Spa Executive |Issue 6 | May 2019

ISSUE #06 MAY 2019
SPA EXECUTIVE
FOR LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS
SPOTLIGHT
Daisy
Tepper
How The Spa at The Post Oak got
Five Forbes Stars in three months
TECHNOLOGY
3 simple ways to
increase spa revenue
that take no effort
Page 5
MANAGEMENT
Seven signs of a
toxic work culture
Page 5

PUBLISHER
Roger Sholanki
EDITOR
Elizabeth Bromstein
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Yeniffer Padrino
COPY EDITOR
Stephanie Meszaros
DESIGNER
Shajee Aijazi
CONTRIBUTORS
Nadia Rehman
Note from the Publisher
It takes many things to succeed in the spa and wellness business. Among them are focus,
determination, and commitment. These three things will make the difference between a failure, a
moderately successful business, and a roaring success. You should also have a genuine belief in
the value of what you do…and a bit of luck doesn’t hurt.
When it all comes together in a perfect mix, what you get is magic.
Focus, determination, and commitment are a few of the words that come to mind when reading
our interview with Daisy Tepper, Director of The Spa at The Post Oak Hotel in Uptown Houston.
The Spa at the Post Oak opened in December of 2018, and just three months later, in March of
2019, was awarded Five Forbes Stars. This is an amazing accomplishment, and we had to ask
Ms. Tepper how it was done. What she made clear (if it wasn’t already) is that these things don’t
just happen. We make them happen.
“It was our goal from day one,” Ms. Tepper told us. “We did a very intense eight-week training.”
She talked about tears, frustration, and the commitment of her team. From the top down,
everyone has to be on board or it will never work.
Ms. Tepper’s interview is a good reminder that beneath the tranquil surface of the most
successful spas, the most committed people are working their magic. It really is magic because
when it works, all the guest sees is the glorious and blissful end result.
In this issue we also talk about how you can work magic by increasing your spa revenue while
doing next to nothing. We spoke with Bonnie Baker of the Green Spa Network on why spas
should be increasing sustainability efforts, and how doing so will increase business success. We
also talked to Kathryn Dowthwaite-Blay of Spa Education Academy about how proper
management education can help bring success.
We explore spa business success from several angles in this issue, so we can help each other
reach new heights. We’ll do this by being focused, determined, and committed, and by believing
in what we do.
With these things, and a little luck, we’ll all create a little magic.
The online magazine for Spa
Executives, featuring news
and exclusive interviews.
Roger Sholanki, CEO
Book4Time

Contents
May 2019 Volume 6
3
NEWS
The most popular cosmetic
procedures of 2018
5
FEATURE
How sustainability in spas can
improve business
5
7
FEATURE
Four promising areas of
research into magic mushrooms
9
SPOTLIGHT
How The Spa at The Post Oak
got Five Forbes Stars in three
months
13
MANAGEMENT
Seven signs of a toxic work
culture
7
15
BUSINESS
How to improve operations with
spa management training
17
TECHNOLOGY
Three simple ways to increase
spa revenue that take almost no
effort
19
GROWTH
Jumeirah introduces Talise Spa
at Jumeirah Al Wathba Desert
Resort & Spa
15 19
23
TRENDS
Five beauty & wellness
companies using cannabis

The most popular
cosmetic procedures
of 2018
Data recently released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
(ASPS) shows an increase in the number of cosmetic procedures
performed in the United States in 2018.
Patients underwent a total of nearly 18 million surgical and
minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures, which is almost a quarter
million more than in 2017, according to the ASPS annual plastic
surgery statistics report. 1.8 million of those were cosmetic
surgeries and 15.9 million were minimally invasive.
03 | Spa Executive News

