Pulse October 2016 | Page 19

came on board, the previous managing director had a different vision. “I started in January 2016, which was also a time of change. The previous managing director had steered the spa away from wellness. Today, we are working to put wellness back, front and center, establish the new Carillon brand and build awareness of all the amazing things we have to offer,” Terry says. Unfortunately, marketing a holistic wellness offering in a beauty-focused market is not the only challenge the spa has to face. At the onset, the spa has had its baptism by fire. “When the spa was launched in November 2008, it was owned by Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc. and managed by Canyon Ranch. It opened during the financial crisis and Lehman Brothers was one of the first companies to collapse during that time. The property was put into bankruptcy. In 2014, Z Capital Partners won the property in bankruptcy court and took over ownership in 2015,” she says. New Owners, New Challenges Expectedly, along with new ownership came new set of challenges. Z Capital opted to part ways with Canyon Ranch to become an independent operator. As a result, all operating infrastructures were unplugged. “When hotels are part of a conglomerate, they have the benefit of being able to plug into central reservations systems, property management, point-of-sales systems, standardized policies and procedures, accounting systems, etc. As a new independent, these systems needed to be put into place,” Terry says. Like in any startup business, it can be overwhelming to put all the pieces together, but the key in making all fit is to have the right pieces in the right places. “The situation could be summed up as trying to assemble a bicycle while riding it. Today, we are still working through a lot of related challenges, but we are establishing a talented team with Guests at the spa get to enjoy a view of the sand and sea while working out. October 2016 ■ PULSE 17