a casually elegant place with a comfortable, beachy vibe.” — SUZANNE CORCORAN, PROJECT DIRECTOR

Roche have been met with many challenges, but splitting the load between the two of them has proved extremely beneficial. “Both of us dig in where our specialties lie,” says Roche. “There are two of us so we are able to divide and conquer.” Corcoran agrees by saying, “Joanna has an extensive background in

Ocean Edge Resort is a stunning community on beautiful Cape Cod that was itching for a spa. 22

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operations and management and I have been in the marketing and real estate development business, so I am responsible for branding and marketing.”

Technology and Staffing When opening a new spa, you tend to focus on the fun stuff: aesthetics and products. But while implementing opera-

The wedding lounge at The Beach House Spa is the perfect place for brides and their maids to relax and prepare for the big day.

tional systems isn’t glamorous, it is a necessity with a new business. The good news is, starting from scratch means The Beach House Spa is able to start out with the latest in spa technology. They don’t have to worry about the pitfalls of outdated systems. “The challenge of course is using and training ourselves and our staff on new, very sophisticated technology,” says Roche. “But, because we are new, we will have several opportunities to train our staff as a group instead of wasting time and money training staff members individually.” Before opening, Roche is making a point to fill as many positions as possible and undergo as much staff training as she can fit in. This way, upon opening day, her team is more than prepared. All staff will be CPR certified,

trained in booking software, and will undergo product training before opening day. Roche has also made it a priority to train her staff in self-care practices. “We want to make sure their role as healers is supported by us and their work experience at The Beach House is positive and strong from the start.”

Branding, Marketing and Attracting Spa Guests Because The Beach Club Spa is housed in a resort club community, Corcoran has an opportunity to target an initial customer base by offering Ocean Edge Club Members a 15 percent discount on all retail and services. “We’re hoping this discount will keep our regular bread and butter base happy while attracting more people to become Ocean Edge members.”

In addition to a base of Ocean Edge members, Corcoran is implementing unique program offerings and a neutral, nautical theme to attract a wide range of additional spa guests. “We wanted the design of The Beach House Spa to be gender neutral,” notes Corcoran. “It’s a casually elegant place with a comfortable beachy vibe. We determined from the start that we were interested in attracting new populations to the spa: millennials, men, and people who do not consider themselves regular spa goers. We wanted anyone to feel comfortable walking through our front door.” To attract these populations, Corcoran is designing programming that includes a beginner’s meditation class, a “broga” class for newbies, a local craft beer tasting, and a drumming class. She June 2017

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continues, “Our goal is to attract new clientele and have them feel so comfortable in our space that they will be inspired to return for a service, tell a friend about their experience at the spa, or pick up a gift card for someone else.” Also, Cape Cod is the second most popular wedding destination in the country. At Ocean Edge Resort, there can be anywhere from two to four weddings each weekend from May through October. Corcoran and Roche noticed there was nowhere on the resort that was designated for brides and their maids to prepare for the big day. To meet this direct need, the pair created The Side Porch. This beautiful sun filled porch offers a private living room with comfortable seating area, private restroom (so not to disturb spa guests in the locker area), a large dressing room, and four hair and makeup stations.

“Because we are new, we have several opportunities to train our staff as a group instead of wasting time and money training staff members individually.” — JOANNA ROCHE, CONSULTING SPA DIRECTOR

The Side Porch has the ability for guests to play their own music, and food and beverage service is provided by the hotel. This space alone will attract a huge number of existing Resort guests to the spa and Corcoran and Roche expect it will be booked every weekend during the busy season. To build this audience and get the word out about their unique offerings,

Corcoran is relying heavily on social media and email marketing. “We feel strongly that if you are building an audience that you want to trust you, you should have something valuable to say. We use beautiful high quality images and post frequently, with news or a sense of humor, but not frivolously. No preaching! All posts reinforce the brand we are trying to build.” n

SPA QUICK FACTS Spa projected open date: May 15, 2017 Facilities/amenities: 5 treatment rooms, facials, massage, nails, waxing, a multi-purpose and self-contained Side Porch for parties and group activities. Number of spa staff: 25 full and parttime Product lines used: HydraFacial, Beach House Blends (in-house product line) Most used marketing channel: Instagram, eblasts, Facebook Website: thebeachhousespaoceanedge.com Phone: 774.323.6230 Facebook: facebook.com/oceanedgebeachhousespa Instagram: @thebeachhousespaoceanedge The pedicure stations at The Beach House Spa combine comfort with function and are designed to be gender neutral.

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Twitter: @ShopSheSells

CONVERSATIONS WITH KIM SCOTT

BY KELLY HEITZ

Being a good boss is hard. Knowing when to empathize with or encourage or reprimand your employees is a special skill. Kim Scott, former leader at Google and currently the cofounder of Candor, Inc., well-known CEO coach in Silicon Valley, and author of Radical Candor: Be A Kickass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, has spent a career perfecting what being a “good boss” means. “I made a lot of mistakes early in my career as a manager; then I watched many, many other managers who worked for me make the same mistakes I’d made, and it felt like watching a slow-motion train wreck over and over again,” remembers Scott. “I want to help others avoid the mistakes I’ve made myself and have seen others make. I believe we don’t always have to learn through the school of hard knocks—telling stories can help us avoid the mistakes others have made.” And Radical Candor is full of stories and advice on using Scott’s mistakes to reflect on your actions as a manager. Her approach is funny, light-hearted and extremely helpful for anyone wishing to be the ultimate boss. In this month’s Conversations, we asked Scott about the lessons she learned as a Silicon Valley manager and why we all should be radically candid in the workplace.

PULSE: What exactly is radical candor? P: How important it is to have a good boss? Scott: Radical Candor is the ability to show you care personally S: My experience is that having a bad boss is utterly debilitating. at the same time you challenge people directly. Care personally I once had a boss who was so belittling that I literally shrank half means that you care about the other person as a human being, an inch—my doctor was quite concerned. I’m only five feet tall not just as a professional. It’s about putting their and don’t have any height to lose. I’ve seen interests first, not about winning a popularity contest employees of bad bosses develop insomnia, full-body or being creepily personal. Challenge directly means rashes and depression. When you’re miserable five that you share your perspective and invite the other days a week at work, it’s really difficult to enjoy your person to do the same. It’s not about “telling the weekends. A bad boss can ruin your life. truth,” it’s about open, reciprocal communication. On the other hand, I have had great bosses like Radical Candor is NOT brutal honesty; that’s Sheryl Sandberg and Dick Costolo, both who’ve what I call Obnoxious Aggression—what happens helped me take a step in the direction of my dreams when you challenge directly but fail to show you care and live the life I imagined. I’d say that’s pretty personally. important! Scott’s book or get The whole point of Radical Candor is that it really Order more advice on being a great is possible to Care Personally and Challenge Directly boss at radicalcandor.com. P: Are there some people who just should not be at the same time. We can break free of a false dichotomy that bosses? Or does everyone have the potential to be a good leaves too many people feeling they must choose between being boss? a jerk and being incompetent. That’s a terrible choice, and S: If you don’t want the responsibility of being a boss, you nobody has to make it. In fact, if you really care personally about shouldn’t be required to take on this role to advance in your somebody, you will tell them if you think they are making a career. One of the best things that Google did was to create a mistake—and also, of course, when they are doing something great career path for people who were great engineers but had no great, that’s what makes a great boss. interest in managing people. 26

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If you want to be a boss because you want “power and control” you also shouldn’t be a boss. Power and control work well in a baboon troop or a totalitarian regime, but none of us want to work in those kinds of environments. In general, though, anyone with the right motivation to be a boss—because they care about the work and the people they are working with—can learn to be a great boss.

P: What did you learn about being a boss from your time in Silicon Valley and how can that be applied to another industry? S: I don’t think that the core responsibilities of a boss—build good relationships with each employee so that you can create a culture of feedback, build a cohesive team, and achieve results collaboratively—vary from industry to industry. The thing that is similar in Silicon Valley [to the spa industry] is that the war for talent is intense. People don’t have to pay the incompetence tax. People join companies but leave managers. Companies literally cannot afford to have bad bosses, so there should be a lot of focus on what makes a good boss versus a bad boss.

P: Can your advice be used by both female and male bosses? S: My advice can be used equally by men and women. There’s a chapter on gender and radical candor. The short version is this: male bosses tend to be more ruinously empathetic with female employees because they’ve been taught since they were little boys to pull their punches with women. If you’re a woman working for a man, I suggest that you not only solicit feedback, work extra hard to get it. It may sting a little bit in the short term, but it’s good for you! On the flip side, female bosses tend to get unjustly accused of obnoxious aggression when they are in fact being radically candid. When gender bias causes a distortion in the way that people hear you, this is a special case to the “feedback gets measured at the listener’s ear” rule. If you’re getting unfairly accused of being “abrasive” or “bossy,” the key is not to back off your willingness to challenge directly. That’s moving the wrong way. Instead, take a moment to share you care personally. But don’t overdo it. You don’t have to bake cupcakes for the whole office, do the office housework, or as one desperate woman put it to me, “breast feed the whole office!” Don’t accept ridiculous demands that get put on you because you are a woman. n

Scott’s Four Quadrants of Giving Employee Feedback According to Scott, there are two dimensions to good guidance: care personally and challenge directly. When you do both at the same time, it’s radical candor. When coaching CEO clients, Scott uses this quadrant model as a framework to help them be more conscious of what kind of guidance they are getting, giving and encouraging. Here’s a breakdown of the model:

OBNOXIOUS AGGRESSION: When you challenge directly but fail to show you care personally, that is Obnoxious Aggression. When you’re rude (and we all are from time to time), you’ve made the Obnoxious Aggression mistake. It doesn’t mean that you are obnoxiously aggressive. Don’t use this term as a label to judge yourself or another person—just use it to guide a conversation to a better place. RUINOUS EMPATHY: When you show you care personally but you fail to challenge directly, that is Ruinous Empathy. Generally, when you make this mistake it’s because you’re just trying to be “nice.” But when you fail to tell somebody about a mistake they are making because you don’t want to hurt their feelings, they’ll continue to make that mistake and ultimately underperform or even get fired for it. It’s not so nice after all. It’s deeply unkind, and unproductive. MANIPULATIVE INSINCERITY: When you fail on both dimensions—when you neither show you care nor challenge directly—you’ve made the Manipulative Insincerity mistake. This is when passive aggressive or even political behavior creeps in. Those are strong words, but they’re also nearly universal mistakes at work. RADICAL CANDOR: This is the sweet spot. You show you care personally, but you challenge directly, resulting in guidance and interactions that benefit all parties. You’re not being mean, you’re being clear.

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TRENDING

Where Technology is Headed and How the Spa Industry Can Jump on Board IN THIS AGE OF CONSTANT INNOVATION in technology, it’s hard to remain at the brink of it all; especially while running a business that tends to tout “unplugging.” Unfortunately, remaining comfortably in the dark ages isn’t an option for the modern spa. But how do some of the biggest business technology trends fit into the spa industry?

