( ENSPIRE Community Spotlight ) Revitalizing the Beauty and Spa Industry with Inclusive Methods and Modern Training Opening Up to Diverse Business Artistry
ENSPIRE Contributor: Aishwarya Suresh
These days everybody could use some intentionally set aside relaxation time. With personal and professional schedules working to adapt to the new stay-at-home normal, pampering ourselves with renewing spa treatments is not as accessible. While we might not be doing much outside the house to keep us refreshed and well balanced; we can set up our own makeshift home spa, light some candles, and do some reading on social enterprise in the beauty and spa industry.
Nine years ago certified medical assistant, holistic practitioner, and trained massage therapist Candace Holyfield entered the industry looking to change up the game through empowering and educational impact. Since the early days of advocating and motivating Black spa professionals, she has garnered a wide audience of readers, spa enthusiasts, business-driven minds, and more than 15,000 clientele. Authoring over 30 eBooks and the first Black Spa magazine, Holyfield has provided continuous momentum for entrepreneurs to back their passion with knowledge and goals with revenue.
Holyfield is the creator of The Queen Spa Expo, the first and only Black Spa Expo Awards, and CEO of her personal spa boss tribe. With sustainable growth at the forefront of her business methodology, Holyfield has guided the launch of around 500 spa professionals’ businesses. Her extensive experience has seen her services, including massages, facials, lash extensions, body waxing, teeth whitening, and v-steams, featured everywhere from luxurious celebrity lounges, the celebrated and renowned Essence festival, to American Spa Magazine, BET and FOX.
Holyfield understands that the lack of inclusive business methods and representation within the beauty and spa industry, left unchecked, will only continue a cycle in which Black spa professionals are excluded. As she continues to grow her own business, Holyfield believes it is equally as important to build platforms on which she and other Black spa professionals can stand on to increase visibility and influence a changing of tides. By dedicating her time as a motivational and keynote speaker, she aids in the confidence-building needed to establish spa businesses within an industry relatively closed off to the Black community.
In discussions on inclusion, Holyfield recognizes equal representation as both ethically essential and practical. Asking the questions of who has access to spa treatments and if those who are interested in the spa industry have access to training hit at the crux of an extensive issue. The Black community has had limited opportunity to pursue business and social enterprise in the spa industry and others; let alone having extensive detailed mentoring on how to build sustainable long-lasting success. Holyfield highlights that visibility is necessary for Black spas, and business in any field, to remain open and profitable.
Just as her page Six-Figure Spa Chick suggests, Holyfield found her breakthrough by organizing Groupon at-home spa parties; working with clients whose disposable income allowed for luxurious leisure. Once realizing that beauty and spa consumers were always looking for the best and most attentive, she found a world open to possibility and a base to begin advocating for others navigating similar environments as their business grew. As a trained professional herself, she knows the importance of massage therapy for mental and emotional balance; something every person should incorporate into their lives. Bridging the gap between communities who do or can not prioritize beauty and spa treatments and beauty and spa leadership, Holyfield is actively championing increased accessibility of these practices. By bringing in business passionate minds that can commercially and inclusively uplift the beauty and spa world, the industry shifts towards a norm that inspires Black leadership; further encouraging the Black community to engage in their own personal journey of soothing self-care.
So where will she go from here? Holyfield will continue to produce projects and initiatives for Black spa owners to structurally define every corner of their business, from credit to elevator pitches and product lines. Confidence building will be maintained through digital courses, weekend training, and check-in phone calls to garner the best improvement results. Her next milestone is bringing her own spa school into fruition. Doing so aligns with her goal to set clear definite markers of business development, assuring her students the most concrete and pertinent spa business education possible.
Click here to learn more about Six Figure Spa Chick and how to get involved.
