We caught up with the brilliant and
insightful Tara Scott-Johnson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Tara thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
The Suite Life Spa was crafted to fill a void in the Savannah spa industry among independent service technicians. I liked the idea of using a phrase to describe the business and using a word that had a dual meaning based on its spelling. A spa is a luxury destination and some may consider going to a spa to be “living the sweet life”. With a simple change to the spelling from sweet to suite – the brand began to develop. A few short months later, The Suite Life Spa was born.
We are not a bustling day spa but rather a calming environment focused on the individual. Our business may seem a little different – we do not have a receptionist – we do not push expensive retail products – appointments are booked online. At the Suite Life Spa, clients work directly with their service technicians. Each technician runs their own small business within their suite – a collective – if you will. They provide the treatments they prefer, use their favorite products, and retail brands they are proud to offer. This level of ownership in their own brand eludes to the greatest service experience available today.
The Suite Life Spa is still in its infancy – just 1 year old. Currently, we have estheticians, massage therapists, a reflexologist, an eyelash technician, and a cosmetic tattoo artist sharing the space.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I started my professional career in 1993 as an Esthetician at the #1 skincare spa and cosmetics retailer in Nashville, Tennessee. I didn’t know it when I took the job, but I would spend 26 years with some of the most incredible women that would mold me into the woman I am today. My belief is that everyone should work in the service industry at least once. The lessons one learns in that environment are unparalleled. As an Esthetician, I operate as a Psychologist by default. I learned invaluable skills about working with people and the human psyche.
Over the past 30 years, I’ve worn many hats. I also have an interior design certificate from the NY School of Interior Design, which helped me launch a small interior design firm in 2011 to piggyback on my husband’s construction business. Both careers had me working one-on-one with people. I understand people, their wants, their needs, and how to get them where they need to go.
In 2013, I was offered the chance to write professionally for Zillow due to my keen eye for interior design and knowledge of residential construction. After three years of writing for the largest real estate blog in the country, I decided to go back to college and finish my BA in Marketing. After all, I had been marketing myself for decades and figured I’d finally get some credentials under my belt. While in school, I learned web design and web development. I find building websites to be a great creative outlet for me.
While my career choices may seem unassociated, they all led me to where I am today. I realized I was ready to launch my largest endeavor to date – Suite Life Spa. Esthetics is what I love, it is where my heart is and my sole focus going forward. The skills I’ve acquired along my life’s journey gave me the confidence to pull the trigger.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
When I began my career, I was given a book that forged my ability to build lifelong relationships with people. The basis of the book is simple – Treat clients as if they are your dearest friends. The book I’m referring to is – “How to Win Customers and Keep Them for Life” by Michael LeBoeuf, Ph.D. This book is a must-read and should be required reading for new hires in the service industry.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I built my reputation as a Master Aesthetician by staying true to myself and my clients. After 3 decades in this industry, I’ve learned there are 5 basic rules to always follow: #1. Be the best esthetician you can be. 2. Do not let clients down! 3. If you do not know the answer, find the answer. 4. Never lie to a client or try to sell them things they do NOT need. 5. Practice what you preach!
Publication 10/24/2022 Canvas Rebel
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