Ep. 54 - What Q1 Taught Me
Q1 Debrief... What Worked, What I Learned, and What's Coming Next
I want to start doing something a little different here on the blog. At the end of every quarter I want to pull back the curtain and share what actually happened in my spa and my business. The wins, the learns, what I'm carrying into the next quarter and what I'm leaving behind.
Because running a spa can feel really lonely sometimes. And I think we all benefit from knowing we're not the only ones figuring it out as we go.
So here's my honest Q1 debrief.
The Wins
The biggest win of Q1 honestly came from getting a facial. I know that sounds simple but stay with me.
I went back to California for my youngest son's first birthday and ended up getting a facial from my husband's cousin Rocio. And oh my gosh. I nearly fell off the table. It was dreamy in every sense of the word... from the robes to the techniques to the whole experience. And I left feeling more inspired about my spa than I had in a long time.
It reminded me of something I think we forget as spa owners. We get so caught up in the numbers and the goals that we forget what it actually feels like to be a client. Getting that facial reminded me exactly why this work matters and gave me a whole list of upgrades I cannot wait to bring back to my team and my members.
And speaking of members... all roads are leading back to the membership. I'm raising prices across the board before summer but members keep their current rate and gain access to an elevated facial experience I'm putting together right now. I haven't even told my team yet. I'm going to set it all up, close the door, and surprise them with it. I am so giddy about it.
The other big win was our booking percentage. Q1 is historically one of the slower seasons and we still came in over 15% higher in bookings than the same time last year. That tells me the team is working well together, the systems are holding, and we're ready to grow into Q2 with momentum behind us.
The Learns
A learn is not a failure. It's just information. And Q1 gave me two big ones.
The first is that I am a better mom when I work. I tried to make Mondays and Fridays no-childcare days and cram everything into three days a week. What actually happened is I burned out by the weekend and spent four days straight with two under two and no real break. I finally gave myself permission to get childcare five days a week and honestly it changed everything. That's not something to feel guilty about. That's something to celebrate.
The second learn is about timing. I've always done my annual marketing calendar in September during the slow season coming off of summer. But I kept noticing it felt forced and uninspired because I was still recovering from the summer push. This year I did it in February and it was the best I've ever felt about it. Inspired, clear, excited. So I'm changing the timing permanently and leaning into what actually works for me instead of what I thought should work.
What's Coming in Q2
Three big things I'm focused on heading into our busiest season.
A price increase before summer hits. The spa has outgrown its current pricing and the upgrades we're making deserve to be reflected in what we charge. Members are protected. Everyone else will see adjusted rates.
An elevated membership facial. This is the thing I'm most excited about. Only members will have access to this experience and it is going to be something really special.
Monday morning huddles with my team. I started these four weeks ago and I'm already in love with them. Every Monday I send a quick Slack message... under seven minutes worth of content... covering our goal for the month, where we're at, and anything the team needs to know. It keeps everyone informed and aligned without turning our monthly team meetings into a catch-up session. Simple, boring, and working beautifully.
Questions to Ask Yourself at the End of Every Quarter
If you want to do your own debrief, here are the questions I ask myself across four areas... money, team, personal capacity, and the business itself.
On money... did I pay myself every single month this quarter and if not why? Did my revenue go up but my take-home stay the same? Was I surprised by any expense and did I see it coming?
On team... who stepped up this quarter and did I tell them? Who is coasting and have I addressed it or am I avoiding it? Am I doing tasks that belong to someone else on my payroll?
On personal capacity... what drained me this quarter and is it still on my plate? Where did I show up as the best version of myself? What did I keep saying I'd get to but never did?
On the business... what did my business outgrow this quarter that I haven't updated yet? What did a client say in a review or in person that I haven't acted on? And if I could only keep three things from this quarter and had to drop everything else, what would they be?
That last one always grounds me. It's a good reminder to protect what's working before it quietly slips through the cracks.
Q1 is done. Whatever it looked like for you, it's behind you now. The question is how you want to build what comes next.
Ready to go into Q2 with more clarity and less chaos?
Fill out this intake form to book a discovery call with me. I work with spa owners who are ready to stop winging it quarter by quarter and start building a business that actually feels as good as it looks.