TOP TECH 1. TRENDS IN 2017

MOBILE PAYMENT

Whether it’s your first time experiencing the magic of tapping to pay for groceries or leaving behind the headaches of manually splitting up a dinner bill among friends, chances are 2017 is the year that you have become a member of the mobile payment economy. BI Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, finds that mobile payment volume will reach $75 billion this year. That figure should swell to $503 billion by 2020 thanks to advancements in mobile payments technology. If your customers are getting used to paying for everything else in their lives via their smartphone, they’ll start to expect it of their spa and wellness services as well. “Today’s guests do not prefer to pick up the phone or wait for a response to an email inquiry to know what services are available for a certain date,” says Frank Pitsikalis,

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founder and CEO of ResortSuite. “These are consumers who now demand the freedom to explore and book all services, programs and activities with a single electronic payment at any time of the day.”

CLOUD TECHNOLOGY

INTERNET OF THINGS

In 2017, business runs on the cloud. The cloud makes it easy to communicate both on the front and back ends of your business and connects all sectors of a business from sales to customer service. “Spa directors should be moving their operations to the cloud,” says Samer Hamadeh, CEO of Zeel. “Paper manuals and physical calendars will increasingly give way to app-based programs, for anything from training to staffing.” According to Rick Stollmeyer, co-founder and CEO of MINDBODY, the cloud will help keep you more connected and make business operations seamless. “Through cloud-based technologies both staff and clients can interface via web and mobile devices,” he notes. “Cloud technologies keep everyone in the business connected.”

Probably the buzziest term in tech right now is the Internet of Things (IoT), which, simply put, this is the concept of basically connecting any device with an on and off switch to the Internet (and/or to each other). This includes everything from cellphones, coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, lamps, wearable devices and almost anything else you can think of. Spas will soon be using this growing technology market to improve guest experience. Digital tracking and interactivity enables better customer profiling. It also allows for customized services for each customer and thus earning their loyalties. Think guestroom automation and hyper-personalized spa experiences. “An integrated personalized guest experience is what everyone will soon need to offer their clients to improve loyalty and retention,” says Roger Sholanki, founder and CEO of Book4Time. Where do you think the relationship between spa and technology is headed? n

“These are consumers who now demand the freedom to explore and book all services. programs and activities with a single electronic payment at any time of the day.”

F E AT U R E D S O U R C E S

SAMER HAMADEH

FRANK PITSIKALIS

RICK STOLLMEYER

ROGER SHOLANKI

CEO Zeel

Founder & CEO ResortSuite

CEO & Co-Founder MINDBODY

Founder & CEO Book4Time

NEW YORK, NY

TORONTO, CANADA

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA

ONTARIO, CANADA

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SOLVING INDUSTRY PROBLEMS

How to Operate Efficiently with a Lean Team RUNNING A BUSINESS IS TOUGH. Running it understaffed can be a nightmare. Whether you’re running a spa with a small team of therapists or a little office with big goals, it can sometimes be a challenge to get everything done efficiently and without feeling stretched thin. We pooled the insights of three ISPA members: one day spa director, one resource partner, and one resort spa

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director, who all have ample experience leading a lean team. Katie Castellanos is the spa director at Abundant Health Day Spa in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and leads 11 employees, eight of which are therapists. Amber Legler is the chief operating manager at Astara Skin Care in Avondale, Arizona, which currently has six employees: three in the office and three in the warehouse. Ella Stimpson is the

director of spa, fitness and racquet sports at The Spa at Sea Island in Sea Island, Georgia and is currently down a fourth of her massage and esthetics providers as well as four additional operations positions. These women know a thing or two about making a lean team run with the utmost efficiency. Here’s their advice on making your staffing situation work to your advantage.

JUMP IN WHERE NEEDED.

When your team is lean, some things are bound to fall through the cracks. Legler suggests allowing your team to take care of their jobs while you as a manager shouldn’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and fill in the gaps where they’re needed. “I have made it known that I am always ready to do my part wherever and whenever needed while also making sure all employees are cross trained to do the same.” Cross-training also works well for spas. Castellanos suggests hiring therapists with more than one license. “Of our eight therapists, five have dual licensing. This therapist flexibility allows us to keep a smaller staff and to keep the small staff that we have as busy as possible.”

LISTEN TO YOUR STAFF.

Operating with a lean team can create strain on your employees. As their leader, you must show you’re always ready to listen and work together. “If there is a challenge in any area of the spa the staff usually knows how to resolve it,” Castellanos points out. “Through listening to your employees and implementing their ideas it validates

NEED SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS? Click here to see creative solutions to specific staffing gaps.

“Don't assume you can't operate differently just because you have never done so.” that they are being heard and that their ideas and thoughts are an essential part of operating your business.”

DON’T PILE ON THE WORK.

For spas who are running lean, it can be tempting to over-work therapists, but Stimpson says that’s a bad path to walk down. “Don’t continually over-burden everyone for the sake of short term profits today. Team members are your greatest asset and if you burn them out you will lose your best one or risk injury. Either are lose-lose situations.” Instead, she suggests coming up with creative

solutions to scheduling issues and support staff shortages.

BE CREATIVE.

REWARD YOUR TEAM.

“Don’t assume you can’t operate differently just because you have never done so,” says Stimpson. “Study best practices and employ the ones that will help you do more with less.” She also suggests using other ISPA members as a resource. “Call ISPA colleagues and ask them what is working for them! We are sharing these challenges and are learning as we go along. Let’s help each other.”

If you’re feeling stretched thin, so are your employees. Make a point to thank or reward team members who are working extra hard for the benefit of the entire group. Stimpson suggests focusing much more of your attention on these people than on your under-performing ones, saying “others will learn from their positive example.” n

F E AT U R E D S O U R C E S

KATIE CASTELLANOS

AMBER LEGLER

ELLA STIMPSON

Spa Director Abundant Health Day Spa

Chief Operating Manager Astara Skin Care

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLORIDA

AVONDALE, ARIZONA

Director of Spa, Fitness and Racquet Sports The Spa at Sea Island SEA ISLAND, GEORGIA

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SEE + BE SEEN HIT THE STAGE. ResortSuite founder and CEO Frank Pitsikalis and Keynote Speaker Bryan K. Williams on stage at ResortSuite’s first-ever User Conference held March 28-30 at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto, Canada.

HEALING THROUGH WELLNESS. Dr. Mariela Silveira, co-owner and medical director at Kurotel Longevity Medical Center and Spa, gave her insight on the science of wellness at the 4th annual Healing Summit 2017, which took place in March in Berlin.

CLIMBING FOR CANCER. In March, the Las Vegas Spa Association (LVSA) held their 7th annual charity event, The Cancer Climb, which raised funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

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GET CONNECTED. The first iConnection spa industry networking event of 2017 took place April 13 at the AquaVie Spa and Wellness Club at the Westgate Hotel in downtown San Diego. A one year ISPA membership was raffled off and the winner was Leo Castro, director of spa at Paséa Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach, California.

Jim Croghan, Joanne Berry, Scott Duncan and Dana Wilkerson address the impressive crown at the iConnection event.

GOING GREEN. The 2017 Green Spa Network Buyer’s Conference was held at the Lodge & Spa at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. The GSN Buyers Conference is a green buying event that hosts quality resource suppliers and interested buyers for three days of networking, one-on-one meetings, and sustainability education. The event was attended by several ISPA members who are passionate about the green spa movement.

ISPA members Jane Segerberg (past ISPA chairman and current president of Segerberg Spa Consulting, LLC), Ella Stimpson (past ISPA chairman and current director of spa, fitness and racquet sports at The Spa at Sea Island) and Tara Grodjesk (TARA Spa Therapy).

GSN Executive Director Paul Schmidt addresses attendees at the event’s welcome dinner.

Do you want to be seen? Submit photos from your events to kelly.heitz@ispastaff.com and you might see yourself in the next issue of Pulse!

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Ways to Boost Your Productivity for a More Effective Workday

THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY HOURS IN A DAY, so making the most out of them is critical. If you want to get more done, BY KELLY or get more out of HEITZ your team, the answer isn’t to increase the number of hours you work. You don’t need to work longer to be more productive, you just need to work smarter. Increasing your productivity, as well as your team’s, takes a deliberate effort. Adding one, two, or all of these tips to the daily grind will aid in increasing your productivity and allow you to get the job done with ease.

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RENEW YOUR PASSION TO FIND YOUR WHY. It may sound simple, but taking a moment to figure out why it is you do what you do will help you work towards the right goals. You’ll know what you’re doing and why, which will help you focus on the tasks that will get you closer to your goals. Jessica Desjardins, regional coach and general manager for European Wax Centers in Northern Illinois and Chicago makes it a point to write down her goals every day. “Productivity often ebbs and flows and that is necessary! The times when we can step back, look, and review our day allows us to see areas of improvement, accomplishments, and ask the why. ‘Why is it important that I do this and how can it better the experience for my guest?’”

CREATE A GOAL SHEET OR VISION BOARD. A constant reminder of that “why” will help you get on track. Desjardins also recommends creating a vision board or individual goal sheets for your employees. A vision board hanging in your office or the team’s breakroom will

act as a constant motivator. When you can see where you’re headed, you are more apt to do the work that will get you there.

in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Carry a refillable water bottle everywhere you go, you’ll notice how easy it will be to get in your recommended dose.

GET YOUR SLEEP. Our Ask the Expert feature this month, Arianna Huffington (page 64), has written a book and created a website centered around the science that more sleep is directly correlated with higher productivity levels. Heed her advice. Try to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night. If that’s not possible, schedule naptime into your day. Kindergarteners aren’t the only ones who should be so lucky.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY OUTSIDE OF WORK. Daily exercise and healthy food will work wonders in aiding your productivity. Regular exercise gives you endorphins that give off a better boost than anything you’ll find at Starbucks, and a healthy diet supplies your body with the nutrients it needs to function properly. Newsom adds that “Exercise increases energy, relieves fatigue and improves brain function while eating healthy and following a nutritious diet provides the energy necessary to have a productive day.”

DRINK WATER. Keeping your body hydrated helps all your systems function more effectively. If your body is more productive, your brain will be more productive. “Drinking plenty of water throughout the day helps to eliminate toxins, boost immunity and increase energy,” says Alessandra Newsom, spa director at The Spa at Lago Mar Beach Resort and Club

PREP FOR YOUR DAY. It’s essential to take time at the end of the day to prep for the next. You’ll start tomorrow with clear goals that you’ll be able to jump head-first into as soon as your feet hit the floor. “I always prep for the next day the night before by creating a to-do list of outstanding items and ranking them according to level of importance,” notes Desjardins. This helps her stay on track and get the big things accomplished early.

STICK TO YOUR SCHEDULE. “Schedule, schedule, schedule,” says Robin McGee, president of Osmosis Skincare. “I am a huge believer in time management and keeping an active pace when possible.” When you plan your days ahead of time, you’ll already have the allotted time frame to get everything done. Meetings, events, calls, etc. should all go on your calendar as soon as they’re planned. Desjardins even recommends allotting specific times in your day for being creative and engaging with guests or employees. By carving out time in your

Drinking water and eating healthy snacks throughout the day can give a major boost to your productivity.

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day to tend to the people away from your desk, you allow yourself to truly focus when you need to. TAKE BREAKS. Don’t be afraid to take a break every once and a while (even if it isn’t on your schedule). Taking a walk around the block, a quick guided mediation at your desk, or even a coffee run can seriously aid in your productivity efforts. Says Desjardins, “For me to stay engaged I must take a break throughout the day. It allows me to recharge my brain and then refocus on what needs to get done.”

