Sarah Ronchetti has been Head of Spa Development at Temple Spa for 13 years and has extensive experience of what makes this industry really tick.
If I could drop my younger self a line to hopefully give her inspiration, a few pearls of wisdom and some positive motivation as she started out on her career in the spa industry, what would I say?
I’d hope she would find what I tell her useful, especially when she heard what I have found positive/what worked for me and, far more importantly, what has not!
If I was brand new in the industry now, I know I would find it so very different to when I began
If I was brand new in the industry now, I know I would find it so very different to when I began. These days, you see everywhere words I seldom came across when I set out. Words like wellness, sustainability, nutraceutical and ethical – all words that now really matter in our industry in terms of being differentiators.
So I’d tell me younger self, and anyone starting out in this industry, to learn these words, understand them, use them and make them your friends!
I am struck by some key personal attributes that I have seen working and have used myself. Being smart and polished in appearance at all times at work has been invaluable to me. People don’t always expect it, but they certainly remember it. It is easy to ‘dress down’ quickly after you’ve met your audience, but it is impossible to ‘dress up’ if you suddenly realise you’re not smart enough.
Remembering people and some details about them is a hugely valuable skill
Being on top form personally – I mean being friendly and engaging to everyone from the very start: positive, genuinely interested, showing you’re well-informed in the industry (and that you are well connected, too) is a huge help on any occasion. All of this makes you authentic and gives you credibility.
I wish I had learned sooner that remembering people and some details about them is a hugely valuable skill. If you don’t remember faces and names easily, my advice is to take and keep notes. It shows people that they’re memorable, important and interesting to you. Personal relationship building is the key to success in so very many things in life.
Don’t be afraid of failure. There are inevitably going to be bumps in your career road; life is just like that. Try to treat every mistake or little failure as part of your journey to success. Embrace the errors but crucially don’t dwell on them. Learn from them and move on. “No” is a little word that can’t hurt you! And celebrate your successes – it lifts your spirits and it makes you hungry for more of the same. Success really does create more success.
Being one step ahead at the end of one day leaves you ready to seize unexpected opportunities
Having a very strong work ethic just works! Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today, even if it means you work an extra hour or two. You will never hear me say that sleep is overrated but being one step ahead at the end of one day leaves you ready to seize unexpected opportunities that might arise the next.
Lastly, remember that to stay fresh in your work you do need to switch off so you can re-energise. I rarely go to spas or hotels when I am not working but I do spend quality time with the love of my life – my wonderful Black Labrador, Mr.Bojangles!
Let me finish by saying to you the area I feel is most challenging for our industry is personnel. We are already an industry fundamentally short of trained professionals to staff and deliver all the fantastic treatments and experiences in the ever-increasing number of wonderful spas we are creating. We all need to work to encourage as many people as possible to look at the spa industry as one in which they can have a long-term, fulfilling, rewarding and enjoyable career.”
