Spa Balance

83. Are we selling time?

Are we selling time or solving problems?

When I first started in this industry, I thought like everyone else—stack your high-yield treatments during peak hours, fill quieter slots with the shorter ones, measure everything down to the minute.

But I kept noticing one thing: a guest might receive an incredible treatment, but if it ended a few minutes early, they’d still feel short-changed. A five-minute difference was enough to overshadow an otherwise fantastic experience.

It got me wondering—Have we built a model that serves time more than it serves transformation? It got me wondering—Have we built a model that serves time more than it serves transformation?

Here’s the problem:
When we sell time, we miss the real value we’re meant to deliver.

The wellness industry has evolved far beyond minutes and prices.

Guests today seek something deeper than a timed treatment.

They’re searching for wellbeing solutions, and when we focus only on time, we’re indirectly training them to measure our value in minutes.

Today, I’ll dive into 3 shifts that change the way we approach wellness:

→ Breaking the time trap: Selling time might keep us organised, but it can cheapen the experience. When guests feel like they’re paying by the minute, it’s easy for them to feel unsatisfied—even when the treatment is exceptional.

→ Making transformation the focus: Instead of asking what treatment a guest wants, we can start with, “How do you want to feel by the end?” and follow up to confirm that outcome. It shifts the experience from a mere treatment to a tailored transformation.

→ Empowering therapists to deliver real value: With time as the focus, therapists often feel pressure to cut or adjust based on a strict protocol. When we empower them to work toward transformation, they can serve guests in a way that’s deeply impactful—and that freedom creates a more memorable experience.

If wellness is going to reach its potential as a 30-40% revenue driver, it won’t be because we’re counting minutes. It’ll be because we’re delivering genuine, life-changing results that leave our guests transformed.

________

Are you ready to take wellness to the next level?

Here are 2 ways I can help:

1️⃣  WHO: Wellness directors who want to join 1% of wellness leaders

📌 WHAT: The Wellness Asset Academy
A 10-week online group programme where I guide you through my 7-step ESSENCE framework. Achieve higher pay and secure a genuine seat at the hotel’s big table—so wellness is no longer the most neglected area in the hotel.

→  Join the waitlist here.

2️⃣  WHO: Owners of small, independent hotels with a strong wellbeing focus


📌 WHAT: Asset Builder Mentorship
Exclusive 6-month 1:1 mentorship programme to master creating a wellness asset, build a proud team, and deliver transformative experiences for your guests.

→  Become a steward of true hospitality.

💡 Why work with me?

I know what works with wellness and I also know what doesn’t. I’ve made the mistakes so you don’t need to – saving you thousands of dollars on bad decisions.

✅ #1 best-selling author, global wellness expert 
✅ 40+ projects in 20+ countries across Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific 
✅ Top brands: Abadía Retuerta, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Accor, Six Senses Resorts & Spas 
✅ Interviewed over 150+ hoteliers worldwide 

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