Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily McConnell.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have always had a tie in the world of health and beauty. When I was a little girl, my mom used to take me to our local beauty school for relaxation as our mother-daughter bonding time. I loved it because I got to spend time with my mom and we always left feeling happy and relaxed. We now joke that she didn’t realize it at the time, but she was creating a spa monster.
When I was old enough to work, I was hired as a salon receptionist. I really enjoyed the social aspect of the job and the fact that women were taking care of themselves. It was a place where people were in high spirits and left feeling confident. After I had my first massage – that was it. I walked out of the spa thinking that the whole world should feel the way that I felt after having that experience. That was the moment I decided that I wanted to help create environments that made people feel their best.
After I graduated from college, I was fortunate to backpack throughout Australia, Asia and Europe. Of course, I wanted to travel, but I was also curious to learn about the history of spas. I took that time to educate and really immerse myself in practices and treatments that were offered in different cultures.
I moved to Chicago and was hired as a spa receptionist at a five-star hotel. I was quickly promoted to a supervisor role, but I wanted to gain more knowledge of the industry, so I decided to go to beauty school to earn my Esthetics license. I started working at another prestigious spa as an Esthetician performing facials, body treatments and waxing.
While some criticized me for “giving myself a demotion”, I looked at the job as a learning opportunity to enhance my managerial skills and to provide a much better understanding of the guest perspective, the employee perspective and the entire spa operation. I can now relate to and understand my team in a more effective way, as I gained a first-hand experience of what they need and why. I am now going on my eighth year at the spa at dana, and absolutely love what I do!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think any long road is smooth. My road has not been perfect, but having a genuine passion for our industry has helped me work through my growing pains. My mom used to tell me that anything worthwhile does not come easy and I keep that in the back of my mind when challenges arise. To this day when I get discouraged or frustrated, I treat myself at the spa, either with a treatment or a steam and shower. It helps bring me back to the core of why I pursued this field.
The biggest challenge that we face as a team is our quest to continuously educate those around us. Spa professionals help people achieve personal health and wellness goals – whether a guest is in need of stress reduction, pain management, or a boost of self-confidence, we are here. Our job is to provide guidance and the tools that help guests incorporate healthier lifestyle habits to reach those goals.
Spa at Dana – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
dana hotel and spa is a luxury boutique hotel located in River North. The hotel was named dana because in Sanskrit, “dana” means the pleasure of giving – and it is a principal that we practice every day. It is only natural that we continue this celebration of giving and individuality as we apply it to our guests at the spa at dana.
In my role as Spa Director, I am a responsible for the business portion of the spa. Aside from overseeing financials, I ensure that our level of commitment to the guest is always a top priority. To achieve this, I coordinate the development and technique of treatments to provide unique experiences for our guests.
I continuously research new methods, trends and products to keep our business fresh and ahead in the industry. My Esthetics training has helped tremendously in deciphering which direction to go when presented with new knowledge. By staying well versed with state guidelines and laws, I am able to ensure that our guests receive the safest and best experiences.
I am most proud of our team. We have extremely talented technicians and therapists that truly care and want our guests’ experiences to be exceptional. Because of their strengths and passion, we have received many accolades both locally and nationwide, from publications including Forbes, Condé Nast Traveler, Allure magazine, CS Modern Luxury, Michigan Avenue magazine and more.
If you had to start over, what would you do differently?
Nothing. My road hasn’t been perfect, but you learn and grow from mistakes. I am grateful that I have a supportive network that allows me to take chances and grow.
Contact Info:
- Address: 660 N. State Street 4th Floor Chicago, Illinois 60654
- Website: https://www.danahotelandspa.com
- Phone: 312-202-6040
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danahotelandspa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danahotelandspa
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dana-hotel-and-spa-chicago
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