The number of cosmetic surgeries was up 1% over last year, but
down 5% from 2000, while non-invasive procedures have increased
2% over last year and a whopping 228% from 2000.
Breast augmentation remains the most popular
Breast augmentation remains the most popular surgery, while
Botulinum Toxin remains the most popular non-invasive procedure.
In fact, nothing has changed since last year when it comes to
popularity rankings. They remain as follows:
Top 5 cosmetic surgical procedures
• Breast augmentation
(313,735 procedures, up 4% from 2017)
• Liposuction
(258,558 procedures, up 5% from 2017)
• Nose reshaping
(213,780 procedures, down 2% from 2017)
• Eyelid surgery
(206,529 procedures, down 1% from 2017)
• Tummy tuck
(130,081 procedures, about the same as 2017)
There were more than 12,000 more liposuction procedures
performed in 2018 than in 2017, for an increase of 5%. The procedure,
however, has seen a decrease of 27% since 2000. Breast
augmentations increased by 4% over last year and 48% since 2000.
Buttock augmentations “with fat grafting,” meanwhile, saw an
increase of 19%, while buttock implants were down 28%.
Two facial surgical procedures in the top five, nose reshaping and
eyelid surgery, decreased slightly in popularity. The report attributes
this, at least in part, to an increase in available options, including
non-surgical nose reshaping.
Cosmetic procedures enhance wellbeing
Separate research released last year by Northwestern University’s
Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago found that most people
who choose minimally invasive cosmetic procedures do so to
improve wellbeing.
HealthDay reported that researchers polled about 500 U.S. patients
who had undergone some type of non-invasive cosmetic procedure
between 2016 and 2017. Most of them were white women, aged 45
and over.
The treatments they had undergone included “laser and light
treatments for brown spots, blood vessels, wrinkle reduction, scar
treatment and hair removal; chemical peels; non-surgical skin
tightening and fat reduction with radiofrequency energy, cold
treatment, or ultrasound.”
The results revealed that nearly 70% chose the procedure to
Top 5 minimally invasive cosmetic procedures
• Botulinum Toxin Type A
(7.44 million procedures, up 3% from 2017)
• Soft Tissue Fillers
(2.68 million procedures, up 2% from 2017)
• Chemical Peel
(1.38 million procedures, up 1% since 2017)
• Laser hair removal
(1.1 million procedures, down 1% from 2017)
improve their psychological wellbeing, while more than half wanted
to boost their confidence, look “professional” at work, or protect
their health.
“Patients’ motivations for cosmetic procedures are not trivial,” study
author Dr. Murad Alam, is quoted as saying. “People who get such
treatments are sensible, normal people who are not just obsessed
with their appearance. They have a range of motivations.”
The most common reasons, Alam said, were a desire “to feel
happier and more confident in themselves, with overall better quality
of life.”
• Microdermabrasion
(709,413 procedures, down 4% from 2017)
News
Spa Executive | 04

How sustainability in spas
can improve business
Sustainability is a hot topic these days, and
for good reason. Is the spa and wellness
industry doing its part? Yes and no. Of
course there are many amazing businesses
out there working hard to limit their impact on
the planet, but we could all do better.
We spoke with Bonnie Baker, co-founder of
Green Spa Network and Satteva Spa &
Wellness Concepts, about why we should,
and how we can, improve our sustainability in
spas and across the sector.
“Climate change is at critical mass,” says
Baker, “To reverse course, we must take swift
action to keep fossil fuels in the ground.
Failure to stop both production and
consumption will cause untold human
suffering and condemn polar bears, coral,
and other species to extinction.
“It’s everyone’s obligation to do something
about it. Every business is responsible for the
future of our environment and planet.”
Green is good for business
It isn’t just about our shared responsibility,
however. Going green can also be great for
business and have long-term cost benefits.
It’s a common perception that sustainable
practices are expensive or will bring less to
bottom line income, but the reality is that
05 | Spa Executive Feature

unsustainable practices can cost you more in
the long run and actively live up to their name
by being just that: unsustainable.
Younger consumers have big buying power
and high expectations, Baker points out. And
consumers in general are more aware of the
impact of their purchasing decisions now
than we have been in the past.
“Consumers are showing increased interest
in not only product features, but in business
operations and company values as well,”
says Baker. “More and more, people want to
buy from businesses they trust. Most
prominently, millennials have the highest
expectations for environmental and social
responsibility in businesses, they also are
reported to be becoming the heaviest buyers
in beauty and skincare industries.”
That means going green is about staying
competitive and “not adopting green
practices means missing out on a key
strategy for growth,” says Baker, “as
renewable energy and resources become the
norm.”
Investors also want sustainable
businesses
Moreover, Baker adds, “Investors, not just
consumers, are targeting green-minded,
socially responsible companies and shying
away from companies with bad practices.”
In the United States, sustainable businesses
can also benefit by taking advantage of State
and Federal tax programs for companies that
invest in renewable energy and green
technology. These tax-related benefits are in
the form of credits or deductions.
Reusing and recycling also save money, as
does cutting energy costs.
“In 2016, 190 of the Fortune 500 companies
together saved about $3 billion through their
collective renewable energy and energy
efficiency initiatives.”
What are the barriers?
The connection between spa and wellness
with sustainability seems like a natural one to
make, but that doesn’t mean everyone is on
board.
Baker says, “Not nearly enough spas and
companies have decided to make a deep
commitment to sustainable practices and
conservation efforts,” says Baker. “Many
recognize it is a worthwhile message that can
have a positive impact, but only a select few
are willing to make sustainability a core value
or practice upon which their lifestyle or
business is based.”
“Consumers are showing
increased interest in not
only product features,
but in business
operations and company
values as well”
Bonnie Baker
Co-founder of Green Spa Network
Start with the basics
When asked where businesses can begin,
Baker says there are many starting points,
but a good place to focus is on reducing
waste and opting for renewable materials and
energies.
“Reduce harmful ingredients along the whole
chain of interactions, including nutrition,
beauty, and cleaning products. Also of great
importance is spending time with nature. This
is one of the most fundamental ways to
promote personal health and, as a
byproduct, begin to understand how
important the natural environment is for all
wellbeing.”
Single-use plastics are one of the biggest
issues. Each year, more than eight million
tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans and
approximately 500 billion plastic bags are
used worldwide. Spas contribute to the
problem with product packaging, water
bottles, plastic cups and more.
Moving towards recycled paper and plastic,
and reusable containers, is going to become
not just good practice, but a necessity, as
more places move towards implementing
bans on single-use plastics.
It’s just better for everyone
In the end, going sustainable is going to
become a necessity to stay competitive.
Grace Farraj, senior vice president, Public
Development & Sustainability, at Nielsen said
in 2015, “Consumers are starting to consider
sustainable practices a basic cost of entry,
rather than a market differentiator.”
It’s also better for you, your business, your
clients, and the world.
Baker says, “Wellness businesses must take
a long term approach to heralding the
environment as a source for health, and to
protecting communities and ecosystems as
part of their stakeholders.
“The industry will benefit by beginning to
invest in the future as part of the present.”
Feature
Spa Executive | 06

