A Conversation with Taylor Fields
“ Spa leaders juggle so many things : You ’ ve got to master being the financial , marketing , HR and retail person wearing many hats !”
— TAYLOR FIELDS realize the marketing budget you ’ ll need . You ’ re doing the laundry , making the appointments , paying rent . We provide great training including complimentary continuing education . We buddy you up with a mentor . We ’ re taking on the laundry costs , product cost , booking all the appointments . Most hotel and resort spas have a large marketing budget for the property , something that would be tough for an individual to take on .
We have to promote our properties in a completely different manner , convince the providers that we ’ re not trying to see how much we can get out of someone . Instead , we ’ re creating an environment for someone to be able to do their best job . We want them to be able to be in their career for 20 or more years if that ’ s what they want to do .
Another thing we ’ ve done over the past few years is hosting on-site continuing education with a licensed CE trainer . I open that up to local spa providers and I ’ ve been able to hire from these events . One provider can earn over $ 200,000 in top-line revenue for our properties , so it ’ s a win-win . For us , it ’ s been a great way to get to get to know someone , let them see what we ’ re about and help them feel good about coming to our location .
Pulse : Do you have anything else you ’ d like to share with our readers ? TF : The spa is a business and there might be a financial statement or some KPI metric that we ’ re looking at , but that only represents a point in time . We ’ ve got to remember that there ’ s a person behind every one of those numbers . You need to balance business metrics and the needs of the team .
My advice for new leaders is that sometimes things have to be packaged differently to different teams or people based on their personalities and traits . I also think it ’ s great for properties to have a provider acting as an influencer to get everyone behind an initiative . Because , as we all know , once they ’ re in the treatment room , we have to be able to trust they ’ re carrying out whatever that initiative or process or expectation is . Trust is a core value in our company overall , and trust is vital . n
TAYLOR FIELDS ‘ S career in the spa industry began in 2008 with no intention that his spa attendant job would blossom into a love and passion for the spa industry or turn into a long-term career . Spa attendant eventually evolved into spa concierge , spa supervisor , spa manager , and spa director positions throughout Taylor ’ s nine years of working at Birmingham , Alabama ’ s beautiful Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa , managed by PCH Hotels & Resorts . Taylor quickly identified that his interests aligned with the spa as he interacted with guests and golfers from all over the world while also finding creative ways to drive revenue and guest satisfaction . In 2017 , an opportunity became available to serve as corporate director of spa for PCH Hotels & Resorts , and his role expanded further this year to corporate director of spa , wellness and retail to encompass retail outlets throughout the locations , fitness centers , wellness activation
across property , groups and associates . Taylor currently serves on the ISPA Board of Directors .
ABOUT TAYLOR FIELDS
KRISTINE HUFFMAN LICSW , formerly a partner with Hutchinson Consulting , is a semi-retired hospitality consultant and former ISPA Board member . She brings more than 30 years of experience in hospitality and human services , including providing leadership , psychotherapeutic services , staff training , program development and brand direction for the award-winning Canyon Ranch , Miraval and Travaasa Resorts .
42 PULSE n NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023