Spa Executive |Issue 5 | April 2019

ISSUE #05 APRIL 2019
SPA EXECUTIVE
FOR LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS
FEATURE
7 marketing ideas
for attracting
new customers
Page 5
MANAGEMENT
How spa managers
can create a
drama-free workplace
Page 11
Patrick Huey
The need for more diversity in spa & wellness

PUBLISHER
Roger Sholanki
EDITOR
Elizabeth Bromstein
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Yeniffer Padrino
COPY EDITOR
Stephanie Meszaros
DESIGNER
Shajee Aijazi
Note from the Publisher
Are we as open and inclusive as we could be in the spa and wellness industry? Or are we too
stuck in our ways? These are questions I hear people in this industry asking lately. They are also
questions that Patrick Huey, Corporate Spa Director at Montage, addresses when he talks about
the need for more diversity in our sector.
Huey, who is on Spa Executive’s cover this month, told us that when it comes to diversity, “we
have made great strides in educating the public about the importance of what we do, but we
have not been able to have the ranks of our leaders reflect the changing demographics of our
world.”
In his insightful interview, Huey talked with us about where this lack is heaviest in spa and
wellness, including at the leadership level and in marketing, and also about how this has a
negative impact on business and revenue.
Huey is not the only person to notice this need for more diversity. Self Magazine recently called
wellness an industry that “caters almost exclusively to white, wealthy people,” while Essence
lamented that, “We [women of color] remain underrepresented in the wellness space with few
brands highlighting diversity, and even fewer speaking to us about our specific challenges.”
At Spa Executive, we think this is worth exploring further in the future.
Openness and inclusion aren’t limited to diversity. They’re themes that run throughout our other
interviews with Eric Stephenson, of Elements Massage, and Stephanie Rest, of Caribbean WE,
both of whom we spoke with about recruiting, retaining, and managing team members.
In a conversation about employee recruitment and retention, Rest talked about the “need to get
out there, be more open, and encourage people to join our tribe,” and about the space for
mentorship programs in the sector. And Stephenson, while discussing workplace drama in spa,
talked about the need for unconditional support and clear communication. While not always
specifically mentioning “inclusion,” it’s a part of the conversation. We’re talking about support,
communication, and actively drawing people together – all of which are related to openness and
inclusivity – which also refer to embracing new ideas, new technologies, and developments in
wellness-related scientific research.
These interviews provide those new ideas and food for thought that can help us all build
relationships and improve our business practices.
The online magazine for Spa
Executives, featuring news
and exclusive interviews.
Are we as open and inclusive as we could be? Or could we do better?
Roger Sholanki
CEO, Book4Time

Contents
April 2019 Volume 5
3
NEWS
Jeremy McCarthy to receive the
2019 ISPA Visionary Award
4
NEWS
Study finds moisturizing skin
may prevent Alzheimer’s
3
5
FEATURE
Seven creative marketing ideas
for attracting new spa
customers
7
SPOTLIGHT
Montage's Patrick Huey on the
need for more diversity in spa &
wellness
11
MANAGEMENT
Eric Stephenson on how spa
managers can create a
drama-free workplace
11
13
BUSINESS
Stephanie Rest on how to
attract and retain talent in the
spa industry
15
TECHNOLOGY
A blanket that can improve
sleep and ease pain?
16
GROWTH
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
opens Rosewood Miramar
Beach
15 16
19
GROWTH
Canyon Ranch introduces
Woodside Wellness Retreat with
treehouse guest rooms

Bulgari Spa Bali – Forbes Five-Star winner
Jeremy McCarthy to receive the
2019 ISPA Visionary Award
Jeremy McCarthy, Director of Spa & Wellness
for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, will
receive the International SPA Association
(ISPA) Visionary Award this year. The award
will be presented at the ISPA Conference &
Expo, which takes place at The Venetian in
Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 11 to
13, 2019.
The ISPA Visionary Award is presented
annually to someone in the spa industry who
has made significant contributions to health
and wellness over the course of their career.
“Jeremy’s forward-thinking approach to spa
leadership has inspired countless industry
professionals throughout his career,” ISPA
President, Lynne McNees, is quoted as
saying in a media release. “We are thrilled to
recognize his commitment to the industry
and look forward to the continued passion he
brings to the spa world.”
McCarthy has more than 25 years experience
operating luxury spas in resorts and hotels
around the world. As Director of Spa &
Wellness for Mandarin Oriental, he leads the
hotel group’s renowned luxury spa division
and guest and colleague wellness programs.
McCarthy holds a Master of Applied Positive
Psychology degree from the University of
Pennsylvania, and is the author of the book,
Psychology of Spas & Wellbeing, and of the
holistic wellbeing blog, “Psychology of
Wellbeing” He is also the Chair of the Digital
Wellness Initiative for the Global Wellness
Institute.
A noted trailblazer in spa and wellness,
McCarthy is recognized for his innovative
concepts, including the incorporation of
technology free areas within spas. Under his
direction, in 2016, Mandarin Oriental
launched a Digital Wellness initiative to
encourage people to establish a healthier
relationship with their devices. The initiative
includes a Digital Wellness Escape treatment,
mindfulness retreats, and "Silent Night"
events, during which guests are invited to
disconnect for an evening of silence in
Mandarin Oriental spas.
McCarthy recently told Spa Executive, “There
is a fundamental challenge with our
relationship to technology. We need
technology in order to be successful
professionally, but too much technology has
a negative impact on wellbeing, and people
are struggling to find the balance.”
McCarthy has served on the ISPA Board of
Directors and as ISPA Vice Chairman. He
credits his ISPA connections and experiences
as motivational factors in his career, and
names ISPA keynote speakers Tony Hsieh,
Marcus Buckingham, and Shawn Achor as
inspirations.
Regarding the Visionary Award, McCarthy
said in a statement released by ISPA, “For
me, the spa industry is and always has been
about taking care of other people. This is the
true essence of hospitality. I couldn’t be more
honored, humbled and excited to receive this
recognition from ISPA, an organization that
has been by my side through many chapters
of my career.”
Information about attending the 2019 ISPA
Conference & Expo can be found at
attendispa.com.
03 | Spa Executive News

