marepulido

I conducted a focus group back in July of 2009 with some of Pavia's best clients. I played several games with them and ran some ideas by them on a warm Sunday afternoon. One game I played was called, "Speedboat," where I asked them to imagine that Pavia was a speedboat and that we had anchors that caused our speedboat to be "slow." I asked them to each write down the name of the anchor and come and post it on the poster of the speedboat. This is a game intended to get them thinking about what... Read Full Story

Okay, I'm reasonably even-keeled now. Let me tell the facts of my story. 1. I thought that just because I am a Stanford MBA, that I could never be swindled. Well, I was WRONG. Joke's on me! 2. This was actually a good lesson in humility for me, because I had a habit of behaving like an arrogant ass in the past, and I definitely needed to be taken down a peg. 3. In July 2005, I was approached by "Dave" of Vericomm, who explained that he could save me a great deal of money on my Visa/Mastercard... Read Full Story

I really wrestled with myself as to whether or not to write this. On the one hand, I hate to complain, and feel terrible doing it. It just brings negative energy to me. On the other hand, I have learned some really expensive lessons that lessened my faith and trust in my fellow human beings, and I want to share them so that other innocent people are not victimized. So I will tell my story in the hope that I can prevent other people from being rampantly de-frauded and victimized by a company... Read Full Story

Well, as it turns out, I consulted no one's convenience but my own when scheduling our inaugural Pavia "well-binar." I basically scheduled it for when it was convenient for me, and me alone. Duh. Everyone knows you should not do that. Except, apparently, me. So I have gone ahead and changed the date and time to a day when others are NOT working. Here is the new information: "Interpreting Your Dreams for Personal Success" Well-Binar Date: September 26 , 2009 (Saturday) Time: 10am Pacific Cost... Read Full Story

Sometimes I think Pavia is not a spa, but a train station, a gateway point where different people intersect, for what seems just a transitory moment in their lives. We don't have the turnover issues that others in this industry have, but it has felt lately like the comings and goings at Pavia rival those of Grand Central. Goings... Well, Miss Annie Banannie (that is what we call her) is dropping down to just one day a week at the end of October. Our nail goddess extraordinaire is just working... Read Full Story

So excited to announce our first ever Pavia "Well-binar!" Theresa Hatcher, intuitive healer, Reiki master, certified hypnotherapist, and dream interpreter extraordinaire, will join me to discuss the importance of our dreams and why they matter for our wellness. We will talk about how learning the language of dreams can provide insight into and solutions to our problems, the meaning of certain dream symbols, and common dream scenarios. You will also have the chance to hear Theresa interpret... Read Full Story

I am trying a radically different experiment for my spa that no other has ever thought of...at least, not that I have ever heard before. It's a true wellness model, one that encourages clients to come more frequently to experience true wellness. Remember that old guy Hippocrates? Yeah, the first true "doctor." He said the way to health was through an aromatic massage and bath every day. Well, why can't we resurrect that old model? I know, I know, we're busy, not enough time, not enough money... Read Full Story

Lately the hubby and I have taken to walking up the Stanford foothills on Sundays. Okay, to be candid, we have done it 3 times in the last month or so, and each time seems to be a little easier on me. It's that hill that Stanford Avenue ends with, the one that goes up steeply, like the back of an elephant's behind. I know it doesn't look that bad, but it FEELS like it. My ass can attest to that - it always hurts afterwards. So, the first time I go up, it's the early part of May, the height of... Read Full Story

There are 5 cardinal rules that I feel strongly about, and all 5 of these need to be observed when someone comes to interview with me, or any spa owner, for that matter. If any one of these rules is broken, then I am likely to have an extremely negative impression of the prospective candidate and their chances of being hired are just about nil. Rule #1: Be on time. This may seem like the easiest of rules to follow, but to me, if you're not even able to show up on time for the interview, which... Read Full Story

It's important to me that I support green businesses, because I really do believe the way I spend what's in my wallet can help make a difference in the world. And so when Green Zebra offered me the chance to advertise in their Bay Area guide, I said, "OF COURSE!" The Pavia coupon we put in is awesome - it represents a total savings of $75. It's so good, in fact, that I just bought one for myself yesterday! (Hilarious: using my own coupon at my own business). But beyond the Pavia coupon, it's... Read Full Story