You’ve got the vision. You know the feeling you want your guests to walk away with. You’ve walked your land, journaled your dreams, and maybe hired an expert or two. So why hasn’t your project started yet? In this episode, I dive into the hidden reason so many brilliant boutique wellness retreats never make it past the idea phase. I’ll talk about what it really takes to move from having a dream to creating a solid vision that the right people can actually bring to life. I’ll share how my client ...
Jul 06, 2025•27 min
Have you ever walked into a space that felt absolutely perfect, but couldn't explain why? Or visited a beautifully designed spa that somehow felt... off? The secret isn't in the fixtures or finishes. It's in understanding the invisible forces that make or break your wellness offering. I see it time and again. Boutique hotel owners invest heavily in stunning spa facilities, state-of-the-art gyms, and beautifully appointed meditation rooms, only to wonder why their wellness offering isn't resonati...
Jun 29, 2025•20 min
What if I told you that the wellness model you're following was designed for a business reality that no longer exists? In this episode, I'm calling out what I believe is the broken wellness model that's plaguing the boutique hotel industry, and why it's costing you guests, revenue, and authenticity. Here's the problem: the wellness model we're all following was built around what worked 2 to 3 decades ago. It was fundamentally spa-led, designed for a business reality that is completely different ...
Jun 22, 2025•21 min
What if the best GM for a wellness-led hotel isn’t a hotelier at all? Hylton Lipkin didn’t follow the typical path. He started in fitness, became a spa director, then got “kicked” into roles like housekeeping and sales, before eventually leading entire hotels and now 10 wellness cruise boats in Vietnam. His journey reveals how wellness leaders can lead entire properties, but only if they’re willing to leave the comfort of the spa. My boutique hotel clients often ask me to recommend a strong well...
Jun 15, 2025•1 hr 9 min
Why do incredibly talented boutique hotel owners, brilliant business minds with purpose-driven visions, find themselves completely paralysed when it comes to creating their wellness offering? You're a savvy boutique hotel owner. You've done your homework, attended every conference, read every trend report, and consulted with the best minds in hospitality. You have inherited land, want to regenerate your community, and create something that will benefit future generations. Yet despite all your in...
Jun 08, 2025•25 min
If your wellness project starts with design, you’re already too late. In this episode, I sit down with Alberto Apostoli, architect, operator, and one of the most experienced minds in wellness design. We talk about what it takes to create a wellness concept that performs emotionally, financially, and strategically. Alberto’s been designing wellness spaces for over 20 years. But as you’ll hear in this conversation, what matters most isn’t the space, it’s the thinking behind it. From spirituality t...
Jun 01, 2025•28 min
"It’s not just the packaging. It’s what’s inside." - Saawan Logan In today’s episode I have a very special guest, Saawan Logan, who shares the story most companies don’t like to talk about, and that is of how plastic waste, microtoxins, and misguided industry priorities are quietly sabotaging wellness, and what hotels can do to change that. When Saawan returned home to Fiji and discovered her family could no longer eat the fish they grew up on because of plastic contamination, she knew the welln...
May 25, 2025•38 min
If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting thinking, “They just don’t get it…” This episode is for you. Because here’s the truth: You don’t need your GM to believe in wellness. You need to speak, build and lead in a way they can’t ignore. You don’t need another certification. You don’t need more team trainings. And you definitely don’t need to wait for your GM to “get” wellness. What you need is a new way to lead. One where your ideas land. Your strategy gets buy-in. And your voice holds weight in t...
May 18, 2025•25 min
Here’s how the top 1% of wellness leaders are being built. If you’ve ever thought: “I know I’m meant for more than just managing treatments and rotas.” “I want to lead wellness like a real business, but no one ever taught me how.” Then this episode is for you. Inside this special session, I take you behind the scenes of The Wellness Asset Academy: my signature 10-week program that’s helping wellness directors around the world consistently create wellness concepts that don’t just look good on pap...
May 11, 2025•25 min
Do you think you need to change everything to succeed in your new role? Think again. The truth is: wellness directors don’t fail because they’re not skilled enough—they fail because they try to do too much, too soon. And that kills momentum before it even begins. In this episode, I’m breaking down the One Win Rule—a mindset shift and strategic approach every wellness leader needs when stepping into a new role. Because impact and profitability are not mutually exclusive—they must go hand in hand ...
