Sauna and bathhouses are the hottest (pun intended!) topics in spa & wellness right now, and no business is hotter than Othership. Co-founder and CEO Robbie Bent shares the story of the amazing growth of the business, from his back yard to the newly opened 3rd location in Manhattan, and what he sees as the future of contrast therapy.

Have you incorporated generative AI into your life yet? We'll dive into how AI is being incorporated in the design, operations and fitness realms of the spa and wellness industry. Listen in as Vishal Patel of Sensei, Toby Ward of DFL and Enrico Manaresi from Technogym share how they are using AI to help their businesses work smarter and face the future. Hosted by the Consulting Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute.

You know those beautiful spreads of spas and hotels in glossy magazines? We speak with Angelina Villa-Clarke and Nicole Trilivas, who are writing many of them for Forbes, Travel & Leisure, The Robb Report, and more! These women have the job of a lifetime; they travel the world visiting luxury properties and trying out the amenities. We gain their perspective on what they look for in their spa and wellness experiences, what is a turnoff, and what trends they are seeing across the globe.

Scandinavia is often equated with saunas and contrast therapy, but it was always done individually; it is only of late that communal experiences have become more common. Travel with me to Norway as I visit the amazing water palace spa & hotel The Well and chat with Asst. GM Annete Ose, survive a Celtic Sweat Lodge ceremony at Farris Bad with Tim Jago, and meet with Ragna Marie Fjeld, a founder of the Oslo Sauna Association, which is bringing affordable sauna to the people!

With so many digital business promotion methods available, is it really necessary to have a website anymore? Connie Holen, Owner and Founder of Pixality Design, designs websites for wellness, fitness and yoga businesses, and shares her tips and tricks for effective web design and SEO practices, resulting in business promotion for both known and prospective clients.

Calculating the value of 11 different wellness industry sectors which total $5.6Trillion is no easy feat! Meet the knowledgeable leaders of the Global Wellness Institute research team, whose experience and determination make this feat a reality. Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston have spent the last 10 years providing perspective and scope so the rest of us can better understand our specific sectors, and the multitude of business possibilities before us, as the industry is forecast to grow another 52% by 2027!

No wellness industry trend report carries more weight than the GWS Future of Wellness. Recorded live at the press event unveiling in NYC, hear the 2024 trends accompanied by illuminating thoughts and opinions on the trends from some of the attending journalists and experts. You'll hear from Jonathan Leary, Remedy Place; Sara Jones, Spa & Wellness Mexicaribe; Erica Huss, All Too Well Media; Joe Holder, GQ Magazine; Heather Mikesell, Well Defined; Cathy Chon, Finn Partners; Jane Kitchen, Spa Business, and Mia Kyricos, Kyricos & Assoc. Order your copy of the report here. 

Sven Huckenbeck earned his Masters in Sports Science before venturing into the spa & hospitality world, so he possesses a unique skill set as both a business operator and a body technician. Currently the Spa Director at Inspiration Spa at Das Konig Ludwig Hotel in Bavaria, Sven discusses the creation of his BioBalance system for maintaining optimal physical and mental health.

We know consumers seek wellness in the general sense, but decided to dig down into trenches to learn how those desires are manifesting within the treatment room. We speak with celebrity esthetician and skincare expert Pietro Simone, massage expert Nicole Chryst, and Alisa and Mike McGlothlin, award-winning owners of an Ageless Fitness franchise, on what they're hearing from clients.

Among the estimated 180k spas in the world, massage therapy is universally the #1 requested service. And yet, post-COVID, few spas are operating with the desired number of massage therapists. John Morris, Corporate Director of Wisconsin's Sundara Spa, and Service Director Cassandra Stratton from Chicagoland's Mario Tricoci chain of spa/salons, share some innovative approaches to this ongoing challenge to revenue and profits.

From personal trainer to CEO/Owner of IDEA, the world's leading membership association for fitness and wellness professionals, powerhouse Amy Thompson shares her inspirational career path story, launching and growing numerous brands and programs. But she's not finished yet; hear about her exciting vision for the continued convergence of wellness and fitness and the debut of World-Active.

China's growth may have slowed recently, but it is still a force to be reckoned with. Second in the world in both population and economic might, the growing middle class in China is continuing to fuel interest in spa & wellness. Recorded live at the 2024 Spa China Summit, Johnny Chang of Spa Solutions TM, Laura Gamboa of Natura Bisse, and Yvonne Cheung of PA Wellness Consultancy share their first-hand views of the domestic spa industry.

