We recently connected with Monika Norman and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Monika thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When you’ve been a professional in an industry for long enough, you’ll experience moments when the entire field takes a U-Turn, an instance where the consensus completely flips upside down or where the “best practices” completely change. If you’ve experienced such a U-Turn over the course of your professional career, we’d love to hear about it.

Having been in the salon/spa business for 50 years-ish I have seen many changes. During the early years the cosmo license extended into nails, then skin care and waxing. It was very exciting to add additional services to our menu. I believe the 80″s were the best time for our industry. Everything was new and exciting. We were the experts on all things fashion. We for most part were very hard working and very disciplined. We all worked together across the board and supported each other as a team. During the past few years sadly I feel this has not been the case. There are no longer very many teams….the birth of “booth rental” and the reduction of training hours recently will be an issue as well. It makes it hard for those of us who are “old school” to navigate this new way of business. I am very fortunate to have been able to be a part of these changes and still love what I do…every day. I still operate “old school” and will continue to do so.

Monika, 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?

When I was a young girl, my great aunt had a salon in her home. We were not allowed in there during her working hours. I knew something magical was happening in there. When I was older, I was allowed to come in and help. Finger waves, pin curls and fresh pie were the order of the day. When I finished high school I went to beauty school to learn the trade. In the 70’s things started to change in the industry. It was very new and exciting. Through the years there have been so many trends and I have lived them all. Education is the foundation of my work. As the industry allowed us to offer more…I upgraded my skills. Working in the hair industry in the 80’s was the very best time and will never be repeated. We dressed hair and were the experts on all things hair and fashion. I spent my extra time in classes, working for hair company’s and working every industry show I could. When I was 25 I opened my first salon. It was frightening at best, but I knew I could do it. Through the years I have owned salons, have participated in product development, been an industry educator and loved the work. Fast forward to the past 15 years in McKinney, TX. Spa Esoteric is the compilation of all my years in the industry. It is my own little spa in the house. We offer a top line of products and services. The staff is very educated in their craft as well. The greatest addition to our work was developing our Oncology Spa Services. We still are the only full service Oncology day spa in the state of TX. Our team is carefully trained in Oncology massage, facials, body treatments and hand and foot treatments. Being an “old” hairdresser, wigs are nothing new to me so I can assist our clients with them as well as hair and no hair. We take extra time with our clients to chat with them about their services, cancer or not. Making sure the treatments fit properly or discussing what would work better for them at that time. When clients are new, they feel the calm and caring atmosphere we maintain. We have 3 menu’s our regular menu, one for the pregnant and one for our Oncology clients. We also have a suspended account. We collect donations or sell products and local art that has a % of the cost go into our Oncology fund,. When there is money in the kitty, it pays for our cancer clients treatments. Cancer is expensive and we try to help as much as we can. We pride our selves on being a clean, safe, caring day spa for all. Products we carry are Intraceuticals skin care treatments, Glymed, Matrix hair care. We also have lots of art from local artists, local honey and other bits that come and go.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Ok, let’s talk Covid…..We are so very fortunate to still have our doors open. No one planned on that happening and many of my friends did not survive. We had no idea if we would either…The spa was closed for 3 months. I did not want to re-open until everyone could work. The massage therapists were the last ones allowed to come back to work. We had clients contact us to come to their home for services, it was forbidden and I would never cross that line. We offered little skin care kits for porch pick up during our down time. When we re-opened it was at quite a reduction of hours. Since we have always used hospital grade cleaning and disinfectant products, always had masks and gloves, this part was already set for opening. I did have a group come in weekly and spray for Covid. We had clients come back in…no cookies, no fruit, no magazines that homey part was missed so much in the beginning. Our clients continued to tell us that they felt “safe” coming in and that the spa was the only place they had been out to for most part. Everyone continued to come in slowly but steady. We had increased the hours as needed. Our Oncology clients came as well. Everyone needed spa. and hair colour. We had such an increase in massage requests we started adding more staff. So today, we are busy, clients are happy and healthy. Slow and steady wins the race. We are an award winning Day Spa…Voted Best Spa in McKinney 5 years in a row…Nominated into Who’ Who with our Oncology Program and many others. We have the best team and I am so proud to know each and every one of them.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Our industry is an emotional industry unlike any other. Through the years I realized that the more educated I became the easier it was to consult with clients on treatments and services. More times than not, it is not all about the treatments clients are getting, but how you make them feel. There have been times that clients have come in and wanted something really out of left field from their norm. I will usually not grant that request until I find out what is behind the change. You have to be kind in saying no to a client when you know it will not be good or healthy for them. People have high emotions due to life in general, family, sickness or stress. I have learned through the years to be a better listener, having 2 ears and 1 mouth. I have had so much psychology training that I could hang out my own shingle…that comes from hairdressing as well…we are the keepers of the secrets. Making clients feel safe at all times. We are like Vegas, in that what happens in the spa, stays in the spa and being like Switzerland, we are non-judgemental and neutral. I read a book on Salon Psychology many years ago. Adding to what I had learned already has been very helpful with clients, family and staff through the years. There is so much going on out in our world at the moment you have to see behind the mask to take care of our clients. Caring for them, nurturing them, listening to them at all times. It is important to have boundaries at the same time and take care of yourself as well. I think everyone still has a slow burn from how we have been living post Covid, that with some clients you need to take extra care with them.. If your committed to this industry, any part of it…this is the biggest part of it. Listen, empathy, sympathy, love and quality work are necessary

Contact Info:

• Website: www.spaesoteric.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spaesoterictexas