Getting your spa staff to sell retail has been in the Top 3 spa business challenges category for decades! But somehow, we think our low involvement still warrants high expectations…….what?? With your dedication, these 5 systems to Robust Retail will provide you with a measurable, impressive payoff.   1. Discover: Use Your Good Sense(s) to […]

I’ve been writing about the dangers of Discount Sites more than a year. My first blog post on the subject “Groupon Gripes” featured opinions from industry experts concerned with the long-term implications of deep discounting. Since that time, the trend towards discounting has only gotten more pronounced. The 2011 Global Spa Report by Coyle Hospitality Group […]

If not every day then probably several times a week, you have the opportunity to visit a highly successful retailer. By my definition, that is a retail location that maximizes the revenue per square foot on a consistent basis. No doubt you have been in a drug store, a local grocery store, or even a […]

I was honored to say a few words about Universal Companies’ sustainability initiatives at the 4th Annual Green Spa Network Fall Congress. My hope is our efforts will inspire other companies to find their green path.  My motivation for “greening” Universal was a 2007 Fast Company article where the author referred to the “Eco-Innovation Revolution.” […]

On my recent adventure to Peru, I had the opportunity to visit a traditional weaving community in an ancient Andean village. Chincero is one of several small communities located throughout Southern Peru supported by the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco. The center is a hub for cultural and technical interchange among weavers, and promotes […]

Once a year, a very special group of spa professionals choose to convene and collaborate towards raising the awareness of sustainability in our industry.  This year, against a majestic backdrop of fall foliage and a snow-capped mountain range, Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort hosted the annual congress of the Green Spa Network with almost 70 people […]

I was speaking with a close friend the other day about my passion for writing, and during our conversation she informed me that I am a “technical writer”.  I know my work doesn’t always attract an audience looking for “light” reading, but I didn’t know my style of writing actually had a name.  I have […]

I just returned from the 4th Annual Green Spa Network Fall Congress at Sundance Resort. It was wonderful to spend time with such passionate and inspirational spa and sustainability professionals. Universal Companies was a sponsor of the event and has supported the organization from the beginning. One of the many fascinating people I met was […]

For years, we had a department at Preston Wynne we called “housekeeping.” I don’t know why or how this name was chosen, because I remember that at first we called the folks who did this job “spa attendants.” It was difficult to find Housekeepers, thought we did have one person who was with us in […]

I just returned from a trip to Peru, where I had the opportunity to spend several days at Willka T’ika, an eco-retreat in the Sacred Valley of the Inca. The rooms and yoga studios are built around “Chakra Gardens”–seven gardens that correspond to the chakras of the energetic body. The gardens provide a bounty of […]