STRESS-RELIEVING QUICKIES. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, your productivity level will plummet. Use your break to engage in a mindful, stressrelieving activity that will leave you

completely recharged. “I encourage all our team members to engage in stress relieving quickies to keep the mind free of anxiety and the energy flowing positively,” says Desjardins. “We post tips and tricks for overcoming stressors or anxiety and share techniques amongst the team. We also engage in energy clearing moments like saging and aromatherapy to keep balance.” TRUST YOUR INTUITION. Your intuition is almost never wrong, and if you learn to rely on it more, you’ll free up your mind for the more important tasks. “Often your intuition can guide you on what needs to get done or happen,” says McGee. “The closer we follow our intuition, the fewer errors we make. Often when we’re moving fast intuition falls short so finding the balance of pace and thought is critical.” n

10.

Relieve stress and clear your energy by burning sage or practicing aromatherapy.

Apps to Make You More Productive It may seem like your phone or the lure of your Facebook feed is hindering your productivity (and it is), but there are a few tools you can use to turn your phone or browser into a productivity machine.

StayFocusd is a Google Chrome extension that allows you to block certain sites from your browser. You can set your working hours during the day, choose which sites you want to avoid, and StayFocusd will do the rest. If you really need to bunker down, you can “go nuclear,” and the app will do a hard block of as many sites as you choose for a set amount of time, even shutting you out from the whole internet if you need. Tomato Timer is a timer that uses the Pomodoro method to keep you on task, which essentially gives you 25 minutes to work, followed by a five-minute break. It’s a proven productivity method that is great if you have a lot of small projects to tackle. You can download the Chrome extension, or choose a browser-only version.

F E AT U R E D S O U R C E S

ROBIN McGEE President Osmosis Skincare EVERGREEN, COLORADO

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JESSICA DESJARDINS

ALESSANDRA NEWSOM

Regional Coach N. Illinois, General Manager-Chicago European Wax Center

Spa Director The Spa at Lago Mar Beach Resort and Club

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

Moment is an app (iOS and Android) that tracks your device usage and allows you to set daily limits; the app notifies you if you exceed them. You can even use a setting that “forces” you off your phone by flooding your screen with annoying alerts when you try to extend your screen time. Moment can also be used for families, with the option to track your family’s device use from your own phone.

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The Elephant IN THE OFFICE How to Address Social Media Use with Your Employees BY KELLY HEITZ

There’s no denying it. Social media has become an integral part of our lives and our businesses. In a June 2016 survey from Pew Research Center, 77 percent of 2,003 American workers surveyed reported they use social media while at work. Much of your company’s reputation and image is reflected on social media, which is why creating a social media policy for employees to follow could be a great idea.

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In guest-facing areas of Spa Anjali, employees are prohibited from using their cell phones in order to ensure guests remain a priority.

“So many people are influenced by what they read online, whether it’s true or false. It’s important to protect the reputation of your business.” — INGRID MIDDAUGH, Spa Director Spa Anjali at The Westin Riverfront Beaver Creek • Avon, Colorado

Julie Pankey, managing partner at JMPankey Partners, specializes in helping her spa clients formulate social media policies. She notes that “there are two reasons we have developed a social media policy for our spa clients: to prevent associates from being distracted when their primary focus should on the guest, and to encourage associates to engage in social media, when appropriate, to act as brand ambassadors.” Social media policies can be as simple or as detailed as you see fit, but they should address these two main topics.

Social Media at Work If you’re asking guests to lose their phones during treatments, your employees should do the same. Asking employees to refrain from even carrying their cell phones in guest-facing areas is essential to portraying the kind of relaxing and unwinding environment you want. Your employees should understand that customer service is their priority while at work, and there is no reason they should need to communicate with anyone else.

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“We do not allow cell phone usage in guest facing areas of the spa,” says Ingrid Middaugh, spa director at Spa Anjali at The Westin Riverfront Beaver Creek in Avon, Colorado. “There are always tasks that need to be accomplished each day and therefore we also discourage the use of social media while at work.” Pankey agrees by saying, “Unless you are the dedicated social media manager, you should not be on social media unless posting a job related post.” To help employees understand and stick to a social media policy, include a clear and concise written policy in all orientation materials. This way, your employees know from the very beginning what is expected of them. “Our social media and cell phone use policy has its own section in an associate handbook and is reviewed during orientation for all new hires,” says Pankey. “Our spa managers enforce the policy on a day to day basis through training, coaching, encouragement and counseling, if needed. Just as with any other policy; communication, setting clear expectations, training, monitoring and coaching is the key to success.”

Employee social media ambassadors at Gadabout SalonSpas are encouraged to post work-related images on social media to promote Gadabout's overall brand.

Employee Representation on Social Media Because social media is so prevalent, a bigger problem spas might face is the impact their employees’ posts can have on their brand.

Creating an Employee Social Media Ambassador Program

ocial media has become the number one marketing tool available to businesses. Since many spas and salons employ independent contractors or part-time therapists, allowing employees to create professional social media accounts under your name will expand your brand reach and loyalty much further.

JANA WESTERBEKE, owner and president of Gadabout SalonSpas in Tucson, Arizona, has created a social media ambassador program for her employees. The program includes guidelines and education that teaches employees how to market their services through social media, which in turn increases Gadabout SalonSpas’ influence and reach. “Our philosophy is that social media

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is so prevalent, let’s help our team use it in the most professional way that will not only help them build their business, it will in turn help build our brand and guest awareness,” says Westerbeke. “Social Media is the new word of mouth. We wanted to help support this new tool and help our team use it to their advantage. Rather than leaving it up to them to figure out what to do, we created an education curriculum to help set them up for success.” These employee ambassadors are encouraged to post guest before and after photos (with guest permission), treatment photos, spa interior photos, positive inspiration and celebrations. They are also required to tag the spa in all posts and respond to

comments encouraging guests to visit them at the spa. If an employee is interested in participating, they must go through a social media education program and sign agreements as to what they are prohibited from posting. “We sit down one on one when an ambassador is just signing up and go over the details and our expectations,” notes Westerbeke. “We also connect with them when they are posting things, or if we notice something that isn’t posted correctly. Education is the most important part of the policy because if we don’t teach the expectations, we cannot hold a cohesive team accountable.” If you’re interested in learning more about implementing a similar ambassador program, head to pulse.experienceispa.com to download an example of Gadabout’s Ambassador Agreement and Tips.

I believe that guidelines for appropriate social media behavior and etiquette are critical. It is important for us to remind our teams that online content lives on forever. — JULIE PANKEY, Managing Partner JMPankey Partners • Boston, Massachusetts

“We had an employee post a comment that was unprofessional and thus lead to the implementation of a policy that is now included in our company handbook,” says Middaugh. “So many people are influenced by what they read online, whether it’s true or false. It’s important to protect the reputation of your business.” It would be impossible to regularly monitor each employee’s social media accounts. Plus, many employees might view it as intrusive. Instead, give employees clear instructions on how to mention or reference your spa on social media. Provide them with appropriate hashtags, examples of proper responses to comments, and the etiquette you expect of them while on social media. “Just as we set guidelines for appropriate associate behavior, making right choices and leading by example both in and out of the workplace, I believe that guidelines for appropriate social media behavior and etiquette are critical,” says Pankey. “It is important for us to remind our teams that online content lives on forever. Think before you post. If there’s the slightest hint that someone may be offended or embarrassed by your post, it is most likely a post you should rethink.” n

The 6 R’s of Social Media When in doubt, Middaugh refers her employees at Spa Anjali at The Westin Riverfront Beaver Creek to the six R’s of social media usage.

1. 2. 3.

Reason. Simply put: use reasonable etiquette, the same as you would offline. Represent yourself. Anonymous profiles lend themselves to more negative content. Responsibility. Make sure that what you’re saying is factually correct, and that it doesn’t violate any

legal guidelines that prohibit revealing information that is confidential or proprietary.

Respect. What you say online is a permanent record, so don’t say anything online you wouldn’t

feel comfortable saying to the whole office – with a camera rolling.

Restraint. Before you hit that send button, pause and reread. If you wouldn’t want that thought or

contribution forever associated with your name, don’t post it.

No Retaliation. Don’t take adverse action against any employee for reporting a possible deviation from

this policy or for cooperating in an investigation. Any employee who retaliates against another employee for reporting a possible deviation from this policy or for cooperating in an investigation should be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

WANT AN EXAMPLE of a social media

The lounge at Spa Anjali is the perfect place for guests to unwind and check their phones, but not employees.

policy you can implement into your business? Click here for JMPankey’s client guidelines on social media policies.

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Improving Men’s Health Through the Spa BY KELLY HEITZ

Men in the Spa The good news is, male spa attendance is already on the rise. According to ISPA’s ongoing research through Consumer Snapshot Studies, the proportion of spa-goers who are male has shot up from 31 percent less than 10 years ago to 47 percent and growing. “Men are starting to realize spa isn’t just for women,” says Claudine Riemer, spa director at the Sabila Spa Villa Del Palmar in Loreto, Mexico. “As the population is aging, men too are realizing the importance of being healthy and taking care of themselves.” Renvye Byrd, spa director at Safety Harbor Resort in Safety Harbor, Florida agrees: “Men are also becoming increasingly aware of the fact that spas are not only about beauty and pampering, but mostly about health and wellness, which is for everyone, gentlemen included. This shift in mindset is a huge contributor to the rise in male spa attendance.” The same Consumer Snapshot Study found that men are going to spas because they are stressed out and tired. Most work in management positions and use the spa as a break from their hectic lives. Per the study: “Compared to his non-spa-going counterpart, the male spa-goer is more likely to report higher levels of stress; a feature that appears to be correlated to higher levels of profes42

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June is Men’s Health Month, which aims to promote health and wellness among men around the world. According to the Men’s Health Network, men, in general, take less care of themselves than women. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that MHN also reports that men are dying an average of five years younger than the women of the world. This statistic seems staggering, but luckily the spa community is in the perfect position to change it. Wellness can often be perceived as a female endeavor, when in reality both sexes should be focusing on improving their overall health. As centers of health, wellness and healing, spas are uniquely able to tap into the male market and improve the stigma that being well is a feminine concept.

Spa treatments like pedicures no longer have the stigma of being "for females." Sabila Spa Villa del Palmar makes men feel more comfortable by catering the atmosphere to their interests.

Men are often attracted to services that include work, such as sports or deep tissue massage, rather than a relaxing body treatment. The Day Suite at The Borgata is purposefully gender-neutral so both sexes feel comfortable.

sional responsibility, but may also be driven by the fact that the male spa-goer reports higher levels of physically strenuous activity both in and outside of work.” So, what are spas doing to meet the needs of today’s stressed-out man? Making Men Comfortable with Spa “Men have different needs than women,” Jennifer Aarons, director of spa operations at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey, points out. “Men are often more attracted to services that include work, such as a sports or deep tissue massage, rather than a relaxing body treatment. The descriptions of maletargeted services should indicate effective results.” As massage remains the most popular treatment for male spa-goers, this is the perfect place to start when attracting new male customers. From there, you can strive to educate male guests on the wellness benefits of your other treatment varieties.

