conversations With
If you’ve attended an ISPA
Conference & Expo, you’ve
likely met or been taught
by dr. Bryan Williams .
A perennial favorite
among ISPA members,
Williams and his
impactful education
sessions on service
and leadership excel-
lence have been
constant figures at ISPA
Conferences each fall. In
recognition of his contribu-
tions to the ISPA community,
Williams will be honored with
this year’s IsPA Dedicated
Contributor Award.
Pulse spoke with Williams
about his career in spa and
hospitality, what the award
means to him and how spa
has changed over the past 13
years.
40
PULSE
■
jUnE 2019
Bryan Williams
Pulse: Can you tell me more about your career path
and how you initially became involved with ISPA?
Dr. Bryan Williams: i grew up working in the
luxury hotel business, primarily with ritz-
carlton hotels. i was fortunate to
have 17 roles, ranging from
busboy to Global corporate
Director of Training and
organizational Effectiveness.
When i started my speaking
and consulting business in
2006, iSPa was one of the
first conferences and the
first spa conference that i
spoke at. The iSPa Director
of Education at the time
emailed me to inquire about
my speaking because she had
recently seen an article that i wrote
about the “Voice of the customer.”
P: And what was that first conference like?
W: although i had been a professional speaker for multiple years as
that point, i was super nervous! By God’s grace, the session turned
out to be a major success, and i distinctly remembered more and
more people pouring into the training room during the session until
there were no more seats and people were standing all around the
room and out through the door! Then, there was a long line of
attendees waiting to thank me for the session. i had never
witnessed such a display of eagerness to learn mixed with immense
gratitude. it was a humbling experience.
“I distinctly remembered more
and more people pouring into
the training room during the
session until there were no
more seats.”