addressing predicted management
shortages in the spa and wellness
industry.
Developed in response to a 2012 study
addressing market gaps in spa
management, researchers explored ways
to spotlight available job opportunities.
While the hiring dilemma continued
to seem unsolvable, spa professionals
began digging deeper over the shortfall of
qualified candidates, asking themselves,
“How can we instill longevity within the
spa industry?”
Kate Mearns, a Global Regional
Director of GWI’s Global Mentorship
Program, Principal Consultant at 5 Spa
Consulting and longtime ISPA member,
explained that the goal of GMP is to
engage experienced managers with newer
managers to foster and sustain profes-
sional growth. She says the mentorship
program falls heavily on education
regarding the inadequacy of staffing levels.
“This is a real barrier to continue to
grow and sustain our businesses,” Mearns
commented on the management shortage
topic. “We saw there was a huge deficit of
therapists, nail technicians and estheti-
cians and knew we could make a bigger
impact to slice the pie down by working
with managerial positions.”
Mearns explains that the program is
not meant to do more than connect,
support and guide mentees in preparation
of one day becoming spa managers and
directors.
“We wanted to give our educators an
accessible resource that allows them to
connect with and collaborate on the
future success of our industry,” Mearns
remarked. “The role of the mentor is to
guide and provide resources, knowledge
and opportunities to help the mentee
create a successful path.”
Jean-Guy de Gabriac, Global
Mentorship Program Chair and CEO of
Tip Touch, says he saw the management
labor pool problem as a call to take
action, emphasizing how badly the
industry needs not only better managers,
but better leaders – where ISPA members
truly shine.
2.
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