Given that staffing is an essential element of any successful operation- The most successful Medi-Spas are staffed with professionals that have prior experience in a medical setting combined with a healing touch. Examples are Aestheticians with continued education certifications, Dermatologist's Assistants and Registered Nurses.

Pitfall: High Turnover. This is a high-turnover industry. In conjunction with treating your staff fairly, with respect, and creating an environment that is positive and friendly, there are other ways to retain your staff.

Aestheticians are extremely motivated by learning. As a Doctor, you have a pool of knowledge to share with them. On-site education and training is invaluable and lacking in the Spa world, so if you want to hold onto your staff, educate them. This benefits both you and them. Set up monthly lectures with the staff to keep them updated on the latest trends, cosmetic ingredients, products, new lasers, etc.

Allow a staff member to spend a morning with you in surgery or assist you on a busy day of patients. They learn and gain respect by watching you diagnose and speak to patients. Also, give staff discounts on your services, so they can see first-hand what is involved in your treatments, how the service feels and in turn promote you; for example Bone Density Test, Eye Exam, discounts on Botox, etc.

Aestheticians are extremely motivated by money. Capitalize on this to get the highest productivity from your staff. Set sliding scale commission structures, weekly product sale targets, incentives for rebooking and up-selling, and promote teamwork by setting monthly overall Spa goals and rewards when they meet your financial goals.

By Alexis Ufland,  Director at Lexi Design www.lexidesign.com

A respected authority in the Spa industry, Alexis Ufland has developed premier Spas across Europe, Asia and the United States. With a unique combination of creativity, development and operations, Ms. Ufland will create and implement a proven turnkey operation that guarantees success. Ms. Ufland has written numerous articles on Spa development and has been quoted in the top industry trade magazines as well as lectured at national trade events. She is currently pursuing certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. (LEED).