May 04, 2025•24 min
Ever feel like you’re torn between two worlds at work—juggling guest satisfaction and business performance, team morale and P&L? If you’re a wellness leader in a hotel, chances are you’re leading from the middle. And that is, hands down, one of the toughest roles in the industry. Today, I share what it’s really like to stand in that space—and why it’s not about your competence, it’s about your positioning. In this episode, you’ll learn: → Why “the middle seat” feels so heavy – and why the pr...
Apr 27, 2025•19 min
You don’t need another theory on wellness. You need to hear from someone who’s living it. In this episode, I sit down with Ram Chatterjee, Country Wellness Director at Six Senses Bhutan, to talk about what it actually means to be a wellness leader—not just by title, but by embodiment. Ram doesn’t just run wellness operations across five stunning lodges in Bhutan. He’s been in the industry for 25+ years and has become one of the few voices who dares to say what many won’t: → Most wellness departm...
Apr 20, 2025•42 min
Today’s a controversial one--- one that will ruffle feathers. So, here we go. You don’t have a wellness problem. You have a wellness director problem. And here’s the harsh truth—you might be the one who created it. Last week, I was sitting in the café of a hotel in Spain, observing the dynamics between the GM and his department heads. The Director of Rooms? A solid handshake and a planning session. The Director of F&B? Coffee, strategy talk, a clear seat at the table. And then... the wellnes...
Apr 13, 2025•22 min
The Real Story Behind “I Don’t Have Time” It starts small. You cover one shift. Skip one team meeting. Handle one guest complaint yourself—because it’s just quicker. Before you know it? You’re doing everything. → Running from treatment room to reception. → Coaching therapists during your lunch break. → Answering emails on your day off. → Still being told you’re not hitting budget And somewhere along the way, you stopped leading. You started managing survival. But here’s the truth no one says out...
Apr 06, 2025•19 min
Have you ever walked into a finance or strategy meeting… …with something important to say— …and walked out without saying anything at all? You nod. You smile. You try to take notes. But deep down, you’re thinking: I have no idea what just happened. And I definitely don’t feel in control. If that’s you—I see you. And this episode is for you. Because today, we’re talking about the hidden reason so many wellness leaders feel like they’re sitting on the sidelines of their own departments. And more i...
Mar 30, 2025•28 min
What if waiting for your company to invest in your training is the very thing holding you back? In today's episode, I'm tackling a controversial but important mindset shift—why relying on your employer to fund your growth might be costing you more than you think in an industry worth trillions. I've never believed that my career growth is someone else's responsibility. Watching my father upskill himself with CAD software at 70 years old after chemotherapy sessions showed me that learning is somet...
Mar 23, 2025•22 min
You’ve spent years building your wellness career. You know the value wellness brings to hotels. But every time you propose something new, it feels like you’re speaking a different language. Budgets get cut. Promotions turn into discounts. And instead of being seen as a driver of revenue, wellness is treated as an afterthought—if it’s even considered at all. So, what’s the point? If you’ve ever thought they’ll never take wellness seriously, this episode is for you. Because the real issue isn’t th...
Mar 16, 2025•24 min
Be honest—have you ever thought this? “My GM doesn’t care about wellness.” “All they see is numbers.” “They say there’s no budget—every time.” You’re not alone. I used to think that too. Until I realized I was presenting my ideas the wrong way. Here’s the truth: Your GM and owners do care about wellness—but you’re making it hard for them to say yes. Have you ever brought an idea to leadership, convinced it would improve guest experience, only to hear, “No budget”? Did it feel like you have hit a...
Mar 09, 2025•20 min
Ever feel like your GM, owner, or even guests just don’t get wellness? You’re not alone. Many wellness directors, practitioners, and boutique hotel owners struggle with this exact frustration. But what if the problem isn’t that they don’t get wellness—but that we aren’t positioning it in a way that makes sense for them? In this episode, I break down: → Why thinking they don’t get it is holding you back (and what to do instead). → How to align your wellness offering with your hotel's bigger busin...
Mar 02, 2025•23 min
Ever caught yourself thinking, “I want my wellness concept to be like so and so?” You’re not alone. But what if I told you that blindly following someone else’s success formula could actually set you up for failure? Today, I’ll break down the "I Want to Be Like..." Syndrome—why it happens, how it holds you back, and what to do instead. In my 20+ years in the wellness and hospitality industry, I’ve seen this play out time and time again—boutique hotel owners and wellness leaders wanting to replic...