Four promising areas of
research into magic
mushrooms
Magic mushrooms have been enjoying some
time in the wellness sun lately.
On the heels of the widespread general
acceptance of the healing and medicinal
properties of Cannabis comes increased
interest in the potential healing power of
psilocybin mushrooms. The Global Wellness
Institute tagged mushrooms containing the
mind-altering psychedelic compound (of
which there are about 200 species) as a
wellness trend last year.
Evidence of psilocybin’s ceremonial and
medicinal use dates as far back as the Aztec
and Mayan cultures, and in the 1960s,
Harvard University flirted briefly with the study
of their use in psychology with the Harvard
Psilocybin Project, famously led by Timothy
Leary and Richard Alpert. The project was
shut down after just a few years when fellow
academics reportedly questioned the ethics
of the project and the legitimacy of the
research. Psilocybin became illegal in many
countries shortly thereafter, bringing much
related scientific exploration to a halt.
Today, however, we’re seeing a surge of
interest and new studies, such as those
coming out of the Psychedelics Research
Unit at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore,
Maryland.
07 | Spa Executive Feature

than both those who received higher doses
and those who received the saline solution.
The results could pave the way for the
exploration of psilocybin as “a potential
treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder
and related conditions in humans,” according
to Real Clear Science.
Smoking cessation
In fact, life sciences company COMPASS
Pathways is on track to developing a
treatment for depression using psilocybin, to
which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) recently gave “breakthrough therapy”
designation. This means “an accelerated
research and approval process for a drug
with strong preliminary evidence showing it
would be a substantial improvement over
currently available therapies,” according to
HealthLine. Four hundred patients are
currently enrolled in the trial which will take
place in Europe and North America over the
next year or so.
It’s not a cure-all and there are warnings.
Reactions to psilocybin including panic,
violent behavior, suicidal thoughts,
schizophrenia-like psychosis, and
convulsions have been reported, among
other things. But the science is promising for
a number of applications.
Here are four of them:
Depression and anxiety
Researchers at Johns Hopkins and New York
Universities have studied patients with
cancer-related anxiety and depression. Both
studies found that patients who received
treatment with psilocybin showed significantly
decreased levels of depression and anxiety
and increased quality of life. In one study they
also showed increases in life meaning and
optimism, and decreases in death anxiety,
cancer-related demoralization, and improved
spiritual wellbeing. The positive effects were
sustained in most patients six months later.
In another, smaller study at the Beckley
Institute, researchers gave oral psilocybin to
20 patients with treatment-resistant
depression, and found that all of them
showed some reductions in their depression
scores at one week post-treatment. Maximal
effects were observed at five weeks, with
results remaining positive at three and six
months.
PTSD (Conditioned Fear Response)
Researchers at the Lieber Institute for Brain
Development found that low doses of
psilocybin accelerate the elimination of the
conditioned fear response in mice. Mice were
injected with varying doses of psilocybin or a
saline solution, then exposed multiple times
to electric shock after an audio cue. When
the shock was removed to retrain the mice
not to fear the cue, those injected with low
doses of psilocybin overcame the fear faster
A study at Johns Hopkins found that
participants trying to stop smoking achieved
an 80% abstinence rate over six months
when taking a monitored psilocybin program
combined with cognitive behavioral therapy.
According to the researchers this is
compared to an approximately 35% success
rate for patients taking varenicline, which is
widely considered the most effective smoking
cessation drug. “When administered after
careful preparation and in a therapeutic
context, psilocybin can lead to deep
reflection about one’s life and spark
motivation to change,” Matthew Johnson,
Ph.D., a corresponding author on the study,
said. The researchers warned that the
findings “are not an endorsement of
do-it-yourself psychedelic drug use for
smoking cessation.”
Alcoholism
Researchers at the New Mexico Health
Sciences Centre studied 10 alcohol
dependent volunteers. These were orally
administered psilocybin in one or two
supervised sessions combined with
Motivational Enhancement Therapy and
therapy sessions devoted to preparation for
and debriefing from the psilocybin sessions.
Abstinence increased significantly following
psilocybin administration and was largely
maintained 36 weeks later. “These
preliminary findings provide a strong rationale
for controlled trials with larger samples to
investigate efficacy and mechanisms,” wrote
the study authors.
Feature
Spa Executive | 08

