Founder of Alexandra House Spa interview: Creating the north’s premier holistic health spa

Hidden away in Birkby, Huddersfield, lies one of the region’s leading holistic health and well-being spa, but the Alexandra House Spa isn’t no secret as over 14,000 customers have took advantage of its facilities to recharge their emotional and physical wellbeing.

Established in 2007 by former medical researcher Dr Maxine Stead, Alexandra House Spa has firmly established itself in the north as the place to go to for holistic therapies where customers can enjoy quiet, restorative treatments to completely relax.

To advance its own identity in a very competitive market, the spa offers a range of treatments from massages, facials, reflexology and Indian head massages.

Alexandra House Spa further enhanced its relaxation services in January 2014 after relocating to a newly renovated 200-year-old building in Huddersfield, which accommodates four treatment rooms, three relaxation rooms and an outdoor relaxation area.

Maxine, who had the vision to create a facility that can also significantly minimise stress and ill-health in customers, recently spoke to Bdaily about the origins of Alexandra House Spa, what led to her decision to make such a dramatic career change, the process of starting her own business, and her future plan for the holistic health industry.

Maxine, before starting Alexandra House Spa, you were a nationally recognised clinical researcher within the NHS, academia and pharmaceutical industry. What initially made you decide to make such a dramatic career change and start your own business?

“Although I loved my job as a researcher, the job became very political as we were trying to coordinate research across four countries in the UK, plus the goalposts kept changing and I became increasingly frustrated as no one would make a decision and so jobs dragged on too long.

“My blood pressure was getting high and my GP wanted to put me on medication, but at 34 I didn’t want that and I knew that my job was causing me a lot of stress. I spent two years trying to decide what to do and then decided to set up a health spa whilst on holiday in Bali.”

Although you previously weren’t a business owner, what aspects of your prior employment prepared you for starting and becoming a managing director of a business?

“Luckily I had lots of transferable skills which I could draw on. My previous job involved communicating with a broad range of professionals from senior medical doctors, to government officials, charities and patients and so I was confident in liaising with different people.

“I was a project manager in my previous role and so my organisational skills were particularly helpful in establishing the business from scratch. I had been a manager and so I had staff management experience and I had also led national initiatives where I gained extensive leadership skills.”

After renting a Victorian villa with a three year lease in 2007, Alexandra House Spa was born. What process did you take leading up to this i.e. request funding/loan/business support?

“I was unable to secure any external funding from a bank due to my lack of business knowledge, but luckily I was able to continue working in my previous job one day a week for about 18 months until the business was established which provided me with a regular income. I used my personal savings to set up the business.”

Alexandra House Spa has managed to separate itself from a competitive marketplace by focusing on holistic therapies and offers quietness and space. Was this a conscious decision from the beginning or did you take the spa in this direction over time?

“It was a conscious decision. Many people have suggested that we offer beauty treatments alongside the holistic therapies, however I wanted to focus solely on holistic therapies because the ethos of the two types of treatments is very different. When you are having your legs waxed, or your nails painted you are chatting, often about negative things or work and life, and you aren’t able to switch off. Chatting also creates a background noise that can disturb the peacefulness of the spa.

“During a holistic therapy you are quiet and your mind is still which mean you can totally switch off from everyday life. The decision to only offer holistic treatments has paid dividends because people know that the minute they step though our doors, it’s their time for stillness and quietness and their mind and body slows down. There are not many instances where this can happen in our busy lives and so it’s a lovely sanctuary for people.”

What sort of treatments/services are offered through holistic therapies?

“We offer aromatherapy massage and facials, Indian head massage, hot stone massage, Swedish massage, reiki, reflexology and Hopi ear candles. These are all treatments that make you feel good on the inside, which radiates on the outside.”

In January 2014, the spa relocated to renovated 200 year old building on the outskirts of Huddersfield, and currently boasts a team of ten. Although a popular aspect of Alexandra House Spa is its relatively small size, offering a more personal service, the goal of any business is to grow each year. What is your long-term strategy to maintain the success of the business? Would you look to open additional sites and expand the brand further in the region?

“The new property offered the potential to expand our services. We are currently developing the cellar space into two thermal rooms for our clients and the loft space can be used for additional relaxation space.

“There is also the potential to re-build a row of cottages on site that were demolished in the 1970s to create overnight accommodation and a workshop area.

“We don’t have any plans to open additional sites as there is so much scope to expand and develop the spa in our current premises and I still want to maintain a work-life balance.”

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