Eating on the Road

There is no doubt our business has us traveling a lot. In the summertime, we drag around our RV so that we can travel in comfort, sleeping in our own beds, and eating our own food. In the off season, however, when we’re visiting clients, attending conferences and trade shows, we generally stay in hotel rooms. Best Western meets our needs for a decent place to stay, but what about food?

They say an army travels on its stomach, so too do a couple of spa products distributors!

We always start our day with a Timmies coffee (of course!), but by the time we get to the end of a long day on the road, the last thing we feel like eating is heavy fast food. We also can’t afford anything too fancy, or else we have to sell twice as much Moor Spa! In the years we’ve been intrepid road warriors, we’ve been fortunate to find a few favourites that we always visit when we’re in their neighbourhood.

This is who we like:

In Niagara Falls, there are lots of choices, but we find ourselves visiting the same places, because we like them so much.

For Thai food, we go to Spicy Thai in St. Catharines. Always warm and comfortable, the service is great, and the food is even better. Will is in love with the Coconut Soup, and we usually have Pad Thai too. For dessert, try the warm Purple Rice Pudding with a scoop of coconut ice cream!

We found out about Mai Vi at the In Your Backyard event at Niagara College from a visitor to our booth. There is also a reference to this Vietnamese restaurant in Anna Olson’s new book. After my very first taste of Crispy Duck, I was hooked. Yum. Service is conscientious and friendly, too.

When we need something special, and on the cutting edge of culinary exploration, we go to the Niagara College Culinary Institute Dining Room. It’s so cool to see what the next generation of chefs are experimenting with. Considering that this is haute cuisine, the prices are outstanding. The service from hospitality management students is top-notch, and they do a lovely job with suggested wine pairings.

In the Ottawa area, if our schedule allows, we try to get out to Kemptville to visit The Branch Restaurant. I just can’t say enough about this place. A restaurant with a social conscience, and amazing food too. In the few short years they’ve been open, they have become a fixture in the community. Whether it’s roasted chicken in a creamy maple sauce, or a grilled Angus steak, or the comforting house-made beef Branchburger, you’re sure to leave happy. Of course the service is amazing. If you can possibly get there on a Sunday, you MUST try the Rubber Boots Buffet. See the website for an understanding of what that is. And if you’re in the mood for a nice read, visit chef Bruce Enloe’s blog. He’s articulate and charming, and has some really nice views on local and sustainable food sources.

In Peterborough, we’re known to have a comfortable meal at The Olde Stone Brewing Company on George Street North. I always choose the suggested pint of microbrew on the server’s recommendation. And while in Peterborough, we stop at the award-winning Franz’s Butcher Shop for some house-made (no fillers!) sausage to take home.

Whenever we find ourselves in downtown Toronto (often after a long day on the trade show floor), we make a stop at Magic Oven for some hand-crafted spelt crust pizza with unique toppings and tender but crispy crust. Pizza is the perfect comfort food after a long day.

We go to these places because they provide good service, and they do what they do (prepare food) with passion and quality. Shouldn’t most of our buying decisions be based on the same criteria?

We never know where we’ll be going next. Where should we eat when we’re in YOUR town?

Exhilarating Leg and Foot Mask

In a recent visit with one of our innovative clients, Deb Izumi at Indulgence Spa and Salon, in Wellington, Prince Edward County, we developed a lovely new treatment, using two Moor Spa products.

It’s always more cost effective to use products you already buy in different ways, and this time we came up with a winner. We combined the light and creamy Moor Gel Body Mask with the fresh and tingly Tension Balm (not coincidentally the best selling Moor Spa product in the world) to create a leg and foot mask that can raise the simple pedicure to new heights.

Simply add a few pumps of Tension Balm to about four ounces of Moor Gel, and you have enough product to do approximately 4 spa pedicures. You could incorporate this mask into a spa pedicure after a foot soak (perhaps a Moor Spa Foot Bath?), exfoliation and nail/cuticle work. Apply a thin layer of the mask to the client’s lower legs and feet, up to just below the knee, wrap with plastic, and cover with a warm blanket for up to 20 minutes. Removal of the product is easy, with either a dry or hot towel. Finish with an effleurage massage with Moor Spa Foot Cream.