Dais
How the Spa at the Po
In March, 2019, The Spa at The Post Oak
Hotel at Uptown Houston became the first
spa in Texas to earn a Forbes Five Star rating.
This impressive accomplishment becomes
even more impressive when you consider the
fact that The Spa at the Post Oak Hotel only
opened three months earlier, in December,
2018.
How did they achieve this? We decided to
talk with The Post Oak Spa Director, Daisy
Tepper, and find out.
In her role as Spa Director at The Post Oak
Hotel, which is owned by billionaire TV
personality Tilman Fertitta, Ms. Tepper
oversees the day-to-day operations of The
Spa and manages all wellness activities. Her
previous roles include Director of Spa and
Wellness at The Forbes Five Star Montage
Hotel in Beverly Hills, Senior Director of Spa
at the Four Seasons Spas of the Americas,
and Director of Spa at the Beverly Wilshire
and the Four Seasons Beverly Hills Spa. She
also served as the Spa Director at the
Peninsula in Beverly Hills for nine years.
Originally from Australia, Ms. Tepper holds a
degree in Business Management from
Sydney Business College.
09 | Spa Executive Spotlight

y Tepper
st Oak Hotel got Five Forbes Stars three months after opening
We asked Ms. Tepper about how she
managed to achieve a Forbes Five Star rating
just three months after opening, about her
training process, and about her candidate
selection process.
Were you aiming for a five star
rating?
It was our goal from day one. Houston
doesn't have any five star hotels or spas. The
people here don't really understand what
“Five Star” is. So, it was a very interesting
journey from day one.
How did you do it?
By working very hard! We did a very intense
eight-week training. We also had Forbes
come in and spend a day with us. That
actually made the team very nervous. That's
when they realized they signed up for
something a lot bigger than what they
thought.
I would start every day by asking everybody,
“What are you grateful for?” And we would
spend a good half hour on that. It was very
important to me for us to really understand
what makes us happy. It put everybody in a
good mood, and then we would start our
day. The other thing I would say is, “We want
to make history. You were selected from
hundreds of candidates to create the first five
star spa in Houston.” It always went back to
those two things.
There were a lot of tears, a lot of frustration,
and a lot of “I can't do this.” But they hung in
there.
What were the tears and
frustration about?
The intensity of the training. All of them said
they had never in their career done anything
even close to it. They were here eight hours a
day, five days a week, training for eight
weeks. The expectations were high. There
was frustration when they were trying to get it
right and couldn't. And there are so many tiny
details: your uniform's got a little stain, your
badge isn’t straight, your hair has to be back
in a bun. Everything has to be perfect.
I would tell them, “Don't give up, don't throw
it away, hang in there.” And they did. They
came to work looking impeccable and ready
to do this every single day. They were
determined.
Tell me about some of the traits
you looked for in service providers.
Confidence is the biggest thing. If you're
confident in what you do, everything else
comes naturally. Caring is another thing
because the guests can tell right away if you
care about the service you're offering. We
looked for passion, because if you're
passionate you're going to try to do well, and
ability to work under pressure.
During the interview process, there were
times when I was hard on them. I wanted to
see if they were able to work under pressure,
because achieving five stars is pressure.
Those inspectors are coming, you don't
know when they're coming, and they're
looking at absolutely everything.
On top of two interviews they also had to do
a practical. We would ask them questions
while on the massage to determine how
much they knew about the body, and
challenge them while on the table to find out
whether they would give us attitude.
Spotlight
Spa Executive | 10

What, besides the people, makes The Spa at The Post
Oak special?
Visually it's beautiful, but the biggest thing is the attention to detail.
We make sure every little thing is thought of.
From the moment we welcome the guest we’re watching for little
things we can do.
A guest commented on how much they loved the little peanut butter
spheres we offer, so the attendant got a little box, packaged them
beautifully with a ribbon, and gave it to the front desk so they had it
when they checked out. We had a mother and daughter come in
who hadn't seen each other for a while and came to spend time
together. We took a picture of them, put it in a frame with a ribbon,
and left it at the desk as a gift. It’s the little things that we do for the
guest that they don't expect and that make people walk away and
say “Wow. This is something that I'll remember.”
We make sure to talk about this. We ask “tell me about how you
went above and beyond for a guest today.”
What do you think it takes to be a good spa director?
Caring for your team and being there. Leading by example is a big
thing. Treating them with the utmost respect is very important to me.
The way I see it, they're my internal guests, and if I take care of
them, they will take care of the other guests. The bread and butter
comes from these people. If you treat people well, they will go above
and beyond.
What is something you're excited about?
I’m excited that we are the first and only Five Star spa in the state of
Texas, which is huge because Texas is the second largest state in
the United States.
Also, working for such an amazing, influential man as Mr. Tilman
Fertitta. He inspires me and has taught me so much in the two years
that I've been here. I was able to come to Texas from L.A. and
achieve this big accomplishment, I'm extremely excited about that.
I think that's what makes our spa special.
11 | Spa Executive Spotlight

