In the spa industry, a strong sales process isn’t optional — it’s everything. What happens before the final payment makes or breaks the sale. Retailers who actively listen, ask thoughtful questions and exceed delivery expectations will earn the sale while building a flourishing reputation.
In the spa industry, not every “almost” becomes a sale.
You thought you had the customer. The conversations were strong. The rapport was there. And then, … silence. Or worse, they bought from someone else.
Fifty years is a rare milestone in any consumer industry. In the hot tub business, it’s almost unheard of. Caldera Spas reaches that mark in 2026 — still distinct, still growing and still recognizable to the dealers who have built their businesses around it for decades.
In the ’70s, hot tubs were more of a curiosity than an industry. In the fall of 1978, Joe King was in southern England, studying business marketing management and trying to imagine a future that didn’t automatically lead to his family’s company in Minnesota.
The hot tub industry thrives on problem-solvers, innovators and community-builders — and nowhere is that more evident than in this year’s Power Women. From family legacies to surprising pivots, they share a common thread: a commitment to people. Their stories reflect resilience, reinvention and the belief that there is room for anyone willing to learn, grow and lead with integrity.
It may be scaling your business, navigating market uncertainties or being thrust into a leadership role.
Whatever the catalyst, many spa retailers eventually realize they can’t — and shouldn’t — do everything alone. At that point, they begin exploring coaches, peer groups or professional communities that offer the experience, perspective and accountability for personal and professional growth.
Sauna sales are up like never before, with roughly 1.5 million U.S. households now owning saunas and adoption growing at about 5% annually as more consumers invest in at-home wellness. Residential saunas accounted for nearly 60% of market share in 2024, and North American sauna revenue topped $255 million in the same year, according to industry research.
When Alice Cunningham walked away from a prestigious federal career in the mid-1970s to start a hot tub business, her father cried. She had a month of vacation, excellent benefits and a senior role administering job training programs for tens of thousands of people nationwide. She was, by every conventional measure, doing exactly what she was supposed to do.
Jackie Glover, Credit manager, MAAX Spas
Ann Spires, president, Essentials Spa Supplies
Susan McPhie, Vice president of business development and general manager, SilkBalance
Maggie Wood and Katie Brown, Hansen’s Pool & Spa