We recently connected with Kimmy Powell and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kimmy, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?
The wellness industry in the United States is now well over 70 billion dollars and there is no end in sight. Americans are stressed out, overwhelmed and too tied to technology and something has to give. More and more people are seeking restorative health practices to help calm the mind and body. As a result of this, more and more non-touch wellness services are being offered to help reduce stress, inflammation, illness, depression and anxiety. There are now more franchises and businesses offering saunas, float pools, hydromassage, vibroacoustic therapy, halotherapy, and red light therapy just to name a few.
Kimmy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I grew up in Dayton, Ohio and have a degree in Computer Science. My husband and I own a large industrial flooring company in Ohio and South Carolina. We decided to move to Charleston, SC in 2014 and at the time, I was hoping my favorite spa brand was in Charleston. Unfortunately, there was no Woodhouse Spa in the state of South Carolina, so I decided to open one myself. I love the Woodhouse brand and how it offers residents a resort spa experience without the resort or resort prices. It’s a very unique concept because we offer affordable luxury and concentrate on guest experience as our highest priority. A soft robe, a warm lavender neck wrap, a glass of tea or champagne and fireside relaxation rooms make Woodhouse a wonderful place to escape the day to day stress of life. I am proud to serve our community and support our work family to create a wellness retreat in Charleston and Mt. Pleasant, SC, Franklin, TN and Savannah, Ga.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
When I was 45 years old, we moved to Charleston, SC with our three sons. Two were in college and one was still at home. I had no friends or family here and had never owned a spa before and had no experience in the spa industry, other than being a guest. It was absolutely terrifying and more work than I could have ever imagined but the fear of failure kept me hustling for the first two years or more. In my new book, The Passion & Purpose Project, I talk about something I call ‘The Tipping Point’. This is when the fear of staying the same exceeds the fear of change and that was the case with where I was in my life. I just couldn’t imagine continuing on the same path and knew that I need a change. I’ve come to preach that change is good, necessary and essential for growth and happiness.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
When I first opened my flagship spa in 2015, I worked very hard inviting guests into the spa for frequent parties, attending community events weekly and adopting a 100% yes to all charities in our community. I was present at the spa to personally check on guests and worked to prioritize client satisfaction as our greatest indicator of success. For me, the guest experience drives all other indicators of success and I knew that if I could keep that as our priority, the rest would fall in line. In a personal wellness business, your reputation is everything and although we always face challenges, I believe our guests know that we will work to make it right no matter what. We stand behind our team and our commitment to an exceptional luxury experience.
Contact Info:
- Website: kimmykpowell.com
- Instagram: @kimmykpowell
- Facebook: facebook.com/kimmykpowell
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kimmykpowell
- Twitter: @kimmykpowell
- Youtube: youtube.com/kimmykpowell
- Other: woodhousecharleston.com