MOVERS & SHAKERS
Why the move to GramercyOne? I wanted a new, bigger challenge – ideally back in e-commerce – and was looking at opportunities when I was approached by SpaFinder’s board to lead the spin-out of SpaBooker from SpaFinder. Having been involved with the SpaBooker team for four years and recognising the momentum they'd developed, I agreed to lead the spin- out and invest in the company. I'm now CEO of GramercyOne and have spent the past year repositioning the business, secur- ing funding and managing our expansion.
Can you explain your vision? To become the most widely deployed cloud- based software, business management and marketing solution for service-based com- panies such as spas and health clubs. Our aim is to be ‘top of mind’ for com-
panies seeking a services management solution and to earn the respect of clients due to product strength, technological innovation and customer service.
What other directions might you go in? We see a significant opportunities in broader services management markets where serv- ice businesses of all types are looking to deploy cloud-based software that unifies commerce, operations and marketing.
What are you most proud of? Securing funding for GramercyOne from a group of top tier VCs led by Steve Case’s Revolution Ventures. We’ve also been involved with several large tenders and are finalising one that will see our system installed in over 1,200 more locations.
What trends do you see emerging in the spa industry? We see a huge shift to cloud computing due to the flexibility, features and reporting
46 spa business handbook 2012
Mobiles and tablets are changing spas – we’re
seeing the elimination of front desks in favour of
receptionists who check people in on iPads
afforded by this infrastructure. Tied to this, mobile and tablet will change the spa expe- rience for consumers – we’ll see things like the reduction or elimination of front desks in favour of ‘concierge’ receptionists who check people in on iPads and tablets. I believe membership programs and cus-
tomer retention programmes will continue to gain traction. These are not so applicable for destination resorts, but for urban and local spas, they’ll continue to be adopted as ways of building recurring revenue streams and decreasing marketing costs.
How are consumers’ needs changing? Customers are looking for three things: affordability – whether through packages, deals or memberships; wellness – wanting to know when they go to the spa they’re
doing something for their health; and avail- ability – being able to find treatments when they want to and how they want to, via mobile or online booking.
What was your best business decision? From a personal standpoint ‘taking the jump’ at the right time to seek out new opportunities in my career. Many of my earlier moves involved tak-
ing a position for less compensation and also lower title in order to get in the door and create the opportunity. This may be counter-intuitive to most
people, but it’s been something that’s worked for me, because I’ve partnered with companies that had the potential for fast growth and with this comes much opportu- nity if you’re part of the team driving it. It’s important to work with people who
have integrity and are willing to grant more responsibility as you prove yourself.
What was the worst and what did you learn from the experience? Either not trusting my gut on a decision or making a decision that wasn’t in alignment with my beliefs or values. Fortunately, as I’ve matured, I’ve learned to use these com- ponents as a key basis for decision-making and I’ve seen the benefits of doing so.
Is your life on track? Yes, I feel very fortunate to say that my life is on track. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, however, I've always had tremendous sup- port from family and friends and I’m a firm believer in proactively creating the life you want to lead. I believe the world presents an abundance of opportunities if you care to seek them out and are also able to rec- ognise that sometimes these opportunities aren’t presented to you in the manner you originally envisioned.
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