This IECSC post-conference all-day workshop left attendees asking for more!

Union City, NJ - The Mystery Spa Workshop, a joint presentation between The Day Spa Association and The International Medical Spa Association had attendants race to the bank.

Modeled after the Harvard Business School case study method, participants in the industry's first total immersion workshop were given 5 hours to create a start up plan for a day spa and then present it to the "Millville National Bank Loan Committee".

Participants were divided into 5 teams. Each team was given an information package that included demographics, location options, treatment options and basic financial information. They were then required to address the following in their presentation to "the bank":

(1) The kind of spa they wanted to be
(2) Their overall business strategy
(3) A name for the facility
(4) Choice of location and why
(5) Range of services
(6) A signature treatment
(7) Basic financial forecasts

Each group was comprised of people who had never met or worked together before. So, in addition to designing a spa, they also learned team-building skills. As part of that, they were required to select a separate spokesperson for each topic.

After hours of hard work - including several working breakout sessions and a working lunch - the groups presented their plan to Millville National Bank, whose lending officers were:

The winning team's members included Jeanne Stephens of Beaumont, TX, Debbie Schreindl of Marshfield, WI, Ellie Marlow of Fortson, GA, Cynthia McSharry of Los Angeles, CA and Leesa O'Keefe Perry of Princeville, HI. For presenting a highly focused and well organized plan, each won a 1-year complimentary membership of their choice in either the DSA (value $195) or the IMSA (value $295). They were also awarded a FREE location evaluation by Solana MedSpa (value several thousand dollars), a FREE consultation from Strawberry Hill Group (value $3,000); a FREE 1-hour consulting session from Resources & Development (value $125).

In addition all workshop participants were offered a 25% discount on an on-site consultation from The Strawberry Hill Group (value of $750), and $50 off the regular price of $149.99 for Resources & Developments' Ready-to-Use Business Tool CD "The Spa Business Plan w/Financials".

Participants had nothing but rave reviews for the workshop:

"This was the best learning experience I ever had …"
"…Well worth the money and time spent"
"I'm returning next year to continue this exercise."

Jeanne Stephens of Beaumont, Texas sent the following review to Hannelore Leavy, Executive Director of the Day Spa Association:

"The Las Vegas trade show event was marvelous.... and just when I thought it could not get any better, I took part in the Mystery Spa Workshop sponsored by The Day Spa & International Medical Spa Association. It was absolutely one of the best opportunities I could have ever hoped to participate in. I thought I had all my "ducks in a row" for opening a new business but I learned so much more at the training event that has proved invaluable.

"The workshop's team of experts gently guided us through a process of creation that was both empowering and simple. We learned how to create the spa of our dreams, work with various team members to achieve our goals, as well as how to make our presentation to a team of experts.
If you are thinking about expanding or developing your own business, I highly recommend this workshop - it may make a difference in the success or failure of your dreams ... do it, do it NOW."

The DSA + IMSA are planning to hold this very successful workshop model again as a post conference event during the IECSC in Las Vegas in 2005 and are working with other trade show organizers to fit it into their educational schedule throughout the 2005 tradeshow season and beyond.

For information on benefits belonging to The Day Spa Association and/or The International Medical Spa Association and how to become a member we invite you to:

Visit www.dayspaassociation.com or www.medicalspaassociation.org
Call 201-865-2065
Email: DaySpaAssn@aol.com or MedSpaAssn@aol.com.