In 2020 we did our first Power Women issue, and it was so much fun. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, so we’ve done it again. As a female leader myself, it brings me great joy to highlight other women in our industry and the work they do. In my time in the industry since 2008, I have seen more and more women move into roles previously held mainly by men in the spa industry, and that diversity is a great development.
We’ve covered many of the industry acquisitions and mergers over the years, but in this issue we take a look at the trend as a whole. The truth is, our industry is no stranger to shakeups — and every time there is volatility, there will inevitably be upheaval. By our count, there were 31 ownership transitions between 1985 and this year so far. This was a fascinating piece to work on and please, please let me know what we may have missed; I’d love to tap into the experiences of those who predate me. My nerd is showing.
ANYWAY — one of the interesting things we’re seeing now is private equity poking around in our industry, maybe more so than in the past. And we’re starting to see big players, be it investment groups or larger companies, take a closer look at hot tub retail stores as acquisition prospects.
There’s been a bit of a shakeup at SpaRetailer as well. Michelle Cramer, a longtime writer and editor for us, has gone on to work full-time at the charity she started. We’re so excited for this next chapter for her. Taking her place is James Johnson. Please give him a warm welcome to the hot tub industry and answer the phone when he calls.
Best,
Megan Kendrick, publisher
megan@kendrickcontent.com