Your clients will be left with a feeling of lightness – soft, moisturized and cool for hours.

We travel – for spa professionals who would like to see this protocol demonstrated, please contact us for an appointment and/or costing of the products used.

Niagara Waters Spa Grand Opening

Yesterday we had the tremendous privilege to attend the grand opening of the Niagara Waters Spa, the student spa connected with the esthetics program at Niagara College. It was a wonderful event, with delicious and dainty snacks produced by the Niagara College Culinary Institute, and buzzing with media coverage.

Among the guests were some of the elite of the Niagara spa industry, illustrating the interest in well trained estheticians for the bustling Niagara region. In her speech, Anna D’Amore of Serenity by the Falls Spa at the Marriott Fallsview, an industry partner, acknowledged Niagara College’s program as a world class spa training institution. Also in attendance was Jennifer Hipwell, of Five Lakes Aveda Spa at the Doubletree, and Sharon Weldon, of Senses Spa at the Americana Resort.

The class of students graduating in April will be the first in Ontario to be trained in hydrotherapy using the Moor Spa Integrated Spa System, which will provide a substantial benefit to spas seeking technicians who are ready to go right to work and provide the full range of spa services.

We offer our sincere congratulations to the educators and students at Niagara College, and Niagara Waters Spa, for a successful event and wonderful program.

Great job, Lisa, Susan, Tina, Laurie, Joelle and Lorraine!

Today at Trillium

Today we did one of our favourite jobs. We met a class of soon-to-be estheticians at a private college. We only had a couple of hours there, but it was such a great opportunity to have an honest discussion with open minds, and to gain insight from different life experiences.

In our school presentations, we always begin by introducing ourselves, and talking about our backgrounds. Will has been in the spa/wellness industry for more than 13 years now, and I learn something different every time he talks about his history. From a professional hockey hopeful, to a photographer, to a debilitating back injury which kept him out of work for 2 years, he’s had quite a life journey. My background is in women’s health care and research, seemingly a dramatically different field, yet not so much. I try to bring to my new field a perspective that promotes education, critical thinking skills, and as often as possible, research.

We take a holistic approach to skin and body care, and talk about how our inner health is reflected in our skin. This reinforces what the school teaches about how the systems of the body all interact to create optimal health. We talk about how symptoms (such as a skin break out, headache or even an upset stomach) are the body’s way of telling us something is going wrong. For example, a headache can be an indication of several things, from a stressful lifestyle, to dehydration, to high blood pressure. As an analogy, Will suggested that if the fire alarm went off while we sat in that classroom today, the prudent approach would be to investigate the source, as opposed to shutting the classroom door and ignoring the alarm. Closing the door would be comparable to taking an analgesic for a headache – treats the symptom, not the cause.

Whether or not our body sends out an “alarm”, we talk about how we can support it to eliminate “toxins”, and nourish with Moor to increase nutrients supplied to our cells and promote optimal health. Even if we live a relatively “clean” lifestyle, we still ingest some toxins as well as have some intrinsic toxins produced by the body itself and we must eliminate both kinds.

For some students, this is a radical new concept, which often prompts skepticism, and for others, it resonates with a world view they are already familiar with. Whatever the response, we love the flow of ideas, and the critical thinking this engenders.

We also find that students enjoy learning this holistic type of knowledge, versus just learning about individual products, which any manufacturers rep can rattle on about. Although, I have to say, once the products come out, the students can’t keep their hands off, and love to get right in there to touch and feel everything from body mask to toners! Then the questions fly, and we see the enthusiasm that brought students into the esthetics/spa/wellness industry in the first place.

We were also remarkably flattered today by the teacher, who made the comment that we are very approachable, and open to disclosing our industry knowledge. Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be the standard for spa suppliers. We feel that buyers need to demand that kind of transparency from their suppliers, and expect more of a partnership relationship. No matter the size of the spa, or the size of the order, estheticians and spa owners need to feel like valued clients.

