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Author Archive
I have been a little under the weather lately, with a sinus infection. I don’t get sick very often, luckily. But as a result, I don’t really get “how it works.” Seeing a doctor, I mean. I realized after a week of coughing that I needed professional help, and set out in my car trying to find one of those Urgent Care facilities, where you can just walk in and see a doctor. That makes so much more sense to me than spending 15 minutes on hold to try to get an appointment sometime in the next 24 hours with your family physician. I wasn’t successful in finding one, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
The experience made me wonder if this is the way spa clients would like to interact with their spa, just show up and get a service or two. Obviously, it gets more complicated when folks want multiple services, but judging from the way Massage Envy is growing, a more casual  approach to service is plenty popular. Walking through Bloomingdales in New York last week, I stopped by the Benefit Brow Bar. It’s a cute little nook off of the main cosmetics floor, where they wax, tweeze, and shape brows, no appointment needed. In fact, there are drugstores in New York that are offering that same service now. I know I’ve mentioned in previous blogs the Bumble & Bumble Styling Bar, also in Bloomingdales cosmetics department, not 100 feet away from the brow bar. You just walk up and get your hair styled, no appointment needed and presto, you’re gorgeous. And I’ll bet that once your hair looks good, you need to invest in some new cosmetics to go with it.
Another recent entry in the casual category is Ernest & Olivia, also in New York. It’s a spa/salon/barbershop hybrid, mostly geared to men but they do have an area for women. The owners set out to create a place where folks just want to hang out, and they do. They serve French Press Coffee and Scotch all day, have WIFI, and even a computer you can use to surf the net and check your email while you wait. All of the reviews on Yelp were extremely happy with their new find. I must admit I do love the idea of creating spaces where people can just be, and equipping them so they want to. Hang out with your friends, get a shave, brow wax, manicure, have a coffee, bring your laptop. Sort of a Starbucks with beauty services. Obviously, cities are better suited to this kind of thing, and you’d need to very carefully plan the space so as to accommodate the non-revenue generating area. But if you can do it in a place with rents as high as New York City, you can do it anywhere.
I’d love to hear from anyone who is doing business in a new and different way!
Posted in Observations | 1 Comment »
One of my favorite things about the spa industry is the wide array of interesting people that I meet. Doesn’t seem like anyone sets out to be in the spa industry, but we all end up here somehow. I am always interested in learning more about the winding road that brings us together, and thought maybe you would be too. There are so many great people out there, who’ve had a lot of bright ideas over the years, so we’re introducing a new feature to the SpaTrade website called “Bright Spots.” Stop by each week, and you’ll be able to virtually meet someone in the industry that we’re highlighting. I hope you like this feature, and if you have a suggestion for me of someone to include, send me a note at lstarr@spatrade.com.
 Jan Freitag is Vice President of Global Development for STR Global, leaders in market share analysis and data collection for the hospitality industry. Jan has spent the last few years getting to know the spa industry and encouraging us to examine our data!
How many years have you been involved in the spa/hospitality industry?
I started presenting spa data in 2006, so that was probably the start in the spa industry. I did an apprenticeship in a Moevenpick hotel in 1989 and have been in the hotel industry ever since.
What was the path that led you into the spa industry?
Mary Tabacchi invited me to a Cornell Spa Symposium and talked me into presenting, although at the time we had no data on spas at all. But, you can never say no to Mary, so I went and came up with a presentation that got the dialogue going.
What is your favorite place in the whole world?
Toss up between Mii Amo in Sedona (for the scenery) and Miraval in Tucson (for the experience).
If you could have any profession in the world, other than what you do now, what would you be?
I always wanted to go into space, so astronaut would be my choice. Thanks to Virgin Galactic, this may come true after all . . .
What is your motto or concept that you live by?
“Life is Service. The one who progresses is the one who gives his fellow man a little more, a little better service.” E.M. Statler
What is your most treasured possession?
Memories from my trips. And signed pictures of The Wrapped Reichstag by Christo.
What’s your go-to spa treatment?
Gentlemen’s Facial.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Staying in shape.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would like to remember names more easily, I am having a really hard time with that.
Tell us two things about yourself we don’t know.
My last name means “Friday” in German and that is what my car license plate says, “Friday.”
I try to start each day with a 6:00am, 20 lap swim, even (especially) when I am on the road.
Posted in Bright Spots | No Comments »
 The 16th annual ISPA Media Event was held last week in New York City. Twelve resort and destination spas transformed the Cipriani 42nd St Event Venue into a haven of relaxation for the attending members of the print, trade, broadcast and digital press.
Each spa set up a booth and featured a service for the journalists to try. Among the most popular were the Shamanic Dreamwork interpretations, courtesy of The Lodge at Woodloch, the Qi Grounding service from Miraval, and Wild Chamomile and Ancient Cedar Pedissage from Aspira The Spa. Fun and interesting services were also provided by:
- The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa
- Kohler Waters Spa
- Lake Austin Spa Resort
- Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
- Massage Envy
- Mohonk Mountain House
- Montage Resort & Spa
- Rancho La Puerta
- The Spa at Trump
Corporate sponsors Hay House and Precor joined gift bag sponsor Spa Week in ensuring the guests were well fed and refreshed and loaded up with spa goodies. Hopefully, the event will spark an increase in press coverage for these and other new services available in spas in the near future.
Posted in Show Notes | 1 Comment »
One of my favorite things about the spa industry is the wide array of interesting people that I meet. Doesn’t seem like anyone sets out to be in the spa industry, but we all end up here somehow. I am always interested in learning more about the winding road that brings us together, and thought maybe you would be too. There are so many great people out there, who’ve had a lot of bright ideas over the years, so we’re introducing a new feature to the SpaTrade website called “Bright Spots.” Stop by each week, and you’ll be able to virtually meet someone in the industry that we’re highlighting. I hope you like this feature, and if you have a suggestion for me of someone to include, send me a note at lstarr@spatrade.com.