Lia Wout, assistant spa manager at The Ritz-Carlton Spa in Palm Beach, Aruba, suggests incorporating an entirely male-focused menu. “Having a section directed specifically to gentlemen allows for a space to educate men about the health benefits of the different services we have to offer as well as make them feel like they belong in a spa.” And a sense of belonging is important. ISPA’s 2016 Consumer Snapshot Initiative, which focused on spa-going habits of millennials, found that a major reason millennial men aren’t visiting the spa is because they are either not familiar or not comfortable in the spa environment. Creating a separate menu or space for men to feel comfortable and learn about your spa could help break down the barriers and misconceptions some men feel about the spa and potentially open an untapped spring of new patrons. “We are currently designing a new menu that includes a section entirely dedicated to the gentlemen visiting our spa,” adds Wout. “Men respond to different terminology and this should be

reflected in the descriptions of our services. Having promotions on packages that are specifically for men also contributes to getting gentlemen to see spas in a different light. We basically need to teach our gentlemen how to spa.” Aarons agrees: “The wording used in the names of services and the descriptions are key to attracting male customers. They should be concise and clearly define expectations of the service. We have also found that including descriptions of the spa lounge amenities is a great attractor for men.” If creating a separate menu or space for men isn’t in the cards, try making your treatment options unisex, so men don’t feel alienated. At Sabila Spa, the golfers’ massage can be experienced by either male or female guests as it focuses on the specific areas of the body stressed during golf. The activity, not the sex, is emphasized, which allows men to feel less separated from the traditional spa experience. Targeting the Male Market To increase the percentage of men in your spa, you need to catch their interest. For June 2017

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resort or destination spas, that may include reaching out to men on the property by seeking them out in other activities within the resort. “We have a robust marketing strategy that includes internal efforts such as speaking to men on property via in-room

A MAN’S TAKE

flyers or plasma screens located within the Borgata Poker Room and other areas of the casino,” says Aarons. Riemer at Sabila Spa also uses other areas of the resort to attract male spa guests, and even goes as far as crosstraining employees in other departments

on the spa’s offerings and incentivizing them to send guests to the spa. “We offer in house training where an employee from another department gets a massage and our therapist can practice new techniques,” she says. “It’s a win-win situation and allows other staff the

TODD HEWITT n Corporate Director of Spa, Health Clubs and Recreation Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts n Hong Kong

Pulse: Why do you think male spa attendance is on the rise? Hewitt: Men are realizing the importance of looking good and feeling good. I think there has been enough press out there (and the significant women in their lives) that has educated them to the benefits of massage and other spa treatments. P: Should spas consider adding male-directed or specific treatments to their menus? Please explain. H: I think spas should consider not necessarily adding male-directed treatments but add wording that will appeal to male clients. We found a significant increase in our deep tissue massages when we renamed it Deep Tissue Sports Massages and when our description said that it was highly recommended for active individuals. P: What are some unique ways for spas to reach the male market? H: ‘Invite a male friend’ promotions are a great way to bring someone in. They increase traffic flow and awareness of what services your spa offers, plus it will build up your database. ROBERT VANCE n Managing Director Well & Being Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess n Scottsdale, Arizona

Pulse: Why do you think male spa attendance is on the rise? Vance: I would attribute it to three A’s: acceptance, accessibility and adaption. Acceptance by men of the tangible physical and mental benefits of what the spa has to offer. Accessibility through value programs like Travelzoo or Groupon allow more men to dip their toe into the luxury resort spa experiences without the sticker-shock. Once comfortable with the benefits and the process, they will gravitate to an environment that has adapted to the needs and motivations of men. P: Should spas consider adding male-directed or specific treatments to their menus? Please explain. V: Absolutely. Unless your spa has identified itself as a gender-specific environment I believe it is my responsibility as the director to sculpt a menu of services that speaks to the needs of my diverse clientele and their motivations. EDITOR’S NOTE: As I took a second look at the sources for our Men in the Spa article, I couldn’t help but notice they were all women. So I asked myself, would a male spa director have a different perspective on what men are looking for in a spa? See for yourself and check out their responses below.

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P: What are some unique ways for spas to reach the male market? V: We have found wonderful success in subtly integrating the spa into events that would seem out of the norm. This includes setting up massage stations at the Waste Management Phoenix Open’s Clubhouse and VIP areas for both golfers and enthusiasts to enjoy, offering minimassages in the foyer of group breakout business sessions or even adding personalized hands-on services to the experience of a new tequila launch. Once we have established trust and a professional reputation with these men in an environment they are comfortable in, we have seen a strong conversion into our true spa experiences within the facility.

knowledge to recommend treatments to guests throughout the resort. The key is to get everyone involved.” Some great places to start are golf pros, fishing guides, and other sport instructors who have one-on-one inter-

Wives, girlfriends, sisters, friends; most men get their first taste of spa by accompanying another person, usually a woman. action with male guests and understand the toll strenuous activity can take on the body. Reaching out to male athletes doesn’t have to be limited to resorts. Day spas can easily reach out to local athletic clubs, men’s clubs or fitness studios to reach a spa-minded male client. Colby Ring, Site Manager at Massage Trilogy Riverside, a wellness-centered day spa concept in California, targets local athletes to increase male spa attendance. “We reach out to athletes to educate

The Sabila Spa Signature Golf Massage uses actual golf balls for trigger point therapy.

them on how sports massage can benefit them,” she notes. “For instance, golfers love hearing how massage can benefit their swing and range of motion, which will greatly improve their game.” Sports aren’t the only way to a man’s heart. Wout suggests using their female partners to attract men to the spa. “Wives, girlfriends, sisters and friends, most men get their first taste of spa by

accompanying another person, usually a woman,” she says. “By offering gifts to our female clients that they can share with the gentlemen in their lives, we indirectly reach our male customers.” Byrd agrees by adding, “our couples’ massage is very popular and we have a large cross-over of men from the couples’ massage to individual massage treatments after they see the benefits.” n

NEED A QUICK LIST? Click here for quick tips from ISPA members on how to attract men to the spa.

F E AT U R E D S O U R C E S

JENNIFER AARONS

LIA WOUT

Assistant Spa Manager Director of Spa Operations Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa The Ritz- Carlton Spa ATLANTIC CITY, NJ

PALM BEACH, ARUBA

RENVYE BYRD

COLBY RICE

CLAUDINE S. RIEMER

Spa Director Safety Harbor Resort

Massage Trilogy

SAFETY HARBOR, FLORIDA

CALIFORNIA

Spa Director Sabila Spa Villa Del Palmar Loreto

VARIOUS LOCATIONS,

LORETO BCS, MEXICO

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A Day in the Life! BY KELLY HEITZ

ALEXA GALLEGOS Sales and Marketing Coordinator Glen Ivy Hot Springs, Corona, California

f you think social media marketing is a fun job, imagine doing it in one of the most beautiful settings in the world. Alexa Gallegos, sales and marketing coordinator at Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Corona, California, is constantly pinching herself at landing her dream marketing job. “I enjoy social media marketing in a spa setting because of all the beauty and serenity you can capture in just one picture,” notes Gallegos. “Social media offers open interaction between the spa and its guests and it’s so rewarding to see people praising or recommending our spa to their friends. It’s also great when something is posted that reminds guests of a day they spent at Glen Ivy and they leave their personal memory as a comment.” While social media isn’t Gallegos’ only responsibility at Glen Ivy, she has been spearheading the transitional improvements in the spa’s social media presence and owns the day to day management of all the property’s social media outlets. Running a spa’s social media isn’t all sunshine and daffodils, portraying the

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

essence of a brand and property as large as Glen Ivy can present particular challenges. “The most challenging part of my work is trying to capture the full essence of the hot springs,” says Gallegos. “They say a picture is worth 1000 words but Glen Ivy Hot Springs has an entire novels’ worth of history and beauty. Trying to convey all that we have to offer isn’t easy but we try to show different areas and aspects of the spa in new and unique ways.” While for a sales and marketing coordinator who also handles social media no two days can possibly be the same, here’s a glimpse into a day in Gallegos’ dynamic work life: ★ 8:30 am Morning Huddle. The entire staff gathers and we are left with some inspirational quotes, great ways to succeed in our work day and occasionally a sample of a new healthy drink we are serving in the kitchen. ★ 9 am The Ever-Changing Checklist. Once my daily need of coffee is met, I dive right into my checklist. The best part of working in marketing is no two days are alike; one day I’ll be brainstorming for a photoshoot and assist with the models and props and the next I’ll be booking entertainment and planning for our upcoming Twilight nighttime summer events. We are always releasing new promotions so I like to make sure we are all caught up. ★ 1 pm Social Media Engagement. After lunchtime, when things slow down, I like to check our social media accounts to engage with guest comments and answer any questions they may have. ★ 4 pm Winding Down. Towards the end of my day I like looking ahead to see what upcoming emails and posts we may need to create. n

ALEXA’S BRILLIANT IDEAS HOLIDAY PROMOTIONS A great social campaign that Gallegos implemented at Glen Ivy that could easily be implemented at your spa was her “12 Days of Giveaways” around the holidays. The spa gave away treatments and products to followers each day, which drove interest to Glen Ivy and traffic to their accounts. “It was a chance to give back to our loyal guests. It was amazing to read the comments that showed how excited people were about the contest and how grateful the winners were.” CHARITY CONNECTIONS Connecting with a charity via social media can show your company’s dedication to giving. “Another memorable experience was when we did our breast cancer awareness stories and photoshoot. The women received the Glen Ivy experience with special treatments and shared their inspiring stories. That campaign was by far the most humbling and rewarding.”

INTERESTED IN UPPING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA GAME? Check out the ISPA Foundation’s Consumer Snapshot Initiative Volume V: Social Media & The Spa-Goer located in the ISPA Academy. The guide shows you how spa consumers are using social media to give you the tools to plan the best social campaigns for your spa.

Ssshhhhh!

Riiing! Buzzz! Click! Beep! Screeeech!

Why Spas are Silencing Our Digital Addiction

BY KELLY HEITZ

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The sounds of our modern world are harsh. The constant jarring noise of technology and the stress that comes with it is something people are constantly fighting through daily. According to the American Psychological Association’s ongoing study Stress in America, more than four out of five adults in the U.S. (86 percent) report that they constantly or often check their email, texts and social media accounts. The survey also found that stress levels run higher in the individuals that report the high consistency of daily technology use. “Technology has brought us many great advances,” said Jeremy McCarthy, Group Director of Spa and Wellness at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, which recently launched a Global Digital Detox Initiative in all its spas worldwide. “But the expectations for instant communication and the increasing pace of change in the world can have a negative impact on our wellbeing.” Requiring guests to unplug at the spa gives them permission to stop the noise and truly destress.

