Spa Executive | Issue 11 | October 2019

ISSUE #11 OCTOBER 2019
SPA EXECUTIVE
FOR LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS
FEATURE
Signs of skin cancer
spa therapists
should watch for
NEWS
Study: optimism
may hold secret to
longer life
MANAGEMENT
How to spot the toxic
employee poisoning
your spa workplace
MARKETING
Trent
How to get your
spa in the media
Munday
THE SPA OF TOMORROW AND WHY SPAS DON’T HAVE TO DO “WELLNESS”

PUBLISHER
Roger Sholanki
EDITOR
Elizabeth Bromstein
DESIGNER
Shajee Aijazi
Note from the Publisher
What is a spa?
We found ourselves asking this in this month’s issue of Spa Executive when talking with Trent
Munday of Mandara Spa about the future of spas and wellness, specifically tackling the question
of whether spas have to incorporate “wellness.”
“Wellness is a concept the spa industry has latched onto as our latest shiny new thing,” said
Munday, but it’s not something spas have to do. Munday believes that the Spa of Tomorrow will
be a multi-functional, multi-disciplinary type of facility -- 20% what it is now (massage, facial, etc.)
and 80% something else, which could be anything. “Maybe a business center or coworking
space in a corporate city hotel,” he said. “Maybe a live, organic restaurant, kitchen, and cultural
center in a remote resort hotel. The 80% is not only different from what we have today, but can
vary dramatically from one spa to another.”
This leads to the question, “What is a spa, anyway?” Munday points out that there is still a
debate over whether a spa has to have water elements to qualify as a “spa.” Mineral rich water
for bathing was once the single defining factor of a spa. Now, we seem to agree that it’s
massages, facials, and other treatments that make a spa a spa. But are you still a spa if you are
largely a business center that offers massages and facials? Munday says, “Why not?”
What do you say? What do you think makes a spa? It’s worth thinking about as our industry
moves into this future where anything is possible, and exploring where we can take our
businesses. There may be no right answer. But it’s a great place to start.
Spa Executive
The online magazine for Spa
Executives, featuring news
and exclusive interviews.
Roger Sholanki,
CEO
Book4Time

Contents
October 2019 Volume 11
3
NEWS
Study finds optimism may be
the secret to longevity
3
4
6
TRENDS
Bakuchiol: a gentler alternative
to retinol
MANAGEMENT
How to spot the toxic employee
poisoning your spa workplace
8
MARKETING
How to get your spa in the
media
10
BUSINESS
How to improve your online
reputation
15
12
15
GROWTH
Look inside the Albamhor Spa
at Scotland’s Fife Arms Hotel
SPOTLIGHT
Trent Munday on the Spa of
Tomorrow and why spas don’t
have to do “wellness”
19
TECHNOLOGY
Should your spa be a
technology free space?
20
FEATURE
Signs of skin cancer spa
therapists should watch for
8 12

WELLNESS
Study finds
optimism
may be the
secret to
longevity
New research has found that more optimistic
people are more likely to live longer and to live
past the age of 85.
According to a media release, “optimism” refers
to “a general expectation that good things will
happen, or believing that the future will be
favorable because we can control important
outcomes.”
Past research has identified risk factors that
increase the likelihood of disease and
premature death, but less is known about
psychosocial factors that can promote or
impede healthy aging.
The study — by researchers at Boston
University School of Medicine (BUSM), National
Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare
System, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of
Public Health — included 71,173 subjects:
69,744 women and 1,429 men. These
completed surveys to assess their optimism
levels, as well as their overall health and lifestyle
habits such as diet, smoking and alcohol
consumption. Men were followed for 30 years,
while the women were followed for only 10
years.
The researchers found that the most optimistic
men and women demonstrated an average 11 –
15 percent longer lifespan, and had 50 – 70
percent greater odds of reaching the age of 85
compared to the least optimistic groups. This
held after controlling for factors like age,
education, chronic disease, depression, and
health behaviors, including diet and exercise.
“While research has identified many risk factors
for diseases and premature death, we know
relatively less about positive psychosocial
factors that can promote healthy aging,” said
corresponding author Lewina Lee, PhD, in a
statement. “This study has strong public health
relevance because it suggests that optimism is
one such psychosocial asset that has the
potential to extend the human lifespan.
Interestingly, optimism may be modifiable using
relatively simple techniques or therapies.”
The researchers don’t know exactly how or why
optimism correlates with comparative longevity.
“Other research suggests that more optimistic
people may be able to regulate emotions and
behavior as well as bounce back from stressors
and difficulties more effectively,” said senior
author Laura Kubzansky, PhD. The researchers
suggest that optimistic people may have
healthier habits, such as being more likely to
engage in more exercise and less likely to
smoke.
“Research on the reason why optimism matters
so much remains to be done, but the link
between optimism and health is becoming
more evident,” said senior author Fran
Grodstein, ScD. “Our study contributes to
scientific knowledge on health assets that may
protect against mortality risk and promote
resilient aging. We hope that our findings will
inspire further research on interventions to
enhance positive health assets that may
improve the public’s health with aging.”
03 | Spa Executive News