Study finds moisturizing skin
may prevent Alzheimer’s
Moisturizing your skin may help prevent
diseases associated with aging, such as
diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
This is according to a new study by scientists
at the University of California San Francisco
and the San Francisco Veterans
Administration (VA) Health Care System.
Cytokines and age-related
diseases
A media release explains that as humans get
older, we experience an increase in
molecules in the blood called cytokines. This
causes a low-level inflammation called
“inflamm-aging,” which is associated with
chronic, age-related diseases, including
diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and
Alzheimer’s. The inflammation was thought
by scientists to stem from the immune
system or the liver, but this new research
suggests that it comes from the skin.
“The inflammation must come from an organ
big enough that very minor inflammation can
affect the whole body. Skin is a good
candidate for this because of its size,”
Mao-Qiang Man, MD, a senior author of the
study and research scientist in the UCSF
Department of Dermatology, is quoted as
saying in a media release. “Once we get old,
we have dermatological symptoms like
itchiness, dryness, and changes in acidity. It
could be that the skin has very minor
inflammation, and because it’s such a large
organ it elevates circulating cytokine levels.”
Permeability barrier starts to break
down around age 50
Human skin starts to deteriorate around age
50, and the permeability barrier – which
keeps water in, and bacteria and harmful
pathogens out – starts to break down. This
causes the skin to release inflammatory
cytokines, which help repair the damage. But
older skin is more difficult to repair, so the
skin releases more and more cytokines until
they eventually reach the blood.
“Until recently, the scientific community didn’t
believe that skin could contribute to systemic
inflammation and disease. But in the last five
years, studies of psoriasis and dermatitis
have shown that skin inflammation from these
diseases likely increases the risk of heart
disease,” study lead author Theodora Mauro,
MD, a professor of dermatology at UCSF and
the San Francisco VA Health Care System,
said in the release. “Aging skin is much more
common than psoriasis or dermatitis, so the
overall risk to the population from aging skin
could far outweigh that seen from skin
diseases. Decreasing inflammation simply by
treating the skin dysfunction seen in aging
could have profound health effects.”
Use of moisturizer lowered
cytokine levels
In the pilot study, Mauro, Man, and
colleagues attempted to reverse age-related
skin damage in 33 adults aged 58 – 95 using
an over-the-counter skin cream that had
previously been shown to contribute to skin
repair. Participants applied the cream all over
their bodies twice a day for 30 days, at the
end of which the researchers measured
blood levels of three cytokines – interleukin-1
beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor
(TNF) alpha. All of these have been implicated
in age-related inflammatory diseases. Using
the cream was associated with a reduction in
the amount of all three cytokines. In fact,
using the cream lowered participants’
cytokine levels to nearly those found in
people in their 30s. The cream also
reportedly improved skin hydration, lowered
pH, and repaired the permeability barrier.
The scientists now plan to conduct a longer,
larger study to see whether lowering cytokine
levels can delay or prevent age-related
inflammatory diseases.
“We’re going to see whether using the cream
to keep epidermal function normal as people
age will prevent the development of those
downstream diseases,” said co-author Peter
Elias, MD, a UCSF professor of dermatology
based at the San Francisco VA Health Care
System. “If we do, the implication would be
that after the age of 50, you would want to be
applying an effective topical barrier repair
preparation daily for the rest of your life.”
The study was published in the Journal of the
European Academy of Dermatology and
Venereology.
News
Spa Executive | 04

Seven creative
marketing ideas
for attracting new
spa customers
Attracting new spa customers can take some
effort and creativity on your part. There are a
lot of wonderful spas out there. How do you
make those new guests choose yours?
Obviously, creating the best guest experience
that you possibly can is a key piece of the
puzzle. Beautiful facilities and a well trained,
competent, and friendly team are also
important. But once you have all that, you still
need to market yourself. If nobody knows
about you, they won’t come, and all those
wonderful staff members will just sit there
with nothing to do.
05 | Spa Executive Feature