Why Your Guests Should Unplug The same survey by the APA found that almost two-thirds of Americans (65 percent) somewhat or strongly agree that periodically “unplugging” or taking a “digital detox” is important for their mental health. Spa customers are already at an advantage because they are aware that the spa helps them unwind from the stress of their daily lives. They are already searching for an oasis, so it’s the spa’s responsibility to give it to them. “You might say that old adage that ‘silence is golden’ takes on a special spa meaning here at Sundara,” says Chris Scheel, general manager at Sundara Inn & Spa in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. “Guests find that, when the distractions of the real world are set aside, they can focus in earnest on their own wellness and the health of their relationships. Some use it as quality time to heal from a loss, others embrace it as a way to come to a major life decision. Each guest benefits from it in their own unique way.” Barry Shingle, director of guest relations and programming at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, agrees by adding, “Happiness is found in the present moment. It is almost impos-

sible to be present when digitally connected. By being quiet and with yourself you can discover who you are, otherwise we are just reacting to distractions and what’s on the outside.” Unplugging Anxieties You know that AMA report? Interestingly, even though the report found that 65 percent agree that a periodic digital detox will benefit them, only 28 percent of those who say this actually report doing so. It can be scary to put away our connection to the world. People have become addicted to the buzz of their phones. They’re afraid if they miss a text or email or fail to like a post on Facebook, their world will fall apart. Even though we know this to be untrue, our anxieties feel differently, which can make forced unplugging feel like torture. “It is difficult for our guests to digitally disconnect,” notes Shingle. “In theory, most of them think it is a good idea, but technology addiction is powerful.” If guests are getting anxious and more stressed from being away from their devices, the relaxing treatments they’ve come to the spa for will be ineffective. You don’t want your guests to

“Technology has brought us many great advances, but the expectations for instant communication and the increasing pace of change in the world can have a negative impact on our wellbeing.” — JEREMY MCCARTHY, Group Director of Spa and Wellness at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

The lounges at Fusion Spa are a place for guests to completely unwind.

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be wondering what they’re missing; you want them to remain present in their treatment. Encouraging Guests to Disconnect It takes some education and encouragement to ween people off their phones. Forcing the spa-goer to drop their phone in a basket at the reception desk is not going to put they're mind at ease. It’s important to educate each guest on the benefits they’ll gain from putting their device away. “When I escort new guests to our communal bathing

experience, I tell them I am giving them the best gift I could for the next couple of hours: I am allowing them to turn off all cellular devices and not respond for now,” notes Kathy Nelson, spa director at Kabuki Springs & Spa in San Francisco, California. “I try to make it really positive rather than a ‘no cell phones’ harsh enforcement concept. We also have signs inside every locker and at the front desk that say, ‘Power down; you and all electronics. Relaxation in progress.” Subtle reminders like Nelson’s allow guests to know the benefits of losing the phone without feeling like their being

Mindful walks throughout the property at Rancho La Puerta allow guests to unwind and reconnect with nature.

“We remind guests that not that long ago, life existed without constant digital connection. We encourage our guests to take baby steps by going one day at a time without digitally connecting to their devices.” — BARRY SHINGLE, Group Director of Guest Relations and Programing at Rancho la Puerta

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“We have a 'Peach & Quiet Policy' that speaks to our mission to be a sanctuary from stress. We tell this story through social media and in all our marketing and PR materials.” — CHRIS SCHEEL, General Manager at Sundara Inn & Spa

Sundara's Conversation-Free Tranquility Garden allows guests to reconnect with their own thoughts.

forced into something. Her tactics also rely heavily on staff engagement. “I try to train the staff to communicate to our guests that this is a gift, not a punishment.” Allowing one area to remain openly cell phone friendly, can make it obvious to guests that they’re not allowed elsewhere in the spa. At Fusions Spa & Wellness in Sylva, North Carolina, co-owner Jeanine Sowers has found that setting up charging stations in the locker rooms along with signage saying phones aren’t allowed elsewhere in the spa allows the spa to remain sensitive to guests’ technology needs, while still enforcing a silent spa experience. Mandarin Oriental’s digital detox initiative encourages guests to surrender their phones upon entering the spa. To combat the urge to seek out their phones, Mandarin’s spas provide a full range of mindfulness activities such as journaling, note card writing, coloring, and meditation to help guests unwind and forget about their devices. Idle hands and minds will be the first to reach for their phones, so this tactic of keeping guests busy has become

popular. Says Shingle, “Most guests have cell phone reception on property, so we provide as many opportunities to see what it feels like to not be digitally connected, even if just for a few hours a day. We remind guests that not that long ago, life existed without constant digital connection. We encourage our guests to take baby steps by going one day at a time without digitally connecting to their devices. At The Ranch each day is packed with activities; from hikes to fitness classes to spa treatments. Many guests find that there is so much to do—whether socializing with new friends, curling up with a good book in a hammock, or learning a new pose in a yoga class—that with each passing day it gets easier to remain unplugged.” Marketing Your Digital Detox As more and more spa-goers get used to the idea of unwinding from their digital lives at the spa, it’s important to market your silent offerings and show guests the positive experience they’ll gain from opting out of technology for a day—or longer—at the spa. “We have a ‘Peace & Quiet Policy’ that speaks to our mission to be a ‘sanctuary from stress,’” says Scheel. “We tell this story through social media and in all our marketing and PR materials.” Sundara Inn & Spa has also recently added “unplug” pouches for storing electronics and “unplug” tee shirts for purchase in the boutique to promote their mission as well as spread the message even further. Fusions Spa & Wellness chooses to inform guests of their silent policies before they even book an appointment. “Our website and brochure mention that we are an unplugged facility,” says Sowers. “It is in all caps and bold font in our membership agreement, and we have recently required an “I am

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The communal baths at Kabuki Springs are a no-phone zone to ensure guest privacy.

"Unplug" pouches are available to Sundara guests to remind them to put away their devices.

“I tell [guests] I am giving them the best gift I could for the next couple of hours. I am allowing them to turn off all cellular devices and not respond for now.” — KATHY NELSON, Spa Director at Kabuki Springs & Spa

unplugging” agreement to be signed and agreed to when arriving for an appointment.” These measures allow guests the knowledge upfront that when booking an appointment, they’ll be fully immersed in a digital detox. And that’s what guests are seeking when they come to the spa: a detox for their body and mind. The spa is a chance to relax, refresh, and renew, and by offering the chance to forget about all the buzzes and beeps that come with modern technology, you’re giving them an experience that can’t be

experienced anywhere else. Implementing a policy that encourages guests to unplug helps allows them the opportunity to find the peace and serenity they’re looking for in the spa. n

ARE YOU having trouble learning to unplug? Click here to learn about the new app that turns unplugging from your phone into a game.

F E AT U R E D S O U R C E S

CHRIS SCHEEL

KATHY NELSON

JEREMY MCCARTHY

BARRY SHINGLE

JEANNINE SOWER

General Manager Sundara Inn & Spa

Spa Director Kabuki Springs & Spa

Director of Guest Relations and Programming

Co-Owner Fusions Spa & Wellness

WISCONSIN DELLS, WISCONSIN

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Group Director of Spa and Wellness, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

RANCHO LA PUERTA, MEXICO

SYLVA, NORTH CAROLINA

HONG KONG

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ISPA FOUNDATION

THE SECRET TO ALL AROUND PRODUCTIVITY: FOUNDATION

Supporting the Future of the Spa Industry

2017 ISPA FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS CHAIRMAN Frank Pitsikalis ResortSuite VICE CHAIRMAN Sharilyn Abbajay Abbajay & Associates, LLC

DIRECTORS Todd Shaw ISPA Chairman Todd Hewitt ISPA Vice Chairman Lynne McNees ISPA President

MEDICAL ADVISOR Brent Bauer, M.D. Mayo Clinic HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS Ruth Stricker The Marsh, A Center for Balance and Fitness Deborah Szekely WELLNESS WARRIOR

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

Ruth Stricker BENEFACTOR

Dr. Howard Murad PATRON

The Foundation holds a key to the productive future of the industry by supporting future and current students through the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship. It is the ISPA Foundation’s hope that students touched by these scholarships will not only provide comfort and care to people who need it, but also serve as an inspiration to others to join the spa profession. In the spirit of reflecting on personal productivity, I’ve connected with two previous Mary Tabacchi Scholarship recipients, Margot Mangiarotti (2016) and Kate Sornson (2010), to see what they have gained from the scholarship and where the industry has taken them. Frank Pitsikalis: How has receiving the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship enriched your

professional life? Margot Mangiarotti: Receiving the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship has been impressive to the companies that I have applied to and has offered an opportunity for thoughtful conversation related to the spa industry and wellness! In addition, the scholarship has given me exposure to a variety of companies, especially those that are in the ISPA family. Kate Sornson: When I began my spa management degree at the Conrad N. Hilton College, I was the only one of my friends pursuing a career in spa. Receiving the scholarship and attending the 2010 ISPA Conference in Margot Kate Sornson D.C. opened my eyes to the thousands of others Mangiarotti pursuing the same dream and hardened my desire to make a living in spa and wellness. The connections I made through applying for the scholarship and those made annually at the ISPA Conferences have opened many doors I wouldn’t have otherwise found. P: What have you learned from being in the industry that you would share with current students? M: I have learned the importance of relationships! These relationships include those between employees, managers and clients. S: That no matter what your passions are, there’s a place for you in spa and wellness. As a $3.7 trillion global industry, wellness offers endless opportunities. For example, my career has allowed me to travel the country promoting wellness, develop and implement a Five-Star training program for a large urban spa, assist in the creation of The Global Mentorship Program, and manage spas from three rooms to 22. There are so many ways to make a spa and wellness career your own!

Red Door Spas ResortSuite

TO READ the rest of Frank’s interview with Margot and Katie, click here.

—FRANK PITSIKALIS, ISPA FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN

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PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS

Meeting the Demands of the Diverse Spa Guest

Jurlique Herbal Recovery range JURLIQUE.COM 1.800.854.1110

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? In the past, the spa and spa-goer often had to select between an aggressive and synthetic focus or a natural and sensorial experience. Today, spa guests expect both philosophies in their skin care ritual: natural formulations that deliver powerful results. How does the product meet the needs of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse spa-goer? Spa guests are increasingly concerned about the damaging effects of pollution and its corresponding implication on aging skin. They find their skin is dull and lackluster, and not quite as healthy looking as it used to be. The good news is that we can do something about extrinsic aging factors by limiting exposure and using the right skin care. Jurliqueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Herbal Recovery range is specifically designed with potent antioxidants to help shield against environmental damage and combat the first signs of aging. The end result is smooth and revitalized skin that visibly glows.

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Éminence Organic Skin Care Bright Skin Overnight Correcting Cream EMINENCEORGANICS.COM 1.888.747.6342

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? Concern over hyperpigmentation has resulted in a growing demand for products to treat this common skin concern. Because a variety of factors— including environmental damage, aging, and inflammation—it can be one of the most challenging and diverse skin conditions to treat. The Bright Skin Overnight Correcting Cream builds upon the skin’s natural ability to repair overnight, offering an ideal option for anyone seeking to brighten and nourish their skin. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? Hyperpigmentation is a universal skin condition identified by an increase in melanin production. It affects people of all ethnicities and genders, and manifests as dark spots, freckles, scarring and uneven skin tone. The Bright Skin Overnight Correcting Cream is specially formulated to address hyperpigmentation at night when most skin regeneration takes place. It delivers a potent active, derived from Punarnava Root, proven to inhibit melanin production while visibly reducing spots for an even complexion. In just three months, users have seen a 51 percent decrease in melanin, a 29 percent decrease in the color of dark spots and a 49 percent increase in skin hydration.

essie professional Gel Couture ESSIE.COM 1.866.313.7845

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? Savvy spa goers display their day-to-day lives to anyone connected to the Internet. The spa experience is increasingly blogged about, reviewed and commented about online, and many buying decisions are based on these firstperson accounts. Guests are informed, having done the research in advance, and up to speed on the latest spa offerings. With this comes an increasing need for spas to be prepared to answer detailed and pointed questions about their offerings. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? This enlightened spa guest is interested in treatments and products that deliver a high level of efficacy. With increased knowledge on the part of today’s guests, treatments are becoming less about pampering and more about delivering results. Guests need to know that treatments are proven and effective, and spas need to reinforce their claims with data. Essie Gel Couture creates a new addiction and obsession for the most sophisticated nail fashionista. Offering a break-through formula with a sensorial application experience and the strongest wear claims, essie Gel Couture fuses fashion and technology bringing high performance to the diverse spa goer.