Management
Spa Executive | 12

7 signs of a
toxic work culture
in your spa
Is there a toxic work culture at your spa?
A toxic work culture is one that is affected by
drama, infighting, bullying, and animosity to
the point where it impacts productivity. A
toxic work culture can result in high staff
turnover and low morale, and severely impact
business operations. A great definition comes
from Henry G. Harder and Shannon Wagner
of the University of Northern British
Columbia:
“Toxicity is synonymous with
poisonous. Toxins are agents that
act to produce serious injury or
death once inside the system.
Applying this definition of toxicity to
the workplace, toxic work
environments are environments that
negatively impact the long-term
viability of an organization.”
13 | Spa Executive Management

Many people don’t notice toxicity spreading
through their workplace until it’s too late. So,
it’s important to pay close attention to what’s
going on around you and recognize the signs
of a toxic work culture, so you can try to
detox it – if possible.
The aforementioned drama, infighting, and
bullying are obvious signs of a toxic work
culture, but they’re not the only ones, and
sometimes they can be hidden from the view
of management. Bullies are often on their
best behaviour in front of authority.
Here are seven more signs of a toxic
workplace to watch for.
1
High staff turnover
People don’t quit jobs they love, and good
managers don’t fire good employees. If team
members are leaving and getting let go more
often than occasionally, that’s not normal.
You need to figure out why this is happening.
2
Absenteeism
When people like their jobs they’re excited to
come to work. They take sick days and
maybe the odd mental health day, but they
don’t make up excuses not to show up, at
least not if they’re worth having around.
Frequent absences may mean something is
amiss.
3
Trouble recruiting
People who love where they work tell their
friends, and when they hate where they work,
they also tell their friends. Unhappy
employees also sound off online and leave
bad reviews on sites like Glassdoor, which
features anonymous employee reviews of
workplaces. This can be happening without
your knowledge. If people don’t want to work
for you, it could be because someone is
telling them to stay away.
4
Cliques
It’s normal to have friends, but it’s something
else entirely when divisions arise between
groups of people, like kids in high school. If
you’re noticing team members at your spa
branching off into little groups, watch for
signs of animosity between them. This
childish behavior is always a bad thing, and
usually a sign of a bigger, systemic problem.
5
Customer complaints
Kathryn Dowthwaite Blay, the founder of Spa
Education Academy, told us in a recent
interview, “when a spa therapist is in a really
great place they’re going to give the best
treatment and the best service.” Happy staff
members make guests happy. Do you think
your spa guests don’t notice when a service
provider is upset or unmotivated? Of course
they do. It makes all the difference. Every spa
is going to get the odd complaint but when
there are many, something is rotten at the
core, and it’s not the customers.
6
Not meeting goals and sales
targets
When work is a pleasure you put your all into
it. People work hard and they want to
succeed because they want the organization
to succeed. When people are unhappy they
aren’t motivated to do their best. A toxic work
culture drains people of their desire to
succeed and to give their all.
7
Silence
Team members talking to management is a
good sign, no matter what it’s about.
Employees should want to communicate with
management about their complaints,
challenges, triumphs, and ideas. If nobody is
talking to the manager about anything, it
probably means they don’t want to
communicate with them and that is never
good.
How to stop a toxic work culture
from developing
It’s entirely up to leadership to cultivate a
positive and nurturing work environment.
Employees should feel valued and
appreciated, and that they are an important
part of your organization, as well as an
important part of your success. When people
feel elemental to the success of an
organization they are more invested in that
success. They should also feel that their
opinions and ideas matter, and that they can
approach management with questions or
concerns.
Goals and expectations must be clearly
communicated – you can’t expect people to
do what you want them to if they don’t know
what that is. Above all, managers should
model the behaviours they want to see from
their employees. If you want people to go
above and beyond for you, they should see
you going above and beyond.
Your whole team, leadership included, needs
to understand that you are all in this together.
Bullying, gossip, and resentment will grow
out of a fragmented work culture.
Toxicity spreads and affects everyone in a
workplace. Stop it before it starts, because
once it does it’s very hard to stop.
Management
Spa Executive | 14

How to improve operations with spa
management training
A lot of companies treat employees as an
afterthought. The customer comes first, it’s all
about sales, and those very important team
members wind up nearly forgotten. This
happens in all industries, including spa, and it
has a devastating effect on your operations
and revenue.
Employee wellbeing and training, including
spa management training, should be a top
priority, says Kathryn Dowthwaite-Blay, MA,
Spa Education Academy Founder and
Director, and provider of international online
spa management qualifications.
Dowthwaite-Blay has been in the Beauty,
Spa, and Wellness industry for 20 years, and
has worked as a therapist, spa manager, and
spa director all over the world. She holds a
Masters in International Spa Management,
and has managed University Spa Degree
programmes and Further Education
Curriculum departments.
We talked with Dowthwaite-Blay about how
spa owners, operators, and directors can
improve operations with proper training,
including higher education and degree
programs, and rethinking our approach to
leadership.
15 | Spa Executive Business

