Interview with Paula Perkins: innovation, success strategies, and emerging trends in the wellness sector
For over three decades, Paula Perkins has worked at the highest level of the Wellness industry.
Her extensive global experience spans across the 5-star luxury hotel, wellness, and SPA sectors, where she has provided comprehensive consultancy on all phases of SPA development, including concept creation, planning, detailed design, pre-opening, and ongoing operational management.
With an unwavering passion for the industry, meticulous attention to detail, and an innovative approach to both service and solutions, she has guided some of the most prestigious city SPAs, resorts, residential facilities, and wellness retreats—creating inspiring, award-winning experiences where individuals can relax and heal in exceptional spaces. She ensures that her clients benefit from a strong return on investment and that team well-being is given the priority it deserves.
The SPA and Wellness industry is constantly evolving, something that continues to both fascinate and drive Paula every day. She analyzes the latest exciting developments, anticipates future trends, and ensures she understands the changing needs of wellness consumers.
Her goal is always to make a positive impact on individuals’ health, support the well-being of the planet, and ensure continued commercial success for her clients.
Paula, your SPA and Wellness industry career began as a therapist and then progressed to consultancy across luxury global SPA design, development and management projects.
The differences between these roles is vast, though what has this experience of both sides of the industry brought to your work today?
There are, unquestionably, some huge differences between the roles. As you suggest though, my career as a therapist and progress through SPA businesses provided several distinct, unique and very important benefits for my consultancy.
I have first hand knowledge of what working in a SPA (both in the UK and abroad) is like from the grassroots: the emotional and physical effects of working 7-8 hour days in a treatment room with so many different clients, day-to-day dynamics of team management, evolving education and recruitment needs, plus the flexibility, leadership and strategic thinking needed as a SPA Director.
All this, and more, influence the recommendations I make and decisions I take regarding SPA and Wellness project design and development. Championing back of house spaces that therapists can use to re-energise and improving SPA staff wellbeing are a top priority in all my projects. I passionately believe both are crucial to a SPA’s success and, ultimately, long-term profitability.
You’ve spent almost three decades working within the topmost echelons of the SPA industry in SPAs spanning different continents.
What SPA management differences have you observed between the USA, Europe, Asia, and Middle East regions?
Cultural differences and characteristics of both your location and team are the biggest and most important difference between these regions. A SPA manager must have a true and detailed understanding of these, and adjust how they lead accordingly. Ultimately, regardless of how stunning the SPA design or how opulent the setting, the team you have in place will make the biggest difference to your clients’ experiences.
Of course, in today’s SPA and wellness industry, cultural differences don’t just happen across regions, but also within them. Therefore, great SPA management is also about understanding the individual needs of each team member; their motivations and personal career drivers as well as their cultural differences. In the same team, you will have staff working to send the majority of their income home to family (perhaps in another continent) alongside others aspiring to become leaders themselves. The role must offer dynamic, inspirational guidance and educational input as their manager must flex to develop each SPA team member to fulfil their best self.
Your consultancy experience extends across the whole SPA and Wellness industry spectrum, from international 5-star hotel groups to luxury, boutique, independent sites. What are the key differences you notice working with each?
The first and most important question I ask every project I undertake is “what does success look like for you?”. Independent sites are, more often than not, personal passion projects. I then go deeper - is this about leaving a legacy for a certain location, a desire to win awards or secure a certain financial return to lead to bigger projects? Every nuance of what success means to an owner requires its own approach to design, development and management.
Inevitably, passion projects result in independent owners being involved in absolutely every detail and decision. For groups, this is largely delegated down from owners. Budgets are often quite different too. Within a group, these can be quite strict and fixed. For independent clients, if they see an investment will deliver long-term benefit and gain, budgets usually flex.
Standards and operation protocols are another key difference. Larger hotel groups follow established formats, they have done considerable due diligence over the years, have preferred suppliers and know who they wish to work with across the different parts of the project. For my independent clients, I guide them on all of this, making recommendations from my own experience and setting out recommended standards and operation protocols for them from scratch.