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EuroSpa Aromatics Citrus Infused Eucalyptus Oil ShowerMist EUROSPAAROMATICS.COM 1.800.395.6478

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? As more information is available to spa guests, they make greater demands for product transparency and full disclosure of ingredients; purity is paramount. EuroSpa has delivered full transparency and disclosure since 1977, and continues that commitment today and will remain committed in the future. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? Today’s spa-goer demands purity in all the products they use. EuroSpa Aromatics meets this demand with an unwavering commitment to 100 percent purity in all our ShowerMist products including the new 8oz size of Citrus Infused ShowerMist. Pure Eucalyptus Oil infused with pure Citrus Oil delivers the most therapeutic benefits possible without any diluents. From the steam room to the home shower, EuroSpa Aromatics Citrus Infused ShowerMist provides exhilaration, antioxidants, and anti-depressant qualities not found in Eucalyptus Oil alone.

FarmHouse Fresh

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests?

Sand Your Ground Clarifying Mud Exfoliation Mask

relaxing experience, but also walk out visually renewed or transformed in

FARMHOUSEFRESHGOODS.COM 1.888.773.9626

We’re still in the age of immediate results. We find spa guests want to enjoy a some way, with a regimen that can continue their results long-term. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? Sand Your Ground pulls double-duty. It is both a pore-clarifying mask, and excellent exfoliator utilizing tiny pumice particles that leave skin shinysmooth so that serums and moisturizers can more readily be absorbed. Sand Your Ground is very popular in back facials, as well as traditional facials where combination skin is present. Lora Arellano, makeup artist to the stars, posted her pre-wedding, 3-day use of Sand Your Ground on Instagram, and her results were that her forehead breakout nearly completely cleared. Men and women alike find this product a dream to use!

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The HydraFacial Company HydraFacial HYDRAFACIAL.COM 1.800.603.4996

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? Universal treatments you can tailor to specific skin concerns allow clients to get the individualized experience they crave and, more importantly, keep them coming back. With patented booster vials, you can customize HydraFacial treatments to address a wide variety of skin concerns. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? No two customers are alike so your skin treatments need to be just as versatile. With The HydraFacial Company, you can give all your clients skin wellness without extreme measures. The customizable HydraFacial treatment gently exfoliates, painlessly extracts, and deeply hydrates the skin back to its healthiest state in as little as 30 minutes while a Perk add-on service helps renew the delicate eye and lip areas for complete skin rejuvenation.

Chaleur Beauty Chaleur Heat-Inspired Skin Care CHALEURBEAUTY.COM 1.844.924.2538

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? Time is a concern to spa guests as well as achieving instant, visible results. Chaleur®’s self-heating treatment mask is the perfect accompaniment to any skin care regimen. The Chaleur® self-heating masks are designed to be layered and paired with our other Chaleur® skin care products, or any of the client’s favorite skin care products, to enhance overall results while providing the spa goer with visible results in as little as 10 minutes. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? Chaleur®’s patented self-heating treatment mask powered by Lava Gel® and our heat-activated UV protective skin care products, are the most versatile and unique spa service enhancements offered in today’s results driven wellness industry. Our multi-sensory, selfheating mask offers a truly unique treatment room experience with aromatherapy, sound therapy and therapeutic moist heat combined. The product, a result-driven multi-masking approach, combined with our super charged antioxidant skin care line, the Chaleur® enhancement, offers an instant anti-aging treatment for any spa-goer.

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HydroPeptide

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests?

Nimni Cream – Patented Collagen Support Complex

We are certainly seeing more ingredient savvy spa guests in today’s industry. Spa guests are checking ingredient labels more than before and wanting validation

HYDROPEPTIDE.COM 1.800.932.9873

staff geneticist, Dr. Kitchen and team of scientists use the principles of epige-

for credibility in the products they put on their skin. HydroPeptide’s very own netics to create innovate formulas that impact cellular health and help skin look and act younger from the inside out. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? Every time we develop a product, we focus on two simple ideas that resonate with the spa community: clinical results and luxury experiences. We understand the importance of providing our customers with the most advanced ingredients and formulations as well as providing an upscale experience in the treatment room. Named after award-winning collagen researcher Dr. Marcel Nimni, Nimni Cream is the pinnacle of these two ideas, offering patented clinical results within a beautiful-to-use PM treatment. Spa-goers are constantly looking for the most innovative products, and this clinically formulated cream is one they can’t get enough of.

MINDBODY MINDBODY App MINDBODYONLINE.COM 1.877.755.4279

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? Online booking is the way of the future, and spa guests enjoy the convenience and flexibility that it provides—allowing them to book their spa appointments from wherever they are, at any given time. Spas using MINDBODY to run their business are automatically listed on the MINDBODY App, making all their available appointments easily searchable and bookable by existing and prospective clients. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? The free MINDBODY App gives clients access to tens of thousands of spas, fitness and wellness studios and practitioners worldwide, right at their fingertips. Using location and activity history, the app helps them find, book and pay for spa services, fitness activities and wellness experiences from wherever they are. The app features discounted offers, access to real-time appointment schedules and the ability to rate and review services. Your satisfied clients can save their favorite spas and manage their appointments right on the app, making it their own customized wellness portal.

SPECIAL PULSE ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Sanitas Skincare

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests?

Sanitas Purifying Clay Cleanser

The busy lifestyles of today’s diverse spa customers guarantee that the trend toward multifunctional skincare products is increasing in

SANITAS-SKINCARE.COM 1.303.449.1875

looking for value based, highly effective products with multiple

popularity and here to stay. These time constrained consumers are benefits. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? Sanitas Purifying Clay Cleanser is a pore perfecting cleanser that also functions as a detoxifying mask and spot treatment. Blended with mineral rich clays, soothing aloe vera and botanical extracts, this unisex cleanser not only decongests pores, it clarifies and relieves redness without dehydrating the skin. It’s perfect as a twoin-one cleanser/flash mask in the treatment room, generating instant, visible results.

Book4Time Book4Time BOOK4TIME.COM 1.905.752.2588

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? Self-scheduling is on the increase. Today’s consumers are sophisticated, demanding and accustomed to getting what they want at their own convenience. Guests want clear visibility of appointment times, treatments offered and the ability to select their therapist of choice. Guests also want an improved guest experience, they want the same service out of the spa as they receive in it—this means spas will need to step up their online presence. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? Book4Time is a cloud-based appointment booking, inventory and staff management software solution for spa and wellness. It allows businesses to improve their guests’ experience with a central business management software solution for single or multi locations. Our system keeps a real-time record of all appointments, making it easy for staff and guests to identify availability. Book4Time also drives the guest experience through guest referral incentives, loyalty points, gift cards and spa packages all tracked and managed through Book4Time. Extensive reporting, yield management tools and turn-away tracking provide valuable business intelligence for a more agile business. SPECIAL PULSE ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

ESPA Tri-Active Advanced Instant Facial ESPASKINCARE.COM

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? We are seeing a greater demand from our customers to find balance in body and mind through skincare and treatments, which is a direct result from an increase in technology in our lives. We are finding it harder to switch off much more than ever before and the demands of social media, longer commutes, work pressure and family commitments all have an impact on how we feel. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? Ideal for those looking to challenge early signs of skin ageing, this lightweight yet antioxidant-packed powerhouse of plant and marine actives and essential oils helps replenish and smooth skin texture, improve the appearance of fine lines and helps you to achieve that popular postfacial glow. With the power of a facial serum, the protective properties of a treatment oil, and the revitalizing effects of an essence, multibenefit products such as this are becoming popular with our clients who are increasingly time-poor and therefore looking for products that can deliver immediate effects as well as protecting the long-term health of the skin.

Living Earth Crafts Contour LX™ LIVINGEARTHCRAFTS.COM 1.800.358.8292

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? Today’s busy spa guest is searching for ways to become more time efficient. Thus, we are seeing an increase in demand for express treatments and combo services like manicure, pedicure, and facials to be performed concurrently. Many spa guests expect treatments that once might have taken 60 or 90 minutes to be performed in half the time. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? The Contour LX™ from Living Earth Crafts is the first ADA compliant pedicure throne. Sleek, motorized retracting arms enable easy (ADA compliant) entry for seniors and disabled guests. The fully automated controls on the chair and footrest allow for perfect positioning for the guest, regardless of size, so a 6 foot 6 inches tall individual will be as comfortable and well positioned as a petite 4 foot 8 inches person. The gentle Relaxor® heat and massage system, and, smooth and whisper quiet Sani-Jet® Pipeless Hydrotherapy, and the molded Reflexology tub provide both exceptional comfort and sanitary hygiene for today’s discerning guest.

SPECIAL PULSE ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Noel Asmar Group Sia Silk Dress NOELASMAR.COM NOELASMARUNIFORMS.COM 1.800.772.1408

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? Spa guests continue to seek quality products and services that are mindfully tailored to their needs. Visiting a spa is their opportunity to pamper themselves, both through treatments and retail therapy. Our easy silhouettes and wrinkle resistant styles offer spa retailers premium pieces that mirror the carefully curated details of their spas and merchandise effortlessly. Our collection and retail offerings cater to the premium lifestyle and needs of the modern spa and their guests. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? The Sia Silk Dress from the Noel Asmar Collections spring 2017 line is a versatile and effortless style that is truly designed for the senses. Made with reversed Italian stretch silk, this dress leaves the wearer feeling the luxurious touch of the fabric against their skin. An easy to fit style, the Sia creates an elegant silhouette on a variety of body shapes and transitions from day to night. A style inspired by the wellness traveler that is made for the way you move, the Sia Dress is an every-occasion essential.

Naked Princess 24K Love Dust NAKEDPRINCESS.COM 1.310.271.1199

What are some new demands you are seeing from spa guests? We are seeing a demand for ingredient-conscious products. For example, the fact that our 24K Love Dust is free of parabens, talc and sulfates definitely resonates with spa guests. We are also seeing the demand for on-the-go items. Our Beauty and Body collections incorporate many travel-friendly products to fulfill this need. How does this product meet the needs of today’s diverse spa-goer? Our 24K Love Dust is a body powder infused with real 24K gold flakes. Treatments that incorporate this product allow spa-goers to take a visual treat from the luxurious experience home with them. This meets the needs of today’s busy schedules, when rushing from appointment, to home, to an event, or wherever the day may take you! The internal glow of a stellar spa experience is reflected on the outside with nourished, luminescent skin that shimmers in the light.

SPECIAL PULSE ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

SUCCESSSTORIES INSPIRING TALES OF STARTUPS, GROWTH AND OVERCOMING HARDSHIPS

How Creative Partnerships Can Lead to Spa Magic BY KELLY HEITZ

Heather Kreider, L.E., R.N. Co-founder and owner n Makes Scents Natural Spa Line Lancaster, Pennsylvania

n important factor in the success of any industry is collaboration, but I’d venture to say that when spa people come together, the result can be utter magic—for both sides. This was the case for the Springs Eternal Spa at Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Makes Scents Natural Spa Line. Their common goal? Creating a product line that reflects the feel and tradition of the Springs Eternal Spa. The result? A complete line of products and a partnership that went above and beyond even the creators’ wildest dreams.

