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Enter the Now: The Dreamiest Bohemian Spa Destination in All of LA
Affordable luxury. It's not something Angelenos know that much about. That us, until now. Or rather, The Now. The luxury-walk-ins-welcome-spa that opened last year in West Hollywood, is all about that balance. After detecting a gap between high-end spas that cost a premium and Eastern foot spas that skimp on luxe, Erica Malbon and Gara Post looked for a way to unify those elements.
Drawing inspo from the Coqui Coqui hotel in Tulum, Mexico, The Now offers the luxury spa experience at a (very) affordable price. Massages start at just $35 (just about the cost of two pressed juices), and guests can choose from a variety of add-ons. The first location attracted ladies like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, and the cofounders announced (today!) that a second location will be opening soon in Santa Monica.
They're out to relax LA, one neighborhood at a time.
We caught up with Erica and Gara to see how they spend their day, what advice they have for aspiring female entrepreneurs, and why touch is so important.
Gara:
5:30 am: Wake up and drink a large glass of room temperature water with lemon. Then meditate for 20 minutes. This is my daily ritual.
8 am: Get my kids ready for school.
9 am: Go to Pilates or hot yoga at Core Power yoga - the works outs are so hard, but so effective.
10 am: Arrive at The Now and meet up with Erica to work on getting the boutique ready for the day.
Erica:
12 pm: By noon we’re starving so we’ll run across the street to Erewhon for juices and salads. They have the best food!
1 pm: Meet with the team to review new ideas for products we want to sell at the boutique.
2 pm: In the afternoon we’ll have massage therapists come by for interviews with us and Amber, our massage therapist ambassador
Gara:
4:30 pm: Head home to get dinner ready for the kids and family. Creating balance between work and family is really important to Erica and me.
8 pm: Back to work, usually with a glass of wine.
What made you decide to get into the health spa business?
We both come from a design background, so we didn’t necessarily think that we would end up launching a massage boutique. That said, we are both really passionate about self-care and self-love. We really liked the idea of an affordable massage in a luxury environment, which is where our design background comes in. We want to give people the opportunity to connect with themselves and recharge on a regular basis. Since we’re both hard workers and entrepreneurs, it was a natural jump for us even if we didn’t have background that aligned in an obvious way.
What are your respective backgrounds?
Gara: I have a jewelry line called Gara Danielle that I’ve been designing for 18 years (which is why I’m always wearing at least 15 rings and 10 bracelets!). I still work on it every day and am currently brainstorming a potential special collection for The Now. Stay tuned!
Erica: I worked in marketing and design with my husband on fashion and style brands. I had actually just designed my own line of luxury travel accessories, but I put that on hold to work on The Now. You never know how it will resurface though!
How do you scale a business and keep your massages starting at such a great price point?
We work with amazing massage therapists who love having a regular but flexible job they can come to. So it ends up being a win win for everyone!
A lot of establishments in LA run on the premise of exclusivity. But you’re offering an experience with very inclusive prices and still attracting an A-List clientele. What’s the secret?
We have a couple beliefs that we always go back to. One of which is that we believe in the power of touch. It’s healing in a way that nothing else is and it really should be part of everyone’s regular routine. With that being part of our foundation, how could we ever create a place that is exclusive? Everyone deserves to feel great. That’s why our hashtag is #MassagesForAll. We think people, A-list or not, are attracted to The Now because our view comes from an honest place. Also, we’ve designed the space in a way that feels like a luxurious vacation. And who doesn’t want to go on a great vacation?
"We believe in the power of touch."
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What is your best advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs?
Gara: Work hard.
Erica: Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Yes, it’s scary, but that means you’re doing something exciting and new.
Gara: And be kind. To yourself and others.
To book online or via The Now App visit www.thenowmassage.com
The Now, 7611 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-746-5525,
photo credit: Tessa Neustdt
Pedal To The Metal: LA Accelerators To Jumpstart Your Idea
For months now, you’ve been set on making your business idea come true. You have the idea set in stone, and you’ve mastered your plan down to a T, but you just need a little bit of a financial push and some proper coaching on how to get your business off the ground. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of help available to get you up and running!
If you’re looking to kick your business into gear in Los Angeles, you’re in the right place. Now, more than ever, today’s prosperous world of Silicon Beach has been able to churn out successful companies, all with the help of accelerators and incubators that are designed to make your business grow at an exceptional pace. To give you your first boost in helping your startup grow, we’ve listed some great accelerators and incubators in LA that will set you up with the tools you need to get your idea to a million-dollar level. (You can thank us later.) ;)