Detoxifying

Most of us groan a little as we think about the excesses we’ve lived through over the holiday season: too much food (of the wrong sort), too much alcohol, not enough exercise, not enough sleep, along with the stresses of parties, shopping, and family events.



These excesses live on in our bodies as “toxins”, along with toxins that we ingest through air pollution or pesticides contained in our food. Along with the ingested toxins come those that are the byproduct of our body’s natural functions - breathing, digestion, or muscular contraction. In that instance, we can call uric acid or lactic acid a toxin as well. Under optimal conditions our bodies are able to almost completely eliminate the latter type of toxins. Our bodies were not designed to process and eliminate the synthetic toxins, however – heavy metals, PCB’s, nicotine and other synthetic chemicals. These toxins may accumulate in our internal organs, our skin, or be trapped in fatty tissue.



Simply put, a toxin is merely a waste product in the body that hasn’t been excreted.



Accumulated toxins can lead to sluggishness, brain fog, fluid retention, and an inability to let go of extra weight. Toxins can be equated to “clutter” in the body. If your desk is cluttered, how much more time does it take to get your work done?


Encouraging your body to let go of toxins
For the most part, we trust in the sophisticated systems in the human body to detoxify itself, however, we can also support our bodies in a number of ways.

• Drink water – help your body help itself by giving it the fluids it needs to flush toxins through your kidneys. One to three servings of Herbal Infusion in water or juice daily can assist with this.
• Improve digestion with a healthy diet. This includes fibre-rich foods like fresh, raw vegetables and fruits; whole grains including brown rice, millet, and quinoa; and raw nuts and seeds. Did you know that ounce for ounce, sesame seeds are the most calcium rich food available?
• Get plenty of restorative sleep. Going to bed early so that you can get 8 hours of solid sleep is a decadent and rewarding thing to do. You can prepare your body for sleep by taking an evening Moor Mud bath. Through simple osmosis, moor mud will also help your body detoxify.
• Eliminate (or reduce) your intake of non-nutritive products like white bread, processed foods, coffee, carbonated drinks and alcohol.
• Reduce serving sizes of meat in your diet. A piece of meat the size of a deck of cards is about 3 ounces, the recommended portion for a meal. Avoid processed meats.
• Reduce stress with lifestyle changes. Do small things daily, and don’t resign yourself to a life of high stress. Meditation, yoga, and visualization are all ways to teach your body to let go of stress.
• Exercise and get a good sweat going. Shower and steam afterwards and you’ll rid your body of loads of toxins.
• Exfoliate your skin – either with a body scrub or dry brushing. Try a salt glow or Moor Spa’s Body Scrub Cream.
• Choose healthy personal care products that take care to use natural source ingredients, without chemical preservatives, artificial colours or fragrances, or petroleum derived ingredients. This reduces the toxic load you put on your body. Moor Spa’s complete line of skin care offers plenty of options.

How do we encourage clients to invest their time and energy into detox?
People want to feel good. They want to feel energetic, have high energy levels, let go of extra weight, and have fresh and healthy looking skin. Your clients are bombarded with the fear of “toxins” in magazines and on television, but we don’t want to feed into that fear.

By no means do we want to promise something we can’t deliver to our clients. Honestly, there is no such thing as a magic bullet. We need to keep our integrity and credibility intact, and our clients need to commit to doing their own work too.

So, knowing that there is nothing you can “sell” your clients to “fix” them, what can you do to help them in their journey to better health?

Offer supportive encouragement, reliable information, and treatments that help them feel better. A warm, soothing, detoxifying Moor Mud wrap can help kickstart the process for them, as can an invigorating Salt Glow. Offer clients at-home support with Herbal Infusion and Herbal Bath, and they can be on their way to making positive changes in their health.

Moor Mud

It’s a common misconception that “Moor” is a company or brand name, when Moor is actually the name to describe a type of mud, or earth. Several companies, in Canada and worldwide, produce and sell Moor-based or pure Moor products.

