Cloud 9 Spa Management Framework

Your Role as a Manager

Communication is at the heart of management, fostering collaboration with both your team and supervisors. Managers must take initiative in clarifying expectations, delegating tasks, and engaging in meaningful discussions to ensure smooth operations.

• Trust is built through consistency, accountability, and planning - without a structured approach, daily tasks can become reactive rather than strategic.

Procrastination often stems from fear, and overcoming it requires taking small, intentional steps forward. Implementing systems like Obsidian, weekly objectives, calendar blocking, and structured routines will help managers maintain organization and efficiency. Ultimately, success in management is not about working harder but about working smarter—through planning, communication, and a commitment to growth.

Being a Manager is a Collaborative Role

You and Your Team

• Delegate tasks to your front desk team members, as they share the responsibility of assisting you and ensuring smooth operations.
• Use open-ended questions to guide your front desk team in becoming problem-solving and independent decision-making, confident team members.

You and Your Supervisor

On the flip side - in the spirit of coaching, your supervisor may give you too open-ended or unclear instructions. In the case, it is your responsibility to speak up and seek clarification to ensure you can complete your work effectively.

Supervisors should meet you where you are, recognizing that not all managers and supervisors communicate or operate the same way. You both may need time to align with expectations and adapt to each other’s approach effectively.

• Your supervisor should create a supportive environment where you feel comfortable asking questions without fear of judgment.

Management is a Relationship Game: Inspire, Connect, Lead

As a manager, your role extends beyond completing simply tasks—you are also responsible for inspiring and motivating your team.

• Bench Planning: Who are the rising stars? How will you prepare them before they get promoted? What impact have you had on them as their supervisor?

Stay Connected: You’re not alone—and you shouldn’t be!

The front desk and fellow managers are there to support you. Effective communication with your team is essential for your success as a manager. Engage with your team, share ideas, and don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed. Collaboration strengthens both you and the team as a whole.

In a management role, you can sometimes become isolated in your own bubble. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals, engage with fellow managers, and seek inspiration through reading. Stay connected and avoid getting trapped in your own head for too long - it can create a spiral of big problems out of nothing.

Excelling in Communication as a Manager

• As a manager, strong communication is expected. This means more than just conveying messages; it’s about being clear, responsive, and proactive in all interactions.
• Respond in a Timely Manner: Address messages and tasks promptly to keep operations running smoothly and demonstrate reliability.
• Be Proactive: Anticipate needs, solve problems before they escalate, and take initiative to complete tasks without having to wait for instructions.
• Ensure Clarity: Communicate expectations, updates, and feedback in a way that leaves no room for confusion.
• Engage with Your Team: Foster an open dialogue, encourage collaboration, and make sure your team feels heard and supported. ★
• Effective communication builds trust, enhances efficiency, and sets the tone for a well-organized and high-performing team.

Procrastination: A Symptom of Fear ★

Procrastination is often not about laziness—it’s about fear. When we put off tasks, it’s usually because we are afraid of failure, judgment, or even success. The mind creates avoidance patterns to protect us from discomfort, uncertainty, or the possibility of making mistakes.

• Fear of Failure: We delay tasks because we don’t want to do them imperfectly or risk falling short of expectations.
• Fear of Judgment: We worry about how others will perceive our work, leading us to avoid starting altogether.
• Fear of Complexity: If a task feels overwhelming, we procrastinate to escape the pressure.
• Fear of Change: Sometimes, progress means stepping into the unknown, which can feel intimidating.

The key to overcoming procrastination is to recognize the fear and take small, manageable steps forward. Action reduces fear, builds confidence, and helps break the cycle of avoidance. Instead of waiting to feel ready, start before you’re comfortable—because progress comes from movement, not from waiting.

The Importance of Planning ★

Planning is a crucial aspect of managing a team and running daily operations efficiently. A well-structured plan provides clarity, direction, and a sense of control, reducing stress and increasing productivity.

Stick to Your Plan

• Build and follow a structured schedule – Allocate specific time blocks for tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
• Prioritize tasks – Identify high-impact activities that contribute to business goals and address them first.
• Use planning tools – Leverage calendars (Google or Apple Calendar), task management software (Todoist), and Obsidian to stay organized.
• Communicate the plan – Ensure the team understands expectations and deadlines to maintain alignment.

Avoiding the ‘Putting Out Fires’ Mentality

Without a structured approach, daily operations can feel chaotic. When you’re constantly handling urgent issues without a plan, you may end the day exhausted but unclear on what you actually accomplished.

