INTERVIEW: STEVE JEISMAN
We need to decide whether we’re going down the wellness path... we’re trying to understand public perceptions of it and how far we go
acquiring an interest in Alila. Previously, Geolo was an investor in Mandara Spa Asia which was founded by Mark Edleson – now president of Alila – before it was sold to Steiner Leisure in 2001. Hotel management company Commune
has a portfolio of 36 boutique hotels across the US under the Joie de Vivre, Thompson and Tommie brands, with another 10 developments in the pipeline. Both companies will benefi t and gain
access to each other’s brands, sales, marketing and revenue management channels – Commune in Asia and Alila in the US – to gain wider exposure and distribution internationally. How the deal impacts on development
remains to be seen says Jeisman. “It’s yet to be determined when or even if we start co-branding and when the fi rst joint developments will begin. We’re only just starting to look at that.” Whatever the move, protecting the Spa
Alila identity will be a priority – “Mass developed spas have the potential to lose their charm and brand essence, so we’ll be very careful when discussing expansion,” says Jeisman. To avoid this, all spas will continue to align with Alila’s core values and incorporate its signature therapeutic experiences and the Alila Living products. There is, however, fl exibility to develop treatments to suit market demands, such as traditional Chinese massage and ayurveda as long they’re ‘honest’, authentic and of high quality. There’s also ongoing auditing to ensure
the spas are on-message and having devel- oped the Spa Alila concept from scratch this comes as second nature to Jeisman. “It’s easy for me to audit everything from fi nance and marketing to the treatment, but if they need attention I send our trainers, as I’m defi nitely not a therapist, I just know what our standard is.”
Tackling wellness While the long-term vision for Alila is mapped out in its development pipeline, the next immediate step is to work out whether or not to incorporate wellness into the off ering. “We’re at a crossroads where we need to decide whether we’re going down the wellness path,” says Jeisman. “It’s a term that’s very loosely
48 Jeisman (third from left) says the Alila corporate team are easygoing and innovative
used right now and we’re trying to understand public perceptions of it, what that means for us and how far we go. “Do we go purely for a well-rounded
natural off er combing our 100 per cent natural products and therapies with yoga, healthy food and lifestyle consultations and guidance? Or do we partner with a third party to introduce aesthetic services, machinery and injectables as a one-stop-shop solution?” Working on new ideas such as this is
a process Jeisman particularly enjoys. “We’ve got a great corporate team, they’re easygoing, innovative people. We get to create our own development guidelines and it almost feels as though it’s your own business. It’s quite funny, my wife actually said to me yesterday that she’d been to Alila Villa Soori and said that it ‘had you written all over it’. Other people have said ‘that’s you – a little bit edgy’ after reading the menu or product descriptions too.” He concludes: “It’s easy to be passionate
when it’s something you do yourself. And I love what I do. It’s an interesting and exciting time for us.” ●
Katie Barnes is the managing editor of Spa Business magazine Tel: +44 1462 471925 Email: katiebarnes@
spabusiness.com Twitter: @SpaBusinessKB
Favourites
BOOK: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It’s such a iconic book that’s always stuck with me
FILM: Good Will Hunting
SEASON: Tropical wet seasons which have calm sunny mornings with dark variable afternoons
SPA: At home in Bali, under the frangipani tree in my back garden with Pak Wayan from the village. My mind rarely switches off from work mode when inside a spa, so this is where I truly decompress. The therapies at The Farm in the Philippines are also outstanding
SAYING: Life is not about how many breaths you take, but how many moments take your breath away
FOOD: Thai and Javanese
TREATMENT: Bare foot shiatsu or deep tissue
WHO YOU ADMIRE: My mother, Vicki. The nicest person I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Most mums are hard to beat when it comes to admiration
Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com/digital Spa Business 4 2014 ©Cybertrek 2014
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118