Husband-and-wife team Garth and Kimisha

Walker have built the popular Adam & Eve Day Spa into one of the leaders in

its field and taking personal grooming in Jamaica to new heights.

The spa was Kimisha’s baby and now it will

be moving to a new location at 56 Old Hope Road where it will offer even more

services from an extended 10,000-square-feet facility.

Here Kimisha tells BUZZ about the early days and the effort taken to build Adam & Eve Day Spa into the reputable emporium it is today.

BUZZ: Why did you go into the spa business? Did you see an underserved

market?

Kimisha: “We began the business back in

2007, the dream and vision of two young entrepreneurs and managed to make it a

reality. We started appreciating “SPA-ing”, many years before Adam & Eve

Day Spa and Salon was conceptualised, having been blessed with the opportunity

of going to spas both locally and internationally.  At the time, we were just seeking out the

best ways of treating a friend or enjoying a spa date together by being able to

de-stress, relax and rejuvenate after a long day or week.

The question people often ask is, ‘Why did

you select this field?’, I still say, ‘I think this field selected me!’

Having started Adam & Eve Day Spa and

Salon from scratch, as business partners, my husband Garth and I hold dearly to

the fact that we were blessed with the virtues of courage and boldness to

strategically capitalise on an industry on which to build a beneficent legacy.

The spa and salon business are not the

easiest to operate. Hard work must be put in to build and retain the clientele.

At the start of every day you must be prepared to work even harder than the day

before. We faced adversities and continue to survive through tough economic

times because of proactive marketing strategies that deliver new clients and

build on existing relationships. We have a relentless commitment to customer

service that keeps our customers coming back.

Daily we impress upon our team the critical

importance of focusing on customer satisfaction and we are never satisfied with

just “good enough”. Over the eleven years we have operated Adam &

Eve Day Spa, we have made mistakes from which we have quickly learned. We have

listened and continue to listen keenly to our clients. For any business to

remain successful, it must remain relevant. That’s why we continue to build on

our quality service offerings. Only EXCELLENCE will do.

Today I applaud the team at Adam & Eve

(we could not have done it without your commitment and dedication and I always

reiterate, there’s no “I” in TEAM). 

It’s not about just having people or bodies to fill positions, but the

RIGHT people, with the RIGHT attitude who are driven and passionate. This has

contributed immensely to the success we celebrate today.

I truly believe that anything is achievable with a firm foundation built on faith. My personal joy is underpinned by humility because I know that God has chosen to bless this business, its stakeholders, the owners, clients, staff, the community, and Brand Jamaica. As a business leader, I am required to be a good steward and I take this role very seriously. I have led from the front since the inception of the business.”

BUZZ: What challenges did you initially face?

Kimisha: “The first two years were a tremendously challenging.  Our relocation from a 1800sq. ft. to a 5000 sq. ft. facility was a massive risk to undertake. We were investing close to $20 million in just renovation costs alone at a time when the economy was not booming, and the dollar was not stable either.

When you consider all the implications that

were associated with moving to a facility that doubled in size, a lot was on

the line.  We believed so much in our

brand and the existing management team, staff and the new staff members

recruited. We had faith that our investment would pay off.

Despite being placed under pressure, the

directors stood strong and decided that they would put more time and energy

into the business. This has paid off. 

The company went on to be hosted in a 5000sq. ft building and has a

steady clientele with a full-time staff complement of over 30 team members.

The spa started out small, but over the years it has shown significant growth and received commendable recognition.  The brand has grown from strength to strength as a result of the hard work and dedication of its staff, loyal customers and astute business decision-making.”

Stay tuned for part two of this BUZZ feature in business!