A Minute With SpaBeautySchools

When I think about personal training, I think about fitness gurus helping celebs like Britney Spears and Madonna stay healthy, toned, and strong. And there are plenty of trainers who work with the adult population, even those famous few.

But there’s a whole other population demanding the services of personal trainers — kids!

That’s right, kids are jumping on the fitness train, too. According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, 824,000 children between the ages of 6 and 17 use personal trainers. That means children account for about 13 percent of personal trainers’ clients.

If you’re considering a career as a personal trainer, why not plan to work with this fresh-faced, fast-growing segment of the industry?

The fitness concerns unique to young people make the job of a personal trainer particularly important. Kids’ exercise programs need to be unquestionably safe and effective, especially for children who have not yet reached puberty. Parents hire personal trainers who specifically know how to work with kids whose bodies are still developing. In fact, many parents are more than willing to pay a personal trainer to ensure that their children are developing active lifestyles that will reap health benefits for the rest of their lives.

It’s no surprise that the fitness interest for the younger set has been largely motivated by the American obesity epidemic. Kids are out of shape and overweight, susceptible to future health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Personal training along with healthy eating advice from nutritionists present an innovative solution to a growing problem.

But weight isn’t the only factor parents take into consideration when choosing personal training for their kids. They’re looking for an exercise program that will build kids’ confidence and give them a sense of accomplishment. Getting fit can also improve kids’ balance and coordination, which makes a difference in sports. And the set appointment with a personal trainer can do the same for kids as it does for adults–keep them consistent, accountable, and motivated to stick with their fitness regime.

Fitness isn’t just for the famous, and it isn’t just for grownups. The health habits of kids are just as important as, maybe even more important than, the ingrained habits of adults, since the fitness attitudes developed at an early age often carry over into adulthood. If we’re going to fight obesity and lethargy, we need to start with personal training for children.

Isn’t it time you used your talents to benefit kids?

-Robyn Tellefsen

If it’s true that a woman’s hairstyle is her most important accessory, revealing her personality and her adventurousness or conservatism, what does your hair say about you?

I suppose my short, zero-maintenance haircut points to my overall low-maintenance look. Basically, I’m a hair designer’s nightmare. I’ve never met a hair designer who hasn’t wanted to give me a chic new style or a complete color overhaul. (The one nod my hair gives to the adventurous aspect of my personality is my blonde highlights. How daring!)

After all, people are known for their hairstyle–think Farrah Fawcett’s 1970s feathered look, for one. And what about the public outcry in 1999 when Keri Russell of the TV show “Felicity” cropped her long, curly hair into a pixie do? If that doesn’t speak to the importance of hairstyles, I don’t know what does.

And when it comes to hair, it’s obvious if you’re not changing with the times. The late fashion designer Bill Blass once said, “The secret of living is not staying too long. I have learned when to leave the party.” In other words, if you’re still sporting a ’50s-era bouffant, you might want to rethink your style. Besides, if your hair designer were still pushing the “Rachel” from the 1990s, you’d probably look for another designer.

Going even further back, history provides classic examples of the ever-evolving nature of hair design. In the 1700s, during the reign of Louis XV in France, women began hiring artists to create hairstyles depicting the themes of the elaborate French socialite parties they were attending. Their hair was draped over a frame stuffed with cotton, wool, or straw and cemented with a paste that hardened. Hair was then powdered and decorated. And, get this: Women were known to sport live birds in cages, waterfalls, cupids, and naval battles in their hairdos!

As you can imagine, these hair designs got a bit out of control. Women suffered backaches from the weight of these creations. Not only that, but the pomades holding these styles together were made of beef lard and bear grease. Because women traditionally kept their hairdos for a week or two, their hair became rancid and would often attract vermin. Unfortunately, shampoo didn’t make its debut until Breck entered the market in the 1930s. Aren’t you glad you missed this chapter in the history of hair design?

Change is good. And if you’re interested in hair design, change must be a key term in your career vocabulary. Maybe you can even convince low-maintenance gals like me to consider a new style …

-Robyn Tellefsen

The characteristics of an aspiring acupuncturist are obvious: a friendly, empathetic personality; a high level of communication skills; and a strong desire to help others. If you’re reading this entry, I’m sure you already possess those traits.

What you may have overlooked in your career preparation, however, is an element critical to success as an acupuncturist: entrepreneurship. As Lisa Hanfileti, LAc, MAcOM, of www.insights-for-acupuncturists.com attests, those lacking business acumen will have a tough time making a living as an acupuncturist. After all, no matter how incredible your healing powers are, if you cannot manage the business aspects of your practice, you will not have a practice at all.

