Pulse January / February 2019 | Page 36

“I would start on the project earlier. We began this process in April 2018 with the goal of launching the Lava Mala collection in September, just in time for the ISPA Conference & Expo. That gave us only five months to get everything done. We all worked incredibly hard… it was definitely tight. If I could do it over again, I would choose to start any type of creative collaboration at least nine months—preferably a year—in advance of the desired launch date,” Compton noted. Last October, The HydraFacial Company launched a new partnership with Circadia by Dr. Pugliese, which focuses on skin health related to Circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycle in the human physiological process. HydraFacial manufactures aesthetic devices used in 87 countries to deliver treatments to more than two million clients per year. With the new collaboration, Circadia’s Chrono-Peptide Booster and ProTec Plus Booster are now available at HydraFacial providers across the United States. Circadia has a successful history in the advanced professional skincare industry, but this was the first relationship “combining our formula- tions with an innovative device company,” said Michael Pugliese, CEO and president. “We are thrilled to expand our portfolio of customized treatment solutions, integrating these exceptional Circadia formulas with the HydraFacial technology” said Clint Carnell, CEO of The HydraFacial Company, in a press release. “This is the first time our customized partnership solutions will be available at resorts and day spas.” This wasn’t serendipitous: it was a IS A PARTNERSHIP RIGHT FOR YOUR COMPANY? We talked to several spa industry leaders about how to create and drive a successful strategic partnership. Here are some top tips: 1. SEARCH FOR SUCCESS Instead of always creating a new team or product, look for companies with brands that are already successful, and consider how you can combine efforts. Don’t reinvent a wheel someone is already speeding on. 34 PULSE ■ January/February 2019 2. STUDY THE FIT “Meet in person to get a sense of whether your teams will work well together. The collab- orative energy among the team members working together is critical,” says Judith Compton, founder and creator at Mala and Mantra. Ann Brown, owner of Saltability, advises to “make sure you trust that person if you don’t have years of history.” Ask for referrals from current clients, past clients, anyone who can bring “honesty to the pairing.”