The recently-established Georgia Spa Association (GSA), a professionals-only network of spa, salon and medical spa owners, employees, vendors and educational facilities, is excited to announce the launch of its services tailored to the Georgia spa community.  The first of its kind in the Peachtree state, the GSA offers its members affordable, comprehensive benefits including the educational tools, resources, networking opportunities and personalized support necessary to excel in the industry.  To celebrate its debut and share the extent of its services, the GSA is hosting a cocktail to coincide with the Atlanta Day Spa Expo on October 9, 2010.

“As Georgia’s first and only spa association, we strive to be Georgia’s primary spa resource by connecting all levels of spa professionals, creating feasible opportunities that facilitate the exchange of best practices and making available an accomplished advisory board to help our members take their businesses to the next level,” says GSA founder Laura Walker.  “We cater to well-established destination spas, facilities looking to launch, salons that wish to reposition their services, local vendors promoting spa innovations and new graduates seeking the ideal position all for a reasonable yearly fee.”

Walker, who has 20 years of industry experience, decided to begin the GSA last year when the economy took a turn for the worst.  She learned that although Georgia boasted a countless number of spa and salon establishments, many struggled as a result of not knowing how to best manage their businesses, particularly in a tight economy.  In response, she collaborated with local industry veterans to determine how to meet these unique business needs in a cost-effective fashion.  The resulting services accessed via the “Join GSA” tab on the association’s website, www.georgiaspaassociation.com, include exclusive educational and networking opportunities, marketing tools, recruitment resources and business solutions provided by the GSA advisory board comprised of some of Georgia’s leading spa professionals.

Additionally, to further ensure that members are consistently at the forefront of the Georgia spa industry and well-versed in national industry trends, the GSA website provides local industry news within its “Media” section and valuable information on new products, vendors, spa trends and marketing ideas through its blog.

To celebrate its debut, the GSA will be hosting an exclusive cocktail event on October 9th to coincide with the Atlanta Day Spa Expo.  Staff and advisory board members will be available to provide information surrounding the organization’s goals.  For those interested in attending or obtaining more information regarding this event, please visit the website’s “Upcoming Events” page to RSVP and take advantage of the exclusive offers the GSA has to offer.