Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1315477
Listen to the ASCP Esty Talk podcast ascpskincare.com/podcasts 61 LESSONS FROM THE SPA BIZ One of the highlights of my own career in the spa business was bringing together—for the very first time—the leaders of regional spa groups from across the country at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. That was five years ago, and it felt great to help create that level of collaboration and networking. Yet recently, while addressing the spa community, I realized the biggest plus to come out of the pandemic for the spa and wellness industry is a renewed sense of community. In my 30 years in the industry, I have never witnessed such camaraderie. Nearly 100 volunteer spa leaders from a number of hotel brands, including Accor, Four Seasons, Marriott, and Montage, put their heads together—and their competitive spirits aside—to work on the International Spa Association's (ISPA) well-received COVID-19 Reopening Toolkit that debuted in April. WAVE OF THE FUTURE Our community continues to grow. Just a few regional groups that have sprung up recently are the Colorado Spa & Wellness Association (CSWA)/Rocky Mountain Spa & Wellness Association (ROMOSA), founded by Holleigh Alexander-Ramsey; the Northeast Spa Association, founded by Christine Mathes; the Northern California Spa Professionals Network (NorCal SPA), a collaboration of 30-plus spa professionals; and the Southeast Spa Wellness Association (SESPAA), founded by Alena Stavnjak and Liliana Grajales. "This new type of competitor collaboration is the wave of the future," says Alison Abbott, director of spa and wellness for the Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa, California, and co-founder of NorCal SPA. "As we began to collaborate and share our goals, our dreams, and our intentions, we realized how incredibly powerful Find Your Tribe Regional organizations can offer members growth, inspiration, and a way to engage in the greater good of your industry. Here are just a few to check out. None in your area? Consider starting your own. • Arizona Spa & Wellness Association • California's iConnection • Florida Spa & Wellness Association • Hawaii Spa Association • Las Vegas Spa Association • New York Spa Alliance our unified voice could be in working together toward our long-term goals." "This year has awakened a whole new awareness of the meaning of community," says my dear friend Bonnie Baker, past president of the Green Spa Network, and managing partner at the Satteva Group. "With heightened political differences and dependence on technologies for more of our interactions, the potential threats to our personal well-being come from more than one source. Community inherently is inclusive; now more than ever, the feeling of fellowship is a vital part of our collective immunity, our strength, and potential."