Professional Spotlight: Michael Tompkins

From registered nurse to partner at the leading recruitment firm in luxury spa and wellness, Michael Tompkins has led an exciting life and fascinating career. Even as he navigated the path toward his own success, however, Michael has always had a passion for helping others advance themselves in the industry and supporting the community where he lives.

With a commitment to lifelong learning, Michael seeks to build on his own experience in the industry and hopes to continue to help others on their path to wellness. Read on to learn more about Michael’s background in the spa industry and to hear pro tips for skincare professionals.

Meet Michael Tompkins

Michael Tompkins began his journey in the spa and wellness industry as a registered nurse working in destination spas. From there, he went on to become the CEO of numerous spa and wellness brands before eventually becoming a partner at Hutchinson Consulting, the leading recruitment firm in luxury spa and wellness.

As one of the faces of Hutchinson Consulting, Michael seeks to help individuals in the spa and wellness industry find their professional match. He works tirelessly to help cultivate lasting relationships within the industry and seeks to stay at the forefront of developing innovative wellness brands. As a testament to his success in this mission, he notes that the firm’s average client has been with them over 16 years.

In addition to building bridges across the spa and wellness industry, Michael is a past Chairman of the Board for the ISPA organization.

Self-Care and the Meaning of Wellness

As a registered nurse, Michael practiced heart-centered care. He was originally drawn to the field out of a love for caring for others – this passion eventually became the foundation for his career in hospitality.

Throughout his life, Michael has always prioritized self-care. Each morning he sets a goal to walk 10,000 steps, sometimes walking with peers and friends to solidify the meaningful relationships in his life. Inspired by an Eckhart Tolle book, Guardians of Being, Michael often takes his dog along with him to help facilitate mindfulness by observing her living in the moment.

What Michael loves most about the wellness industry is the opportunity to help others. Providing education to enhance another’s life, he says, is a service in and of itself. Wellness looks different for every individual, but his practice always focuses on happiness, laughter, and love.

The Future of the Spa Industry

Over the course of a long and successful career, Michael has witnessed changes in the industry. In recent years, he’s noticed a blending of hospitality, wellness, and healthcare blossoming from a multigenerational, living community approach. He believes it is essential to care for our aging population through a combination of allopathic, naturopathic, and alternative health approaches with good nutrition and a supportive environment.

In his own spas, Michael has incorporated practices that engage in the five senses. He believes engaging the senses is the key to bringing people out of their own heads and into the moment. With simple touches, he creates a unique experience for his clients each time they walk through the door.

Pro Tips from Michael Tompkins

Michael Tompkins has gained a great deal of wisdom and experience over the course of his career but the best advice he was ever given was, “the truth will set you free.” Coming out at the age of thirty-three, Michael felt like he was finally telling the truth of who he was as a person and the experience enabled him to be authentic in his life and in his career. This experience gave him the strength to become the risk-taking CEO he is today.

For new spa industry professionals, Michael recommends a commitment to constant learning and self-improvement. Asking questions, he says, allows you to learn. It shows you have interest, and it helps create team-based intellect. The spa industry, he says, has always been a team-based business and he recommends professionals rely on each other and work together. His philosophy is best summed up by the ISPA’s online summit titled “Better Together.”

Having led a fruitful career in the spa and wellness industry, Michael’s proudest accomplishment is the success of others he’s mentored over the years. Having worked as a manager, it brings him joy to witness the triumph of others. It is this will to see others succeed that drove him to join the Hutchinson Consulting firm where he plays a direct role in helping others find their own path in the industry.