Some readers may expect individual flair and sense of place to be another difference, with independent sites more inclined to seek this. It’s not necessarily the case. So many large hotel groups I work with categorically seek this too. Yes, there’s a group SPA vision and goal, but locality is just as key for each and every site.
Balancing client needs, architects’ creativity, and other consultants’ requirements can be challenging.
What communication and relationship management strategies do you use to optimise these dynamics and ensure the SPA's success?
SPA development is a hugely complex balancing act yet, always, the most successful projects stem from a genuinely collaborative effort. This is my strategy from the start, every time. I foster a true team culture, ensure all are clear on the owner’s vision, aligned with it and see the interplay of their role with others to collectively create it.
Through the whole project, I’m completely transparent and supportive in my communication with all parties. My 25+ years of development and consultancy experience has enabled me to understand incredibly well the challenges each of them face and I make it clear how respectful I am of the role they play.
Finally, it’s all about maintaining momentum; keeping the project moving forwards together. It requires very responsive timescales, no unnecessary delays, full focus and always exceptionally high standards. Yes, it’s demanding for all project parties, but it’s a strategy that always brings out the best.
Have you ever found yourself involved in a crisis situation, like a ‘Hell’s SPA’ (parody of Hell’s Kitchen)?
If so, how did you manage and turn things around?
Oh goodness, nothing quite so dramatic as Hell’s Kitchen! However, I’m often appointed by projects who perhaps feel they have lost or are losing their direction, their concept might be confused or their team disillusioned. They require a deep understanding of where their SPA business currently is, a total business review and clear strategy for successful future development. I deliver precisely this.
I deep dive into the owner’s new vision or the changes management are hoping to achieve. I mystery shop the SPA, hold individual interviews with pivotal team members and then put forward my recommendations. It might be simple training and development, equipment or product renewal and team restructuring right through to a marketing and PR rebrand or even full refurbishment.
I don’t stop there though. Change can be uncomfortable for everyone so, once we agree on the direction, I communicate it through every layer of the SPA business - from SPA attendants to General Manager - ensuring all stand for the same vision for change. Then I stay and support them until it's achieved.
18 years of your career was spent working for ESPA International, one of the world's leading SPA design and consultancy businesses.
What are the advantages and challenges of working within a large, global organisation compared to operating as an independent consultant?
I consider myself very fortunate indeed to not only have had the opportunity to work for ESPA, but also be directly mentored by incredible SPA visionary leader Sue Harmsworth. Her devotion to the SPA and Wellness industry, and understanding of where it has always been leading to, is unrivalled. She is a true inspiration to me. I’m also very lucky to have worked with such an exceptionally passionate, dynamic and dedicated ESPA team. Without this experience at ESPA, I wouldn’t be the SPA and Wellness consultant I am today.
After 18 years though, I knew it was time to spread my wings and work differently. In the 9 years I have been independent, I’ve continued to grow personally and professionally - just in a different way. Working independently brings me the advantage of being able to get involved in a much more diverse range of projects, collaborate with many interesting individuals, pivot quickly and flexibly in my project work - something clients appreciate enormously and something not always possible in large corporate structures. I’ve started with small-scope projects and built strong client relationships, which has brought future, extended project opportunities. From day one of going independent, I’ve never had to look for work; everything has come via recommendation which is the most rewarding feeling.
Of course, having previously been surrounded by my supportive ESPA team, the one challenge of working independently is isolation. I overcome this by regularly attending SPA industry events and meeting industry professionals for brainstorming and catch-ups.
We are deeply grateful to Paula Perkins for sharing her inspiring journey and expertise with us. It has been a true pleasure to hear about her vision and approach to work. We wish her continued success in shaping exceptional SPA experiences and leading innovation in the Wellness industry.
Team aquaform®
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