Feb 23, 2025•26 min
Most boutique hotel owners and wellness leaders start with a clear vision for their wellness offering. ✔️ You’ve invested in expert consultants. ✔️ You’ve designed a stunning space. ✔️ You’ve created a wellness concept that feels just right. So why does it still feel like something is missing? In this episode, I’ll break down why your wellness reality doesn’t align with your vision—and the exact steps to bridge that gap. After working with boutique hotels and wellness leaders around the world, I...
Feb 16, 2025•21 min
Are plant-based ingredients the future of wellness in hospitality? From skincare to scent design, plant-based formulations are transforming the wellness industry—but with that comes challenges like greenwashing, sustainability, and sourcing the right ingredients. In this episode, I sit down with Jimm Harrison, founder of the Phytotherapy Institute, to uncover what it really takes to integrate plant-based wellness into hospitality. There is no doubt that plant-based wellness is booming, but there...
Feb 09, 2025•34 min
“Wellness feels so expensive to do properly.” Sound familiar? In today’s episode I talk about the conundrum many boutique hotel owners face – the expense of running wellness facilities. If you're a boutique hotel owner and wellness is an important part of what you offer your guests, you've probably thought "wellness is just so expensive to do right." And you're not wrong - wellness can be incredibly expensive to do. But what if I told you that the real problem isn't the cost of doing wellness, b...
Feb 02, 2025•33 min
Is the Wellness Asset Academy the right fit for you? That’s what we’re diving into in today's session. Most wellness departments contribute less than 8% of hotel revenue—but what if they could do more? What if they could match Rooms and F&B as a key revenue stream? Let me put it another way. Most wellness leaders earn less than $50K—but what if they could do more? What if they could match what the Directors of Rooms and F&B taken home? How? By making wellness an equal if not bigger reven...
Jan 25, 2025•16 min
“I want to invest in wellness, but I have no budget for it.” Sound familiar? In today’s episode I talk about the hidden trap in the hotel wellness world: the ‘no budget’ problem. You’ve spent millions on a stunning wellness facility, yet when it comes time to invest in actual strategies, you’re left with little to no money to make wellness work. It’s the reason wellness proposals die on the desk—and today I’d like to show you how to fix it. In today’s episode, I’ll share: → The reason “no budget...
Jan 19, 2025•23 min
Ever wondered why some boutique hotels thrive with wellness while others struggle? The difference often isn’t the size of the budget—it’s the expertise behind the vision. For boutique hotel owners, it’s easy to think: 'My project is small; I don’t need all these specialists.' For wellness leaders, the thought might be: 'I have the experience; we can handle this internally.' But here’s the truth: The size of your property doesn’t reduce the complexity of getting wellness right. In today’s episode...
Jan 12, 2025•26 min
Why does wellness feel so intangible to both wellness leaders and boutique hotel owners? It's a disconnect I see happening more and more as our industry evolves. For wellness leaders, it's frustrating when owners only focus on numbers. For hotel owners, it's challenging to justify investments when the returns feel hard to measure. In today's episode, I'll break down: → Why this disconnect exists and what it's really costing you → How to measure wellness's full impact through three key dimensions...
Jan 05, 2025•27 min
Why does wellness feel so hard to get right? It’s not because you’re not trying, and it’s not because you don’t care. The truth is, wellness often feels stuck in survival mode because there’s a hidden disconnect between hotel management and wellness leaders—and it’s costing more than just profits. In this episode, I break down: → Why wellness often feels stuck in survival mode—and how to move past it. → The hidden disconnect between wellness leaders and hotel owners—and why it matters. → A simpl...
Dec 28, 2024•21 min
How do you know if hiring a wellness manager is the right move for your boutique hotel? It’s a question I get asked all the time. For some, it’s the key to growing their wellness offering. For others, it’s an unnecessary expense. The truth is, the decision comes down to your hotel’s unique goals and what wellness really means for your brand. In today’s episode, I’ll explore: → When hiring a wellness manager makes sense—and when it doesn’t. → The key differences between wellness as a marketing to...
Dec 22, 2024•18 min
81% of employees say they’d work harder for a boss who shows gratitude. Let that sink in. What does gratitude have to do with wellness? Everything. Gratitude is about creating a sense of balance and connection. It’s fundamental to achieving overall wellbeing—especially mental wellbeing. When we lead with gratitude, it shifts how we connect with our teams, how we inspire them, and how we show up for ourselves. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Brian Proctor, founder of Leeds Hospitality Group and...
Dec 15, 2024•38 min
