How I Got Here: Endota Spa’s CEO on learning how to rely on others
WORDS BY MAGGIE ZHOU AND CAIT EMMA BURKE
“I learn from the people in the business and am in awe of the work they do; they run families and businesses.”
Have you ever stalked someone on LinkedIn and wondered how on earth they managed to land that wildly impressive job? While the internet and social media might have us believe that our ideal job is a mere pipe dream, the individuals who have these jobs were, believe it or not, in the same position once, fantasising over someone else’s seemingly unattainable job.
But behind the awe-inspiring titles and the fancy work events lies a heck of a lot of hard work. So what lessons have been learnt and what skills have proved invaluable in getting them from daydreaming about success to actually being at the top of their industry?
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Welcome to How I Got Here, where we talk to women who are killing it in their respective fields about how they landed their awe-inspiring jobs, exploring the peaks and pits, the failures and the wins, and most importantly the knowledge, advice and practical tips they’ve gleaned along the way.
This week, welcome Melanie Gleeson into the fold. As the founding CEO of Endota Spa, Melanie oversees 110 spas and thousands of employees globally, some of whom have become her friends and family. Since 2000, Melanie has been on a mission to provide wellness to the masses.
From starting out in an era where spas weren’t mainstream to overcoming her independent working style, Melanie has faced her fair share of challenges and milestones. Above all, she encourages others to trust their instinct and be kind. Read on to hear more about her career journey.
What do you do and what’s your official job title?
I am the founding CEO of Australia’s largest wellness network, Endota.
Take us back to when you were first starting out. Did you study to get into your chosen field, or did you start out with an internship/entry-level role and climb the ladder? Tell us the story.
After spending some time overseas working as an au pair after school, I came back home to manage a small day spa in Eltham. This foray into the industry helped hone my business skills and ignited a passion and drive to open my own day spa one day. In my early twenties, I saw firsthand the physical and emotional change in women from when they entered the spa to when they left.
I knew I needed to be a part of this in a bigger way. People would arrive stressed, with their shoulders raised. Then about an hour later after their treatment, they would leave an entirely different person. You could see the physical and emotional change. That was so powerful. From there I thought, I really want to provide this feeling to more people. I wanted to be able to make people feel better, and I wanted to be able to do it my way.
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At the age of 26, I was brave enough to take a risk and follow a dream. I opened one of the first day spas on the Mornington Peninsula in [Victoria], at a time when few people even knew what a spa was and fewer recognised the importance of investing in wellbeing. Fast forward to today, we are so proud to be Australia’s leading spa network along with 110 spas globally.
What challenges/hurdles have you faced getting to where you are now? Can you tell us about one in particular?
I often pinch myself at the size of the business. Fortunately, I have a highly capable team beside me who can help with everything I used to do by myself in the early days. By nature, I am quite independent and entrepreneurial so I needed to learn how to trust and rely on others.
With the wellness industry undergoing a period of immense change and new opportunities presenting themselves all the time, it is hard to be sure about what direction to move in. I listen to my intuition and if something doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t. I have also had to learn how to say ‘no’ to offers and opportunities that don’t exactly align with our business objectives or our brand values.
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What do you want people to know about your industry/your role?
- The wellness industry is forever evolving.
- We are very grateful to be market leaders in wellness, as the wellness industry has certainly experienced strong growth over the last 20 years. I think over this time we have also seen a shift in our pace of life and the demands that we put on ourselves, especially as women. Because we are caregivers by nature, we often put the needs of others before ourselves.
- The future holds a focus on everyday wellness, integrated as part of everything we do and not limited to being seen as a ‘treat’ or a ‘luxury’.
What’s the best part about your role?
Our people inspire me every day! I genuinely love the connections that I’ve built over 20 years in this business, they are my friends and family. I am constantly inspired by the Endota staff, therapists and business owners who demonstrate a passion for wellness and making people feel better. I learn from the people in the business and am in awe of the work they do; they run families [and] businesses.
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Our people are good listeners, empathetic and approach building relationships in an open and honest way. These values are what I built the Endota brand on all those years ago. Having a team that is visibly emblematic of those values has had a huge impact on the Endota story and the brand’s impact on the wellness industry.
What skills have served you well in your industry?
Always knowing what I’m here for, to care for people’s wellbeing. I remind myself that is what I’m here for and everything I do stems from that belief.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a role like yours one day?
The best advice I was given was to trust your instinct. If you’re looking to invest in a business like a franchise, do your research and look for a company [that] has a supportive network of people to help you succeed. Make sure it’s something that you can see yourself partnering with for a long period. Get to know the values and see if they connect with you. It’s important to be confident and believe in what you are trying to achieve.
What about a practical tip?
Be kind [and] go with your gut.
Read the rest of the How I Got Here series here.
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