BAKUCHIOL
A GENTLER ALTERNATIVE TO RETINOL
If you’re in any area of spa and wellness related to skincare, you’ve probably already heard of
bakuchiol. This plant-based skincare ingredient is all the rage right now as a potential natural
alternative to retinol, and those in the know haven’t been able to get enough of it for the past
couple of years.
Retinol, a Vitamin A derivative, has long been considered the gold standard in anti-aging skincare
ingredients, known for its ability to improve fine lines, acne and pigmentation. But it’s also hard to
tolerate for those with sensitive skin and conditions like eczema. Bakuchiol, by contrast, seems to
do all that retinol does while being gentler on the skin. A compound obtained mainly from the
seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia, which is also known as babchi or bakuchi, and is widely used in
Eastern medicine, bakuchiol has been moving in as a potential rival to retinol’s rule.
Trends
Spa Executive | 04

A study published recently in the British journal
of dermatology concluded that “bakuchiol is
comparable with retinol in its ability to improve
photoaging and is better tolerated than retinol.
Bakuchiol is promising as a more tolerable
alternative to retinol.” And another study
published a few years ago found that bakuchiol
was associated with “significant improvement in
lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, elasticity,
firmness and overall reduction in photo-damage
… without usual retinol therapy-associated
undesirable effects.”
Some experts are cautious about getting too
skincare products
containing bakuchiol
Whish Moisture Replenishing Day Cream
All of Whish Beauty’s products are made with naturally
sourced, organic ingredients. Among Whish’s products
containing bakuchiol is the Moisture Replenishing Day
Cream. This “ultra emollient” cream contains bakuchiol,
terminalia chebula fruit extract, and organic rose hip oil to
reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
excited with the retinol comparisons, as the
research has not been very robust and more is
required to determine if there are potential
downsides or side effects. But that sort of thing
doesn’t usually stop people from getting excited
anyway.
Over the past few years, bakuchiol has been
making an appearance in skincare formulations,
Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Melt Moisturizer
Alpyn Beauty is a sustainably sourced natural skin care line
formulated with botanicals grown in the mountains
surrounding Jackson Hole, WY. Alpyn’s PLANTGENIUS Melt
Moisturizer is a cocktail of natural hydrators, antioxidants,
and bakuchiol, among other things.
like creams, masks and serums in spas all over
the world.
Omorovicza Miracle Facial Oil
Budapest-based Omorovicza’s Miracle Facial Oil
“replenishes like a rich cream yet absorbs instantly like a
serum.” This award-winning product contains oils of sea
buckthorn berry, rosehip and sweet almond hydrate;
bakuchiol, and winged kelp extract.
Oskia Super 16 Serum
The Super 16 Serum is from Oskia, a “nutri-cosmeceutical”
brand that “specialises in bio-cellular skin nutrition.” The
serum contains 16 “super nutrients and bio-actives
designed to boost collagen synthesis, lift and firm the skin
and reduce fine lines.” These include bakuchiol, Opuntia
Ficus-Indica Extract, Hyaluronic Acid , Vitamins C & E, and
Crithmum Seaweed Extract.
05 | Spa Executive Trends

HOW TO SPOT THE
TOXIC EMPLOYEE
POISONING YOUR SPA WORKPLACE
Is there toxic employee poisoning your workplace? A toxic spa environment can be a problem, as
we have discussed in the past. And it’s important to know what to do about it.
There can be several causes, including broken communication lines and an unhealthy overall
environment. But sometimes, all that toxicity is coming from one person. It can be someone in a
management or non management role, and it can sometimes be difficult to figure out who it is.
Like some actual poisons, toxicity isn’t always detectable to the naked senses. But if you pay
close attention, you may be able to spot the toxic employee.
This is important because a toxic worker can cost your company in employee turnover and in low
morale, which can affect guest experience, among other things. A 2015 study by Dylan Minor at
Harvard Business School defined a toxic worker as one that “engages in behavior that is harmful
to an organization, including either its property or people.”
Management
Spa Executive | 06