Here are three key takeaways from that
conversation.
1
Provide your team with the
tools they need to succeed
Wellness is a fast-growing industry, but that
doesn’t mean it’s always taken seriously.
When spa managers are faced with fellow
executives in hotels and resorts and in any
situation where they are talking with an
investor or person who controls the purse
strings, they should know how to do
business. They often aren’t equipped,
according to Dowthwaite-Blay, who says
proper management training, including higher
education and degree programs, can change
that.
She explains, “If you’re working your way up
in the industry from therapist to spa director,
and you find yourself in the boardroom with
the HR director, the finance director, and the
GM, those people usually have degrees. It
helps to have the confidence to speak the
language, talk the talk, and be able to point to
applicable statistics, theories, and models to
get your point across. All executives should
be able to stand in a boardroom and provide
evidence to justify their arguments. For
example, if you’re asking for a higher budget
for training, they’re going to ask, ‘what’s the
return on investment, and can you point to a
successful example?’”
Training managers so that they can sit at that
table and confidently take part in the
conversation is a key part of a spa’s business
success.
2
Spa is unique – and that
should be recognized
Business success requires recognizing that
spa is an industry with specific needs when it
comes to recruitment, training, and
management – and rising to meet those
needs.
“We need to contextualize everything to the
spa industry. When people from another
background, like Hospitality and Tourism or
Food and Beverage, move into spa, they
usually have no understanding of what’s
required,” Dowthwaite-Blay says.
“Gordon Ramsey running a spa, for example,
wouldn’t be very effective. You can’t be
shouting and swearing at therapists, who are
sensitive and caring.” This matters, not just
because you shouldn’t go around yelling and
swearing at people, but also because the
guest is directly affected by the output.
Dowthwaite-Blay explains, “When food
comes out in a restaurant, you don’t know
how the chef felt when they were making it.
You don’t know if they were happy, sad,
crying, or whatever, and it could still be a
fantastic meal. But with a therapist, if they’re
not happy, that output and the experience
are completely different. We need to manage
therapists in a different way – and that means
training management to do that.”
3
Value team members as much
as you value guests
Finally, Dowthwaite-Blay says we should be
rethinking the way we approach management
as a whole. This includes recognizing the
value of our team members and treating them
accordingly.
As we are always noting, there are a lot of
spas out there. “There’s so much
competition,” Dowthwaite-Blay says, “People
are spoiled for choice. So our unique selling
point is our staff.” That means that the
wellbeing of spa staff members should be top
of mind.
“If a therapist is in a
great place, they’re
going to give the best
treatment and the
best service. And
that’s what’s going to
make us stand out.”
We always talk about the “customer journey”
she says, “maybe we should be talking about
the staff journey. How do they feel when they
come through the door, what’s their journey
into the treatment room? What’s their
staffroom like? How does that space make
them feel?
“We should be thinking about their space the
same way we think about the guest’s space.
Is the staff room just a computer, a chair, and
a water dispenser? We could be thinking
about color, chromatherapy, or the hygge
concept. Do they have lemon cucumber
water and aromatherapy oils?
“We’re going to have to give our staff a little
bit more. We are a growing industry and our
pool of talent is getting smaller and smaller. If
we’re not thinking like this we’re not going to
have a sustainable business.”
Business
Spa Executive | 16

Increase spa revenue with
these three methods that
actually take little to no
ongoing effort on your part.
1
Turn-Away Tracking
3 simple ways to increase
spa revenue that take
almost no effort
Let’s be honest for a minute: spa profit margins can be
thin, even though many of us are in the business of
providing serious luxury services. You can’t afford to
leave money on the table, but you’re probably doing
exactly that.
You’re probably losing more revenue than you
think from turning away customers. On
average, a spa loses about 15% of a day’s
business from turning away. So, if you lose 15
out of 100 appointments a day at $150
dollars on average, that’s $2250 a day. For a
spa that is open seven days a week and
closed only at Christmas and New Year’s,
that’s a total revenue loss of $816,750 — or
more than three quarters of a million dollars.
A regular customer might come back, but
first time customers who are turned away are
unlikely to return. You will permanently lose
that business. Dealing with this manually is
cumbersome and ineffective; it means
manually logging the reasons for turn-away
and trying to make appropriate scheduling or
facility changes.
17 | Spa Executive Technology