Very few spas have dedicated marketing
teams, and many don’t have any marketing
staff at all. Fortunately, you can still get a lot
of mileage out of creative marketing ideas for
your spa or wellness business.
Here are seven creative marketing ideas for
attracting new spa customers:
1
Incentivize referrals
Referrals are the first place you should be
looking for new customer acquisition. Happy
customers are your best ambassadors, and if
they love you they will happy to tell their
friends. Sometimes people need a little
nudge towards giving a referral, so make sure
everyone knows these are welcome and
highly encouraged. Send customer
satisfaction surveys after treatments to make
sure your guests are happy, and when they
are, ask for a referral and offer an incentive,
like an additional service, service discount,
product gift, or loyalty points if you have a
loyalty program.
2
Elevate your social media
Even if your spa is a part of a hotel or resort,
and the hotel does the bulk of your
marketing, you can probably still have an
Instagram account for the spa (See our
interview with Patrick Huey later in this issue).
Something with a separate identity from the
hotel, where you can interact with customers
and potential customers. Make sure to post
regularly and engage with people. An unused
social media account, where your last update
was a year ago, is worse than no social
media account at all. Be creative with these
accounts! Showcase the best of what you
have to offer, your fantastic products, your
charming and wonderful team members, and
your beautiful facilities.
3
Turn your guests into
micro-influencers
Offer gifts in exchange for social media posts.
This is how influencer marketing works: the
brand gives a gift to the “influencer” in
exchange for a post on social media, and the
reality is that everyone is an influencer, not
just those with tens of thousands of followers.
We all rely on our friends and people in our
networks for recommendations – and many
of us trust these people far more than we
would a stranger on Instagram. Offering a
small gift, like a product sample, in exchange
for a post and a tag can be a small
investment towards reaching networks of
people you might not otherwise.
4
Concentrate on SEO
Do some SEO work on your website, and
blog if you have one. SEO means “Search
Engine Optimization” and refers to the tweaks
you can make to a website to get it to rank
higher in search engines. When people do a
Google search, you want your page to be
among the first ones they see. SEO ranking
factors include keywords, social metrics, and
the number of links going out of and coming
into your page. SEO can be self taught.
5
Stay on top of online reviews
Online reviews play a big role in how people
choose a good or service, particularly when it
comes to travel, hospitality, and wellness. A
2018 survey by BrightLocal found that 86% of
consumers read reviews for local businesses,
57% of consumers will only use a business if
it has four or more stars, and that 91% of
18-34 year old consumers trust online
reviews as much as personal
recommendations. But great reviews don’t
just happen. Monitor what people are saying,
and respond to both positive and negative
reviews. Thank positive commenters for the
compliments, but also graciously thank
negative commenters for feedback. Never get
angry or argue with a reviewer. If you feel
there is something you should address, or
that you have been unfairly maligned, get an
email address and continue the discussion
offline. Don’t argue on the public stage.
6
Host events
Events are a fun and great way to attract new
people. Host a customer appreciation party,
an event to launch a new product, or a
learning event related to a product or service.
No matter what type of event you choose,
encourage people to bring a friend. Offer
swag bags of product samples, mini
massages or facials, or a wellness or skin
care workshop.
7
Make the news
Create an attention-grabbing treatment and
send out a media release about it. Gold
facials, caviar body scrubs — these make
headlines because they are unusual,
decadent and exciting. But you don’t need to
offer these wildly luxurious options to create
newsworthy spa menu items. Pick a theme –
like wine, candy, chocolate, mushrooms,
wildflowers – and spin it out into something
truly unique and exciting by building a
creative and unheard of spa experience
around it, maybe pairing it with a holiday or
occasion. Then alert the newswires and/or
the local news and media outlets.
Feature
Spa Executive | 06