Don’t let a toxic employee poison your spa
workplace. To spot them, look for:
A person who is very self regarding.
Minor’s study found that people who are
highly “self regarding,” as opposed to “other
regarding,” are more likely to be toxic
employees. A self regarding person does not
“internalize the cost that their behavior
imposes on others,” wrote Minor. “A way to
capture one’s degree of other-regardingness
is to identify how concerned one is about
taking care of another’s needs.” This concern
should impact the choices one makes, and
someone who is more self regarding is,
therefore, more likely to cause toxicity
because they don’t care how their actions
affects co-workers.
Someone who is overconfident.
According to Minor’s paper, overconfidence
is an inflated belief in one’s own abilities that
can be linked to engaging in misconduct.
Someone who is overconfident believes that
the probability of the better outcome is higher
than it actually is. It makes sense to also
associate overconfidence with higher self
regard and a propensity towards always
being right. Confidence is good.
Overconfidence can be toxic.
Someone who always insists on
following the rules.
This one is odd, but according to Minor,
people who claim the rules should never be
broken — as opposed to saying sometimes
it’s necessary to break the rules to
accomplish something — are significantly
more likely to be terminated for breaking the
rules. Minor suggests that this is a form of
Machiavellianism of which we should be
wary.
Heightened tensions and drama when
one person is around compared with
when they are not.
Moving away from Minor’s findings and into
more general territory, if it feels like tensions
tend to mount and fall on a regular basis, look
around and see if there isn’t a common
denominator. It could be just one person
causing all that tension — if you can spot that
person, you’re going to have to address it.
“A way to capture
one’s degree of
other-regardingn
ess is to identify
how concerned
one is about
taking care of
another’s needs.”
The last one standing.
I once worked at a company with a manager
whose entire team kept getting fired one after
the other. Project after project tanked under
this person’s leadership, and yet she
remained at the company while her
employees kept getting let go – she even got
promoted. At no point did her superiors ever
seem to think maybe the problem was her,
though everyone else around could see it
plain as day.
Someone who always has a problem.
You know that one person who is never
happy? Some of us might look for an
explanation for this person’s constant
complaints, assume that it’s our fault or
someone else’s, or worry that they’re justified
in some other way. But sometimes a person
is just difficult and enjoys being unhappy –
and that unhappiness will spread to the rest
of your team.
A person who is always right.
We all know that person who can never back
down and admit to being wrong. In an
employee and colleague, this behavior can
be very hard to handle and can certainly
poison an atmosphere. One who is never
wrong lacks humility, as well as the openness
to learning that makes a great team member.
Keep an eye out for the person who is never
wrong. They are bad for any environment.
Someone who seems to be at the top of
the pecking order.
You can’t always spot bullying but you might
notice that a hierarchy has formed with a
monarch at the top and subjects underneath
who genuflect and vie for that person’s
favour. This can seem benign on the surface
but is an unhealthy peer structure that should
be monitored. Nobody should be in charge
but management, and even then nobody
should be behaving like a queen bee.
Back to Minor’s research, the study found,
interestingly, that toxic workers are actually
very productive, which may explain why
managers tend to keep them around. But
they’re still not worth it, because they ruin the
work environment and can turn non-toxic
workers into toxic ones. You’ve heard of the
bad apple spoiling the whole bunch.
Spotting the person presenting an issue is
the first step towards fixing the situation.
07 | Spa Executive Management

HOW TO GET YOUR
SPA IN THE MEDIA
BY CHRISTINA DAVES
As a spa owner or manager, getting customers in the door is one of the most important aspects of your business.
Advertising is one option, but that can get expensive. Have you ever considered pitching the media? There is no faster,
more effective way to expose your business to thousands, hundreds of thousands, even millions of potential customers
and the best part: it’s free.
Here’s how to get your spa in the media
People tend to be afraid of the media. They think it’s an exclusive club that only certain people are allowed to join. It is
important to remember that media today is 24/7/365 so journalists need our story ideas. The key is creating good,
newsworthy stories that will benefit that journalist’s specific audience. Take the time to do your homework and learn
what type of story fits in the format of a particular media outlet.
Marketing
Spa Executive | 08

