The Plan to 100 Grand: What Does it REALLY Take for Solo Spa Owners?

A hundred grand. $100,000. 

For some solo spa owners, this annual earning is a dream. For others, it’s a benchmark they’ve set for themselves after their spa’s initial set-up phase has been completed.

Whether it be in Facebook groups like Spa Business Mastery or the many spa business coaching blogs (like mine!), you’ll likely have already heard about this elusive $100,000 mark. In turn, I’m sure you’ve already asked things like, “How did you get there? How long did it take you? How would you recommend I get there as well?”

In fact, you’ve probably even heard me talk about coaching clients of mine who have blown the $100,000 mark right out of the water as solo spa owners. So for those of you who need to hit that $100,000 goal for the first time (or need to find a faster and more efficient way of getting back to that mark and sustaining it post-COVID) I know you’re sitting there thinking, “What gives? What does it really take to reach the six-figure benchmark and stay there as a solo spa biz owner?”

Luckily for you, I’m breaking that question down into actionable steps for you today both via this blog and its accompanying podcast episode of Spa Business Mastery. So sit down, bookmark this page, and get your notepad ready! 

Seeking Answers On How to Hit a Hundred Grand as a Spa Owner? Let’s Start With What Got You “Here” First

If you have tuned in to any of my podcasts or weekly Facebook Lives, it’s probable that you’ve heard me say one of my favourite truthisms: “What got you here will not get you there.”

What do I mean by this? Well, the majority of spa owners have not had any formal business training prior to opening their own facilities; instead, most spa owners check off one or more of the following boxes:

• Working intuitively

• Self-coaching via search engines and related Facebook groups on how to run and grow a spa business

• Following in the steps of or mimicking mentors that are deemed “successful”

With all this said, while bootstrapping your startup is a phenomenal way to get started I’m sure you’ve noticed the “ceiling” by now that’s preventing further client growth and stunting earning potential. That’s right: as mentioned above, the tactics above that got you here will not get you over there at your $100,000 goal!

The truth of the matter is that the spa industry has been a golden example of the blind leading the blind for… well, decades! It was this way back when I was a spa owner and still is. And while most solo spa owners can reach the $50,000 - $60,000 mark on their own, it’s been my experience that a whole new set of leadership, marketing, and sales skills are needed to smash that ceiling and claim your coveted $100,000 benchmark. 

Reasons for this include:

• Following mentors without knowing “why” their tactics work

• Not planning ahead

• Not refining your existing skills

• Not knowing what you don’t know (because you don’t know what questions to ask!)

So let’s get cracking, spa owners: let’s go over how to get to $100,000 a year as a solo spa owner.

The First Step: Market Repositioning 

One of the very first things I do with my private coaching clients is analyze their market positioning… and determine how market repositioning can positively impact their spa business’s sales potential.

This is particularly true for full-service spas. While offering the whole works for your clients may sound appealing at first due to its versatility, narrowing your spa business’s offerings down to a niche once you’ve met your initial $50,000 - $60,000 a year mark is what will finally allow your pricing to go up.

Truth talk time: it’ll be a steep hill to climb if you want to get to $100,000 a year as a solo spa owner doing mani’s and pedi’s. What to do instead? Lower-price services and clients either need to go or shift into the higher-priced services that will help steer you to your goal. These higher-priced services need to be A) niches that you are passionate about and B) niches that you have pre-existing education in or niches that you know you are able to thoroughly educate yourself on. 

Pro-tip: “Kirsten,” you may be saying, frantic, “what about the clients who will be peeved that I’m switching my offers?” I highly recommend having a transition plan in place to curb annoyance! When in doubt, you are always free to contact me with your concerns and we can work together to find a solution. 

Polish Up Your Branding to Reach $100,000 a Year as a Solo Spa Owner

If you want to attract higher-quality (read: higher-paying and longer-staying) clients, it may be time to revisit your brand to see what about it needs polishing.

Here’s a basic go-to branding checklist for when you are considering revamping your spa’s branding:

• “Is my logo outdated now?”

• “Did I create my own logo? Does it show?”

• “Was my logo and overall branding created with my ideal demographic in mind?”

• “Is my branding consistent across my social media, email, and website?”

• “Is my branding still reflective of my spa’s mission and its offerings?”

• “Do I still like my branding?”

• “Have I received client and peer feedback about what could be improved about my branding? Was their feedback valid?”

Your spa’s branding is the very first thing that new consumers are aware of; it’s how they gauge you and your offerings and make initial purchasing decisions. Don’t underestimate the power of branding!

Get Your Spa Systems in Place

I am a systems fanatic: in fact, the last two weeks’ worth of podcasts and accompanying blog posts alone I delved into how spa systems can help you group (or regroup) spa growth and how spa handbooks are the #1 best form of written documentation a spa can have (alongside including downloadable links to my spa handbook templates and walkthroughs!)

If you’ve chosen not to grow your spa business with a team, then that means that, as a solo, you are the sole chief, cook, and bottle washer of your own operation… and that you need ways to systematize those repeatable sales, marketing, and reporting processes. (Unless you want to run yourself ragged, of course!)

My top tip for not going bonkers trying to systematize your spa biz? Firstly, download my free spa systems checklist to get yourself on the right track. Secondly, be prepared to outsource your bookkeeping and digital marketing to ensure that your client hours are leveraged fully! More time equals more revenue.

Know Your Numbers

I know. We spa coaches are always on your case about knowing your numbers.

Although you’ll hate me for it, you know I’m right: there’s a reason why knowing your numbers is especially important if you are a solo spa owner looking to meet your $100,000 a year benchmark. And that reason is course correction.

Put simply, if you are tracking your numbers regularly (meaning quick checks daily, overviews weekly, and full documentation monthly) then you can efficiently course-correct sales tactics if numbers are stagnating. As I harped on above, you need to know what you don’t know. So learn to love numbers! (Or outsource to someone who does.)

The Plan to 100 Grand as a Solo Spa Owner: The Conclusion

If you are a solo spa owner who is struggling to near the $100,000 mark, your problem is this: your spa business is not scalable the way it is currently functioning.

If that sounds like your spa biz, it’s time to get serious about the recommended structural changes outlined above and start working smarter, not harder.

Have any questions or comments? Reach out today or visit my Spa Solo Growth Track description to learn how I’ve guided solo spa owners just like you to their 100 grand goal… and beyond!