Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Bury Rodriguez.
Hi Alicia , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I had always wanted to be a healer as I grew up, and was doing all I could in high school to prepare myself for medical school when I went to a county fair and saw massage being performed for the first time, and right then and there, at the tender age of 16, I decided to become a massage therapist.
It took 28 years from the time I made that decision to that time I got licensed. While I had gone to school early on for massage and esthetics, the states I lived in didn’t have licensing at the time.
I became a mom, lived on Army bases, and had to start and stop school a few times over as being an Army wife meant that I was on the move a lot.
I got divorced and lost everything, and I was living in a motel with my kids and working full time and went back to school and was able to finish is.
I made the most of my education, taking as many CE Classes as I could to become the best massage therapist that I could be, a goal that I’m sure will be life long.
The Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona Beach opened around the same time that I was licensed and I got a lucky break being hired for an on call position at their spa.
There I honed my skills as a Massage Therapist (LMT) and a provider with great customer service.
During my career I have made a niche out of being a deep tissue massage therapist while also working in upscale hotels, I became a teacher for a while and had my own practice for a few years
I saw an opportunity to become Lead Massage Therapist for a new spa, Namaste Spa in Cypress Harbour, that was opening in Orlando and I applied and was awarded the position.
I worked closely with the owners and the supervisors to get it ready and welcome the opportunity to help build the spa from the ground up.
In July of the same year I was offered a promotion to Spa Manager, while also retaining my duties as Lead Massage therapist.
We have worked hard to make the spa a success, establishing a presence in Cypress Harbour and building community, as well as providing excellent services in a luxury atmosphere.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life, and Namaste Spa, have had some ups and downs.
Personally, I was homeless for a while and had to balance work, studies, and a special needs child on a very low budget. There have been times when I had to make hard choices to make it all work.
Namaste Spa had some growing pains. There are two very successful locations in Hilton Head, one for 10 years, the other for 6, and they decided to expand to Orlando when the opportunity arose.
There have been some adjustments as the markets are different and personnel has come and gone but we are humming along very well now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Namaste Spa started in Hilton Head. The owners, Falko Langel and Chris Gomez, had a vision for a resort spa that wasn’t the same as the others.
Wellness Redefined is their slogan and the spas reflect that. Even though they are luxury spas in upscale resorts, most of their services and practitioners are skilled beyond the standard relaxing services most resorts have.
The brand has made a name for itself by combining luxury and wellness, becoming the go to spa even for Hilton Head locals.
In Orlando, all the practitioners are specialized. We have Massage Therapists who do Thai Yoga massage, Medical Massage, Craniosacral, Reiki, and Manual Lymphatic Drainage, among other specialties, and Estheticians who do Dermaplaning, Cool Stone, Gua Sha, and Facial Massages that visibly improve skin tone and texture.
Most of our reviews mention how knowledgeable and thorough our practitioners are, and how they are some of the best services they have ever had, while also mentioning the beauty of the spa.
Our guests are assigned lockers with plush robes and nice sandals to use while in our spa. They have access to a wide range of teas and coffee as well as use of a private jacuzzi. At the end of their services they are also offered mimosas and neck wraps to enhance their experience.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I feel some risks are necessary in both personal and professional life.
In my personal life I took a risk and started over. It felt like a risky move to apply for certain positions, taking classes I didn’t know if I’d be able to use in my work but it made me the person I am today.
Professionally speaking, it feels intimidating and risky to walk around the resorts, introducing myself to guests and staff, contacting venues and making deals, and especially our social media presence, but it has proven successful over and over again so the perceived risk was definitely worth it.
I was told by others that being funny on TikTok was a bad idea but I said well, we are funny, we are goofy, we might as well let people see how we are, and it worked!
I’m sure it also felt risky to open a spa so far from the other two locations but I have to say all the risks we have taken have lead us here and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Sometimes what we see as risk really isn’t, it’s just stepping into the unknown, and a lot of the times it’s really not as bad as we first envisioned. Taking risks is a big part of what helps us grow!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.namastespaorlando.com
- Instagram: namastespacypressharbour
- Facebook: Namaste Spa Cypress Harbour
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/namaste-spa-orlando-2?osq=namaste
- Other: TikTok @namastespacypressharbour
Image Credits
Alicia Bury Rodriguez