Then, implement my proven Get PR Famous Formula that will help you be more successful when pitching the media because you are giving them
what they want. We’ve seen many people land media appearances in under 30 days and some in less than seven days. Getting local media
coverage for your spa will get potential customers to learn about your business and get people in the door. Landing national media coverage gives
you tremendous credibility with potential customers and also allows people who might be traveling to your area to learn about your business. The
system works for either platform.
Step 1 – Be Newsworthy
Being newsworthy is thinking outside of the
box when pitching the media. Don’t pitch a
vanilla story that anyone else might pitch. Give
them something of value they can share with
their audience. You want it to be interesting,
timely, and important.
Here are some tips for creating newsworthy
story ideas that will get your spa in the media:
1
Take a national trend or study and
pitch yourself as the expert in your space. Is
there a new wrinkle reducing treatment being
recommended? What do you think about
that? If you have a conflicting viewpoint, that is
even better. The media likes to hear the other
side of the story.
2
Niche your services and pitch around
your specialty. Do you have a unique new
treatment or piece of equipment that provides
a service no one else has yet? Invite the
media to come try it out and build a segment
or story around that.
3
Sign up for Help a Reporter
Out/HARO, www.HelpaReporter.com. This is
a free media query service where media
outlets are looking for sources and quotes for
national magazine articles, television shows,
newspapers, and blogs. I’ve worked with
many people who have been featured in
national media outlets through this service.
Personally, I’ve appeared in over 1000 media
outlets, many from HARO. They key to getting
covered is in the response. Get my free guide
for successfully responding to HARO queries
at, www.FreeGiftFromChristina.com.
Step 2 – Create Great Hooks
The hook is your subject line. It’s how you
entice the journalist to read your email pitch.
Some national journalists will get 500 or more
emails before noon on any given day. Your
subject line has to stand out. What you see on
magazine covers are essentially hooks. This is
what the publisher uses to get you to make an
impulse purchase in the grocery store line.
You are not buying a magazine for the content
in the article. You are buying based on the
hook on the cover.
My favorite examples of hooks are from AARP
Magazine. Just Google, “AARP magazine
covers” and see what’s there. Do the same for
any spa, wellness or beauty related
publications and see what they are using for
hooks. Then, just plug and play your
newsworthy story idea into a modification of
an existing hook and you’re one step closer to
success!
Step 3 – Find The Right Journalist
This step is vital because you don’t want to
send your spa or wellness related story to the
sports editor. People are always amazed at
how frequently I get on television and in
magazines and newspapers. It’s all about
finding the right person to pitch. We have an
amazing resource to do this right at our
fingertips. It’s Google. Remember that Google
is a question search engine, so input: “Who
writes about skincare/wellness/health for
[name of publication].” Locally, you’ll usually
get their name, email, and phone number all in
one search. National names can sometimes
take a page or two of digging but they will be
there. If the journalist you are trying to reach is
on LinkedIn, a great resource to find their
email address is, https://rocketreach.co.
By putting these three steps in place when
pitching the media, you will be light years
ahead of your competition and you will stand
out to journalists. The more you pitch well
thought out, quality stories, the more you will
be seen as a valuable resource to the media
and the more you will see you, your spa, or
your services in the media.
09 | Spa Executive Marketing

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR
ONLINE REPUTATION
As a spa, salon, or wellness business, much
depends on your online reputation. There are
a lot of spas and similar businesses out there,
all offering the same or similar services. So,
how is a potential customer to choose one
over the other?
What does Google say about you?
One of the first ways people are going to find
you is through your online presence. They’re
going to Google you and they will be looking
at your website, your social channels and
your reviews on websites like Trip Advisor and
Facebook, as well as on customers’ own
social channels. And they have to like what
they see.
Research has found that a vast majority of
people look online for businesses to
patronize, while 85% of consumers trust
online reviews as much as personal
recommendations, and half of consumers
need to see at least a four-star rating before
they choose to use a business.
Does your image need a some freshening
up? Here are eight steps you can take to
improve your online reputation.
Business
Spa Executive | 10

Do an audit of your online presence
Your first step should be to Google your
business and see what comes up on the first
three pages. What do you find? If your
website and social accounts come up, are
they up to date and well maintained? Or do
you get a Twitter account you haven’t posted
on since 2015, a pinned post from eight
months ago, and a one-star Trip Advisor
review from that terrible, angry customer from
three years ago? Not good. You have to do
something about that.
Monitor your presence
You can also sign up for Google alerts so
you’ll know when you’re name appears in the
news. This is more useful for bigger
businesses with unique names. Less so if
your spa shares a name with several other
spas, which is sometimes the case. You
should also be closely monitoring your
reviews.
Clean up your blogs and social pages.
If you do have unused social channels or an
idle blog page, you should either update
these or think about shutting them down.
Unused pages look lazy and outdated.
Unfortunately, they’re all too common. This is
usually simply because life is busy and it’s
hard to keep up with posting to blogs and
social, especially when all that other work
seems to much more pressing. But it’s
important to remember that your online
presence, which is part of your marketing
and in some cases all of your marketing, is
vitally important. Without it, people can’t find
you. Or when they can find you, they might
not like what they see and decide to go
elsewhere. You have to keep up. Delete the
unused social pages or update them.
Bury the bad reviews with good ones.
You can almost never have bad reviews
removed from websites, but you can bury
them with good ones. This means
encouraging customers to write reviews.
Keep in mind that people don’t usually even
think of writing reviews when we’re happy.
We’re far more likely to jump online when
we’re mad and want to vent. But we might
write one when asked nicely. Don’t be shy
about asking in person (doing so can
dramatically increase your chances of getting
one, according to Marketing Land) and then
you can follow up and make the request in an
email. When you have enough positive
reviews, the negative ones will hopefully be
pushed to the bottom of the pile. Note, of
course, that getting those glowing reviews
begins with offering an excellent guest
experience. So, do that first.
Encourage clients to share on their own
sites and social channels
Happy guests should be encouraged to
share photos and posts to their social
accounts and to tag your spa. Putting up a
selfie station is one way to encourage people
to post about their experiences. You can also
ask if you can take photos and tag them.
Respond to reviews
Since you can’t get rid of the bad reviews,
you should be responding and, when
possible, trying to turn things around.
Connect with the guest and ask if there is any
way you can make their experience better.
People will see you engaging and appreciate
your involvement. I always look to see if
someone responds to negative reviews when
evaluating a business. If they’re truly just
difficult and you are in no way at fault, you
might consider telling your side of the story.
This is risky and can backfire, but it can also
work. Also respond to positive reviews,
thanking people for taking the time to leave
one. Research shows that businesses that
respond to reviews get more of them and
have higher average star ratings.
Get involved in the conversation
Many brands don’t understand that content
and social marketing is a conversation and
that means it must go both ways. Gone are
the days of sending out your message in one
direction. You should not only be responding
to reviews, but also responding to
commentary on your social pages. Keep the
conversation going, and be sure to comment
on and engage with other people’s posts on
Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Interact with
others in a positive way and they will return
the favour.
Do some keyword research
Look into what keywords you might use to
increase your Google ranking, and incorporate
them into your content. Do this as organically
as possible, and resist the urge to overuse
them or to “keyword stuff” as we call it.
Keep it going
Online reputation isn’t something you do
once and then forget about. It is a constant
process and you have to maintain it. Setting
aside even one hour twice a week, or 20
minutes a day, to check in and see what
needs responding to and to take care of
some posting to Instagram, Twitter, and
Facebook, will help keep you on track.
Maintaining your online reputation is work but
it is necessary and will pay off in the long run.
11 | Spa Executive Business