“With our own brand of products already incorporated into their seasonal treatment lines, expanding that partnership to create an exclusive line for them was a natural progression.” — Heather Kreider, L.E., R.N.

Michael McDonald Spa Director n Springs Eternal Spa at Omni Bedford Springs Resort Bedford, Pennsylvania

“Building strong relationships and trust is the key to any business relationship whether it is working one on one with a client or working behind the scenes with spa partners and vendors,” says Heather Kreider, L.E., R.N., co-founder and owner of Makes Scents Natural Spa Line. “When you work together to create products of exceptional quality that spa technicians love, it enables spas to delight guests. And that leads to repeat visits and higher retail sales. In our experience, strong partnerships facilitate growth of the spa industry.” How They Came Together “We were in the market for an authentic partnership with producers who create high-quality products developed by individuals who have been in the field themselves,” says McDonald. In an effort to keep everything as local as possible, McDonald turned to Kreider and her husband, Nathan who run Makes Scents out of nearby Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “Building relationships with all of our partners has always been an important part of our business model, and we knew that

The Bedford Bath Ritual dates back over two centuries.

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Makes Scents has created 33 custom products for Omni Bedford Springs.

working with a resort spa so close to home would be like working with family,” notes Kreider. “We were honored when Omni Bedford Springs Resort approached us to formulate the custom line for their Springs Eternal Spa. With our own brand of products already incorporated into their seasonal treatment lines, expanding that partnership to create an exclusive line for them was a natural progression.”

“Eternal spa has long been celebrated for providing a unique sense of place and utilizing natural spring water...this partnership helped us build upon this point by giving us a signature scent that’s reflective of our setting.” — Michael McDonald

McDonald’s desire to create a custom line for Springs Eternal was rooted in the history of both the spa and the property. Omni Bedford Springs is known for its rich history dating back to 1796, when Dr. John Anderson acquired the land for its natural healing resources. “This July we’re celebrating our aluminum anniversary, and are more excited than ever to showcase our successful signature line,” adds McDonald. “Eternal Spa has long been celebrated for providing a unique sense of place and utilizing natural spring water in all of its treatments. This partnership helped us build upon this point by giving us a signature scent that’s reflective of our setting.” The Creative Process As a spa director, sometimes the operations side of the business can take over and your creative juices don’t get to flow. The process of working with Makes Scents to create a product line from scratch gave McDonald the opportunity to dive deep into

the creative side of his brain as well as work with his team on a unique and unforgettable experience. “The Springs Eternal Spa team had a very clear idea of what they wanted in a product line, which made our creative process a smooth one from the start,” recalls Kreider. “They wanted the line to feature Cucumber Honeysuckle as their signature scent, and they wanted to incorporate ingredients indigenous to their area. We sourced a few area-specific raw materials and used them in creating their unique custom line.” Makes Scents was constantly testing formulas and products that they thought best combined the spa’s signature scent with local and natural ingredients. “Springs Eternal Spa had samples coming in right and left, and that was what made creating the signature line for our spa so exciting,” recalls McDonald. “We gave Heather and Nathan of Make Scents suggestions on what direction we were thinking, and they were always prepared to deliver products that fit our needs.” The line originally started with a just few products and quickly grew into an entire retail and back bars spa treatment line. Later, it expanded to include a spa suite amenity line for the hotel as well as an Omni Bedford Springs Resort branded line for the hotel retail shop. “We now produce 33 custom products for Omni Bedford Springs,” adds Kreider. “It has been one of our most successful custom lines to date.” Collaborating on a creative venture like this strengthens the bonds on both sides. Makes Scents and Springs Eternal have moved beyond the typical spa-vendor relationship; they have formed a bond that allows for more opportunities for collaboration and success—on both sides. “In working so closely during the creative process, we strengthened our relationship with their entire spa management team,” says Kreider. “Knowing they entrust our company with their custom product line means a lot to us. That motivates us to always produce the highest quality products for them and to exceed their expectations for each product on every order.” See? Utter magic. n June 2017

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ASK THE EXPERT

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON

BY KELLY HEITZ

There is a growing epidemic around the world. Burnout. We work too hard. We have accepted a stressed-out life as the norm. We don’t even realize how sick we are making ourselves. ARIANNA HUFFINGTON wants to change that. A stress-induced wakeup call ten years ago led Huffington to find the link between well-being and performance. She discovered it’s not about how hard we work, but how well we take care of ourselves. The evidence was clear. “Seventy-five percent of healthcare costs in the U.S. are just about treating preventable, often-stress related conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease,” notes Huffington. So, she sold The Huffington Post and created Thrive Global, a wellness source that focuses on both everyday consumers looking for better health, as well as corporate programs to improve wellness from the top down. Pulse asked Huffington where her inspiration for Thrive came from and how its principals can be translated to the spa industry.

P: You have written a lot about your wellness experiences Pulse: Where did the concept of creating a multi-tiered and principles in your books Thrive and The Sleep wellness tool stem from? Revolution. How do you plan to use Thrive Global to Arianna Huffington: After I collapsed from exhaustion in 2007, expand those principles among the global wellness market? I became more and more passionate about the connection H: Thrive Global is meant to accelerate the culture shift between well-being and performance. And that led me away from our current culture of burnout and sleep to write my two books, Thrive and The Sleep deprivation. Right now, a lot of the global Revolution. And as I went around the world Join wellness market is focused on downstream speaking about them, and our epidemic of Huffington’s harm reduction, working only on the stress, burnout and sleep deprivation, I saw how new movement symptoms. deeply people want to change their lives. So, I So, what Thrive Global is doing is at focusing upstream, on the root causes – wanted to go farther than just raising thriveglobal.com. burnout and stress. That’s where the intervention awareness—I felt the need to turn this passion needs to be. into something real and tangible that would begin to help people change their daily lives. It was a call to action P: What areas of wellness does Thrive’s consumer platform I just couldn’t ignore, and so I founded Thrive Global. And since focus on? the problem exists on multiple levels, we wanted the company to H: We go upstream and focus on all the elements that go into have both business and consumer tiers. 64

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well-being. That includes sleep, nutrition, movement, wisdom, wonder, purpose, giving, creativity and productivity. P: How can these wellness categories help someone with their personal wellness journey? H: When you prioritize all these core elements, your well-being will improve across the board—both at work and outside of work. In our wellness journey, we don’t leave our humanity behind when we leave for work. It’s not about balance. Thrive Global is based on the truth that work and life, well-being and productivity, are not on opposite sides—so they don’t need to be balanced. They’re on the same side, and rise in tandem. Increase one and you increase the other, which is what the science clearly shows. P: Technology can be both a huge asset and a burden on our wellness. How do you recommend finding balance in our ever-connected world? H: Technology is definitely a factor in our culture of burnout. We’re at an inflection point in history where technology accelerated the pace of life beyond our capacity to cope. We’re being controlled by something we should be controlling. And it consumes our attention and cripples our ability to focus, think, be present, and truly connect with the world around us and ourselves. The answer isn’t to get rid of technology and go backwards, but we do have to be deliberate about finding time to disconnect. There are also increasing new technologies that can help us do that. One tip you can start with is not reaching for your phone first thing in the morning, but instead using ten minutes to breathe and set your intention for the day. Another is to set aside specific times in the day to disconnect – like leaving our phone at work when you go out for lunch. P: How can spa industry leaders work to combat high stress in the workplace? H: One study found that employees who feel burned out are 31 percent more likely to consider seeking another job than those who don’t feel burned out. And often what’s needed is a major culture change. Even the best wellness plans won’t be maximized if there’s not buy-in from senior management to change the incentive structure. So, it’s not just about awareness, but top to bottom culture and behavior change. n

FAST FIVE Burnout at work, whether you’re in an office or the spa, can create a slew of problems for both your personal wellness and your company’s overall culture. Arianna Huffington has the cure. Here are her five tips for avoiding burnout. Get seven to nine hours of sleep. Sleep is the bedrock of well-being and without that firm foundation, we’re much more susceptible to burnout.

Make time to disconnect periodically throughout the day.

2. 3. 4. 5.

Move – try to take breaks and build regular movement into your day. Take real time off. When you go on vacation, really go on vacation.

Naps – they’re the world’s best performance-enhancing secret.

INTERESTED

in learning more about the science behind Thrive’s principles? Click here to learn more.

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HAPPY ISPA SNAPSHOT SURVEY! O NE HUNDRED SNAPSHOT SURVEYS is a pretty impressive milestone. To commemorate it, the survey was made available to both members and non members for the first time. As a result, ISPA received a record 736 responses. The questions on the survey centered around job satisfaction and employee values, and spa leaders, spa service providers and resource partners were given

the opportunity to voice their opinions. As you can see in the below chart, the average job satisfaction rating for both resource partners and spa service providers was above four on a five-point scale, showing they are satisfied in their current position. Interestingly, spa leaders had the lowest average rating at 3.72 out of five.

Using the following five-point scale, please identify how satisfied you are in your current position.

Spa Leaders

Spa Service Providers

Resource Partners

1 VERY UNSATISFIED

2 UNSATISFIED

3 NEUTRAL

4 SATISFIED

5 VERY SATISFIED

AVERAGE RATING

46%

26%

25%

3.72

13%

48%

34%

4.08

31%

54%

4.29

Respondents were also asked to identify the reasons

large of a role. Conversely, for spa leaders over 35, salary

behind their most recent job change. The two most

was the top reason for change at 46 percent and work

common responses overall were salary/compensation

environment at just 12 percent. These findings show that

and work environment.

millennial spa leaders put a heavy weight on company

Among spa leaders, there was a shift in responses

culture and the key to attracting and keeping the best

based on age. Work environment was overwhelmingly

young leaders could have little to do with salary and

the top reason for change among spa leaders under the

more to do with investing in employee growth and

age of 35 at 71 percent, though salary did not play as

happiness.

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June 2017

What was your primary reason for your most recent job change? RESPONSE

SPA LEADERS

SPA SERVICE PROVIDERS

RESOURCE PARTNERS

Location

13%

17%

Salary/compensation

32%

30%

22%

Work environment

36%

23%

16%

Work life balance

15%

24%

Underutilized

Involuntary departure (i.e. termination, laid off, business closure, etc.)

Other

13%

22%

And the Winners Are…. As a special incentive for spreading the word about the Snapshot Survey, ISPA awarded the spas with the most employee participation with a complimentary 2017 ISPA Conference & Expo registration. Congrats to Milagro Spa and Four Seasons Maui at Wailea. We can’t wait to see you in October! There were also ten randomly selected prize drawing winners, listed below. Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey. l Joline Harrington Wine & Roses

Spa (ISPA Conference & Expo registration) l Andrea Fazio Elemis ($50 gift card) l Jessica Desjardins European Wax

Center ($50 gift card) l Richard Pham Four Seasoons Resort

-Maui ($50 gift card) l Ellie Stefano Hyatt, Andaz

Scottsdale Resort & Spa ($50 gift card) l Phillip Kolodzie Mirbeau Inn and

Spa ($50 gift card) l Christina M Belcaro Belcaro ($50 gift

card) l Carissa Calderwood Cranwell

Resort, Spa and Golf club ($50 gift card) l Freda Francis Oasis Medspa

Limited ($50 gift card) l Leslie Lyon Spas2b Inc. ($50 gift card) l Nancy Deaton The Lodge at

LOOKING FOR MORE SNAPSHOT SURVEY RESEARCH?