 Paula Simpson combines a background in health, nutrition and fitness with experience planning weight loss and longevity programs for spas, and is a co-founder and formulator of GliSODin Skin Nutrients.
How many years have you been involved in the spa/hospitality industry?
I have worked with both the spa and medical aesthetic industry for 8 years now.
What was the path that led you into the spa industry?
I consulted as a Nutrition Expert & Personal Trainer throughout my nutrition studies. The majority of my clients were seeking to lose weight and look their best. I later accepted a position as the Nutrition Director for a wellness center focused on spa and weight loss. I turned this facility into a Physician Recommended Medical Spa that became a successful franchise. (more…)
Tags: industry, interview, professional profile
Posted in Bright Spots | No Comments »
This week, SpaFinder hosted a “spa tasting” event at their Park Avenue offices for about 250 media and spa folks. The Clodagh-designed offices were the perfect setting for spa services, as each of the 7 participating spas converted an office into a spa suite and gave “taster” services, which were enjoyed by everyone along with the delicious hors d’oeuvres provided by Susan Lawrence catering, and bar provided by Emperor’s Brand. (more…)
Tags: special events, treatments
Posted in Announcements | No Comments »
 Kristi Konieczny founded The Spa Buzz to provide a compelling way to gather spa industry leaders together regionally, create opportunities for the development of strong relationships and to help the spa community prosper.
How many years have you been involved in the spa/hospitality industry?
11 years, wow, I had to stop and think about it! Time goes way too fast!
What was the path that led you into the spa industry?
I was recruited to work in the spa industry from the fitness side of wellness. Prior to my job in spa, I had been teaching fitness classes, doing personal training, and helping companies to work on their corporate wellness strategies; spa was completely foreign to me. What was supposed to be predominately fitness was in actuality mostly spa. I was so embarrassed when I was told that to hire Massage Therapists I would have to get a massage! Needless to say, I was on the phone a lot with colleagues. I had always wanted to participate in regional networking but there was nothing available at the time. While in operations, I never had the time to organize anything, so when I left my spa job, I decided it was my opportunity to create consistent and on-going gatherings. (more…)
Tags: industry, interview, professional profile
Posted in Bright Spots | 1 Comment »
Is there truth to the “morning person” moniker? How do you know if you are a “morning person”, a “night owl,” or somewhere in between? Chances are that by this stage in your life, you probably have a good sense of this, and you probably recognize these same traits in your staff members. In the workplace, the morning person is generally considered to be a “go-getter,” showing up for work bright-eyed and bushy tailed, full of energy and ideas. Then you’ve got your “evening people,” who stroll in around mid-day and still seem like they’re not quite ready for work. It may sound stereotypical, but if you have salon employees, you may relate to this! (more…)
Tags: staff
Posted in Observations | 2 Comments »
While the main growth area for the spa industry may lie in attracting the millions of folks who have still never enjoyed a spa service, now doesn’t seem like the time to rollout a new spa marketing program. Most consumer-oriented businesses today have some version of a loyalty or rewards program, with the idea being they’ll cement relationships with the clients they’ve already got. It certainly is more cost-effective to have clients who already know and love you come in more frequently, or spend more each time that they come, than to try to cast a wide net to draw in more clients. But the cost/value ratio of rewards programs can be difficult to measure, and if your program is not planned correctly, it can even have a negative effect. (more…)
Tags: clients, marketing
Posted in Observations | 1 Comment »
One of my favorite things about the spa industry is the wide array of interesting people that I meet. Doesn’t seem like anyone sets out to be in the spa industry, but we all end up here somehow. I am always interested in learning more about the winding road that brings us together, and thought maybe you would be too. There are so many great people out there, who’ve had a lot of bright ideas over the years, so we’re introducing a new feature to the SpaTrade website called “Bright Spots.” Stop by each week, and you’ll be able to virtually meet someone in the industry that we’re highlighting. I hope you like this feature, and if you have a suggestion for me of someone to include, send me a note at lstarr@spatrade.com.
Bruce and Marti Schoenberg of Oasis Spas in the New York City area.
How many years have you been involved in the spa/hospitality industry?
I’ve been in the spa industry since 1998, but the event and trade show industry since 1977. (more…)
Tags: industry, interview, professional profile
Posted in Bright Spots | 2 Comments »
 Jeremy McCarthy, Starwood VP and academic, brings his unique thoughtfulness to the spa industry.
How many years have you been involved in the spa/hospitality industry?
Over twenty years.
What was the path that led you into the spa industry?
I started out with a passion for fitness. I was a personal trainer and a competitive triathlete. My college job was as a lifeguard at a swimming pool at a luxury resort in Southern California. I became the pool supervisor and eventually the activities director and then the property added a small spa, which became my first. I was excited because there was a small fitness center, but I had no idea what I was getting into with the rest of it. (more…)
Tags: industry, interview, professional profile, spa director
Posted in Bright Spots | No Comments »
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approach to service is plenty popular. Walking through Bloomingdales in New York last week, I stopped by the Benefit Brow Bar. It’s a cute little nook off of the main cosmetics floor, where they wax, tweeze, and shape brows, no appointment needed. In fact, there are drugstores in New York that are offering that same service now. I know I’ve mentioned in previous blogs the Bumble & Bumble Styling Bar, also in Bloomingdales cosmetics department, not 100 feet away from the brow bar. You just walk up and get your hair styled, no appointment needed and presto, you’re gorgeous. And I’ll bet that once your hair looks good, you need to invest in some new cosmetics to go with it.