Look inside the
Albamhor Spa at
Scotland’s
Fife Arms Hotel
The new Albamhor Spa at the Fife Arms, a boutique hotel in the Scottish
Highland town of Braemar, has opened its doors, marking the completion
of a three-year, multi-million dollar transformation project.
Braemar is home to Scotland’s annual Highland Games, an event that
attracts visitors from around the world. And the Fife Arms, a 46-bedroom
property, which opened at the end of 2018, has already been dubbed
“Scotland’s Hottest Hotel” by the Financial Times. Located in an old
Victorian coaching inn, the property has been remodeled by its new owners
Iwan and Manuela Wirth, co-Presidents of the international gallery Hauser &
Wirth.
Growth
Spa Executive | 12

“Inspired by a deep sense of place, the colourful
stories of Braemar, and the dramatic landscape of
the Cairngorms, the hotel brings together a
profound respect for local history, a love of nature
and strong sense of community.”
The Albamhor Spa is created by interior designer
Russell Sage along with Spa Vision, which
supplied and installed the bespoke sauna,
treatment tables, and associated equipment.
Colin Cameron, director at Spa Vision, said in a
statement, ”The Fife Arms holds considerable
history and a defining place in the local area. For
this reason, the attention to detail and precision
has been unwavering. The Albamhor Spa is a
stunning addition to the hotel facilities and we are
delighted to have played our part in bringing the
designers’ vision to life.”
Albamhor is the ideal place to “unwind and to
restore, revive and relax body, mind and spirit.”
Products have been selected to embody The Fife
Arms ethos of providing a unique Scottish
Highland experience while respecting guests’
health and wellbeing along with the environment.
Signature treatments include a Restorative Full
Body Massage for which therapists use a blend of
massage techniques to target specific areas of the
body, tailoring the treatment to a guest’s individual
profile. According to Albamhor, “The therapeutic
movements stimulate the blood flow, helping to
repair key muscle fibres, restoring optimal
movement and flexibility to those areas in need of
physical and energetic renewal.”
Other signatures include a Relaxing Full Body
Massage employing bespoke selected blends of
aromas with a mix of light massage techniques to
help ease states of physical and mental
exhaustion; and the Fife Foot Ritual, which
includes a soak and “a luxurious scrub with ishga
Sea Salt scrub followed by a relaxing and
therapeutic massage to the lower legs and feet.”
This treatment can be enhanced with “a
detoxifying ishga Seaweed & Salt warm poultice to
reduce inflammation and ease those tired
muscles.”
13 | Spa Executive Growth

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15 | Spa Executive Spotlight

