Taneesa Williamson Is it just a quirky scheduling tactic, or is there some method to the madness?
In a world that rarely slows down, where the demands of modern life can often leave us feeling stretched thin, finding a haven of tranquility and self-care has become essential. Yet, stepping into the threshold of this particular Melbourne CBD day spa unravels a narrative that deviates from the conventional. Amongst their existing service menu of relaxation and indulgence, Botanica Wellness Spa and Clinic has opted towards expanding their services into advanced skin treatments, with a unique twist – dividing their week to have exclusive days for skin, or wellness.
You might be wondering, how would splitting their treatments over the days of the week work? We’re delving into the depths of their approach, uncovering the union of skincare and wellness strategies that’s driving this distinctive decision.
We managed to nab an exclusive sit-down with Sofie Gillard, co-founder of Botanica Wellness Spa and Clinic in Melbourne, to learn more about their decision to divide their weeks for certain services, and if it has been successful amongst their clientele.
Share with us your journey to founding Botanica Wellness Spa and Clinic, and how the business has grown since?
SG: My passion for beauty and business started at a very young age when I would set up the living room at home as a retail shop and sell my mum’s skincare and makeup products to my family members on the weekends. My Mum would always say to me “you are going to be a very successful entrepreneur one day young lady”.
When I finished year 12, I went on to study a Bachelor of Business and Advertising at RMIT whilst working at the Park Hyatt Hotel Day Spa in Melbourne, however soon into my studies I realised that I wanted to put my focus into Beauty Therapy. I then went on to study at Elly Lukas, one of Melbourne’s most renowned colleges for Beauty Therapy.
Throughout my time there I was awarded a scholarship to visit London and Paris where I had the opportunity to visit some of the world’s most luxurious hotel day spas and was invited to be a presenter at the Professional Beauty Magazine Awards. It was here I got a taste of what the international life was like and in 2012 I relocated to London, securing work at the InterContinental London Park Lane Hotel Spa.
Fast forward to 2014 upon my return to Melbourne, I teamed up with Mum and together founded the multi award-winning Botanica Wellness Spa and Clinic – a wellness spa and clinic encapsulated by innovation, finesse mindful ingredients, active results, a global benchmark for luxury.
With a determination and passion to grow the business to become a globally recognised wellness spa and clinic, Botanica continually innovates and is committed to education, to evolve with what the world has on offer. To always bring the most sought-after treatments, techniques, and products to the menu. This approach has allowed us to grow and have the ability to move with the ever-evolving skin and wellness industry.
What led to the decision of structuring the spa’s opening days for set services, such as spa or skin?
Initially we looked at opening a second location and splitting the service offerings into a dedicated Wellness Spa and a dedicated Skin Clinic. However, after carefully reviewing what was required to open a second location, we felt it was a better fit for us to split these services across different days of the week in the one location. Our new approach will look like clinic days earlier in the week and wellness spa days closer to the weekends, as naturally this is what our clients want.
What is Botanica’s commitment to exceptional service? How does this flow into the clinical skin side of the business?
With a mission at heart to better individuals’ mental health, confidence, self-worth, and self-love, we are committed to providing levels of service that exceed our clients’ expectations at every visit. We wanted to create a space where our clients could feel comfortable, safe, calm, and relaxed no matter what service they were receiving in a luxury setting.
With the expansion of our new skin clinic, it was important to us to remove the traditional clinic feel and introduce a sense of luxury and relaxation into our advanced treatments, without compromising on clinical results. We wanted to create a truly unique and memorable Botanica experience like the one our clients have come to know and love over the years.
Tell us about your team, what do you find the key to success is for those starting out and looking to hire a team?
I believe the most important aspect to look for when building your team is that the individual’s values align with your company’s values. We don’t hire necessarily based off experience, we are more focused on their personalities, how they will fit within our current team and what they can bring to the team. Never rule out a graduate entering the industry for the first time as they are extremely eager and passionate to learn new things. Some of my highest performing team members have been those who were graduates at the time they started with us.
Read the latest issue below:
There are 5 ways you can catch up with SPA+CLINIC
- Our quarterly print magazine, delivered to your door. Subscribe here.
- Our website, which is updated daily with its own completely unique content and breaking news.
- Our weekly newsletter – free to your inbox! Subscribe here.
- Our digital magazine – click here to view previous issues.
- Our social media – see daily updates on our Instagram, Facebook & Linkedin