Recorded live at the fall '23 North American Spa edition of We Work Well, Tania McCorkle of Garden of the Gods Resort & Club, and Lynne Hite of Four Seasons Westlake Village share their perspectives on how the spa industry continues to evolve, and how an avant-garde mindset can benefit business operations.

Everyone wants to be in the wellness business, but not everyone thinks ahead about the end game. Luckily, there is an expert in that too! Mitch McGinley, MBA, has both bought and sold a wellness business personally, and now advises buyers and sellers in the process of valuation, due diligence, sales prep and all of the fun paperwork! Listen to Mitch's sound advice on what to look for when buying, and how to prep your business for your next chapter.

An early love of nature and the outdoors has infused every aspect of Jennifer Walsh's entrepreneurial career path. From founding Beauty Bar to roles as an on-air beauty expert, wellness journalist, published author, strategic advisor, co-host of Biophilic Solutions Podcast and creator of Wellness Walks®, Jennifer has literally been "walking the walk," demonstrating the connection between nature and mental wellness, touching the lives of thousands along the way.

Seems like everyone is doing yoga today - and there are almost 50k studios, just in the U.S. But owning a studio is not as easy as it looks. Sure, your yoga class is busy, but then what? You still have to pay rent on the other 22 hours a day! Verge Yoga owner Carole McKeon shares her journey from fitness guru to yoga instructor and studio owner, and the joys and challenges along the way.

Now that one of the world's largest spa & beauty markets is finally reopened post-COVID, hear from SVP of Mandara Spa Trent Munday, Director of Spa Development for Natura Bisse Laura Gamboa, and Paul Keegan, Senior Int. Trainer for AlfaParf, on the current challenges and opportunities of business in China. Recorded live at the 15th annual Spa China Summit.

Turning her back on a successful career as a financial analyst, Myriam Giri created a future for herself in wellness, first beginning a product company HolyBlends, with healthy snacks and supplements made in France, and then moving to Riyadh and starting a consultancy for wellness businesses. She is particularly focused on nutrition and its impact on overall health, and is finding much opportunity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the citizens are embracing healthy lifestyles.

Patrick Tighe realized after personal experience that spa and wellness businesses needed an option to mitigate the already minimal risk for both client and business from non-invasive procedures. Coverwell by InjectSure® provides an easy and frictionless solution which helps to propel growth of these high-demand procedures.

Recorded live at the Medical Wellness Congess in Vienna, Austria, hear from 3 global experts on how the integration of spa, wellness and medicine is anticipated to evolve. We'll chat with Laszlo Puczko, Andrew Gibson and Emlyn Brown on their global perspectives and future vision for this growing field.

Entrepreneur and health-advocate Ross Bloom seized an opportunity to create something missing in the market; a wellness business that focused on individual care and treatment with a hospitality approach and beautiful environment. Almost 10 years into the journey, the biostation™ is flourishing and expanding. Bloom shares the story of the brand creation and growth, and the bright future ahead.

As the world continues to be obsessed with all things "wellness," it makes sense that the money will follow. Over the last several years, investment company CI Capital has purchased a string of high-profile wellness businesses and united them as Arch Amenity Group. We speak with Senior Vice Presidents Chris Griebe and Susan Grey on why CI Capital is so bullish on the wellness industry.

Technology evolution continues; the long-awaited Aescape system for robotic massage is coming soon to a spa or wellness center near you! Join us to hear about the 7+ years behind the development of this amazing device from SVP of Product Alex Linde and Paul Nunez, Director of Partnerships. Meant to augment hands-on treatments, the Aescape system gives a remarkably human massage. And it never calls in sick!

Often the future is best seen by those who benefit from the lens of past experience. Wellness Pioneer Anna Bjurstam shares her journey from celebrity fitness trainer to spa & wellness guru, creating global spa brands and most recently driving the renaissance of Six Senses Resorts. Anna enlightens us on radiesthesia, biohacking, biogeometry and energy healing, as well as what it means to be a pioneer, along the way.

Everyone is interested in mindfulness practices, but we don't always know where to start. What is meditation, exactly? And how do I know if I'm doing it "right?" Dr. Nina Smiley, Director of Mindfulness Programming at Mohonk Mountain House, walks us through the process, and supplies some excellent tips and tricks to get started.