OK, enough doom and gloom. I’m sure you’re already convinced of the need to market your skills, attract patients to your practice, and sell your wares. So how can you acquire those skills while you’re immersed in a right-brained education environment? The short answer: Take time to engage your left brain once in a while.

When you’re searching for the acupuncture program that’s right for you, make sure that business courses are included in the offerings. Practice management courses will familiarize you with the process of opening and managing a health care practice. You’ll learn how to write a business plan, develop office policies and procedures, manage insurance billing, and prescribe and sell herbs in an ethical manner. Marketing courses will teach you the major marketing techniques and procedures relating to the operation of a private practice. And legal courses will provide insight into Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules and regulations pertaining to the operation of a private practice, as well as other laws governing the practice of acupuncture in the U.S.

If your acupuncture program is lacking in real-world business preparation, you still have hope for career success–you’ll just need to be a little more proactive in achieving it. For instance, you might plan to supplement your alternative medicine coursework with practical business seminars on the side. By all means, enlist the help of professors to draft your business plan, and gather insight into their successes and failures in professional practice. In short, take all the “free” advice you can get.

Compassion and communication offer an excellent start to a career in acupuncture. Just add some entrepreneurial spirit, and you’ll be in business!

-Robyn Tellefsen

If you’re considering a career in skin care, you probably enjoy working with people and making a difference in their lives. After all, esthetics is a truly hands-on, helping profession. But did you ever think that skin care could symbolize life itself?

Check out how these functional categories of skin care ingredients reflect key aspects of a healthy life:

Skin care category: Antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid and alpha lipoic acid, reduce the skin’s exposure to free radicals, which speed the aging process and contribute to inflammation.
Healthy life application: Protect yourself and the ones you love. In the same way that you would instruct clients to limit their skin’s exposure to the sun, consider what you expose your heart and mind to every day. Are you listening to media messages that make you feel bad about yourself? Redirect the time spent on negative pursuits to engage in activities that feed your soul.

Skin care category: Emulsifiers, such as beeswax and cetyl alcohol, stabilize emulsions, smooth blends of oil and water, and prevent products from separating.
Healthy life application: Seek unity with friends and family. After all, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If your support system is damaged, you won’t have the solid foundation to help you stand strong in life.

Skin care category: Emollients, such as seaweed and green tea extracts, smooth and soften the skin and reduce friction.
Healthy life application: Live in peace with others. When there is friction in your home or workplace, it’s difficult to accomplish individual and corporate goals. Make an effort to establish a peaceful environment, and you will cultivate a soft heart.

Skin care category: Preservatives, such as benzoic acid and octyl salicylate, kill detrimental bacteria, yeast, and mold, and thus inhibit the chemical degradation of products and prevent spoilage.
Healthy life application: Keep your heart pure. In skin care and in life, you need a good defense as well as a good offense. On the offense, you must put preventive measures in place to deal with distractions and detractors when they come. Otherwise, the positive qualities you’ve worked hard to attain may become degraded or spoiled.

See? The applications of skin care go much deeper than the surface of the skin. With training in skin care, you can acquire the tools to teach others (and yourself!) how to live a healthy life.

-Robyn Tellefsen

I’ve been thinking about beauty professionals, and I’ll admit that “altruistic” was not the first descriptor that came to mind. Social workers and nurses merit that adjective, but cosmetologists? Hmm …

Then I stumbled upon Vidal Sassoon’s new Web site at behindthechair.com and discovered how wrong I was when it comes to what a career in beauty can mean to others.

Founded by Vidal Sassoon and Mary Rector-Gable, “Hairdressers Unlocking Hope” is a new program designed to raise awareness to the wake of devastation still experienced by victims of Hurricane Katrina, and to create something beautiful from the ashes of loss. Through this initiative, hairdressers are committing to building an entire community of homes in the New Orleans area.

Why hairdressers? According to the co-founders, the power of hairdressers’ hearts and hands is great:

“Imagine if we could build a village with the hands and hearts of hairdressers. Thousands of us working together to build a new life for families in need. We are such a caring craft; we make others look and feel beautiful every day. In November, working side by side together, the world will watch as hairdressers build an entire community of homes in the New Orleans area for those in need.”

Vidal Sassoon, who himself experienced homelessness as a child, has a special place in his heart for Katrina victims. And if anyone deserves to look and feel beautiful again, it’s certainly those were directly impacted by the hurricane’s destruction. That’s why hairdressers are lending their hands — so that the story of Katrina and the loss of 275,000 homes will never be forgotten.

