Ups and Downs of working in a Spa

[Pure Jersey]

Since I am looking for some reliable work, I have applied for some spa jobs. I was wondering for those of you out there who HAVE worked for/with a spa, what was your experience like? Was it good? Was it bad? How was the pay/perks? How were you treated? What did you like most about the job? Least? Any advice out there? I feel strongly I am much better suited for working with a Chiropractor however I really need to be working evenings (I have a 2 year old and don't want to sacrifice my days with him). Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[Molly Holly is a Hottie.]

Ups and Downs of working in a Spa

I have at worked at spas where I loved it and was treated great, and also the exact opposite. It really depends on who you are working for and with. But don't think you won't be doing any therapeutic work. I would say fully 75% of my work in spas in involves working targeted areas that are causing people pain. And you may discover that spa treatments like wraps, scrubs, and other specialty treatments can be a fun way to break up your day. And even when I'm doing a "fufu" spa treatment like a body wrap, I still do therapeutic pain relief bodywork on their neck.

One of the greatest benefits of working for someone else when you first start out is that you will get to see how they run their business, what they do right and what they do very wrongly. You can find out, without risking your own investment, exactly how you would NEVER run your business. Even if you're working at a spa and plan to have a private home practice, there are still similarities that you can learn from. What equipment in the treatment rooms do you never use, what equipment do you want to make sure you have? What product sucks, what's awesome? What huge mistakes do they make in how they treat their clients? etc etc.

Even if you work at a spa where everything is terrible, not that I would choose that if I knew ahead of time, but you will still learn very valuable lessons about how to run your business in the future.

 

[trenardy]

Ups and Downs of working in a Spa

You can find out, without risking your own investment, exactly how you would NEVER run your business.

AMEN!

 

[WWE Bragging Rights]

Ups and Downs of working in a Spa

You can find out, without risking your own investment, exactly how you would NEVER run your business.

Since you own your own spa, I am surprised you would emphasize this instead of the positive learnings. By inference, your team is working for you to learn how NOT to run their future businesses. Not a very flattering thought.

This also assumes the employees are in a position to understand fully the business practices and decisions. And I don't mean because they haven't been told -- they just don't/won't get it.

i am sure you can find legions of our former employees who would tell you they would never require massage therapists to sell retail, let alone terminate someone for not meeting their sales goals, and to do so is just stupid or mean or short-sighted or anti-therapist, blah blah blah.

the average spa -- according to ISPA's recent report -- only has 11% of their revenue from retail sales. At our spa in VA, we are 50%.

What business owner would say "NO" to 40% more revenue?

Someone who thinks have sales goals is just stupid or mean or short-sighted or anti-therapist, blah blah blah.

 

[kja63]

Ups and Downs of working in a Spa

R&R... FWIW, I believe her point (or at least my amen to her comment), is in regard to working for someone who does do it poorly. In that case, youu see what you want to do different when it comes to opening your own practice. It gives you reference. It doesn't mean that everyone runs their spa poorly.