TRENT MUNDAY
The Spa of Tomorrow and why spas don’t have to do “wellness”
Trent Munday is the Senior Vice President of
Mandara Spa. He has an eclectic resume of
professional experience, which includes a
year playing American football (in Australia)
and a stint as a bellman in a 4-star
Melbourne hotel, before moving up and out of
the ranks to become the Program Manager
for Accommodation Services for the Sydney
Olympic Village (for the 2000 Sydney
Olympics). After that he moved on to open
resorts for Six Senses, and then COMO
before ultimately joining Mandara Spa, where
he still finds himself nearly 15 years later.
A refreshing personality in the spa and
wellness industry, those who follow Munday
know that he always has something to say –
or a question to ask – on his website and
social media accounts. He offers equal parts
insight and unfettered criticism, most of
which is geared towards helping hotel spa
owners and managers improve business
operations.
One of his most common themes is the “Spa
of Tomorrow” – what does the future of the
industry look like, and how will things
change? He has also mercilessly tackled the
notion that “spa” and “wellness” must go
hand in hand, arguing that they actually don’t.
We spoke with Munday about some of his
pet topics, and asked him to elaborate.
Here’s what he had to say.
The global older population is growing
dramatically. Can you please share your
thoughts on how the world’s aging
population will affect the spa industry in
a few years?
I believe there is a massive role for spas to
play in an aging world. I expect that we will
see a significant increase in aged care homes
and communities. Even in Asia, where
traditionally the elderly have been cared for
within the family unit and family home, I see
this happening more and more. Whether we
think about spas as we know them today, or
in a different iteration, the concept of spas in
aged care homes and communities, to me, is
a no-brainer. Beyond just the physical
benefits of a massage, for example, there’s
also the more emotional, deeper benefits of
being cared for. In my experience that is
something that many of the folks in these
aged care facilities long for.
Can you speak a bit about your opinion
that spas don’t have to do “wellness”
and why not? And what this means?
Wellness is a concept the spa industry has
latched onto as our latest shiny new thing
(and more recently, CBD), We say, “Of course
spa and wellness go together. Who else
should be in charge of Wellness? It must be
us.” And that’s fine. But as more and more
people are starting to become aware of it,
wellness shouldn’t just live in the spa. For a
hotel to have solid wellness offerings,
wellness needs to be instilled in food &
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everage, housekeeping, engineering, and
basically all elements and areas of the hotel.
But let’s fast forward 10-15 years: the new
hotel has been built to wellness standards,
the F&B team is living and breathing
Wellness Cuisine, the Concierge and Butler
teams are well-versed in where to find the
best wellness-related classes, services and
activities in the local area – and can even
offer you a range of in-room, self-led, virtual
wellness activities. In this future world, do
we still need the spa to do wellness?
You have said that the spa of the future
is 20% of what it is today and 80%
something else. What does that mean?
Hotel spas have not really evolved over the
past 25 years or so. Sure, there have been
some innovations in design, equipment,
furniture, and skincare – though not nearly
as much true innovation as the providers of
these elements would have us believe. But
the core offering is still much the same –
massage, facial, manicure, pedicure. Just
take a look at a spa menu from 15-20 years
ago. Admittedly, some spas have added
more ‘Mind & Soul’ elements, like
meditation, mindfulness, etc. But these
represent a small part of their spa menu
and tiny part of the overall spa industry
offering.
I see the Spa of Tomorrow as more of a
multi-functional, multi-disciplinary type of
facility. The 20% will be what we know
today (massage, facial, etc). The other 80%
could be anything. Maybe a business
center or coworking space in a corporate
city hotel. Maybe a live, organic restaurant,
kitchen, and cultural center in a remote
resort hotel. To me, the 80% is not only
different from what we have today, but can
also vary dramatically from one spa to
another.
If you’re 20% massages and manicures
and 80% business center, are you still a
spa?
Sure. Why not? Who decided what should
be included and offered at a spa anyway?
For many years, and in fact still to this day,
people argue over whether a spa needs to
have water elements to genuinely be
considered a spa. While that is still being
debated, why not throw in a few more
elements to the mix?
Is this specific to hotel spas?
My experience is in hotels and resorts. Day
spas is not an area I’m overly familiar with.
But I do believe that many of the dynamics
of hotel spas also hold true for day spas.
We certainly share many of the same
challenges.
How is marketing changing in this
industry and how should it be changing
to move into the future?
First of all, I think it’s important to
understand what marketing is.
Marketing is defined by the American
Marketing Association as “the activity, set of
institutions, and processes for creating,
communicating, delivering, and exchanging
offerings that have value for customers,
clients, partners, and society at large”.
Most people tend to think of marketing as
just the communication part. Over the
years, I think the industry has done a really
good job of that — maybe too good. But
we forget that marketing is also about
creating and delivering a product or service
that has value to the market.
17 | Spa Executive Spotlight