Montage’s
Patrick H
The need for more diversity in
Patrick Huey is the Corporate Spa Director
for Montage Resorts International. He is
responsible for the brand visions for seven
current and eight opening spas for Spa
Montage and Spa Pendry.
Mr. Huey has over 20 years of experience in
the hospitality and spa industries. He has
served as Group Director of Spas - Asia for
MSpa at Minor Hotels International;
Corporate Director of Spa, Fitness and Tennis
for Sandals Resorts International; and
Corporate Spa Director for Viceroy Hotel
Group.
Mr. Huey boasts an eclectic and impressive
array of skills, and holds a Master of Fine Arts
from Yale University in Acting, and a Bachelor
of Arts from Vanderbilt University in
Creative/Nonfiction Writing, English Literature
and Theatre. He also serves on the
International SPA Association’s (ISPA) Board
of Directors.
Spa Executive spoke with Patrick Huey
about the need for more diversity in spa, and
about his ideas for solving the industry’s
infamous staffing problem.
Can you tell us a bit about your
career history and how you came
to be where you are today?
When I graduated from university, I moved to
New York City to pursue an acting career. To
support myself, I got a job as a bellman at the
Royalton Hotel, which was part of a group of
hotels that included Paramount and
Morgans. These were owned and operated
by Ian Schrager, of Studio 54 fame. For five
years, I worked for Ian Schrager’s Hotels in
several capacities – Maitre d’, Assistant
Restaurant Manager, Night Auditor, Front
Desk. When I moved to Los Angeles to
continue acting, I wound up working as a
receptionist at the Westin Century Plaza
Hotel, which at that time was complexed with
the St. Regis Hotel. This was the beginning of
my spa career.
In 2008, I was appointed the opening Spa
Director for the Viceroy Miami at Icon Brickell.
Liz Clayton, the Corporate Spa Director for
Viceroy at this time – had recommended me
for the position. She and I met when I worked
at the Westin Century Plaza and she was the
Spa Director for the St. Regis Hotel. When
she left Viceroy in 2009, I filled the Corporate
Spa Director position, and for the last 10
years, I have been working at the corporate
level.
You said in an interview that spa
needs more diversity, particularly
in leadership. Can you please tell
us a bit more about that?
A few years ago, the ballet world was faced
with the question of where were its Black
Swans, and this generated much
conversation in the dance and art worlds in
New York. We are in a similar situation in the
spa industry, where we have made great
strides in educating the public about the
importance of what we do, but we have not
been able to have the ranks of our leaders
reflect the changing demographics of our
world.
These issues of diversity challenge most
industries, because the answers to gender,
racial, ethnic, and religious diversity are not
prescriptive. They are quite complex. We can
start by creating dialogue and raising
awareness.
07 | Spa Executive Spotlight

uey
spa & wellness
I also notice a lack of diversity in advertising
and marketing. When I meet with brands, I
look at their collateral to see if they have a
broad range of ages, races, genders in their
messaging. Whether the model is black or
Asian or white isn’t determinative for me if I
will try or use a specific brand, but it does let
me know if they have an awareness of the
broader world. It also lets me know if a brand
has its eye on the future, and it tells me who
is and who is not sitting at the table when
decisions are made.
The impact of a lack of diversity is felt on the
bottom line. The more inclusive we become
as an industry, the more consumers will
make what we do a necessary part of their
lives. This creates longevity and expansive
financial relevance for our industry. I also
think beyond just dollars and profits, if we
truly believe in the work that we do, why
should we not want as many people as
possible to reap the benefits of taking care of
themselves?
Spotlight
Spa Executive | 08

speak directly to their consumers.
Most spas do not highlight specific
therapists. This a paradigm that we may need
to challenge. In today’s world, people relate
to people. If a spa has a dynamic therapist,
there can be value in putting that therapist
forward, because that person can have a
relationship with the consumer in a way that a
beautifully shot treatment room can’t.
We know that staffing is a big
challenge in spa. Do you have any
solutions to this problem?
re-engage the wonderful estheticians in our
spas and challenge them in new ways. We
have partnered with Valmont from
Switzerland and Tata Harper from Vermont as
our two main skincare lines, and the variance
in the two companies’ philosophies and
approach to skincare development have
allowed us to speak to a broader range of
consumers. We have been able to reassert
this crucial aspect of our business. We are
already seeing results from these two
partnerships.
You’re very good about posting to
social media and personal
branding. Is this something you
work at or something that comes
naturally?
In all honesty, I approach social media as if I
am creating a visual diary. I think about the
cities, the people, the moments that I want to
remember, and this helps me to determine
how, when, and what to post. I used to be a
prolific letter writer, but instead I post. Posting
on social media and interacting on social
media feels like an extension of writing a letter
to a friend.
How do you think most spas are
doing at marketing themselves and
their team members?
Most spas are doing the best they can when
it comes to marketing. Most spas don’t have
the resources for major advertising and
marketing efforts. They have to rely on
word-of-mouth and reputation to grow their
business. Within the hotel sector, most of the
marketing for spa is embedded within the
hotel story, which is appropriate. I do think
opportunities exist – even within structures
like hotels – for spas to have their own
Instagram account or Facebook page to
I think the spa industry has to do a better job
at promoting the wide and varied careers
available within this industry. The industry
requires talented therapists, but we also need
chemists, herbalists, financial leaders,
operational leaders, designers, development
people, architects, project managers to keep
the industry moving forward. I don’t know
how good we are at promoting what we can
offer for careers.
What’s something happening, like a
trend, development, or movement
within the industry that you’re
excited about?
The trend that I see in the industry that is
interesting to me is consolidation. Over the
past few years, we have seen the merging of
hotel brands that has been replicated in the
spa world. We have yet to see the full impact
of what this means for the spa and wellness
industry over the long term, but we know that
it is significant.
Is there anything happening with
Montage that you’re excited about
that you’d like to share with us?
At Spa Montage, we have focused the last 12
months on relaunching our skincare story.
When I joined the company, I felt this was an
area of opportunity for increasing service
sales and retail sales, but I also wanted to
09 | Spa Executive Spotlight

