“ Treat people as if they were what they ought to be , and you help them become what they are capable of being .”
— JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE , German writer , scientist and statesman
A career passion can spring up out of nowhere . You must be open to change in order to grasp it .
At least that ’ s how it began for Stevie White , 29-year-old spa director at Joya Spa at Omni Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Montelucia . When she got a job at Joya ’ s front desk , she thought it was just a job , she didn ’ t think about a career in the industry . However , the more she threw herself into her position and explored the world of spa , the more she knew it was the place for her .
She began training to move into the spa desk lead position within a year of her start . After gaining some experience , she transitioned to the spa operations supervisor role in 2010 . Then , she set her sights for the big one : spa director . “ I worked alongside some great mentors who pushed me in my career path and helped me set accomplishable goals ,” White remembers . “ After working hard and persevering through obstacles , I was promoted to the assistant director role , then eventually spa director .”
She credits the standout leaders who came before her for her quick rise through the ranks . “ Erin Stewart was the spa director who hired me , and she pushed me at every level to do more and learn more every day ,” says White . “ She shaped the spa director I am today and I can say without a doubt that I am where I am today because of her standout leadership and ability to create a collaborative team atmosphere where everyone thrived .”
White has faced challenges in her career , most particularly her young age and having the confidence in herself to be able to lead such a great team . “ When I took the assistant director role , we had associates that had been in the field for longer than I had been alive ,” says White . “ It was tough to give direction to senior staff members considered experts in their field . I did my best to make the best decisions for our teams and remain as fair as possible until it became second nature to me . After a few times of the outcome being what was best for our team , I had gained the respect of the team and my age no longer plays a factor in how they approach or see me .”
STEVIE WHITE , Spa Director Joya Spa at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia , Paradise Valley , Arizona
White hopes that industry newbies in her generation aren ’ t afraid to step up and work hard for their leadership roles . She understands the challenge of youth , but touts the spa industry as open to hard workers of any age . “ We constantly need to remind ourselves to stay humble and really work hard for what we want . It ’ s easy to feel like we deserve the next step up after a certain point in time in a specific role but we have to remember that it ’ s the work we do and the things we accomplish that will take us places , not the time spent .” n
The relaxation area at Joya Spa at Omni Scottsdale Resort and Spa is the perfect combination of tranquil and chic .
42 PULSE ■ March / April 2017