Pulse Legacy Archive January / February 2012 | Page 36

ISPA Keynote Speakers:

THE
TAKEAWAYS
BY LISA KASANICKY

T

he good news: We’re in the right business at the right time.
The not-so-good news: You better grab a paddle ‘cause the
flood is coming. Not literally, let’s hope, but a cultural
change continues to weave its way through the minds of
consumers, and your response as a spa industry leader is the

difference between sailing through placid waters and barely staying afloat.
The takeaways from the 2011 ISPA Conference & Expo keynote speakers hit on a common thread: Consumers in general are taking a long, hard
look at where their dollars are going and given the choice, are opting in
favor of brands with a higher purpose. They want to invest in the future
through socially responsible, transparent businesses that, at the end of
the day, make them feel good about their purchasing power.

BERT JACOBS:
The Power of Optimism and Catching
a Flying Disc

C

lad in a signature tee
and sneakers, Bert
Jacobs is the walking
personification of the Life is
good brand and kicked off
the first general session with
a toss of a Frisbee and a
message of optimism. Cofounder of the contagious
apparel and accessories line,
Jacobs used his time on stage
to draw a correlation between the success of the $100-million
business that he and his brother John built out the back of a
van and a disposition driven by the power of optimism.
He emphasized the value of play and maintaining a playful,
childlike openness and explained that when the mind is open,
it becomes more fun to think about the possibilities. It was a
kid in fact, who punctuated this message clearly for Jacobs and
set the course for the philanthropic side of their business. He
relayed the story of how in 1997, a story appeared in The
Boston Globe about Lindsay Beggan who was diagnosed with
terminal bone cancer. “Before I was sick, I took my life for
granted,” he recalled her saying. “Now I appreciate it.” She was
11. And she was wearing a Life is good tee.
The point of his story was not to tug at our heartstrings.
(Begga n, by the way, is now a happy and healthy adult.) He

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January/February 2012

circled back to the point that is so poignant to the wellness
industry: The simple appreciation a child has for life and how
as places of healing, spas can be instrumental in nudging
people back into that childlike, open place.
The heart that now beats just beneath their cheeky tees and
accessories: Life is good Playmakers, a division dedicated to
helping kids overcome life-threatening challenges through the
power of joyful play. Life is good is not supporting a cause,
they are solving problems as part of their corporate initiative (a
vital point in Faith Popcorn’s cultural trend presentation).
It’s clearly not about the T-shirts. It’s about building a relationship with their customers that enables them, through their
purchasing power, to
buy into a deeper, more
meaningful relationship
with the brand.
Bert Jacobs’ message
boiled down to this:
—Bert Jacobs
The spa industry is in
the business of making people feel good. Spas are the soft
landing place where people can go to play, to experience joy, to
stew in positive energy, to heal. Once that bond is created
between the client and that soft place, it’s a powerful thing.
Deborah Szekely said it best when presenting the ISPA
Alex Szekely Humanitarian Award to Bert Jacobs at the outset
of the session. “We are in the life is good business.”

“Blur the line between
work and play in
everything you do.”

Want full access to Bert Jacobs’ General Session
PowerPoint presentation? Visit digital Pulse on
experienceispa.com.