Feature
Spa Executive | 10

How spa managers can create a
drama-free workplace
Eric Stephenson is the Chief Wellness Officer for Elements Massage®, one of the largest providers of massage therapy in the United States. Elements Massage
was recently recognized by Newsweek as No. 1 in its 2019 America’s Best Customer Service list in the ‘Spa, Wellness and Beauty’ category. As a licensed
massage therapist, educator and consultant, his professional travels have enabled him to work with massage therapists around the world. Stephenson is a board
member of the International SPA Association.
All workplaces have drama. Human nature is
dramatic, and can tend towards
backstabbing, infighting, power plays, and
jealousy. And spas are no different. Spas can
be very dramatic workplaces. Service
providers are overworked and tired,
customers can be demanding, and managers
don’t always have the tools required to
diffuse the tensions that can mount.
This can have significant costs, as tension
can create an unpleasant environment and
guest experience, which is not good for
business.
Eric Stephenson, Chief Wellness Officer at
Elements Massage®, has been running
workshops on creating a drama-free
workplace for years. Stephenson has worked
as both a massage therapist and a massage
school instructor and has owned and
operated his own consulting company. He
says that, along the way, he learned a lot
about handling and avoiding workplace
drama.
“I noticed,” says Stephenson, “that when the
leadership was good at establishing
boundaries and communicating
expectations, there were fewer negative
emotions draining the culture.”
He has determined some very specific tactics
for keeping these negative emotions out of
the workplace.
Here are five recommended strategies for
establishing a drama-free spa workplace,
according to Stephenson.
Create a psychologically safe work
environment
“The single biggest marker for a successful
work team, according to research by Google,
is a psychologically safe work environment,”
says Stephenson.
“The psychologist Carl Rogers coined a term
that is ‘unconditional positive regard for other
human beings.’ I use this as one of the tenets
in my teaching for psychological safety. It
means a basic acceptance and support of a
person regardless of what the person says or
does. You have to create a sense of
unconditional positive regard for everyone
that you work with, to give them the benefit of
the doubt, and to look past stereotypes and
judgments.”
This isn’t easy, he says. “It’s quite difficult, but
it has to be part of the culture, and it has to
be indoctrinated from the top down.”
11 | Spa Executive Management

Be a caring manager
Research shows that people don't leave their
jobs, they leave their managers, meaning we
quit because of our bosses. Stephenson
says, “This is true in every industry, but I think
it's especially true in spa. Service providers,
especially massage therapists, are 70% of a
spa's revenue. These people are passionate
about helping people. They want to come to
work and know that their managers care
about more than making money.
“Caring managers are consistently
supportive, they don't jump to conclusions,
they’re good at active listening, and at
checking in with their team. They are also
skilled at reinforcing boundaries and
professional agreements. This is at the heart
of what makes a spa tick.”
Communicate expectations
Managers must clearly communicate
expectations to team members, says
Stephenson.
“In my experience, when you go into a spa,
50% of the time it will be a really good
experience, and then 50% of the time it won't
be. I think this is because approaches to
service are not consistent, and expectations
are not communicated from the manager.
You have to be clear about the type of
experience you’re aiming to provide, and
communicate exactly how you are all going to
provide it.
And, sometimes people go rogue. “Most
people will do things they way the spa is
asking them to,” Stephenson goes on, “but
then someone says, ‘Well, I know we're
supposed to do it this way, but this is the way
I do it.’ And that can create a lot of drama
within the team. These issues need to be
addressed by making it clear, if you want
things done a certain way, that that’s how
they should be done for the benefit of the
entire team and ultimately, the guest.”
Remind your team of the purpose
of their work
Stephenson believes that, in order to have a
successful spa business, you need to have a
higher purpose that is clearly communicated
to your team. “This is important,” he says,
“especially for the millennial generation,
because purpose is such a big part of what
they're looking for in a job.”
He says, “The spa industry is so purpose
driven, I think a key piece of engagement is
regularly reminding our teams what we're
doing in the world, above and beyond making
money, and frequently telling that story in
creative ways.
”Organizational consultant and best-selling
author Simon Sinek would call this the
continual reinforcement of the ‘Why’ behind
our business.”
Learn to navigate conflict
Even if you have a wonderful workplace, with
clearly communicated purpose and goals,
you’re still going to have conflict, and
managers need to learn how to handle it
effectively.
Stephenson says, “When we encounter a
problem in business, we tend to either go into
a fight-or-flight response or a freeze
response. If you can override that, and not be
afraid of problems, you can turn everything
around. It's crucial that we learn how to
navigate conflict. Knowing what is happening
in your body when faced with an unpleasant
situation can help you learn how to overcome
it.”
Stephenson teaches something called the
“Calmer Method” to help people deal with
conflict.
Here’s how The Calmer Method works in
Stephenson’s words:
1
CALM - your amygdala.
The amygdala controls the fight-or-flight
response. Interrupting a reaction with a deep
breath can help override a purely emotional
response to the situation.
2
ALLOW- only the facts to
surface.
Using a statement such as, “I notice….” or “I
am noticing,” we can identify the situation in
objective terms stating facts. This can help
bring up sensitive topics without placing
blame or judgment. You can also say, for
example, “I’d like to describe what I’m
noticing and get your interpretation of it.”
3
LISTEN - to their point of view
first
Listen to the other person’s interpretation of
the situation and try to understand their point
of view. We may be missing some important
information. Remember, the desire to be seen
and heard is a basic human need.
4
MIRROR - back your
understanding
Repeat what you’ve heard and ask, “Is that
correct?” Pause and run it through your truth
meter. Trust your gut feeling here. Does the
story you are hearing add up to the facts?
How you handle the next step might depend
on this reading.
5
EXPLAIN - your side of the
equation
With an understanding of their intent, express
your point of view. Use only “I” statements
and refrain from “you” statements.
6
RENEGOTIATE OR RELEASE
The intent of both parties is weighed, and an
agreement is made on how to proceed. In
some cases, we “agree to disagree.” In other
cases, we are unable to reach an agreement
and we move on.
Management
Spa Executive | 12