Wow. Who knew that with a career in beauty, you could have the opportunity to impact someone’s life as well as their look?

That really shouldn’t come as a surprise, since cosmetologists and other salon professionals spend one-on-one time with clients every day, working hard to help them look and feel their best.

After all, the beauty industry was never just about external beauty, was it? By creating something external (a new look, a new home), beauty professionals effect something internal (a new attitude, greater self-esteem).

And let’s not forget the therapist role played by many hairdressers, nail technicians, and the like. They’re not just cutting hair and painting nails, they’re listening to woes and joys and offering insight gleaned from hours spent behind their chair, hours spent interacting with the ones occupying that chair.

Did I say that beauty professionals don’t contribute to the cause of altruism? Scratch that. They’re leading the way.

-Robyn Tellefsen

It’s obvious that it takes top-notch training to succeed in the spa and beauty industry, just like in any other profession. That’s why, this week, I went in search of some not-so-obvious insight into spa beauty career success. Check out what I found right here on SpaBeautySchools.com:

1. Look the part.
Maria Ascher, Regis Corporation’s artistic director, believes aspiring beauty professionals should look the part. “Now that you are an image-maker, make sure you’ve spent time on your own look,” she says.

2. Learn the business of beauty.
“Business and marketing skills are just as important as your artistic skills to be successful in this industry,” says Debra Macki, founder of Debra Macki Cosmetics.

3. Check your motivation.
“Don’t just do this to be a star,” says Arianne Damboise, known as Benefit Cosmetics’ Makeup Maven. “Help your clients take what they have and show them how to evolve into who they want to be.”

4. Keep your skills up-to-date.
Joey Noufal, owner and color artistic director of Noufal Hair Studio, attends hair shows to stay current with trends and train his staff. “Continuing education is critical,” he says. “There are always new techniques, styles, and products to learn about.”

5. Judge not.
“Be open,” advises Andrea Hirsekorn, a certified Pilates instructor, licensed massage therapist, and assistant director of Spectral Journeys. “You have to let go of judgment, and you can’t have a feeling of not wanting to touch a person.”

6. Become an excellent communicator.
“The most important part of having a future in the beauty industry is clearly having the ability to communicate and sell yourself and your services,” says Frank Schoeneman, CEO and founder of Empire Education Group.

7. Do some soul searching.
“Spa customers today are very savvy; they want results coupled with pampering,” says Jillian Wright, owner of Glow Skin Spa. “It’s a true art form that isn’t learned in school. It has to come from your soul.”

That’s good advice, no? So here’s my very own recipe for spa beauty career success: Take these “lucky 7″ tips, add some career education, and voilà –you’ll be on your way. Let us know how it goes!

-Robyn Tellefsen

Diving back into our spa industry trendspotting …

6. The spa is where I socialize.
Eight percent of U.S. spa-goers say they use their time at the spa to socialize. Since people enjoy going to the spa in groups, many spas offer entertainment and networking services in addition to more traditional spa services. Wouldn’t you love to go to a spa bachelorette party? How about a spa reunion of old friends? I can certainly see the appeal of sharing the spa love with others.

7. My spa experience is unique.
Instead of picking a particular spa package, why not create your own? Modern spa-goers have the opportunity to choose the background music, lighting, room temperature, massage oils, and more to customize their spa experience. After all, if you groove to Enya rather than Kenny G, you’ll do well to make your requests known. In turn, as an aspiring spa professional, diversifying your spa skills can open up better career opportunities.

8. My spa experience is gender-specific.
Men and women have different physical and emotional needs, so shouldn’t our spa treatments be different as well? As a woman, I’m looking primarily for relaxation, rejuvenation, and stress relief, while my husband is more apt to seek out the weight room or a deep tissue massage. Different strokes for different folks — literally. Check back with SpaBeautySchools.com soon for a feature on spa specialties just for the guys (or check out this article on sports physical therapy).

9. I take vacations at the spa.
Sixty-three percent of U.S. spa-goers have visited a spa in their travels. There may be moments when you’re in the mood to sightsee, but there are plenty of periods of life when you just need a spa retreat. I recently spent a weekend vacation at a spa resort in Southern California, and found the experience utterly heavenly — and extremely healthy!

10. The spa is part of my life journey.
The spa allows us to experience new textures, aromas, and sounds, which can help us make connections with other people, places, and traditions. I recognize that other cultures use different products to cleanse, purify, and beautify — and what better way to welcome those new experiences than in the accommodating spa setting?

