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A Walk On The Line Side...With

 

BLISS’ MIKE INDURSKY

Branching At Bliss Spas, Sephora And Lord & Taylor

“When you have a unique brand, and you tell its story in an effective way, you’ve got no competition,” affirmed Mike Indursky, President of Bliss. “Bliss is a truly unique brand that starts with the expertise used in highly efficacious spa services and turns them into products you can use at home to make you feel healthy, beautiful and happy.”

Mr. Indursky tells that story with a three-prong business model he calls the “machine.” The first prong comprises the Bliss spas and those within hotels. The second prong is the brand’s data base, e-commerce, catalogs and social media. “The third prong, which is probably our most important, is our retail community. We are very selective in our choice of who distributes our products.”

Bliss’ products are currently distributed at Sephora, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, ULTA, Beauty Brands, Sephora at JCPenney, Blue Mercury, QVC, qvc.com, Military, Soft Surroundings, skinstore.com, beauty.com, drugstore.com and independent boutique retailers.

“Our retail distribution strategy is predicated on telling the story of Bliss in different ways. We use stores like Sephora, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s to tell our story about the premium, the efficacy and the quality [of our products]. We use QVC to tell our story directly to consumers. We use third party spas,” he continued, “chains like Beauty Brands with a spa heritage to also help tell that story.”

Bliss currently has an expanding global presence. They have spas in London, Barcelona, Doha, Hong Kong and Saint Petersburg. Retail distribution includes the UK, EEU, Turkey, Russia, Doha, Australia, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong. There are future plans to go deeper into Europe and Asia.

He maintains that Bliss tells the story of happiness. “In this day and age, when people are so concerned about the economy and the environment, the one thing they want more than anything else is happiness. We are evolving from a spa and personal care company to a lifestyle brand that offers happiness and the achievement of well-being.”

Translating the story of happiness to Sephora’s Cast Members and other retailers’ Beauty Advisors is very important, according to Bliss’ Beth Ann Catalano, Senior Vice President, Sales, Education, Sales Operations. “It’s a story they remember to tell.”

10:00 A.M. Bliss57
12 West 57th Street, New York City, NY

“We are so proud of our Bliss Technicians,” Mr. Indursky declared. “They build a relationship with the Guest. After the Technician has been working on a Guest’s face for an hour or 75 minutes, they know, like a Dermatologist would, exactly what they need [to take care of their skin]. The Guest is given a Blisscription that is customized for their skin type. They can purchase products to continue that care at home. After they use the products, most of our guests like to go retailers for replenishment. We know for a fact,” he shares, “where we have our spas is where we do our best retail business.”

Bliss’ Susan Grey, Regional Director, Spa Operations, shares that all of the Bliss Technicians have Esthetic licenses. “Generally, we hire people who have at least a minimum of five years’ experience in being an Esthetician. However, we rarely have to hire anyone because most of our Estheticians have been with us for 10 to 15 years.”

Many of Bliss’ Guests have a long-term relationship with the spa, according to Jill Carlen, General Manager of Bliss57. “As the Guests go from their 20s to 30s to 40s and above, the Technicians help them through their age-related skincare changes.”

Bliss is celebrating its fifteenth birthday and, Mr. Indursky proudly noted, “Many of our Technicians have been with us since the very beginning. And we have Guests who have been with those Technicians for 15 years, including celebrities like Liv Tyler and Joan Jett.”

“The Technicians are continuously trained on all of the spa services and products at Bliss University,” Ms. Grey reported. “Bliss’ Director of Education gives the Technicians updates on current and new treatments. Our work force also goes out on their own to investigate what’s going on in skincare. Often they will bring back information about a fabulous new technique or ingredient.”

“The innovation of spa services and products are completely interwoven,” Mr. Indursky said. “When one of our Guests wanted a lip treatment, a Technician came up with ‘Lip Service,’ and that treatment evolved to our
fabulips™, a facial for your lips. We are about to launch FatGirlShrink with Ionithermie technology, a slimming and cellulite-reduction service. People who have tried it so far have loved it.”

