The year is 1991, and “Botox®” is not yet a household name. Francis and Colleen Acunzo (future founders of Acara Partners) own the top health clubs and day spas in Boston. One ordinary day, as Francis and Colleen were sipping their coffee and enjoying their morning routine, Francis flips through The Boston Globe. He reads an article describing how Candela Corporation (now known as Syneron Candela) developed a cosmetic laser device that could remove brown spots from the back of hands. Finishing his last sip of coffee, Francis exclaims: “Colleen, I’ve got a great idea!”
In that moment, the early concept of a medical spa was born. Francis and Colleen would go on to trial cosmetic laser operations in a health club/day spa setting for the first time by anyone in the world. But it was not an instant success. Five years later, only a limited number of procedures had been conducted, and consumers were completely confused at the idea of having medical procedures performed in a spa environment.
Determined to see his idea through, Francis called the CEO of Candela Corporation and asked, “How can we bring your technology to the spa consumer market?” Candela, Francis, and Colleen put their heads together to launch the world’s first “medical spa,” merging their spa company with Candela.
It’s been 22 years since the medical spa industry was established by Francis and Colleen. In that time, we’ve made great strides in business strategy, legal & regulatory, compliance, and countless other areas. When reflecting on the growth of this industry, Francis and Colleen have one key takeaway: “Do the same thing you did yesterday, but do it better today.” This ethos continues to drive the leadership team at Acara Partners to raise the bar for the medical spa industry – providing business success to our clients and guiding them to make the best possible decisions.
Could your aesthetic medical practice benefit from the knowledge and experience of the people who started the movement? Do you dream of opening your own medical spa and sharing Francis and Colleen’s vision with the world? Contact the experts at Acara Partners today to learn more about how we can help you succeed.