How to Break the Cycle

• Identify Recurring Issues: If the same problems arise frequently, develop a long-term solution rather than reacting in the moment.
• Delegate Effectively: Trust your team to handle tasks within their capabilities to free up your time for strategic planning.
• Schedule Time for Problem-Solving: Set aside specific times for handling unexpected issues rather than letting them disrupt your entire day.
• Reflect and Adjust: At the end of the day, assess what worked and what didn’t. Adjust your approach as needed to improve efficiency.

End-of-Day Review

To ensure productivity, take a few minutes to review the day

• What tasks were completed?
• What challenges arose, and how were they handled?
• What needs to be carried over to tomorrow’s plan?
• What can be improved for better efficiency?
• By prioritizing planning and execution, you will work more efficiently, reduce stress, and feel a greater sense of accomplishment at the end of each day.

Why do we emphasize Obsidian, planning, and structured systems so strongly?

• “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” Atomic Habits, James Clear.

The Importance of Reliability in Leadership

As a manager, trust is your most valuable asset—and it is built through consistency, accountability, and following through. When you forget important details, commitments, or team concerns, you send a message, whether intentional or not, that their time, input, and needs are not a priority. ★

Your team relies on you to provide clear direction, support, and stability. If they feel they cannot depend on you to remember key discussions, deadlines, or issues they’ve raised, they will start to lose confidence in your leadership. This can result in disengagement, lack of motivation, and even a breakdown in communication, as employees may stop sharing ideas or concerns, assuming they will be forgotten or ignored.

• Acknowledge and Follow Up: When someone raises a concern or request, acknowledge it immediately and ensure there’s a plan to address it.
• Be Transparent: If you do forget something, own up to it and take corrective action instead of making excuses.

Trust is difficult to earn but easy to lose. The more reliable and detail-oriented you are, the stronger your team’s confidence in you will be. Being dependable isn’t just about memory—it’s about respecting your team and demonstrating that what matters to them matters to you.

Habits: Start Small and Build Over Time

Big changes can feel overwhelming, but progress comes from consistent, small steps. When you first begin implementing new systems, habits, or strategies, it may feel daunting—like there’s too much to do and not enough time. However, success isn’t about making drastic changes overnight; it’s about building gradually and staying committed.

Start with one small adjustment—whether it’s using Obsidian to organize tasks, planning your day more intentionally, or improving how you communicate with your team. Over time, these small efforts will compound into meaningful, lasting improvements.

• Remember: Growth is a process, not an event. The key is to keep going, refine as you learn, and trust that every small effort brings you closer to success.

Required Readings

As a manager, prioritizing self-development is essential. The following required readings will help you excel in your role and ensure alignment within our management team.

• What is Calendar Blocking?
• The Importance of Having a Weekly Objective
  • A weekly objective serves as a guiding focus for your productivity, decision-making, and overall effectiveness. Rather than getting caught up in daily distractions or reactive tasks, setting a clear objective helps you stay aligned with priorities and work toward meaningful progress.
  • Why a Weekly Objective Matters:
    • Provides Clarity & Focus: A well-defined objective prevents you from feeling scattered or overwhelmed and filters out non-essential tasks to focus on what truly moves the needle.
    • Enhances Productivity & Efficiency: With a set goal in mind, you can structure your time more effectively and avoid the trap of just being “busy” and instead work with purpose and intention.
    • Encourages Proactive Planning: Instead of reacting to tasks as they come, you plan ahead and tackle work strategically by breaking down a big goal into small, actionable steps makes progress manageable.
    • Boosts Motivation & Accountability: Having a tangible goal for the week creates a sense of accomplishment when achieved and keeps you accountable and makes it easier to track progress over time.
  • How to Set a Strong Weekly Objective:
    • Keep it Specific: Instead of “Spend time with Mylie” aim for “Sit with Mylie 2x this week to review the service log.”
    • Make it Actionable: Define steps you’ll take to reach the goal.
    • Top Down Approach: Align it with bigger goals and connect it to your monthly and quarterly objectives for long-term success.
    • Review & Adjust: At the end of the week, reflect on what worked and refine your approach for the next week.
    • By setting a weekly objective, you create a habit of intentional progress, ensuring that each week contributes meaningfully to your broader goals.
• Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
• High Output Management by Andrew Grove
• Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara

Your Cloud 9 Management PlayBook: Routines and Your Daily Journal

• “You don’t decide your success, you decide your routines, and your routines decides your success.”

