Inspiration
<<< Back to ISPA Academy
10 Ways Spas Build Physical Strength
Today’s spa-goer views the spa as a place of holistic well-being that promotes physical vitality and mental resilience. The modern spa must transcend mere pampering and relaxation to offer its guests a pathway to rejuvenation and empowerment. Here are important ways spa leaders promote a healthy body:
35 Years Strong: Connect, Celebrate, Elevate
It began with a shared vision (1991)—one that sought to embrace excellence (2008), ignite passion (2017), and foster connection (2018). From the earliest gatherings, we knew that to thrive (2023), we must inspire one another (2012) and build bridges across disciplines (1997).
35 Years Strong: From 1991 to 2025 ISPA’s Milestone Year
Throughout 2025, Pulse will commemorate ISPA’s 35th anniversary year by celebrating the past, embracing the present and imagining the future. Together, we’ll “party like it’s 1991” (see page 46) while reflecting on the changes that have shaped the spa industry over the past three and a half decades. We’ll also look at what is possible in the next 35 years—and beyond—as we work to strengthen the spa community and elevate our industry to new heights.
4 Inspiring Insights from John Ondrasik
Singer-songwriter and 2016 ISPA Alex Szekely Humanitarian Award recipient John Ondrasik closed this year’s General Session with one thought-provoking question: “What kind of world do you want?”
4 Thought Provoking Questions by Brene Brown
When Daring Greatly best-selling author Brené Brown made a brave decision to talk about her own struggle with shame and vulnerability at a TEDx Talk, she had no idea her life was about to change.
5 Powerful Takeaways from Simon Sinek
Leadership expert Simon Sinek closed this year’s General Session with a compelling challenge to the ISPA community: “Every single person in this room has the opportunity to be the leader you wished you had. So make a choice. Be the leader you wished you had.”
A Conversation with Amy Purdy
Amy Purdy, a three-time paralympic medalist and trailblazer for individuals with physical disabilities, returns to inspire the spa community at ISPA’s 35th anniversary event. As the then-most decorated Paralympic snowboarder in U.S. history, Purdy co-founded Adaptive Action Sports, an organization that helped to introduce snowboarding to the Paralympic Games. Beyond sports, she has made her mark in entertainment, appearing on “Dancing with the Stars” and “The Amazing Race” and co-authoring the best-selling memoir On My Own Two Feet. After she lost both legs to meningococcal meningitis, Purdy’s resilience and determination have inspired millions worldwide, proving that with the right mindset, it’s possible to overcome even the most daunting challenges. Purdy was a favorite of ISPA Conference attendees when she last spoke to members in 2015.
A Conversation with Claude Silver- The ROI of Leading with Heart
Pulse: As a Knowledge Builder presenter at the 2024 ISPA Conference, you will address the ISPA membership about “the ROI of Leading with Heart.” Share a little about what “leading with heart” means.
Claude Silver: Leading with heart is a transformative leadership approach with a far-reaching positive impact. Promoting others’ growth contributes to overall prosperity for your organization. Empowering employees through heart not only fosters a thriving team spirit, but also drives business success.
A Conversation with Dr. Bryan K. Williams- Leaders Serve & Servers Lead: Keys To Inspire Exceptional Service
Pulse: You’ve been a mainstay of the ISPA Conference for nearly two decades, and members remind us every year to invite you to join us at the annual spa gathering. This year, you will present a topic new to ISPA attendees, but one that has helped shape your own career. Is there a success story you’d like to share?
Bryan K. Williams: Absolutely! One of my fondest memories of “leaders serve and servers lead” is when I was a pool and beach attendant at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas. I was a senior in high school at the time. The general manager of the resort noticed my work ethic and called me to his office. He challenged me to come up with seven life goals, and then subsequently met with me weekly—in his office—to review the goals. After one year, he transferred to another hotel, but by the time I was 28 years old, I had done everything on the goals list.
A Conversation with Erica Dhawan
Pulse: You are known for helping leaders inspire their teams to collaborate. When did you first recognize the power of innovation in workplace culture?
ERICA DHAWAN: Research has proven over and over that the romantic myth of the lone genius fails because it obscures the social, connected qualities of innovation. We can multiply our own knowledge, drive and insight “by the power” of others. Embracing this insight is a key aspect of getting big things done in life and work.
A case in point is the recent shift toward greater collabo[1]ration through peer-to-peer virtual communities. A few years ago, the CFO of a law firm noticed a decline in billing among their incoming associates. He discovered they had created a virtual Teams community to share information and advice about their cases. When someone had a problem or question, he or she would pose it on the forum and often immediately receive the answer from a peer. By collaborating with each other in this way, they were able to work better and far more quickly—across offices, practices and levels. For the first time ever, the firm’s leaders had to ask themselves, How can we learn about how to innovate faster and better ways of collaborating from our youngest employees—where horizontal collaboration is natural to them outside of in-person interactions? Today, they have created virtual peer-to-peer communities at all levels of the firm to increase social connections. To me, innovation starts by learning from others, collaborating in new ways and taking these lessons to maximize value and impact in organizations.