When world-renowned wellness resort Chiva-Som decided to open a second location, they settled on a beautiful spot on the tip of Qatar, surrounded by the breezes of Arabian Gulf. Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som is a pioneer in Middle East wellness destinations and features full immersion of wellness services dedicated to promoting physical, mental, and emotional health, fully embracing the philosophy of Traditional Arabic & Islamic Medicine (TAIM). Director of Health & Wellness Sandie Johannessen shares the opening journey with us.

As spas, wellness, medical and fitness modalities continue to converge, business leaders need new strategies to stay ahead. Open a window into the future as Emlyn Brown, Global Head of Well-Being for Accor, Sara Codner, Senior Director of Spa & Wellness at Mandarin Oriental, and Kent Richards, Corporate Operations Director for Six Senses, share their insights and and plans for this competitive landscape for the coming year. This was recorded live during a webinar for We Work Well industry events in January 2023.

Spas play an important role in relaxation and stress relief for their guests, but sometimes we forget to focus on the mental wellness needs of our staffs and ourselves. Our guest, Professor Gerry Bodeker, is a public health researcher and academic specializing in lifespan wellness and integrative healthcare, who has worked over the decades with several UN organizations as well as global associations. Dr. Bodeker shares some insightful strategies to optimize selfcare for spa & wellness professionals.

Music is certainly a universal language, and we've all experienced how certain music can elicit a strong personal and emotional response. Researchers have continued to study the science behind the emotion, and Freddie Moross, the MD of Myndstream, explains how and why the company is using the research to enhance the artistic process, creating music designed to support wellness businesses and their clients.

Imagine spending 10-20 minutes per day to improve your brain function, lower stress, and improve creativity! Dr. Patrick Porter and team have created an effective and easy-to-use system, utilizing both software and optional hardware, that does just that. Listen in to the science behind BrainTap, and learn about the many ways this tool can be effective in spa and wellness settings, as well as for home use.

Massage is the most sought-after service in any spa, but that wasn't always the case! Join us as industry veteran C.G. Funk, former massage therapist and instructor, and current Senior Vice President of Culture and Industry Relations for Massage Heights, shares the evolution of massage within spa and wellness businesses, and sheds some light on the current therapist hiring challenges.

Many people dream of starting their own business, but this busy NYC marketing executive made her dreams become reality. Lisa Bare created and ran a very successful day spa in the Hudson Valley for almost twenty years, through financial downturns and pandemics, and the usual daily dramas, and still came out smiling! Listen in as Bare shares the lessons learned along the way.

We hear much talk about sustainability, but the concept of Wellness Architecture is less well-known. The Founder of Apostoli Studio, Alberto Apostoli, is a global leader in the field, having designed dozens of hospitality and spa projects around the world, including the multi-award winning Lefay Resorts. Apostoli discusses what defines wellness architecture, and how it contributes to a successful wellness business.

This global capital of 9 million is revered as a bastion of tradition and is home to some of the most iconic hotels in the world, but the recent strong growth in hospitality and wellness facilities brings more new properties and modern concepts to the marketplace. Hattie David-Wilkinson, Director of Spa for Claridges Hotel, and Taffryn Ellis Kinsey, Director of Wellness for Six Senses London, share their insights on the local market, trends and outlook post-Brexit.

Is the wellness bubble doing more damage than good? Tune in to hear wellness industry veteran Lisa Henry Jacobs delve into this and other questions for wellness professionals to consider. Jacobs brings a unique perspective amidst her own health challenges, and urges that we consider how wellness is baked into our business models, and the true impact we are having on our communities. We need to perpetuate the need to give back, but of course wellness is still a business at the end of the day.

Supply chain issues are still impacting businesses across the globe; at the We Work Well Hospitality event in Malta, we took a deep dive into the challenges this is creating for hospitality operators and suppliers in the EMEA market. Denis Karalic, Diderick Woltering, Mirko Habek and Rich Burden share their management strategies for the moment.

Since its 2014 inaugural report, the Global Wellness Economy Monitor has become the go-to source of comprehensive global wellness economy data for business leaders, researchers and the media. We visit with the brilliant researchers behind the data, who share their insights behind the post-pandemic findings in the eleven wellness sectors.

With so much interest in wellness from consumers, this might be the right time for you to open your own wellness business, or to consider selling one you have built. We are joined by the very knowledgeable CPA April McDaniel from financial advisory firm Kopsa Otte, who shares many useful and informative tips and strategies on how to structure your business and handle your accounting to avoid unpleasant surprises at sale time!