Your 2 Step Routine

1. Weekly Review Day: Set aside one day each week to review your past week and plan ahead by defining 3 key objectives for the upcoming week. Break these objectives into smaller, actionable goals and plan a few each day.

2. Daily Routine: Review telegram, your to do list, and your Workflow daily journal every morning and night.

• Document your tasks in your work journal either as you complete them or at the end of the day. This practice provides a sense of accomplishment and prevents the frustrating of feeling busy and unable to recall what you achieved.
• Hope List vs To-do List
  • If you want to get it done - time block and put it on the calendar! Otherwise a long list of to do’s becomes a never ending hope list.
• The 4 D’s: Do it now, delegate, designate, or delete.
  • As you review your tasks, think of the 4 D’s. If it takes less than 5 minutes to do, do it now!
• Telegram: Utilize your saved messages as an inbox.
  • If you are busy and cannot address a task immediately, long-press the message and forward it to your Saved Messages for later review. At the end of each day, make it a habit to check your Saved Messages, then organize any unfinished tasks by adding them to your to-do list or scheduling them in your calendar or daily journal.

Daily Journal Example

• Use a to do app such as TickTick to manage your recurring tasks. (replace ac filters, conduct front desk bi-annual review etc.)
• Plan your bigger picture weekly objectives in your daily journal and break down the goal into smaller tasks for each day.
• Items in red are mandatory tasks for all managers and can be scheduled on any day that works best for you.

The Unit Visit Process

• If you are a multi-location manager, you must conduct a unit visit at a minimum twice per week at each location.

Managers can only truly inspire and impact the team when they are physically present on location. Use your time wisely to make a meaningful impact on as many team members as possible. Don’t underestimate a simple hello and goodbye - it can leave a lasting impression and strengthen team morale.

Unit Visit Steps

• 360 Walkthrough & Store Evaluation Check List
• Set your unit visit objectives before your arrival. (1-3 specific objectives derived from known issues) So that you can clearly report what you accomplished?
• Greet Everyone
• Complete a Walkthrough using the Cloud 9 Manager’s Walkthrough template.
• Debrief: Share your findings and expectations with the team and front desk on shift. (Delegate if you can, that’s how you inspire)
• Say Goodbye to Everyone

Routine Obligations to Be Executed

Manager Planning

• Daily Obsidian Review
• Weekly Management Meeting

Therapist Management

• Bimonthly Team Meeting
• Quarterly Return Rates Review
• Therapist Retention Rate (MyTime report)
  • Set date range of 90 days from yesterday, using 60 days retention rate
  • Communicate retention rate with all therapist privately. Addressing therapist with retention rates under 20%.

Front Desk Management

• Bimonthly Team Meeting

Spa Maintenance

• Quarterly Deep Cleaning

The Engaged Manager (Coming Soon)

• Whenever the company implements a new policy or launches a project, provide a weekly summary of its progress and request feedback from the team.

Making Your Presence Felt from Anywhere

Great Telegram Habits

• Give a warm reaction when the front desk team signs in/out every day.
• Occasionally (about 3 times a week), screenshot the front desk’s shift report and provide positive feedback to recognize their efforts.
• Ensure the team acknowledges and communicates in the scheduling group chat whenever someone requests time off or calls in sick. No message should go unresponded to, including by the manager.
• Acknowledge messages from your fellow managers. While the management team operates as a unit, each manager should set an example by actively recognizing and responding to all messages.
• Always follow through. Especially when an important message is sent, check at the end of the day to ensure that each team member has acknowledged it. If they haven’t, @ them and ask them to confirm they’ve seen it.
• Share a tip in the Reasonable Hospitality group. If its specific to a location, share it in the local group. Every situation is a learning opportunity for another team member.
• Show that you are checking on the schedule - if you see any issue, screenshot it and give feedback in the group.

Team Meetings

• The therapists and front desk team should meet on a bi-monthly schedule to discuss the latest news and ask how the team is doing and if they have any feedback.

Show Recognition & Appreciation

• Celebrate Wins: Acknowledge achievements publicly in team meetings, their local group chats, or the company Reasonable Hospitality group.

Lead by Example

• Be Present & Engaged – Show up to meetings on time, participate actively, and demonstrate enthusiasm.
• Demonstrate Accountability – Follow through on commitments and be transparent about challenges.

Provide Constructive Feedback & Support

• Schedule Regular Performance Reviews – Offer feedback that is clear, actionable, and supportive.
• Ask for Feedback on Your Leadership – Create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts on your management style.
• Be a Mentor, Not Just a Manager – Offer guidance, career development advice, and support when needed.
• Last Updated: 02.19.25