A Day In The Life
By Alissa Bayer
Stress and Satisfaction at a Texas Spa
Pedicures are just part of the product line at a spa opened by this McCombs MBA. Here's a sample of a day in her work life
I am the owner and founder of Milk + Honey, a busy day spa in downtown Austin, Tex. I opened the spa last year, after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business).
One of the main reasons that I choose McCombs was to study entrepreneurship. I knew from the beginning that I wasn't interested in many of the large-company jobs that were coming through the career center. During my final semester, I began an independent study researching the spa industry—combining my love for spa experiences with a need that I felt was poorly met in the Austin market.
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| Alissa Bayer
Owner and Founder
Milk + Honey Spa
University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business
Class of 2004 |
At McCombs, I was part of a unique program, the Venture Capital Fellows, which allowed me to work closely with a partner at a venture capital firm as well as the director of the Austin Technology Incubator. I learned a tremendous amount about what sets apart successful entrepreneurs from the aspiring, how to write an effective and compelling business plan, and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right supporting cast. This real-world exposure, coupled with my classes at McCombs, was a fantastic combination.
Upon graduation, I began working on a formal business plan. I spent the next several months creating financial projections, researching the competition—which of course included lots of massage, facials, and pedicures—poor me!—and learning as much as I could about every aspect of spa operations.
A series of fortuitous events fell into place, including finding the perfect retail space, gaining generous support from friends and family, meeting an encouraging banker, and securing a sizeable line of credit on my home in San Francisco. After 18 months of grueling and exhilarating gestation, Milk + Honey Spa was born, and I'm having the time of my life.
Here's a look at my typical day:
5:30 a.m.—I'm up! This is my time to make coffee, prioritize my day, catch up on e-mail, do some bookkeeping, and walk the dog. It's great to get so much done before the sun rises!
8 a.m.—I arrive at the spa, run a few reports from the previous day's activities, and check in to see what is on the appointment book for the day. I tend to the pile of mail and free samples that accumulate on my desk.
9:30 a.m.—Off to yoga. It may seem a bit extreme to step away for two hours during the day, but yoga allows me to stay calm, focused, healthy, and ready for all of the challenges of running a new business. Besides, I accomplished so much this morning that I don't feel guilty at all.
Noon— Back at the spa, I return phone calls and check in with my staff, followed by a quick lunch with Caryl, the spa director. We head to our favorite lunch spot for a marketing brainstorming session and to sift through the dozens of advertising and marketing opportunities that come our way each week.
1 p.m.—Multitasking at its finest: While getting a pedicure with my computer in my lap, I research the corporate-gift market. I'm trying to find out what types of corporate-gift programs established spas offer, as well gain some insight into what drives the decision-making process.
2 p.m.—My toes look great! (I am a walking advertisement, after all.) I e-mail and call a few former classmates from McCombs who can provide some insights or referrals into the HR departments of Austin's corporations. Two years later, my classmates are still my best resource.
3:30 p.m.—Today was a busy day at the spa, so our laundry is pretty piled up. I stop researching to load the washing machine, and roll white towels into perfect spirals.
5 p.m.—I call Shon, my husband, to get his take on an idea for a client-appreciation event at the spa. He's VP of Marketing for a fast-growing e-learning company. His job keeps him busy, too, but he always has time to be my best sounding board and advisor.
6 p.m.—I check in with my front-desk staff and make sure they're all set to close for the night. The spa is open for 3 more hours, and I know I'm leaving it in good hands.
7 p.m.—I'm home cooking dinner with Shon. Over dinner, we decide to go see some live music at a local pub. Even though it's a Tuesday, there are lots of great shows. They don't call Austin the live-music capital of the world for nothing.
11 p.m. Back home, my ears are still ringing from the concert. Before heading to bed, I check my e-mail and my schedule for tomorrow. Tomorrow looks like another busy day.
Though I started Milk + Honey without having ever worked at a spa, the combination of my MBA program and my professional experience (I worked for eight years at The Princeton Review (
REVU) in a variety of roles) has prepared me well for the day-to-day challenges of operating and growing a new business.
An MBA is certainly not required to start or manage a spa. However, I can't imagine that I would have had the confidence, support, or resources to launch Milk + Honey without one. Every day I'm using something that I learned in school or my internships: cash-flow management, inventory control, marketing and branding, accounting, growth strategies, leadership, teamwork, financial analysis, and the importance of creating a strong company culture, to name a few. I still have classmates, professors, and the tightly knit community of McCombs alums to turn to whenever I need a connection, fresh perspective, or support.
Business school is definitely not for everyone. It is not a passive experience, but rather demands tons of energy, creativity, drive, and skill. It requires an incredible amount of dedication and sacrifice, and provides no guarantee of increased job satisfaction or compensation. However, I would do it all over again. Like most things in life, you will get out of your MBA program what you put into it.
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