Spa management software, on the other
hand, can collect this data for you,
automatically logging the reasons for every
turn away and creating analytics reports
where managers can see what’s happening.
Once you know why you’re turning away
customers, you can then optimize your
scheduling and facilities to accommodate the
clients you’re losing.
For example, if you’re turning away facial
business at a certain time of day because
you’re too busy, or massages because
people are requesting a certain therapist, you
can staff more facialists, or give more hours
to that therapist, to meet demand and add to
your revenue.
2
Yield Management
Yield management is the process of adjusting
the price of a product or service in response
to market factors like demand or competition.
It’s a common practice of airlines, who were
the first to implement it back in the 1980s.
When the plane is filling up fast, prices
increase. When it’s not, prices are lower. It’s
most commonly applied when there is limited
or finite capacity, like seats on the plane, or in
the case of a spa, the availability of service
providers.
A successful yield management system will
optimize intake, minimize downtime, increase
revenue, and improve efficiency. American
Airlines reportedly credits yield management
techniques for a revenue increase of $500
million per year, while Delta says it generated
additional revenues of $300 million per year.
Marriott Hotels, meanwhile, credits yield
management for an additional $100 million in
revenue per year.
prices automatically. When demand
increases, your prices will automatically do
the same. When demand drops, so will your
prices.
You can also adjust pricing in other ways,
such as charging different prices for
advanced reservations vs. walk-ins. But you
should do some research to find out what
your customers will embrace. Robert
Shumsky, Professor of Operations
Management at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of
Business, and an expert in yield
management, told Book4Time in an interview
that yield management should be done using
data and market research, rather than just
making things up as you go along or copying
what your competitors are doing.
3
Online and Mobile Booking
If your spa doesn’t have online and mobile
booking you are definitely leaving money on
the table.
While people are spending increasing
amounts of time on their phones (the average
American spends more than three hours a
day using their smartphone), we’re using
them less and less to make actual calls.
Research released in June 2016 found that
shoppers were making more than half (51%)
of their purchases online, compared to 48%
in 2015 and 47% in 2014. More recent
research found that experts expect global
ecommerce sales to break the $3 trillion mark
in 2019, and that
51% of Americans would rather shop online
than in brick and mortar stores. This upshift
is driven by the millennial generation.
that a majority of millennials are spa goers
and that nearly half of them did not book their
last appointment by phone.
When asked, “Thinking about your most
recent visit to a spa, how did you book an
appointment?” 40% of respondents booked
by phone and 17% booked in person. Of the
remainder:
• 24% booked via website on a laptop or PC
• 7% booked via social media
• 4% booked via mobile app
• 8% booked via website on a smartphone
or tablet
That’s a total of 43% of millennial
respondents who used web or mobile
technology, rather than a phone call, to
schedule their appointments.
Moreover, research by OpenMarket found
that, given the choice between only being
able to text or call on their mobile phones,
75% of millennials would rather lose the ability
to talk versus text, and 76% said they prefer
texts over calls from companies. Fifty-three
percent said they prefer to text over calling in
general, and 19% never check voicemail.
Millennials are the fastest growing market,
and they don’t want to call you. If they can’t
book online or by mobile, they’ll just go
elsewhere.
It’s easy
Implementing these changes is easy, and
once they’re made, your software will be
doing all the menial, everyday tasks for you.
Can you afford not to do these simple things?
With a spa management software that offers
yield management capabilities, you can set
the parameters for the software to adjust your
ISPA’s Consumer Snapshot Volume VII,
Millennial Perceptions and Preferences, found
Technology
Spa Executive | 18

Jumeirah introduces Talise
Spa at Jumeirah Al Wathba
Desert Resort & Spa
Jumeirah has opened the brand new wellness retreat, Talise Spa at Jumeirah Al Wathba Desert
Resort & Spa, set deep in the mesmerizing desert landscape of Abu Dhabi.
This intimate destination spa is located in an exclusive natural environment, and offers a
luxurious experience in which to embark on a wellness journey, 40 minutes away from the urban
bustle of downtown Abu Dhabi.
19 | Spa Executive Growth

Jumeirah Al Wathba Desert Resort & Spa sits in a gloriously calm setting and draws inspiration
from a historic desert village, with “luscious courtyards and walkways,” and water features and
pools inspired by the natural surroundings. A quintessential Arabian-style property sprawling
over 22,000 square metres of tranquil desert, the resort features Arabian-style rooms, villas with
private pools, six restaurants and bars including Al Mabeet, “a desert dining experience which
captures the spirit of the past.”
A 1,000 square meter pool stretches out into the desert and expands into secluded inlets and
coves.
Visitors can enjoy activities like fat biking through the dunes, desert treks, daily falcon shows,
archery, and destination dining experiences. Nearby sites include the Sheikh Zayed Grand
Mosque, Ferrari World, Yas Island, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, and the garden city Al
Ain, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Growth
Spa Executive | 20

The destination Talise Spa features 13 luxury treatment rooms,
private terraces, and an open-air yoga platform. Rejuvenation
journeys include Turkish Hammams, steam rooms, snow caves, an
ice bucket shower, hot and cold plunge pools, and crystal salt and
cryotherapy rooms.
Among the many enticing treatment highlights are the Red Carpet
Facial by Margy’s Monte Carlo, the signature Al Wathba Revitalising
Massage, and the Hammamii Desert Massage ritual, which
incorporates deep breathing meditation and utilizes nourishing local
Hammamii oils for trigger point therapy and deep tissue massage.
Therapists are trained to tailor each treatment to every guest’s
individual wishes. The Spa also offers sound therapy and
cryotherapy.
Other notable treatments:
Scent of Arabia
An aromatherapeutic massage using an oil blended with a
personalized fragrance chosen by the guest from a selection of 15
Arabian-inspired options.
Sound of Dunes
A relaxing tailor-made body treatment of acupressure (that can be
combined with a gentle African comb massage) to a background of
special Arabic Dunes sound therapy “to achieve balance of mind,
body and spirit.”
Arabic Spa Retreat
An Arabian-inspired ritual that begins with a thorough exfoliation
using za’atar, a traditional Middle Eastern spice believed to possess
detoxifying and antioxidant qualities. This is followed by an indulgent
Ghassoul mask made of rich clay extracted from Morocco’s High
Atlas Mountains, followed by a luxurious camel milk bath. A
penetrating muscle massage uses an aromatic concentration of
Fléchir Muscle Oil “to drain, balance and nourish.”
21 | Spa Executive Growth