The unique Healing Summit, an initiative of Healing Hotels of the World, gathers leaders from the worlds of business, hospitality, and non-profits to explore a holistic approach to life and business, with the aim to create a global community of influencers who commit to doing good in the world. We've collected brief contributions from a few of the world-class presenters including Paul Polman,  Gina Diez Barroso and others, recorded live in the Algarve, Portugal in September 2022.

Join the momentum as World Wellness Weekend is back for the 6th year in it's continued growth, this year with 4000 venues in 140 countries participating. Founder Jean-Guy de Gabriac shares his passion for connecting wellness seekers with local venues offering an amazing array of wellness-related activities, and explains how WWW aligns with the UN SDG 's.

With the opening of their newest Medical Resort on the German resort island of Sylt, the Lanserhof Group continues to raise the bar in their genre. Everything from architecture, decor & design, food and staff training has been intentionally created to support a detoxification, cleansing and centering journey for its guests. Group CMO Nils Behrens and Medical Director Dr. Jan Strikze share the purpose and thought behind the business model during my visit.

Natural thermal springs and "taking the waters" have been hallmarks of communal wellness for hundreds of years, and the recent pandemic has renewed interest in this health practice. In advance of World Bathing Day on June 22, we hear from Charles Davidson, visionary entrepreneur and CEO of Peninsula Hot Springs in Victoria, Australia, on the latest developments in hot springs resorts, and how they can become a launching pad for regional tourism. https://www.femteconline.org/    https://www.hotsprings.org/

Long-time professionals in the spa world know the U.S. roots came from the salon industry, but the product and education supplier networks that existed 25 years ago have been completely up-ended by consolidation and the worldwide web. The process of delivering products and training is both easier, and harder, than ever! Distribution expert Brian McGee, General Manager of the nail supplier Dazzle Dry, shares his insights on what it takes to grow a beauty product business today.

Jim Chenevey left the world of top-five consulting and international business to take ownership of Living Earth Crafts/Earthlite 20 years ago, and has never looked back. In our conversation, Chenevey reflects on owning and managing this global leader of massage & wellness equipment and product manufacturing, with annual sales of over 37k products across 193 countries. Chenevey's passion for wellness, people and the planet is evident throughout all aspects of company operations, and despite the challenges of operating across international borders and in the internet era, he believes the positive momentum for wellness will continue to grow.

Spa and wellness businesses have been operating at capacity since post-pandemic, but is there an economic slow-down on the horizon? We gain insights from Patrick McDirmit, VP at Trilogy Spa Holdings, Lynn Curry of Curry Spa Consulting, and Derek Hofmann, Senior Director of Spa Four Seasons, on what these seasoned executives are seeing firsthand in the multiple spas they are responsible for. Recorded live at We Work Well Spa North America, at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point. 

In the U.S., not only are massage therapists and estheticians licensed by different boards, these boards have different requirements for licensure in each of our 50 states, making it very difficult for therapists to work beyond their initial licensed area. However, change is looming; Deirdre Strunk, VP of Spa, Beauty, Fitness & Retail for Canyon Ranch, and a member on the Compact for Licensure task force, reports on the movement underway to update these generations-old regulations. 

In spring of 2022, much of the world is receding from an active pandemic, although the results still linger. We check in with two spa leaders, Aldina Duarte-Ramos of Accor and Four Seasons' Christelle Besnier on how the spa and wellness industry is recovering in Europe and the Middle East. Recorded live at We Work Well EMEA 2022.

Wellness is in big demand, attracting developers who want to create projects with wellness elements; but the first question always is, where is the data? While we have excellent broad numbers on many wellness-related silos courtesy of the Global Wellness Institute, at the intersection of wellness and hospitality there is a dearth of detailed data on how spa and wellness components affect ADR or occupancy, or which particular services or experiences are in most demand. National Director of Hospitality Analytics for CoStar Jan Freitag, and Laszlo Puczko, Wellness Tourism expert and Co-founder of HTWW, share their insights on why this is such a difficult challenge, and how we might move forward.

Consumers today want wellness at every turn, including while traveling, and hotels are always promoting their wellness offerings, which may or may not be relevant to that guest. But did you know that in German-speaking Europe you could stay in a qualified "Wellness Hotel?" Wellness Hotels & Resorts has been certifying hotels for their quality of stay, food & environment for over 25 years! Managing Partner Michael Altewischer and Brand Ambassador Wilfried Dreckmann explain how a property becomes a Wellness Hotel, and what to expect.