Spa Consulting As A Career- What are your interests and how can you make it into lifelong earning?

I will start off by stating some updated statistics from our industry on spa attendance and growth. If you haven’t already seen these you can follow up with the full study at ISPA.

ISPA report estimates 100 million global spa-goers

“The international spa association has revealed preliminary finding from its 2007 spa industry study. According to the consumer report, ISPA estimates that there are nearly 100 million active spa-goers worldwide. The most popular treatments include facials, saunas, and steambaths and full body massages.The consumer report research was drawn from 12 countries including Japan, Italy, Thailand, Spain, the UK and the US. According to the spa industry study, as of July this year, there were 14,600 spas in the US, representing a 6 per cent growth from August 2006, when there were 13,800. Day spas remain the most prevalent spa type. In 2006, the US spa industry generated an estimated US$9.4bn in revenue, expanding at what ISPA chair Jim Root described as a “healthy, steady pace.” The complete studies will be released at the 2007 ISPA Conference & Expo on 12-15 November in Florida, US. “

This excerpt was pulled from the Spa Opportunities Magazine, and Spa Business Magazine news. Both great resources for you to follow what is progressing in spa development, the worldwide reach and influence of spas, along with recruiting information and opportunities. So if your serious about making a position for yourself in the spa industry, this is a great resource for a head start. So now we know we still have a large following of spa-goer’s, which means there will continue to be a need for trained spa employee’s. There are many positions within the industry that can satisfy your love of health and beauty in an aesthetic environment with your natural talents and job task preferences. Now how do you decide if this industry fits you as a career choice?

A- You roll the dice, literally, and hope for your lucky number

B- You’ve just been fired from your previous job, and you like going to spas anyway, so what the heck?

C- You’ve enjoyed a background in hospitality, healthcare, fitness, or beauty and want to combine your talents

D- You have a passion to help people, and continue to learn.

Maybe it’s a little bit of all of those things, plus a lot more, but ultimately you will need to find fits best with your current experience. You may need to make a decision if you will get more training to reach a position you may want, like, Spa Director, or Spa Consultant. There is currently a shortage of well trained therapists and treatments specialists in some geographical areas abroad, along with a shortage in experienced managers and directors.

What are your options?

A- Front line; Spa receptionist, retail sales, support staff, make up artist, yoga/pilates instructor…..

B- Back line; Spa attendant, therapists, estheticians, specialists, cleaning crew, support staff….

C- Management; Spa Manager/Director, Owner, Spa Type Corporation(resorts, hotels, retreat, wellness, etc)
D- Spa writer, Spa Architect, Spa Consultant, Product sales, Equipment source, Spa Treatment Trainer, Industry Speaker….

There are more options to get into this industry than those listed above, but at least this gives you a list to see where you might fall in line with an opportunity that best fits you.

Being in the spa and hospitality industry for 10 years, I have gotten to a point where I’ve decided that there are certain aspects that fit with my talents better than others. I now focus on spa mentoring and consulting for new and existing spas, along with being an educator in the industry on everything from spa and body treatments to spa growth and business tips. How did I end up here? I wanted to have an easily transferable skill that would allow me to work and travel. I also wanted to be healthy, provide therapy, and continue to learn how to help other people do the same. I was recently interviewed by beauty industry writer, Leah Patterson on this very topic, and what I would say to others looking to get into this industry. You can also see some of my past presentations at conferences and expo’s like, IECSC, and Spa and Resort Expo. My calendar seems to be filling up with more educational events that I hope you will join me for. Coming up we have Spa Training Seminars, Massage Trends, Women’s Entrepreneurial Conference, local wellness retreats, and I will start out 2008 with a great presentation at the Day Spa Expo.

Spas, wellness, and health are a big focus in our lives as we continue to seek long lasting balance and enjoyment of the time we have here. It’s a steadily growing industry that allows for quite a bit a flexibility and ingenuity. I’ve included some great resources for you to find out more on some immediate training options. I hope to inspire you and perhaps launch you into a new career. It’s one I’ve enjoyed, and hope to continue to be an innovator in for many years. I always encourage touching base with those looking to enter this industry, and have great options for mentoring people in these positions. This is a start, now it’s up to you where you want to go.

You can look into options like Spa Management Training, Spa Consultant Training, International Certifications and local Spa/Massage and Wellness schools.

Happy Spa-ing!