A respected ancient healer, Paracelsus, understood healing to come from the earth and knew the healing properties of moor. Moor has been an important health and wellness ingredient for many centuries, and according to sources, one of the first users of moor was Cleopatra herself. Modern research was influenced by Professor Otto Stöber, a researcher who founded the Austrian Moor Research Institute in the 1940’s. His work has been continued by others, including Walter Kosmath in the 1950’s. He discovered tiefenmoor (a deeper deposit of moor near Vorarlberg, Austria). In most European countries today, Moor remains a respected and sought after therapy. A brief perusal of current clinical research reveals thousands of published studies in journals around the world on the therapeutic value of Moor.

Moor is a rich, organic mud, formed by time and composed of thousands of plants, which has been proven to be quite similar to the composition of the human body. Moor an ideal ingredient in body and skin care compounds, as its bio-availability aids in nourishing the body as well as assisting in its detoxification. This gives therapists a powerful tool to assist clients in reestablishing their body’s ability to heal. The anti-inflammatory properties of Moor assist in healing skin disorders such as psoriasis, and inflammation of the joints, as in Rheumatoid Arthritis. It is a natural antiseptic and works to balance hormones as well.

Every Moor Spa product includes the rich, black moor water as the signature ingredient. This water is extracted from the moor by a process of filtration which takes several weeks to complete. It contains most of the moor’s water-soluble nutrients and is therefore extremely nourishing to the skin and body.

For more information about clinical research involving Moor, and to receive copies of abstracts, please contact L’Moor.

The Myth of Free Shipping

Hearing the phrase “Free Shipping!” is enough to get any shopper’s heart beating faster.

You know what they say, though: There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.

Any business that offers free shipping has somehow hidden the cost in the price of their products or services. They either absorb the cost of shipping products and reduce the services they provide to you, or they calculate the total cost of prior years shipping and come up with the average cost of shipping an order. This average shipping cost is “baked in” to the cost of the goods, and applied as an increase in the product price. Some go one step further and impose minimum orders as a requirement to receive free shipping. Yet, you never see a discount on the cost of your products if you don’t meet their minimum order, right? Yet, you have increased their profit as the shipping cost is already included their profit margins.

Shipping product is a cost of doing business, and is generally one of the top 5 expenses a business will incur. No business can ship without cost, even if they own the shipping company. Canada Post, Purolator, UPS, etc., make their living from shipping and they certainly don’t give their service away. So, unless Canada Post decides to give up on the idea of generating revenue, someone, somewhere, is paying the cost of shipping. The average cost of shipping products ranges from 5% to 15% depending on distance traveled and weight.

When free shipping is offered, then the customers who place the largest orders actually reap the least benefit, in terms of the percentage of what they save on shipping. Why would it be fair to make the ones who invest the most in us, save the least?

It seems to us that having everyone pay for what they actually use is the best option.

The occasional “free shipping” offer can be a legitimate way of driving sales - perhaps on products that are overstocked, seasonal or newly released. However, offering it routinely will cost the client in the long run.

We want to be upfront with you, and offer transparency about how we make money. We pay to have the products shipped to us, and we pay the carrying cost to keep inventory in Ontario - close to our clients until they are ready to buy. Of course, the occasional back order occurs as we grow and learn about the products our customers want and need.

The shipping cost on each invoice is the cost to us to ship to you via Canada Post, which has proven to be the most timely, cost effective way to ship to our clients in Ontario.

While free shipping can be a valid customer acquisition and loyalty tool, we generally prefer to focus our marketing initiatives by offering superior customer service, build face to face relationships over time, and supporting our clients to grow their businesses. This includes:

• onsite training
  
• providing well researched articles for clients to use in newsletters and advertising
  
• offering personalized attention to helping our clients order the right products
  
• guaranteeing the quality of our products
  
• carrying an inventory offering multiple sizes to give our clients the choice to purchase sample, travel, retail, professional or bulk sizing
  
• no minimum orders

In the end, given the choice between paying for your products and knowing the actual cost of shipping, or having the cost buried in the price of your order (which helps pay for someone else’s shipping), which would you choose?