Tammy Pahel has been part of the spa industry long enough to watch it evolve beyond skin care and fitness, incorporating more wellness and alternative holistic healing options. After starting her career as a resort and spa retail buyer and manager, Pahel is now the vice president of spa and wellness operations at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, a destination that is renowned for being a wellness innovator. WellSpa 360 spoke to Pahel about her inspiration, top wellness trends and what’s coming up for Carillon Miami.
Tammy Pahel has been part of the spa industry long enough to watch it evolve beyond skin care and fitness, incorporating more wellness and alternative holistic healing options. After starting her career as a resort and spa retail buyer and manager, Pahel is now the vice president of spa and wellness operations at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, a destination that is renowned for being a wellness innovator. WellSpa 360 spoke to Pahel about her inspiration, top wellness trends and what’s coming up for Carillon Miami.
Who inspires you?
In the early years of my career, I worked for a billionaire named Maggie Hardy, who owns both 84 Lumber and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa. In 1989, she told me not to be afraid of what I didn’t know, but instead to fake it until I make it!
What advice do you have for someone just getting started in the industry?
First and foremost, start at the bottom and work yourself up to the spa director position. For example, start as a locker room attendant, then move to the wellness concierge positions, then to spa desk supervisor, then spa treatment manager, then to spa and fitness operations manager, and continue to move through this process so you can become a great spa director. This hands-on approach will teach you how each position can impact your spa’s profitability.
What new wellness trends do you find most exciting?
It’s interesting that although the spa industry has evolved, the revenue lines of the spa business haven’t changed: facials, massages, body treatments, manicures, pedicures and hair.
Still, wellness is at the forefront of everyone’s mind these days. When people call us, they’re thinking about wellness and asking way more questions than ever before. We went from an average stay of three nights prior to the pandemic to five nights in 2021 and 2022. At the same time, guests went from asking about the size of our beach and number of pools to wellness retreats and the topics of our lectures and class offerings.
Mental wellness has become huge for us. People are still dealing with the anxiety and stress that the pandemic only exacerbated. Many were unemployed and struggling, and they’re just now getting back on their feet and looking for ways to feel whole again. They’ve had their eyes opened to wellness and they want more.
What’s your favorite treatment to receive?
It’s a tie between Prism Light Pod and VEMI, which are both touchless wellness treatments we offer at Carillon Miami. The Prism Light Pod is the industry’s most advanced, 360-degree whole-body red light therapy system. It enhances natural wellness and speeds aesthetics and performance recovery. I love it because it strengthens the immune system, relieves stress and inflammation, and accelerates collagen production.
My other favorite, VEMI, stands for Vibroacoustic Electro Magnetic and Infrared Therapy. The treatment puts you in a deep meditative state where your body can self-heal. I also love it because of the open cellular communication to your cells, meaning that it removes static EMF radiation (from cell phones, etc.) from your body.
What is on your bucket list?
More travel! I would love to explore Greece, southern Spain and the French Riviera, to name a few.
What’s on the horizon for Carillon Miami?
Looking ahead, we have a ton of exciting programming and initiatives planned for 2023 and beyond. We will continue to add new wellness partners, including a physical therapist and chiropractor, as well as bring back our popular sex therapist. Currently we partner with Dr. Fleming (a strategic life coach), Dr. Irina, (a Chinese Medicine doctor), the biostation (integrative and functional medicine) and Julie Kramer (quantiom energy medicine).