Growth
Spa Executive | 20

Kim Collier of Collier Concepts is working to educate spa leaders about the wellness applications of CBD
Five beauty & wellness companies
using cannabis BY NADIA REHMAN
Cannabis exploded onto the spa and
wellness scene a couple of years ago. After
spending decades hiding in the shadows as
an illegal substance, the plant has recently
seen different levels of decriminalization
around the world and been the subject of
much interest thanks to its purported healing
properties. The beauty business is also
seeing a boom in cannabis-derived products
and experiences.
As we have discussed before, there are two
main chemical ingredients we talk about
when we talk about cannabis: THC and CBD.
THC is what causes the high from cannabis,
while CBD is said to have numerous wellness
applications and does not get you high. But
not all products using cannabis contain these
compounds.
We previously covered some cannabis
trends, including various spa treatments
using CBD. There are also many beauty
brands using cannabis in lotions, salves,
masks, makeup, and more.
Ending the stigma
Among those is Kim Collier of Collier
Concepts (pictured above). She is one
person who is working towards ending the
cannabis stigma in the spa and hospitality
sector.
Collier has an impressive resume, with more
than 25 years of experience working in a
wide range of spas globally, from building
brands to launching new concepts. Her
roster of clients includes hospitality brands
like Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, and
23 | Spa Executive Trends

Intercontinental, and her certifications include
USA certified massage therapist, NCBTMB
accredited spa therapies instructor, Australian
trained esthetician, and energy medicine
yoga instructor. She will also be completing a
Holistic Health Practitioner certification in
2019 with a thesis on Cannabis & Global
Wellness.
Kim Collier offers niche consulting for
wellness venues, CBD brands, and
experiential education programs for spas,
resorts and consumers. The goal is to
educate spa and hospitality leaders on how
they can incorporate CBD into their
businesses for good wellness practices.
Collier offers unique CBD experiential
education events, “science based CBD, Spas
& Wellness classes,” workplace wellness
programs, and more.
and Acupuncture. Short is a Certified Holistic
Nutritionist and Clinical Herbalist, making this
duo the perfect team to create products
designed for healing. They are focused on
creating natural and healing salves with a
very simple yet effective concept. Consumers
can use the EKS specialty salves and
combine with their own legal cannabis oil.
EKS came to be after Short was diagnosed
with Lyme disease. She needed an effective
way to manage her pain and didn’t want to
continue to use steroids prescribed by her
doctor. The brand currently offers two salves
using only natural ingredients, the brand
plans on expanding into other products in the
future.
Kana Skincare
Kana Skincare is well known for its
cannabis-containing masks, which are
notably soothing around the eyes. Kana’s
Purple Rice Hemp Sleeping Mask contains
purple rice, licorice, green tea leaves, and
hemp oil. According to Kana, the green tea
leaf water and cannabinoids help reduce
inflammation of the skin, while the mask -
naturally a gorgeous purple color, thanks to
the purple rice - will also help smooth fine
lines. The products have gained recognition
with features in Forbes and Allure.
“CBD is the ultimate gateway to wellness,”
says Kim Collier. “And hemp will be the
saviour of many industries, including building
materials, food, fiber, beauty, and wellness.”
While we watch those developments in other
industries, we’ve put together a list of four
more beauty and wellness brands to look out
for in this space.
EKS
EKS is a Canadian brand founded by Ashley
Short and Tijan Yalchin. The duo takes a
holistic approach when it comes to the
products they have developed. Yalchin has a
combined background in Massage Therapy
High Beauty
High beauty is an organic and paraben-free
skincare line, the founder of which has 30
years of experience in the natural beauty
industry. The line is designed with
mindfulness and high-quality ingredients that
include cannabis sativa, said to be effective in
reducing inflammation. High Beauty’s
products, such as the Cannabis Facial Oil
and Cannabis Moisturizer, do not contain
THC or CBD, and are rich in vitamins E and A
to soothe skin and provide a natural glow.
Milk Makeup - Kush
Milk is a New York-based company with a
focus on high quality, paraben-free, vegan,
and cruelty-free cosmetics whose Kush
makeup line takes an exciting direction with
cannabis and cosmetics - like their signature
Kush Mascara. Milk wanted to create a fully
vegan product, and settled on using
cannabis oil as an alternative to beeswax, a
commonly used binding agent in mascara.
Not only is it vegan, according to Milk,
cannabis oil creates a creamy texture that
allows for smoother application and also
provides an additional conditioning benefit.
Along with Kush Mascara, the brand has a
selection of cannabis-based cosmetics
including Kush Lip Balm, Kush Eyeliner, and
Kush Brow Gel.
Trends
Spa Executive | 24