How to attract
and retain
talent in the
spa industry
The staff shortage in spa and wellness is a
hot topic. Everyone is looking for solutions.
These aren’t necessarily obvious and may
require some uncomfortable introspection on
the part of the industry. Stephanie Rest has
some bold opinions about where some of the
problems lie.
Rest is the founder & CEO, of Caribbean
Wellness & Education, an organization that
cultivates wellness programs, professional
events, and educational courses for spa and
tourism professionals. She is also the
President of WE Consulting, a firm
specializing in developing optimal solutions
for spa and wellness enterprises, and Vice
Chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s
Wellness for Children Initiative.
Rest has such an extensive background in
the spa industry, which includes a great deal
of recruitment and training. So we asked her
for some thoughts on how the spa and
wellness industry can attract and retain new
talent.
13 | Spa Executive Business

Coming up with creative and
inclusive solutions
Rest says she thinks the industry needs to be
more inclusive, and to “demystify” a career in
spa and wellness.
“We need to get out there, be more open,
and encourage people to join our tribe,” she
says. “How do we simplify things and make it
fun? Can we readily communicate to the
average person thinking about their career
options that this is a good one?”
A lack of interest in the industry, and
awareness of its career possibilities, is one
exacerbating factor. Rest suggests, like
others before her, that creating relationships
with schools is a key piece of the puzzle.
“We can do a better job of reaching out to
schools,” she says. “Having additional
advocates and boots on the ground
recruiting could greatly increase our
workforce. Perhaps a solution is working with
guidance counselors at the high school,
community college level, or with career
centers for the secondary career market.
“In the U.S. we could also be partnering with
on-demand organizations like Zeel, which has
a primary focus on national recruitment. Zeel
is already providing supplemental staff to
spas across the nation. Perhaps on-demand
staffing solutions will be the way of the future
for spas, following other rising industries like
Uber, Netflix, and Amazon that are a part of
the disruptive billion-dollar on-demand
economy.”
Too much work and too much
drama
Other big issues lie with the spas themselves,
Rest says. Even when we attract employees,
we struggle to retain them.
“We do quite a bit of recruitment and find that
after a few years in a spa career, some
people drop off from burnout. Another rising
trend is that therapists are leaving traditional
brick and mortar spas to work for
on-demand companies or are building their
own practices. Are they choosing an
alternative path because we make it
challenging for them to stay with our
organizations.
“Spas can be demanding with hours,
responsibilities, requiring working holidays,
and a great number of services. There is a
demand to do more, be more and many of
our therapists are burned out. On top of
burnout, there is generally a struggle to keep
drama out of the spa atmosphere. This
drama amongst co-workers creates a toxic
environment for many employees. Not all staff
creates drama, but generally there is
someone stirring the pot. At times our
employees are choosing to leave an
organization, saying ‘I cannot work in an
atmosphere like this.’”
And the alternatives are appealing, which
means that, until working in a spa makes
employees as happy as working from home
does, this problem will persist.
Rest says, “If you can work from home and
make your own schedule and be in a calm
environment, I think you just choose that.”
It starts at the top
A lack of management training is a big
contributing factor here, says Rest, because
it’s up to managers to handle trouble
between team members. But many of our up
and coming managers have not been given
the tools to be successful.
Rest says, “Our rising managers and
supervisors in the industry often do not have
the tools or resources to deal with staff
conflicts. They may be extremely
knowledgeable in many aspects, but still
require mentorship in mastering their
leadership and business acumen skills.
Growing our teams from within our
organizations is vital, but we must offer the
opportunity for continuing education to allow
our rising stars to develop their skills to
successfully run our organizations. If we do
not offer professional development
resources, our managers are self-teaching, or
they are just kind of lost. This is coming from
a leader that was thrown in the deep end,
self-taught, and eventually relied heavily on
her mentors to guide her.”
However, there are solutions out there, she
adds. “We can cultivate powerful leaders and
there are avenues to allow us to do this.
UCI-Irvine has a great certified online
program for Spa Managers and WE has
partnered with Springboard Caribbean to
deliver an on-site UK Accredited CTH
Diploma in Management & Leadership for
Business and Hospitality in the Caribbean, for
example.”
Investing in employees’ futures –
and yours
School can be prohibitively expensive, which
means spas might have to consider picking
up the cost, says Rest. “Like everyone, we
have a huge deficit in providers. So, if we find
someone with great aptitude and an interest,
we’ll put that person through school.
Managers must be the advocates for their
spa and consistently be recruiting to acquire
talent. We must peruse non-traditional
recruitment practices, go out and find people,
and potentially put good people with great
capacity through school. Most of us are at
the tipping point now where it is not an
available avenue, but a necessity.”
Creating a network of support
Another idea, she says, is creating support
networks in the industry community.
“We are working with the Global Wellness
Institute presently to develop a peer-to-peer
initiative to support one another, and a
mentorship program that will be accessible to
everyone. Mentorship is a two-way street,
often the mentor gets just as much out of the
relationship as the mentee. Wellness is one of
the fastest growing industries in the world
and a great career-path. The more we share
common opportunities and invest in each
other’s success, the stronger we will grow
together.
“We in the industry need to look to the rising
demand for qualified employees, invest in our
human capital and figure it out together.”
Business
Spa Executive | 14