Energy and freshness are achieved at the Bliss spas with changes in displays every month. The window
treatments and vitrines in-store have change-outs and, according to Mr. Indursky, the Technicians wear t-shirts that carry messages depending on the season or a special theme. “It helps to keep the fun in the spa,” he added. “People walk out of a Bliss spa with a smile on their face. They have had a great service and feel empowered to go out in the world.”

One of Bliss’ clients commented that Bliss’ marketing “is so witty. I have been coming to this spa for five years after moving to New York City from a small town in Connecticut, and I love all of the friendly faces here.”

11:00 A.M. Sephora Fifth Avenue
597 Fifth Avenue

According to Bliss’ John Michael Bain, Regional Sales Manager East, “Bliss has had a unique relationship with Sephora for ten years, and we continue to develop and partner with them on key programs.” Bliss’ Starter Series treatment in a box is an opportunity to recruit customers to the brand. Bliss’ new The Youth As We Know It Night Cream is going to be exclusive to Sephora for six months.

The gondolas for Bliss products in Sephora are divided into “Face” including special need-specific products like acne treatments and “Body.” According to Mr. Indursky, “Bliss is one of the premier body lines at Sephora.” When editing the product assortment at Sephora, he focuses on innovation with products like the Triple Oxygen Starter Kit, an at-home introduction to the spa’s signature Triple Oxygen Treatment™ facial. “For the Cast Member, it’s an easy-to-know 4-step program of cleanser, mask, eye gel and moisturizing cream. We do the set-up for the customer.”

Ms. Catalano reported, “600 Bliss Account Executives across the country visit all of our distribution. Our training program is consistent in every single one of our locations. We want the Cast Member to be saying the same as our Beauty Advisor in Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdale’s. A part of our brand image is all about education.”

Noon Bliss49 In The W Hotel
541 Lexington Avenue

The Bliss49 devotes the first floor to retail with nail stations to service Guests. The spa services are performed on the W Hotel’s fourth floor where another retail area is located for Guests who can shop with their Blisscription after a treatment. The retail areas are designed by protocol to fit into the spa treatment programs.

“Bliss49 was the first spa to be located in a W Hotel. We now have 18 Bliss Spas in W Hotels,” Mr. Indursky explained. “There is no real difference between the services and retail in freestanding Bliss spas and those in hotel-owned spas. There are two different business models for our hotel spas. We either own/operate the spa and pay rent to a facility, which might be a W Hotel or manage hotel-owned spas.”

“In our relationship with W, we work with the hotel to encourage Guests to come to the spa. We have a key card called Welcome Delights that talks about the spa services and offers some discounts. All the rooms have a spa menu. When a guest has spare time, the über concierge (W Insider) will help them get tickets to a show and then advise, ‘In the meantime, why don’t you go get yourself a massage.’ It’s a win-win situation.”

Guests at the W Hotel have complementary use of Bliss’ steam and sauna facilities. There are also a wide range of male-centric services such as massage and facials as well as a waxing service called He-Wax. “Seventy percent of the W Hotel clientele is male. Therefore, we see more men in our spas located in W Hotels,” he reported.

“We drive traffic to the spa with special events,” Mr. Indursky continued. “We recently had a promotion with Bachelorettes. They got manicures and hand massages and followed by having a drink at the hotel’s Whiskey Bar. We had a line around the block waiting to get in.”

Jordan Stein, the Retail Boutique Manager at Bliss49 is one of the six employees who were honored for 15 years of service as part of Bliss’ fifteenth birthday celebration. He was plucked out of his job as a Dean & Deluca delivery man to BlissSoHo, when the staff “fell in love with him,” reported Mr. Indursky. “Now, as head of retail here at Bliss49, he has been a driving force. He embodies that Bliss culture of a happy, energetic spirit.”

Ms. Catalano maintains that “If you work at Bliss, it’s all about being happy about what you do. At any level of the company, you have to have personality and a commitment to the brand. All other things you can teach, but if you don’t have these qualities, it doesn’t work.”
Mr. Indursky agrees, defining the qualities he believes a Bliss employee must have as “positivity, a willingness to embrace change, passion and hard work.”

2:30 P.M. Lord & Taylor

“Lord & Taylor is a very good match for Bliss,” affirmed Ms. Catalano. “We are in full distribution of 45 doors. We have Beauty Advisors and a part-time Esthetician who can offer Bliss services at-counter.”

