StarrCast
The StarrCast: Where Wellness Works Hosted by Lisa Starr of Wynne Business, this podcast is your insider's guide to thriving in the world of wellness. Whether you're a seasoned spa director, wellness entrepreneur, or just launching your journey, each episode offers practical insights, proven tactics, and real stories from industry leaders. Stay ahead of the curve with expert interviews, trend breakdowns, and actionable strategies designed to help you grow a resilient, rewarding wellness career or business in today's ever-evolving landscape.
Episodes
Is luxury hospitality becoming too complicated for its own good?
Luxury hotels and wellness resorts continue to invest in sophisticated technology, elaborate spa facilities, and personalized amenities. Yet these enhancements don't always translate into happier guests or more memorable experiences. Sometimes, the smallest frustrations can have the greatest impact on guest satisfaction and loyalty.
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The thermal wellness boom is heating up, but are we designing these experiences for lasting success?
As sauna culture, contrast bathing, and social bathhouses gain momentum across the United States, developers and operators are rushing to meet growing demand. But creating a successful thermal wellness destination involves far more than installing a sa...
What happens when art, science and soul come together to shape the future of wellness?
In this special StarrCast Global Wellness Summit preview, host Lisa Starr speaks with four leaders who will take the stage at the upcoming Global Wellness Summit in Phuket, Thailand. Their conversations explore some of the forces redefining wellness today, from neuroaesthetics and intentional spaces to longevity science,...
What happens when an ancient wellness tradition meets a new wave of global enthusiasm?
Recorded at the International Sauna Congress in Oslo, Norway, Lisa Starr explores the rapidly evolving world of sauna and sweat culture with leaders, practitioners, and architects shaping its future. From preserving centuries-old traditions to the rise of Aufguss, sauna masters, thermal experiences, and more inclusive ba...
What does it really take to succeed in China's rapidly evolving spa, wellness, beauty, and fitness market?
Recorded at the Spa China Summit, this episode of the StarrCast Podcast takes Lisa Starr directly into the market for conversations with four industry professionals who bring distinctly different perspectives on China's wellness economy. Together, they explore changing consumer expectations, localizat...
How does a massage therapist evolve from practitioner to business owner, build a thriving team, and then expand beyond a labor-dependent business model?
In this episode of StarrCast Podcast, host Lisa Starr talks with Kelly Hander, owner of Be Well Body Works in Longmont, Colorado, about her 25-plus-year journey in massage therapy and the lessons she learned while becoming an employer, leader, and wellness...
What should spa and wellness operators know before opening a bathhouse or adding sauna and cold plunge experiences?
As thermal bathing and contrast therapy continue to grow, Lisa Starr speaks with MacKenzie Boling of Longevity Law and Adam Wilkins of NFP, an Aon company, about the legal, operational, and insurance risks that can affect guest safety and long-term business viability. Their conversation offer...
What does it take to transform a historic hot springs property into a thriving wellness destination?
In this episode of StarrCast, Lisa Starr sits down with David Dronet, Founder and CEO of Olympus Real Estate Group, to explore the intersection of wellness real estate, thermal wellness, hospitality, and destination development. David shares his remarkable journey from banking and real estate development in...
What happens when some of the world's leading spa and wellness executives gather to discuss the future of the industry?
Recorded live at the W3Spa EMEA event in Portugal, Lisa Starr sits down with hospitality and wellness leaders Sharon Barcock, Louise Moore, Egle Ruksenaite, and Kerry Turpin to explore the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping spa, wellness, longevity, and hospitality across Europ...
What happens when ancient sauna traditions meet modern wellness culture, theatrical storytelling, and world-class competition?
In this special on-location episode of StarrCast, Lisa Starr travels to New York City for the Aufguss USA Championships to explore one of the fastest-growing movements in wellness. Through conversations with industry leaders, international judges, competitors, and bathhouse operato...
What are some of the most influential leaders in the spa and wellness industry seeing as they look toward the future?
Recorded live at We Work Well Spa North America in Bonita Springs, Florida, Lisa Starr sits down with four accomplished industry leaders representing Canyon Ranch, Kohler Water Spa, Arch Amenities Group, and Mario Tricoci Spa & Salon. Together, they explore the changing expectations of ...
What if the future of wellness has less to do with treatments and more to do with the spaces where we live, work, travel, and recover?
In this special on-location episode of StarrCast, Lisa Starr reports from the Global Wellness Institute's Wellness Real Estate & Communities Symposium in New York City. Through conversations with leaders in wellness architecture, hospitality, healthy buildings, and digi...
What if conferences and business events actually helped people feel healthier, more energized, and more connected?
In this episode of StarrCast, Lisa Starr sits down with Reina Herschdorfer, Director of Marketing for Caesars Entertainment, and David T. Stephens, Founder of Olympian Meetings, who both serve as Co-Chairs of the Global Wellness Institute Meetings and Events Initiative.
Together t...
What happens when wellness moves beyond treatments and becomes an environment?
Recorded live from the Hot Springs Association Conference in Calistoga, this episode explores how hot springs are emerging as a powerful force in the evolution of wellness ecosystems, experiential design, and human-centered development.
What You'll Learn
What if wellness isn't something you visit—but something you live in every day?
In this episode, we explore how wellness is reshaping real estate, community design, and the future of how we live, work, and connect. From walkability to social infrastructure, this conversation reveals why the next frontier of the wellness industry is not inside spa walls—but embedded into the places we call home.
...What if the spa experience isn't actually improving well-being, but simply creating a pleasant moment? In this episode of StarrCast, we explore the shift from traditional customer experience to true wellbeing experience design (WX), and what it means to create measurable, lasting impact for guests.
What You'll Learn
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What does it really mean to design for transformation, not just relaxation? In this episode, we explore how intentional spaces, technology, and human-centered design can shift behavior, deepen self-awareness, and redefine the future of wellness.
What You'll Learn
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Why transformation is the next evolutio...
What if one of the most requested services in the spa industry is also one of the most misunderstood? In this episode of StarrCast, we explore how maternity massage goes far beyond relaxation and becomes a powerful tool for supporting pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery.
Lisa Starr sits down with Sparrow Harrington, founder of Sparrow's Nest Massage, to uncover how specialized, evidence-based bo...
What if the future of hospitality is designed not just for comfort, but for recovery, performance, and longevity?
In this episode of StarrCast, we explore how wellness is evolving from a single amenity into a fully integrated, property-wide strategy that shapes how guests feel, function, and live.
What You'll Learn
What does resilience really look like in today's fast-moving wellness industry? In this episode, Kay Pennington shares how leaders can stay grounded, connected, and authentic while navigating pressure, growth, and constant change. This conversation explores the deeper side of leadership, where emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and personal values shape long-term success.
What You'll Learn
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