–Robyn Tellefsen

The International Spa Association (ISPA), recognized worldwide as the leading professional organization and voice of the spa industry, recently identified 10 spa industry trends. Do these research-driven trends reflect your reality? Let’s check out the first five …

1. Spa visits are part of my lifestyle.
In 2005, more than two million spa-goers took part in lifestyle classes, such as healthy cooking, achieving balance and managing stress, and customizing at-home spa experiences. It’s obvious that our society is increasingly conscious of health and wellness issues (and career growth in the wellness industry is a direct result!). We may be a fast-food nation, but even the major burger chains are jumping on the wellness bandwagon by offering such healthy alternatives as salads, yogurts, and wraps.

2. Spa visits are a necessity.
The spa experience isn’t just a luxury or dream vacation package anymore. People are seeing a real need for spa visits to relieve and reduce stress, soothe sore joints and muscles, feel better about themselves, and improve their mental and emotional well-being. Certainly, if you have the means, why not use them to bring your body and soul into alignment by visiting alternative healing professionals?

3. The spa experience yields results.
More than one in 10 spa-goers treat spa visits as part of their overall healthy lifestyle, not just for pampering purposes. The American Massage Therapy Association also found that 30 percent of Americans who receive massage therapy do so for medical reasons, which include injury recovery, pain reduction, headache control, and overall wellness. This certainly isn’t the first time I’ve heard of holistic health practitioners producing results that traditional medicine could not achieve.

4. The spa industry incorporates medical components.
Medical spas are one of the fastest growing segments of the spa industry — from 2003 to 2005, the medical spa industry reported a 69 percent average annual growth. Popular medical treatments include chemical peels, microdermabrasion, body wraps, naturotherapy, and acupuncture. The spa experience has helped millions of people lose weight and feel better about themselves, all without the use of potentially harmful drugs.

5. The spa is my home.
Did you know that spa are now adding residential components, and real estate developers are building spas in gated communities and condominiums? Florida, New York, and Nevada are just a few of the states offering these spa communities. I could certainly live with a 24/7 spa experience. How ’bout you?

–Robyn Tellefsen

Last night, a friend gave me an invitation for a “relaxing spa retreat” at her house. Now, let me just state up front that I avoid home parties as a rule. You know the kind I’m talking about — the “RSVP-only” get-togethers that promise a fun night out and deliver you home with a significantly lighter wallet and an order form filled with must-have items like tealight candles, spatulas, scrapbook stickers, wall art, sequined purses, and of course, the Tupperware that started it all.

But I’ll admit I’m intrigued by the spa invitation, in that it reminds me of those fun sleepovers from the pre-teen years. I may not be the type to salivate over mixing bowls and candelabra, but I covet relaxation time as much as the next gal. The idea of spending an hour at a friend’s house to receive a “head-to-toe spa experience” certainly appeals to the tired body and soul.

And, it looks like I’m not the only one confessing major spa appeal. According to the latest research from the International Spa Association (ISPA), one in four American adults have been to a spa, and therefore, know what they want from a quality spa experience. Not surprisingly, the number one reason people go to spas is to reduce and/or relieve stress. And lest you think women are the only ones seeking the rejuvenation offered by a spa experience, ISPA research indicates that 31 percent of spa-goers are men.

Obviously, the industry is booming, which means that if you’re in the market for a new line of work, there’s never been a better time to consider a spa career. Check it out: In August 2006, ISPA reports there were 267,400 total employees in the North American spa industry: 124,500 full-time, 101,300 part-time, and 41,600 contract employees. Based on those figures, since April 2004, the spa industry has seen an average annual growth of 11 percent for total employees, 6 percent for full-time employees, 19 percent for part-time employees, and 11 percent for contract employees.

In a world filled with people who, like me, desperately need to decompress, the demand for trained spa professionals is great. If you don’t meet that need, who will host my next spa party?

–Robyn Tellefsen

Welcome to “A Minute With SpaBeautySchools,” where it’s all about transforming your job(less) stress into career tranquility. We all deserve to enjoy a career that not only looks good, but feels good, right? And, if you can spend your days sharing such positivity with others, even better.

That’s the real beauty of spa, beauty, and wellness careers, say the professionals in the field. “You have to be very passionate about the industry and helping other people,” affirms Lars Juhl, Manager of Admissions and Marketing at Pivot Point, educational organization for the hair and beauty industry.

In other words, stop stressing. Beautify your resume with beauty or wellness training, and find a career that relaxes you. While you’re on your way, learn more about:

* Beauty
* Wellness
* SpaBeautySchools on MySpace

And, of course, don’t forget to take a minute to visit our blog for news, advice, and resources you can take with you on your journey. Enjoy every minute of it!