I had to listen . The prospect of their message reaching such a wide audience was exciting . But about an hour in , the conversation turned political . I turned it off , and I was so turned off by it that I reached out to the author . She responded , and while it wasn ’ t a pleasant exchange , it ’ s one I felt strongly about . Much of their discussion had focused on how a certain political candidate supported their work — a topic I just didn ’ t trust or care about . I wanted to hear more about the book .
Navigating polarization in wellness
For those who run spas , our increasingly polarized society affects you in two ways : 1 . Guest relations : You don ’ t want your guests to make buying decisions based on your political views . Why pick sides ? You ’ re potentially alienating half of the population .
2 . Building trust : Consumers need to trust you — the business owner , spa director or general manager . Your voice should be present on your social channels and
website . People trust real people . Show them who you are and that you care . This can come in the form of a blog , a bio page or regular Instagram check-ins .
So much information is available to us today , with a myriad of ways to determine what is truthful and what is not . So , what can you do ? Here are two steps , recognizing that we are all consumers and we ’ re all business leaders , just trying to figure out what feels right . l Trust your intuition . More and more , we need to get in touch with our gut . Not in a microbiome-testing kind of way , but by asking : What feels true to you ? Instinct is a muscle we ’ ll need to flex for the future . l Ask AI . Instead of sorting through endless Google searches , let AI do the work and pull data from multiple sources . I asked Google ’ s Gemini if snail mucin was good for skin , and it returned many reasons why it is , listing sources like WebMD . Learning to use AI could help you consolidate data to support decision-making for you and your business . n
“ People trust real people . Show them who you are and that you care .”
Also hyper curious about … l
l
Kanna : A South African plant touted as a mood enhancer and hunger reliever . After the New Year , I always want to swear off wine , so I ordered some non-alcoholic , yet functional drinks from Curious Elixirs . Their “ No . 9 ” contains Kanna , and I ’ m hooked — it ’ s a delicious alcohol replacement . Italian pasta : Not loving over-processed foods ? Try ordering pasta from an Italian importer . I discovered Adoro pasta from Sogno Toscano , made with the highest quality wheat and spring water . The price is reasonable , and I never feel bloated or uncomfortably full after eating it . I ’ m going with my gut on this one .
DARLENE FISKE is the owner of The Fiske Group , an award-winning public relations and marketing firm based in Austin , Texas , and co-founder of S ’ Well The Agency , a communications firm specializing in wellness brands . A University of Texas journalism graduate , she works with luxury hospitality and wellness clients , delivering personalized strategies and proven results . Fiske ’ s clients have enjoyed exposure in leading lifestyle media outlets including The New York Times , AFAR and The Drew Barrymore Show , and she has been referred to as the “ Unicorn PR Gal ” by the press . | thefiskegroup . com • swelltheagency . com
FEBRUARY 2025 n PULSE 21