A blanket that
can improve
sleep and
ease pain?
Yaasa, an adjustable furniture company that
creates products to promote health and
wellbeing, recently introduced the Elements
Blanket, “the most powerful all-in-one
wellness blanket.”
The Elements Blanket is an innovative
creation made of a combination of materials,
which Yaasa says can protect skin and
enhance recovery and comfort.
One of these materials is SeaCell, which
Yaasa says contains antioxidants that can
effectively neutralize free radicals and protect
skin. The second material is Celliant which
they say absorbs and recycles your body’s
natural energy, supports faster muscle
recovery, and promotes a temporary increase
in local blood flow and restful sleep.
According to the makers of Celliant, the
product is a revolutionary, patented
technology that harnesses and recycles the
body’s natural energy through the medium of
fibers.
“Celliant’s applied science utilizes a blend of
minerals and proprietary ingredients that are
embedded into the core of the fiber. Use of
products containing this technology has been
clinically proven to enhance tissue oxygen
levels, improve athletic performance, sleep
quality, health and wellness.”
They explain that Celliant is made with a mix
of 13 thermo-reactive minerals that are
embedded into the core of polyester fibers,
which gives products developed with the
technology “the ability to absorb and re-emit
the visible and infrared electromagnetic light
energy emitted by the body.”
The minerals then “alter the wavelengths of
this energy and reflect them back to the
body, even through multiple layers of fabrics,
making it possible for the tissue to absorb it.”
Celliant was developed and tested under the
guidance of a scientific advisory board, and
has undergone nine clinical trials, including
studies at University of California Irvine,
University of Calgary, UC Long Beach
Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Texas A&M
University, and Loyola University Chicago.
The third material in the Elements Blanket is
sustainable, organic cotton, which Yaasa
says weaves “the softest, most luxurious
indulgence into the blanket for ultimate
comfort.”
Up to 12 recycled plastic bottles are used in
the production of each blanket, while SeaCell
Fiber is fully biodegradable and compostable.
The Yaasa Elements Blanket is available in
Charcoal and Cream or Blue and Cream.
15 | Spa Executive Technology

Rosewood Hotels &
Resorts opens Rosewood
Miramar Beach
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of Rosewood Miramar Beach,
the brand’s first Southern California property.
Located in Santa Barbara’s picturesque Montecito community, Miramar means ‘to
behold the sea,’ and is named for its beautiful location on one of California’s most
pristine beaches.
Rosewood Miramar Beach is owned and developed by Caruso, the real estate company
behind some of California’s most beautiful shopping, dining and lifestyle destinations.
The same strip of beach is the former site of another resort, Miramar by the Sea, which
was operational from the late 19th century until 2000.
Growth
Spa Executive | 16

“Rosewood Miramar Beach is the culmination of years of hard work and dedicated service to the Montecito community. What makes
Miramar Beach so special, beyond the incomparable setting, is its history as a beloved icon of hospitality – it’s simply embedded in the
land,” said Rick Caruso, owner of Rosewood Miramar Beach, and founder and chief executive officer of Caruso. “We’re honored to
now usher in a new era of hospitality and welcome locals and travelers back to this cherished retreat.”
The 161-room resort remains true to Rosewood’s signature residential-style, providing guests with a unique experience that feels like
being hosted in a private home.
“Rosewood Miramar Beach is the pinnacle of design, setting, and service,” said Sonia Cheng, chief executive officer of Rosewood
Hotel Group. “It is a true jewel not only in the rich hospitality landscape of Montecito and Santa Barbara, but across the globe. Guests
will delight in the relaxed atmosphere of coastal California while enjoying Rosewood’s intuitive service and our modern, ultra-luxury
approach to the resort experience.”
At the heart of the property is a magnificent Manor House. The centerpiece of this is a luxuriantly-curved staircase, which pays homage
to an original design by esteemed Southern Californian architect Paul Williams, who designed homes for Lucille Ball, Frank Sinatra, and
Barbara Stanwyck. The Manor House houses three signature suites: The Founder’s Residence, The Miramar Suite, and The
Ambassador Suite. Each provides the utmost in luxury, space, and style.
Bungalows and Lanai House guestrooms are spread over 16 acres of lush landscape. Each of these is spacious and full of light, and
offers awe-inspiring views of the garden, ocean, or mountainside. Rosewood Miramar Beach also boasts 26 oceanfront Beach House
suites, studios, and guestrooms, which feature private terraces directly over the sand. Guests in these Beach Houses enjoy several
exclusive services, including access to a complimentary evening cocktail trolley, monogrammed pillowcases and robes, and
personalized amenities.
17 | Spa Executive Growth

