Glowing Older
Austin, Texas – Glowing Older, a media and education platform dedicated to aging well, hosted Better with Age and Women Shaping the Future of Spa at Lake Austin Spa Resort.
The first day focused on aging well and the future of women’s health. The second day featured a spa professional only event that was dedicated to continuing the legacy of spa and supporting the next generation of leaders. The event was sponsored by OneSpaWorld, Natura Bissé, Agilysys, Oakworks, Yobee, KNESKO Skin, Body Bliss, Chelsea Bond Jewelry and Kashwére.
“Glowing Older’s goal is to change the narrative around aging to one of meaning, purpose, and vitality,” said founder Nancy Griffin. “Women Shaping the Future of Spa was a dream come true—a chance to bring together my two passions: the spa industry and aging well. The deep connections and cumulative brain power were incredible; we are looking forward to continuing the conversation!”
Day One opened with strategies for aging well from Griffin, followed by an expert panel featuring Susan Salenger, author of Sidelined: How Women Can Navigate a Broken Healthcare System, microbiome expert Dr. Ruchi Gupta, Northwestern University professor and founder of Yobee, and Laura Gamboa, Director of Corporate Education and Spa Development at Natura Bissé. The morning concluded with an interactive session on values with moderator Jean Kolb.
On Day Two, spa professionals got down to business, tackling the Future of Spa and concrete actions needed to make a difference. Together, attendees brought an impressive 700 years of collective industry experience to the conversation, averaging 25 years per woman.
Key Takeaways of the event:
- Inspire the next generation of spa professionals - Beyond management training and mentorship, we need to share our passion of the industry and the legacy that shaped it.
- Clarity in communication – Attendees stressed the need to meet young people where they are – to empower, encourage, and seek to understand how the different generations think and what they value.
- Beware the shiny new thing – Get back to basics and avoid buying into hype when it comes to equipment and technology. Focus on the power of human connection.
- Collaboration with associations and schools: Attendees encouraged “adopting a local school” and leveraging the cumulative power of associations. An example of a successful collaboration is the work of the Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP), The International SPA Association (ISPA), and The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) to advance the Esthetics Licensure Compact.
- Lead forward – The spa leaders agreed we need to take purposeful action to create a better future – focusing on the “Four C’s” community, collaboration communication and connection.
The event was supported by International Spa Association (ISPA), and was attended by four past ISPA Chairs, ISPA Foundation Chair and Vice Chair, four current board members, as well as President Lynne McNees.
“When 40 seasoned spa professionals take time to imagine the industry’s future, they bring both the wisdom of experience and a responsibility to look beyond it. Our conversation kept returning to people — those we serve, those we depend on today and those who will lead us tomorrow. The future of spa will be shaped by how generously we share what we know and how intentionally we create opportunities for others to take it further,” McNees said.