With that context in mind, the spa industry will need to focus more on needs than wants. Right now, for most of us, spa
is a ‘nice to have,’ not a ‘must have.’ I believe until we can make spa a ‘must have,’ we will struggle to remain relevant in
a noisy world. To be clear, that does not necessarily mean we need an entirely different offering. Massage, for example,
could still be an important element of the Spa of Tomorrow. But we will need to ensure that there are some meaningful,
tangible benefits to that massage and make sure those benefits are communicated in such a way that people
understand why they need it.
Marketing in the spa industry of tomorrow needs to be less about the communication element and more about the
creating & delivering element.
You have talked about the future of status symbols and how these symbols are changing. Does spa and
wellness have to be inexorably linked to status?
Not at all. Indeed, if we are able to shift the focus from wants to needs, the idea of spa as a symbol of status should start
to disappear. Lots of people within the industry have been saying for a long time that we need to ensure spa is not just
for the wealthy. The problem has been, at least up until now, the business model of most spas, especially hotel spas,
simply doesn’t allow them to cater to the lower socio-economic demographic. Thus far, most countries have struggled
with the idea of democratizing healthcare, of making good healthcare available to all. With wellness, however, I believe
there is a better chance of making it accessible to all. Healthcare is about treating an illness, whereas wellness is about
preventing it. So if we can prevent more illness, that should in turn reduce the financial burden on the system. And, with
this, the democratization of wellness becomes a real possibility.
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SHOULD YOUR SPA BE A
TECHNOLOGY FREE SPACE?
Should your spa be a place for digital detox
and a technology free space?
That’s a great question in this day and age,
when studies are released regularly stating
that overexposure to technology, screens,
and social media can create stress and
possibly affect our mental health.
Studies consistently show negative
affects of too much screen time
Among these is a study released this month
by acupuncture supply company Lhasa OMS
finding that more than half of millennials
(56%) feel that technology or media overload
make life stressful, and that almost the exact
same number (55%) are stressed due to
social pressure online. And another study
was published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry
this month finding evidence that using social
media (where much of our time staring at
screens is spent) for more than 30 minutes a
day was linked to increased mental health
risks in teenagers, while the most powerful
effects were seen in teens who used social
media for more than three hours per day.
Also, another study by researchers at the
Universities of East Anglia, Greenwich, and
Auckland, released in August, found that
there are numerous benefits to taking a
digital detox vacation.
But wait. A separate study released this
month found that screen time does not
negatively affect teens’ mental health. In fact,
in some cases, technology use actually
reduced feelings of worry and symptoms of
depression. So, it’s important not to get
carried away by study results. More than half
of psychology and social psychology studies
fail to produce reproducible results, anyway.
And let’s not forget what a big place
technology has in wellness. From wearables
to therapy robots and bots to smart homes
and more…many would argue that
technology deserves more respect than it
gets.
What do your customers want?
Most places allow tech in some areas and
not in others.
Recent research by ISPA found that a small
number of spa goers (13%) are slightly more
likely to feel that technology policies in spas
are too liberal and do not allow enough
privacy. They also found that 28% of
everyone surveyed said a technology ban
would make a spa more attractive, compared
to just 10% who said it would put them off,
while more “regular” spa goers (39%) said a
technology ban would encourage them to
visit.
Interestingly, more men than women would
prefer a tech-free spa environment – 32% vs
24%.
Benefits of a tech free environment
There are benefits to a tech-free
environment, even beyond the wellness and
mindfulness elements. These include the
potential for social interaction in communal
spaces, and the aforementioned feeling of
privacy. When nobody has a cellphone,
nobody has to worry about someone
snapping pictures and posting them online.
Note that this action doesn’t always have to
be nefarious. Sometimes people just take
pictures of their surroundings, and then
unwitting – and unwilling participants – wind
up with their images posted online.
On the other hand, there are also benefits to
allowing people to use technology in your
spa. Among these: if it’s what they want it will
make them happy and more comfortable. But
also, if they are allowed to snap pictures of
their surroundings and their experience, they
may also post these images on their social
media accounts, which is free advertising for
you. Something you literally can’t buy.
Consider a compromise or a test
You might consider tech free times, like
Sundays from 12 -5, rather than a ban. And
see how that plays out. And, of course, you
should ask your guests what they want.
Consider sending a survey to gauge how they
feel about a tech ban.
In the end, it comes down to whether a
tech-free environment is right for your space.
Only you know the answer to that.
19 | Spa Executive Technology

