Owner
Fumi Ozaki
Licensed Esthetician, Electrologist, Certified Esthetics Instructor at “O” de Kirei in Redondo Beach, Calif.
CONCEPT
How can you define the concept of your one woman spa?
“O” de Kirei is a personalized, private, petite skin care and electrolysis practice. The “O” comes from my last initial, but also means “water” (eau) in French and Kirei means “beauty” or “beautiful” in Japanese. My concept is to inspire the pure blessings of water to all my clients with positive spirit, optimal health and radiant skin wellness!
What are your most popular treatments?
Electrolysis and a European facial, which can be customized with add-ons such as a pumpkin peel or algae peptide mask. The European Facial + Gua Sha Meridian Combo Treatment is also very popular and uses a special plate made of jade or buffalo horn to relieve toxins in the body with several holistic benefits.
FACILITY
How many treatment rooms and other amenities are there?
“O” de Kirei is privately located on the top floor of a three-story office building. I have one treatment table for facials, body treatments and electrolysis. I have a product retail section and a reception desk, perfectly situated in a single 144 square-foot leasing space. Aside from the leased space, the building provides a common area space with a sofa, located immediately outside the spa for clients to wait for their appointments. The common area space is also perfect for conducting any skin care related classes, private parties or large meetings with a capacity of more than 15 people.
OWNERSHIP ROLE
What daily challenges do you encounter as a one woman spa?
Maintaining current clientele while searching for new clients.
How do you manage stress that work brings into your life?
I love to hit the gym after work, take a brisk walk alongside the beach, cook hearty homemade meals and take great care of my own skin! I am also very fortunate to have a great relationship with my mentor, a longtime family friend who is like my guardian. She lives in Japan but we speak on the phone regularly to catch up and she provides me with words of wisdom. Being a one woman spa, maintaining open communication with my mentor puts me at ease and motivates me further to strive for success.
What takes most of your time every day?
Client appointments are pre-booked; therefore, my days are usually set and scheduled ahead of time. My typical day consists of rendering the services, cleaning, sterilizing, laundering, table set-up, making hot towels, taking out trash, checking product inventory, ordering supplies, preparing monthly e-blasts and following up with clients via phone or email.
A ONE WOMAN SPA
So you are the only real “employee” of your spa?
Yes, I am my own boss who wears many hats! I am licensed as an esthetician, electrologist and also render makeup artistry. To enhance my career, I pursued an additional 600 hours to be certified as an esthetician instructor because I love to educate clients about proper skin care!
Do you ever need to hire temporary help?
Only when I need an extra hand during PR events or in-house private parties. I have a phone interview with a candidate first, followed with a face-to-face interview before moving forward with the hiring process. The candidate must be punctual, passionate and presentable for the spa brand and have the willingness to go above and beyond to assist in any way during an event.
How do you train staff?
I follow up with them beforehand via email and personally make a phone call to review what I expect from them on the day of the event.
RETAIL
What are your retail goals?
My current retail is 25 percent of sales monthly. My goal is to grow five percent more!
Where is your retail area located?
Near the front door, close to the reception area. The two tier retail shelves are perfectly located where clients can glance while receiving a treatment. I also have tester samples displayed at the reception desk so clients can test the quality of the products I retail.
MARKETING & PUBLICITY
Tell us about your marketing techniques.
The most important aspect of running my spa business is being proactive and focusing on new opportunities. Besides posting on social media such as Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, I spend most of my time and money attending local networking events to meet potential clients and donate gift certificates to various non-profit organizations and local schools. I also write e-blasts in English and Japanese to existing clientele about promotions and events happening in the spa.
EXCEPTIONAL CLIENT CARE
How do you keep clients loyal and consistent?
By maintaining professionalism at all times in a one-on-one, clean setting with a relaxing ambiance. I incorporate my Japanese background at the spa called omotenashi, meaning hospitality. I do this by speaking to my clients kindly and answering any questions or concerns. I also do my best to relieve any anxiety about the service they are receiving by doing a detailed consultation from day one.
What incentives do you offer to your clients to retain their business?
I offer a Friend’s Referral Program, which offers them the opportunity to receive a free treatment for referring their friends to the spa! I also give birthday gifts to clients visiting on their birthday month, thank loyal customers with holiday gifts, provide a five-minute add on service for being a follower on Instagram and send hand-written thank you notes to all new clients as part of following up on their first visit!
TIPS FOR SPA LEADERS
What important lessons have you learned from challenges as a one woman spa that you can share with others on your career path? It is very important to know your boundaries when stocking your inventory. It’s easy to get sidetracked with money when you overstock too many products purchased from various vendors. Recognize your inventory to sales ratio and carry only the products you are confident about enough to sell!
We want to hear from YOU!
Share your insider tips on running a successful practice with us, and you may be featured in an upcoming edition of Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa. Simply send an email to mcristina@lneonline.com (50 to 100 words). Together, let’s build a community one word at a time!
