"Success is not just about what you accomplish in your life, it's about what you inspire others to do." — Christina Mattina
With her creative vision and dedication, Christina Mattina has transformed Sugar and Spice Kids Spa and Party into a beloved destination in Ancaster, Ontario. Her journey from a frustrated parent seeking a unique birthday party venue to the helm of a celebrated business illustrates her commitment to fostering self-love and community empowerment among children. Christina's innovative approach has filled a unique niche, providing children with a space to celebrate themselves and their relationships in a memorable way.
Celebrating Leadership and Innovation: Q & A With Christina Mattina of Sugar and Spice Kids Spa and Party
From Inspiration to Reality
Christina's entrepreneurial journey began with a simple yet profound inspiration. Struggling to find a unique venue for her daughter's birthday party, Christina identified a gap in the market that she was uniquely positioned to fill.
"In 2017, after having my third child and weeks away from planning and hosting my daughter’s 5th birthday party, I had trouble finding a local venue that was different from the over-exhausted jungle gyms and play places to host her party. My search landed me on an over-priced mobile spa that traveled from out of town, for which I paid more in travel fees than the actual service. Unbeknownst to me, at the wrap-up of this home-based ‘spa-party,’ this was the beginning of something truly exciting and what I felt was a ‘need’ in our community. Inspired by my daughter and her friends, the inspiration for Sugar and Spice Kids Spa and Party was born."
Establishing a Unique Brand
The concept for Sugar and Spice Kids Spa and Party was not just about providing services; it was about creating memorable experiences and fostering self-love and positivity among children.
"After two years of research and planning, it was time to find the perfect home for Sugar and Spice. In 2019, Sugar and Spice Kids Spa and Party was born as the first of its kind KIDS Spa in the Village of Ancaster, Ontario. This quaint 1300-square-foot boutique kids spa and party studio would now host spa-themed birthday parties, offer full-service spa services, and best of all provide a safe venue for kids to participate in social events and motivational self-care camps."
Milestones and Achievements
Christina’s leadership has led to numerous milestones and recognitions, reflecting the impact of her work on the community and beyond.
"Being a service-based business, our services and event offerings need to evolve and change to keep fresh and creative while always keeping true to our vision, mission, and values. How we know we are making a difference in the lives of our guests is by watching them have a positive experience at the spa celebrating themselves and their relationships, positive feedback from the parents and community that visit the spa, through hosting events with various partnerships built over the years such as Girl Guides or Autism Ontario, offering a welcoming space for these organizations. Our boutique spa has received many positive praises for the work we have done and has received a number of awards and recognitions including the Hamilton Spectator's Readers Choice Awards and RBC Women of Influence nomination."
Building Consumer Trust
A significant part of Sugar and Spice's success comes from the trust it has built within the community. Christina emphasizes the importance of consistent, high-quality service and a strong, value-driven team.
"Our business thrives on repeat customers and referrals. Being in an industry where we service and entertain children and youth, we need to be sure that we are committed to delivering a positive and encouraging and empowering experience for each guest that walks through our doors. We have built a team that works together like family with the same values to achieve a high level of trust with our families, community, and partners through our consistent delivery of our services and with every encounter with the spa, from how we greet our guests to our engagement with them throughout their services or events right through to their departure and many times, their return to the spa. These values are important in the success of any business and are one of the many reasons our guests and community appreciate and trust our spa and our staff."
Education and Experience: Keys to Success
Christina’s background in accounting and her volunteer work have significantly contributed to her success as an entrepreneur.
"I am a Certified Professional Chartered Accountant (CPA) and have been in public practice for 20+ years, including owning and operating a small accounting and bookkeeping firm. Working in business all of my professional career has certainly given me the tools and connections I needed to understand how to bring my vision to reality for my boutique spa. I also love entertaining guests and always had a creative flair that I needed to explore, and this I felt was the perfect opportunity. 2024 marks my third term as treasurer for a non-profit organization that provides equine-assisted therapy for individuals with disabilities and diagnoses; this involvement has taught me a lot about the needs of our communities and continued to aid my passion to support youth in our community and I felt the spa could support this."
Effective Strategies for Growth
To expand her audience and bring greater awareness to her services, Christina employs a multi-faceted approach that includes social media, community involvement, and strategic partnerships.
"Strategies used to bring awareness of our boutique spa is an accumulation of networking efforts with other small business owners, partnering with complementary businesses, utilizing social media platforms, optimizing search on Google, utilizing available marketing grants, investing in my website, giving back to the community which broadens my network, getting involved in the community by volunteering our services for community events, expanding my network by volunteering on various community boards and committees."
Overcoming Challenges
Like many businesses, Sugar and Spice faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Christina's ability to pivot and innovate ensured the company's survival and continued success.
"As with any start-up business, especially in a niche market, comes many challenges and the need to pivot when needed. The largest challenge we experienced was the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020. As with many businesses, we experienced disruptions to operations as we were not considered an essential service. We, as with many businesses, faced the fear of closing if we didn’t pivot to meet the needs of our community. This was the time we launched our subscription kits, do-it-yourself at-home self-care kits, and at-home teepees so that our guests and following could bring the spa experience into their home and with our subscription kits we were able to stay connected to our guests and continue to share with them the vision and mission of the spa, which was to continue with self-care and positivity during a time of need. I couldn’t have kept my doors open without the support of my strong dedicated team at the spa, including the support of my family and friends and community of parents who continued to support my small business."
Balancing Work and Life
Christina emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care to maintain a healthy balance between work, passions, and relationships.
"Since starting a family in 2011, the balance of my work, family, and relationships is very important and can only be done by prioritizing my time and setting boundaries between them. Family time is very important to me, and I do my best to keep my weekends and evenings with my children for quality time focusing on them. I do find that self-care is most important, and this means I start my days by prioritizing exercise as time for my self-care before I can even consider my work and family responsibilities. Exercising allows me to wake my mind, body, and soul while focusing on my mental and physical health, which allows me to be more productive and positive for the rest of my day."
Future Plans and Vision
Looking ahead, Christina has ambitious plans for expanding Sugar and Spice across Ontario through franchising and continuing to build on her mission of advancing health and wellness and self-care education.
"Future plans for the spa are to expand by franchising across Ontario and continuing to build on our mission and vision, to advance health and wellness and self-care education by providing self-esteem and confidence-building workshops to our youth. My vision is to build these events and workshops offered through the spa that instill the value of self-worth and self-esteem to our youth, and to support all youth in their confidence by facilitating supportive mentorship and relationships in our community."
Conclusion
Christina Mattina’s journey is a powerful reminder of the impact of dedicated leadership and unwavering commitment. Her story is one of identifying a community need, overcoming challenges, and fostering a space for positivity and self-love. Under her guidance, Sugar and Spice Kids Spa and Party continues to set new standards in the children’s spa industry, embodying the spirit of innovation and excellence.
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