Woodloch ($50 gift card)

The ISPA Academy houses reports from the last two years of ISPA Snapshot Surveys.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED? ISPA Snapshot Surveys are administered monthly to ISPA members. They consider the state of the spa industry and its trends while helping to identify needs for spa professionals. The first survey took place in October 2008, with monthly recurring surveys beginning the following year. Keep an eye on your inbox for the next ISPA Snapshot Survey invitation to participate!

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1. [ comfort zone ] is relaunching their Tranquillity™ holistic treatment system according to new Sciencebased Conscious Formulas™ requirements. The products contain no silicones or SLES, and are crafted with up to 96% of natural origin ingredients.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT 2

1.212.924.2454 | COMFORTZONE.IT

2. Lovespoon Candles’ Beach Linen Soy Luxury Candle is hand-poured using natural soy wax and high quality essential oils. All Lovespoon candles are lead and zinc free and the beautiful glass containers are made from 50 percent recycled glass.

877.557.8377 | LOVESPOONCANDLES.COM

3. Gharieni’s new wellness and massage table, MLX Limber (available in three versions) offers extreme flexibility. Up to six motors allow a sitting position as well as a half-inclined and a Trendelenburg position.

1.855.378.4772 | GHARIENI.COM

4. Elemis has just released the Peptide4 Night Recovery Cream-Oil, which contains Night Scented Stock grown exclusively for the brand and used for the first time in cosmetics. It is high in the essential fatty acid Omega-3 with levels of anti-oxidant Vitamin E at 10 times the potency of many other known natural oils used in skincare. 1.866.643.0856 | ELEMIS.COM

NEW & IMPROVED

The latest in spa products and technology.

5. Evolv’s Patented Airbrush Gun features trigger controlled volume adjustment, you can deliver both wide spread diffusion for a perfect all over tan and pinpoint accuracy for body contouring using the easy to access adjustable spray nozzle. Evolv’s patented two-stage process warms and prepares the skin for ultimate comfort and maximum absorption ensuring a completely dry application every time. 760.891.0257 | EVOLVTAN.COM

6. Ideally suited for medical & luxury spa use, the Celluma by Biophotas LED device can be used following LASER, peels, microneedling, microdermabrasion, injections and more. Celluma is a versatile, 3-in-1 device that treats acne, wrinkles and pain. Its unique flexible design facilitates close positioning to the treatment area, to greatly enhance results. 714.838.1956 | BIOPHOTAS.COM

7. HydroPeptide’s new Nimni™ Cream is a patented collagen support complex that rejuvenates skin at the epigenetic level by improving the health of cells, which in turn, significantly improves the appearance of the skin’s fullness and elasticity. This potent formula stimulates collagen in a revolutionary way by activating the collagen gene and providing the vital materials for collagen synthesis.

5 7

1.800.932.9873 | HYDROPEPTIDE.COM

8. FarmHouse Fresh introduces the Will Dew™ Probiotic Milk Balancing Mask into its recently debuted Organics collection, where each face and body product is certified to the NSF/ANSI 305 standard. This is a soothing face mask using coconut milk, organic rice extract and an infusion of healthy bacteria (prebiotics and probiotics). 1.888.773.9626 | FARMHOUSEFRESHGOODS.COM

9. Osmosis’s new Colour Body Shimmer Powder in Opal is infused with Moringa Oil, a powerful antioxidant, and a soft floral scent for a light natural glow that glistens. Applied in layers, the powder will add a beautiful metallic finish on the skin.

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1.303.674.7660 | OSMOSISSKINCARE.COM

GET TO KNOW THE ISPA STAFF!

On this page, the team shares their tips for working smart, being healthy and living the spa life. This month we asked: How do you stay productive throughout the work day?

Lynne McNees • President lynne.mcnees@ispastaff.com • 1.859.226.4260

Crystal Ducker • Vice President of Research & Communications crystal.ducker@ispastaff.com • 1.859.226.4427

ISPA STAFF

Jennifer Duckworth • Senior Director of Events jennifer.duckworth@ispastaff.com • 1.859.226.4254

PROUDLY SERVING ISPA AND THE ISPA FOUNDATION

Megan Browning • Events Marketing Manager megan.browning@ispastaff.com • 1.859.219.3549

VISION To be the leader in promoting

Eric Callaghan • Digital Marketing Coordinator eric.callaghan@ispastaff.com • 1.859.963.1877

and enhancing the well-being of the spa

“I leave my desk for lunch to take a mental break and come back refreshed.”

industry and the people it serves.

Tara Finn • Sales Manager tara.finn@ispastaff.com • 1.859.226.4372

MISSION ISPA advances the spa industry

Kelly Heitz • Editor kelly.heitz@ispastaff.com • 1.859.359.8010

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.

Briana Lee • Project Manager briana.lee@ispastaff.com • 1.859.219.3527 Allison Martin • Membership Manager allison.martin@ispastaff.com • 1.859.226.4334 Cala Meikle • Project Coordinator cala.meikle@ispastaff.com • 1.888.651.4772 Wendy Payne • Member Experience Specialist wendy.payne@ispastaff.com • 1.859.219.3512 Jessica Pfister • Fulfillment Coordinator jessica.pfister@ispastaff.com • 1.859.687.7014 Autumn Phelps • Trade Show Manager autumn.phelps@ispastaff.com • 1.859.226.4207

“I’ve found that writing goals for the day and keeping track of my to-dos on Basecamp also helps my productivity, plus it feels really good to check things off my list!”

Amber Phillips • Events Manager amber.phillips@ispastaff.com • 1.859.226.4420 “My noise cancelling headphones are my favorite tool for increasing productivity. I am able to laser focus on the task at hand while minimizing outside distractions.”

Ashley Roberts • Project Coordinator ashley.roberts@ispastaff.com • 1.859.219.3621 Tara Salah Eldin • Project Coordinator tara.salaheldin@ispastaff.com • 1.859.219.3615

Samantha Smith • Project Manager samantha.smith@ispastaff.com • 1.859.219.3619

2017 ispa conference & Expo October 16-18 Mandalay bay las vegas,nv

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ISPA Welcomes New Members to the ISPA Community SPAS Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island Afterglow Spa at Roche Harbor Belmond El Encanto Buddha Spa Canyons Resort - Park City Caudalie - USA (Spa Division) Equinox Four Seasons Anguilla Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa Hoboken Women’s Wellness Joanna Czech Nirvana Spa O2 SPA Salon pvt.ltd., Orange Blossom Skin Care Pasea Hotel & Spa Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa at the Convention Center Reunion Resort River Rock Spa Sensei Company Spaaah Shop and Day Spa The Roxbury Institute The Spa at Alyeska The Spa at Winstar The Westin Las Vegas Hotel, Casino & Spa Yuan Spa

AD INDEX ISPA would like to thank the following Pulse advertisers for their support of the association: IBC

Biotone Professional Massage and Spa Products 1.800.445.6457 biotone.com

Cinq Mondes 1.800.397.4372 cinqmondes.com

DAFNI 1.844.769.6284 dafnihairus.com

IFC, 1

Éminence Organic Skin Care 1.888.747.6342 eminenceorganics.com

ESPA International (US) Ltd. 1.786.350.1192 us.espaskincare.com

EuroSpa Aromatics 1.800.395.6478 eurospaaromatics.com

INSERT

FarmHouse Fresh 1.888.773.9626 farmhousefreshgoods.com

8, 9

INDIVIDUALS Antonietta Perretta Melanie Edwards

HydraFacial MD – Edge Systems LLC 1.800.603.4996 edgeforlife.com

SERVICE PROVIDER Spa Advisors Inc.

HydroPeptide 1.800.932.9873 hydropeptide.com

jane iredale 1.844.350.1610 janeiredale.com

Living Earth Crafts 1.800.358.8292 livingearthcrafts.com

Naked Princess 1.310.773.0721 www.nakedprincess.com

Ready Care/Pure Fiji 1.800.477.4283 purefiji.com

ResortSuite 1.866.477.8483 resortsuite.com

STUDENT Staci Mcnemar RESOURCE PARTNERS PCA SKIN Bee Spa Inc. BuDhaGirl, LLC Cheeky Physique CryoUSA Haven Yoga Wear llc iMatrix L’Duex Pura Vida Bracelets Sundari LLC EDITOR’S NOTE: This includes new members from 3/30/17 through 5/4/17. You can access the online membership directory at experienceispa.com.

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Bold indicates year-round Pulse advertisers and/or 2017 ISPA Conference & Expo sponsors.

PEOPLE OF ISPA Our ISPA community is full of interesting characters and inspiring stories. Visit PeopleofISPA.com to learn more about these incredible individuals.

MEET Renate Hermes Renate uses Stand Up Paddleboarding to relieve stress.

Group Spa Director and Co-Owner Duniye Spas • Maldives

Years in the spa industry: 23

Renate’s favorite form of exercise is hiking in the mountains. She loves the fresh air and connection to nature.

Favorite spa treatment: Reiki Three words to describe herself: 1. Caring 2. Passionate 3. Courageous Secret talents: photography, dancing, and communicating with animals

“Be yourself, everybody else is already taken” —OSCAR WILDE

“I love supporting The Jane Goodall Institute to help strengthen wildlife conversation and development of human potential and passion for conservation.”

She has many favorite books, but Renate is currently loving The Tao of Equus by Linda Kohanov

Now Playing “Dance me to the end of love” by Leonard Cohen is currently on her playlist.

Want to share your story? Visit peopleofispa.com and click “Share your story.” We can’t wait to hear from you!

SOCIAL CONNECTIONS @duniyespas

Wine & Cheese Two of Renate’s guiltiest pleasures

linkedin.com/in/renate -hermes-8202486/

Duniye-Spa

duniyespas.com

June 2017

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PULSE

CONNECT WITH ME ON FACEBOOK! Lynne Walker McNees

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your BALANCE, you must keep moving.” — ALBERT EINSTEIN

I’m not a fan of grocery shopping. It’s so timeconsuming and I’m constantly thinking of the million other, more productive things I could be doing while pushing my cart up and down the aisles. In comes ClickList: Kroger’s answer to my grocery shopping woes. This new service allows me to order all my groceries online then pick them up at a designated time. No waiting in long lines, no buying extra things I didn’t need. It’s brilliant. And that’s what technology should be for us, right? A tool for quickly and efficiently getting our to-dos checked off or helping us achieve our goals for the day. There’s no need to feel guilty about using technology to make your life better, easier or more productive. Technology shouldn’t run our lives, but it can improve them. It’s all about balance. My cute husband is very techy and is always interested in the newest gadget - like our friend Alexa. She’ll set the lights in the house, play our favorite playlist, and when we have a question, she’s right there with the answer. She saves us time and energy on a daily basis. Our home may be super connected thanks to advancements in technology (and my cute husband), but early morning walks around our property before the sun rises over Kentucky horse country are a chance for me to recharge and reconnect to myself, to nature, or even to a close early bird friend. Mindful moments like these are my answer to our connected lives; my way of finding balance. What’s your answer to our modern connected world? As technology becomes a bigger part of our lives, what do you use to keep yourself balanced?

—LYNNE McNEES, ISPA PRESIDENT

PULSE

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June 2017