“The New York City flagship store is the only door with dedicated counter space,” she added. “In branch stores, we are nicely positioned in high traffic areas with very large étagères.”

“Lord & Taylor has been a stellar partner for us,” declared Mr. Indursky. “Our new installation here on the main aisle has exposure on three sides to tell our story.”

The Counter Manager, Yicel Rodriguez, is described by Mr. Indursky as a “rock star. When I asked her what we could do better after the counter opened, she gave me a laundry list of suggestions. They were easy to do, not expensive and were put into effect within two weeks.”

Lord & Taylor’s Barbara Zinn-Moore, Senior Vice President/GMM for Cosmetics and Fragrance, declared, “I couldn’t be more thrilled with Bliss’ location in our Fifth Avenue flagship. It is reflected in the strong business results for the installation.”

3:30 P.M. BlissSoHo
568 Broadway

“This location, our first and most famous spa, is our flagship,” Mr. Indursky declared. BlissSoHo started as a 4-room space and has expanded now to two floors. “Most of our celebrity Guests come here.”

Several Technicians have worked at this Bliss Spa for 15 years, including Yelena Royzen, Beata Chyla, Bob Campbell, Yeugenia Babynina and Josianne Zebicoff. “These Technicians along with Jordan Stein from Bliss49 will be celebrated at a special dinner,” he disclosed, “We have been filming them and asking what it was like when they first came to Bliss; what were their greatest and their funniest moments.”

“It’s like a family here,” Ms. Royzen, enthused. “I love what I’m doing. Every day I wake up and believe I have the power to change the world, and I do.”

“Yelena really believes that,” Mr. Indursky informs. “In fact, she helped inspire Bliss’ vision of empowerment. Guests who come to a Bliss Spa feel a kinship with their Technicians. They leave feeling recharged, revitalized and empowered to face the day, whatever its challenges.”

“Our motto is to enable women to achieve a higher state of happy through our great service and the great friendships between our Technicians and our Guests.”

4:00 P.M. Sephora SoHo
555 Broadway

Mr. Indursky affirmed, “The partnership between Bliss and Sephora is excellent.” He reported that Bliss is one of the premier skincare brands at this Sephora. “We couldn’t be more proud.”

“We want the Cast Members to help tell the Bliss story,” he shared. “They are all part of our Friends and Family Program, and we encourage them to have special treatments in our spa services so they can experience them first hand. The more they can experience what Bliss is about in the spa, the better they can tell our story in Sephora.”

 

Sephora’s Jennifer Ninive with Mr. Indursky and Bliss’ Kimberly Szczepanowski and John Michael Bain	On the stairway to Sephora’s second level are Ms. Ninive, Mr. Bain, Ms. Szczepanowski, Ms. Catalano and Mr. Indursky	Ms. Catalano and Mr. Indursky (2nd r.) with Bliss’ 15-year veteran Jordan Stein, Jocelyn Flotteron and Victoria LaFevers
Mr. Indursky showcases the retail area designed by protocol to fit into the spa treatment programs.	Mr. Stein, Ms. Flotteron, Mr. Indursky and Ms. LaFevers model Glamour Gloves™.	Mr. Indursky (c.) with Bliss’ Basey Ibragimov, Jackie Ustoveva, Yvette Carpenter and Ashley Webb
A Guest enjoys a Hot Cream Manicure by Bliss’ Nail Technician Janet Ulai.	Mr. Indursky with Bliss’ Yicel Rodriguez	Ms. Rodriguez, Ms. Szczepanowski and Mr. Bain join Lord & Taylor’s Nicole Grochmal and Jessica DiBenedetto.
Mr. Indursky (2nd r.) with Lord & Taylor’s Rosanna Zekic, Barbara Zinn-Moore and David Clements	Mr. Indursky with Bliss’ Yelena Royzen	Ms. Royzen and her 15-year Guest Whitney Kneisley with Mr. Indursky
Mr. Indursky (c.) at a display of Bliss’ products with Bliss’ Ashling Farrell and Vanessa Vero	Sephora’s Amanda Marx with Ms. Szczepanowski	Sephora’s Patricia Lopez and Melinda Falu Allende with Mr. Indursky, Ms. Szczepanowski and Mr. Bain

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