Signs of skin cancer spa
therapists should watch for
Spa service providers play a crucial role in skin cancer detection. These are the signs that your
spa client may have skin cancer.
A Facebook post has been making the
rounds lately about a nail salon employee
spotting melanoma under a client’s
thumbnail. The story is that the nail tech
spotted the stripe and recognized it as
melanoma, even though other service
providers had told the client that she had a
calcium deficiency or a blood blister.
The cancer had allegedly spread to her
lymph nodes
The post alleges that a doctor later confirmed
the salon employee’s diagnosis and
foundthat the cancer had spread to the
woman’s lymph nodes, and that her
prognosis was “not good.”
According to the Independent, the post was
originally published in 2017 by a UK beauty
technician named Jean Skinner (that version
is no longer available online but there are
screenshots). It has since been shared on
Facebook, word for word, by others. The
post reads:
I had a walk-in nail client a couple weeks ago.
She had been going to the “NAILS” type
salons for years. She had a straight dark
vertical stripe down her nail. She said as
soon as she sat down—I need a color dark
enough to cover this stripe. The nail salons
“diagnosed” her a few different ways. Some
said it was a lack of calcium. Some said it
was hereditary. At least one had told her it
was a blood blister.
This is melanoma!!! I did not want to frighten
her but I told her she needed to see her
doctor immediately! She called me today to
tell me that yes it was a very aggressive
melanoma that has already spread to her
lymph nodes!! Her prognosis is not good!
Please pay attention to abnormalities in your
nail beds!! Odd changes in your nails can
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very likely be nothing to worry about! But
sometimes it is an indication of a very serious
disease. And please keep an eye on the nail
beds—toes and fingers—-of your elderly loved
ones and your loved ones that aren’t
physically able to notice changes in the nail
beds! Early diagnosis can make all the
difference in the world!!!
Knowing the signs of skin cancer is key
to saving lives
This is a good reminder to spa service
providers that being informed about potential
signs of skin cancer, and speaking up when
you see them, can make a big different in a
client’s life.
For more information on these indicators, and
on whether a black line down the nail really is
an indication of melanoma, we reached out to
San Diego dermatologist and spokesperson
for the Skin Cancer Foundation, Susan Boiko.
Yes, a black line under the nail could be
melanoma
Dr. Boiko confirmed, when we showed her the
picture from the post, that a black line under
the nail can, indeed, be melanoma.
She said, “There are lots of reasons why you
could have a dark stripe under your nail, some
of which are nothing to worry about. But this
is clearly abnormal. It stands out and is
different.”
“Different” is the first indicator that
something might be wrong
“Different,” she said, is one of the first things
to take note of. “Different doesn’t always
mean bad, it just means different. You can see
pictures of common skin cancers on the Skin
Cancer Foundation website, but in my long
career as a dermatologist I have seen cancers
that don’t look like those typical pictures. So,
the most important thing is something that is
different.”
Other concerning signs as listed by Dr. Boiko
and on the Skin Cancer Foundation website,
can be as follows:
Bleeding: Dr. Boiko said, “One thing that is
really a waving red flag is something that is
bleeding. If you see something that is bleeding
that is a sign that someone should see their
doctor.”
Asymmetry: An asymmetrical mark can be a
cause for concern. Dr. Boiko said, “If you cut
the spot out and folded it over, one half would
not match the other.
Irregular border: Is it very clear where the
border begins and ends? And is the border
smooth? Skin cancers tend to have unclear
borders, as well as scalloped or notched
borders, while regular moles have smooth
borders.
Unusual color: “It could be black, brown,
pink, red, white, it could even look like a scar,”
said Dr. Boiko. But varied shades of black or
21 | Spa Executive Feature

own may be first signs of melanoma, and
as the cancer progresses, red, white, or blue
may appear. Benign moles are usually one or
two shades of brown.
Larger diameter: If you see something
bigger than a pencil eraser, that can be an
alarming sign. It isn’t always, but it can be. “I
have seen skin cancers that are smaller than
a pencil eraser. But if something is getting
bigger, you want to get it checked,” said Dr.
Boiko.
Darkness: Melanomas are often darker in
color compared to normal moles. As noted
above, however, they can also be lighter in
color or pink. And rare, amelanotic
melanomas are colorless.
Something that wasn’t there before or is
evolving or changing: If you see a client
regularly, you might notice a mark that is
changing over time, or something you don’t
remember being there before. This is
important to point out. Normal moles and
birthmarks don’t tend to change.
Spa service providers play a crucial role
in skin cancer detection
Dr. Boiko said that spa service providers and
hair stylists can play a crucial role in detection
of skin cancers. She explained, “When a
client is coming in for a spa treatment, they
may not even be aware that these things
exist. Because there are many skin cancers
that have no symptoms and don’t bleed,
especially melanoma skin cancers. They’re
flat, so you can’t feel anything. So, the ability
to see that something is different and to bring
it to the attention of the client is the most
important skill.”
Skin cancers often appear in places
people can’t see on themselves
Also, skin cancers also often occur in places
people can’t see on themselves. The most
common place for men to develop melanoma
skin cancer is on the back and the most
common place for women is on the back of
the calf.
That being said, it isn’t the place of the
service provider to make a diagnosis.
Dr. Boiko says, “It’s not the job of the person
working in the spa to say something looks
like cancer, or even looks healthy or
unhealthy, but it is the job to say that
something looks different and to ask them to
see their doctor.”
She also suggests you take a picture, so that
the person and the doctor can easily find the
spot.
“Don’t take it super close. Take it in a way
that we can see where the other landmarks
on the body are. That is very helpful when the
person comes to my office and then I can
easily locate where the problem is.”
Recognizing the signs and speaking up can
save a life, and both the client and the doctor
will be grateful to you.
Dr. Boiko said, “I always tell someone who
has been sent to me because of a
hairdresser or massage therapist that they
should reward that person and let them know
how appreciative the doctor is that they were
able to find that spot.”
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