Oasis Day Spa co-owner Bruce Schoenberg is living proof that you can make a major career change successfully. For over twenty years Bruce was involved in the event marketing and trade show industry, producing major events both locally and nationally. In 1996 he met his future wife and partner while producing a trade show in Chicago, where Marti was a massage therapist. They were married shortly thereafter and the Oasis dream soon began.
Before Marti would move to New York Bruce had to convince her he would explore other career options since he was on the road so much in the event and show industry. After they married, Marti worked at two Manhattan spas several days a week, but found them lacking in customer service. Marti was especially dissatisfied with the way they seemed impersonal and too hard sell on spa products.
As a very conservative business person Bruce adheres to a very strict business analysis. Not knowing the first thing about spas was very intimidating, and despite Marti’s vibe on the emerging industry he needed to convince himself of the soundness of this type of investment. At 42 years years of age this was going to be one of the most important decisions he would ever make. After writing several business plans, conducting numerous focus groups and visiting dozens of spas Bruce was convinced the industry was growing and could support another spa in the crowded Manhattan spa business. One of his golden rules is: “numbers don’t lie, only people do.” If you do the math fairly and honestly, you can fairly predict what it will take to create a successful business.
Oasis opened its first location in 1998, a seven room spa in Union Square. While Marti focuses on developing services and hiring of therapists, Bruce concentrates on the marketing, advertising and business operations end. In any partnership especially one where spouses work together it is critical to divide duties. Bruce’s strength is in marketing, advertising and people management. In addition he acts as the “Why Guy” when making any service changes or purchasing decisions for professional and retail products.
Oasis Day Spa was an overnight success, quickly earning ‘Best of New York’ designations from several local and national publications. Their second location at One Park Avenue, which is four times the size of the first spa, opened in 2001, and instantly garnered a tremendous following.
Business partnerships have since been formed with the Affinia Dumont Hotel where Oasis opened its third location in May 2004, which also includes a fitness center. Bruce and Marti are also introducing a wellness program that incorporates the type of issues you would see at destination spas. They see this as the emerging trend – the ability to merge and address the health, wellness and spa aspects their guests need.
Oasis has just opened up in the JetBlue Terminal at JFK Airport in a partnership with JetBlue Airways. This is just their latest opportunity to help stressed out travelers find a little peace and wellness during the harried times of traveling. Bruce doesn’t deny the opportunity to further market Oasis Day Spa at JetBlue. He sees their presence there as a fantastic opportunity to make a great first impression on the traveling New Yorker as well as other visitors to New York City; if they are in New York and want a great spa experience that emphasizes customer service, he wants them to think of Oasis Day Spa.
What’s on the horizon for Oasis? “We will take every opportunity as it comes and evaluate each on its own merits. The most important mission is to ensure the quality of what we do, and that it is in the best interest of all the people who have helped make us who we are, our great staff.”
Bruce Schoenberg can be reached by email :bruce@oasisdayspanyc.com
THIS PROFILE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY THIS MONTH’S SPA PERSON AND IS BEING PRESENTED AS GIVEN TO THE DSA. STATEMENTS AND CLAIMS MADE DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE DAY SPA ASSOCIATION AND WE DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE CONTENTS.