There are two pools on the property, and
resort activities include open-air bocce
and shuffleboard, and evenings around a
firepit.
Rosewood Miramar Beach features
seven restaurants and bars, including
Caruso’s, an oceanfront restaurant
featuring al fresco seating over the sand.
Another of these dining options is Malibu
Farm at Miramar, the first California resort
location of the laid-back farm-to-table
eatery.
At Sense, A Rosewood Spa, guests enjoy
unique treatments and rituals inspired by
local healing traditions and plants native
to the surrounding area. The nearly 8,000
square-foot spa features men’s and
women’s relaxation rooms, men’s and
women’s steam rooms and saunas, a
common relaxation area for couples, a
hair salon and nail salon, and fitness and
yoga studios. There are six treatment
rooms, one couples suite, and one
private social suite for 8-10 guests. Select
Sense services, including foot reflexology,
are available poolside.
Standout treatments include the
following:
The Montecito Sage Purification is a
90-minute experience that begins with a
wellness tea “to aid in the calming
experience from the throat to stomach
chakras.” After that, “Earthly salt minerals
are combined with indigenous sage, pine
and juniper in a rejuvenating body scrub
and a warm cocooning wrap. Following is
a full-body massage with balancing
organic Sage oil and warm healing stones
to leave muscles renewed and spirit
connected to the earth.”
Another highlight is the Alkaline State, a
150-minute treatment that begins with a
foot bath ritual using magnesium-rich
salts. “You’ll then become enveloped in
an Alkaline Marine Cocoon and conclude
with the Alkalizing Clarity Facial to
detoxify the body from head to toe. To
conclude enjoy an alkaline infused
beverage to round out the experience
while your expert therapist will test your
pH levels and make recommendations
based on the results.”
And the Lights of the Season is a
120-minute “holistic care ritual that begins
with a purifying fig, bergamot and rose
full-body exfoliation rinsed with hot
towels, then a short reassuring head,
face, hand and foot massage, followed by
cold perfumed towels application and
invigorating leg massage. Finally, a
stimulating stomach, upper-chest, back
and arm massage will leave you feeling
invigorated with fresh citrus and musk
scented body cream or the broom flower
and honey scented dry oil.”
Sense is “a tranquil oasis welcoming
both overnight guests and members
of the local Montecito community.”
Growth
Spa Executive | 18

19 | Spa Executive Growth

Canyon Ranch
introduces Woodside
Wellness Retreat with
treehouse guest rooms
Canyon Ranch has announced the
launch of Canyon Ranch Wellness
Retreats, the brand’s newest extension.
The debut Wellness Retreat model,
Canyon Ranch Woodside, is a scenic
property set amidst the ancient, majestic
Redwoods in Woodside, California, slated
to open in summer 2019.
Offering guests “highly-sensory, personalized
wellness sojourns” of three, four, or
seven days, the new property features 24
guest rooms in standalone luxury treehouses,
plus 14 additional guestrooms.
Building on a 30-year history of offering
successful retreats at the Life Enhancement
Center at the flagship resort in
Tucson, Arizona, Canyon Ranch will offer
“community-driven, introspective, and
nature-infused” experiences at the new
Woodside Retreat.
Guests will enjoy a fully curated program
of activities, encompassing multiple
themes. These include mind-body, joy,
culinary, movement, and wellness.
Outdoor activities will include year-round
hiking and biking adventures, a nature
trail, and a challenge course.
"This opening marks a critical moment in
the history of Canyon Ranch, with our
first property in California and the introduction
of a new retreat-focused endeavor,"
said Susan Docherty, Canyon Ranch
Chief Executive Officer. "The Global
Wellness Institute reports the wellness
industry is now a $4.2 trillion economy
and wellness tourism is thriving at a 6.5%
growth rate. This, coupled with trends
pointing to travelers seeking shorter,
more frequent, and highly experiential
trips, offers a perfect opportunity to
launch Canyon Ranch Wellness Retreats,
providing guests an intentional, collective
reset that embodies our philosophy."
The 16-acre retreat property, formerly
Skylonda Lodge, will be redesigned by
Cole Martinez Curtis & Associates to
embrace the surrounding natural beauty
and “create connectivity with the
outdoors throughout each space, developing
a deeper sense of place.”
Property features will include an
indoor/outdoor training zone, a boutique
spa, sauna, and an indoor saline pool
and whirlpool.
Growth
Spa Executive | 20

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