May 1, 2017

Meet Frances Chau of Organic Zen Spa in East Los Angeles

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Frances Chau.

Frances, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?

I have always been fascinated by the skin care industry, and taking good care of my skin and myself. Prior to starting my own business I had a facial at least once a month… In 2010 my younger sister and I had an idea to start a tutoring business in the San Gabriel Valley. As we were standing there in the facility we had found to rent, in that moment there was this really strong healing energy running through my body, and a kind of calmness went through me, and I told my sister if the tutoring business didn’t work out then I will open a Zen skin care business. Three months later when the tutoring business didn’t work out, we started our Zen skincare business.

The idea of Zen skincare is to offer something unique to the community that set me apart from other businesses in the San Gabriel area. I came across this amazing series of products by a company called Eminence Organic Skin Care which had many great reviews. Being big into organic health and wellness, at that moment the light bulb just went off, and I said “Wow! I’m going to have a business all about beauty, all about wellness.” And, it is not just the external beauty, but also the internal beauty, which is this Zen like calm environment together with organic products. So that is how my business, the Organic Zen Spa, was born. We have been in business for about six years now, and we are doing wonderfully. We have lots of return clients who come for our peaceful soothing environment and for the best organic products–a big aspect of the spa–that we offer to the community.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

I wasn’t born as an entrepreneur. I didn’t have any business experience prior to opening the spa. All I had was a dream of running my own business, waking up in the morning knowing that I’m working for myself and serving other people. I have often considered the spa as my child. However, I’m more the child myself, a child learning how to walk. It’s humbling, you fall down, and somehow you pick yourself up – it’s exactly like that. If I was to describe the journey of the spa, it’s like me, a child in business, learning how to walk. I didn’t make wise decisions in terms of where to spend my money, I tried many different advertising media, even had a show on Rose Bowl, Night Markets. I spent massive amounts of money and so much time working on local advertising, and those traditional advertisements didn’t return on my investment. There were many mistakes that I made as a beginner. The struggle is making the right decisions on where to invest, what channel to use to get people in the door, and how to hire great staff. The struggle is how do I deal with other competitors – do I lower the price to meet them or do I stand strong with my spa philosophy? I also found the official inspections really stressful, because they would point out really little things, like a towel left out that should be in the basket. With all these challenges, I really saw myself grow over time; I learned not to be so hasty in my decisions. I think running a business not only taught me hard work, but it also taught me humility. I looked at my staff and saw how hard they worked and how dedicated they were. Also, looking at other entrepreneurs and their experience, it really humbled me to accept what is. I have to constantly remind myself that this is a journey; it is not just about getting a result. Like any other journey it has ups-and-downs. The true nature of it is to really learn along the journey and really grow. The spa really trained me to accept what is, all the regulations, the inspections, and the many fees, used to really bother me, and now I just say “Okay, that’s just the way it goes, it is a part of the journey of having a spa.”

So as business owner I have to wear many different hats. I need to learn to be flexible, to be able to multitask, to quickly pick up new skills. I not only learn how to retain the spa’s clientele, but also acquire more clients to the spa. The most important skill I have gained is teamwork, I learned to share the journey with my staff and together we work as a team.

Please tell us about Organic Zen Spa.

At Organic Zen Spa, we offer a wide range of services, including skincare, massage, nails, eyelash extensions, permanent makeup, eyebrows microblading, and waxing. We are known for acne treatment for teenagers, anti-aging facials, and permanent makeup. What we are most proud of is the environment, the ambience of the spa where the clients are very happy to come for the services, and the employees are very happy to come to work and we treat each other like family.

Besides, what really makes our day is the clients complimenting us on our excellent customer service, the attentiveness we offer, the products that we carry, and the soothing healing Zen like atmosphere we are able to provide for them. What sets us apart from other businesses are the premium organic products we use and our calm clean environment where everyone can come and relax and forget all about their busy day.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?

My favorite memory from childhood is visiting my friend’s family in a remote countryside in Vietnam (I was born and grew up in Vietnam). I remember walking with my friend for about a mile on a tranquil, narrow, muddy road with rice fields on both sides, and as I was walking, I could feel the fresh air caressing my face, and the warm sunshine pampering my whole body. My favorite part of the visit was to eat organic food like home-raised chicken, and home grown vegetables. I also loved the simple, rustic life in the countryside; it was so carefree and the people seemed genuinely happy, hospitable, and kind.

Pricing:

Get ready to glow with a 60-minute Age-Defying facial for $85, designed to rejuvenate skin using all-natural products. Complete with a skin analysis, exfoliation, massage, moisturizing, and toning, you’re left free of fine lines and positively glowing.
$70 for a 60-minute Zen Customized Massage. A massage is always a treat, but a truly great massage is a full-on experience. From ambience to professionalism, this tension-erasing facility whisks you away upon arrival with its dim lighting and soothing music.
$499 for a 3D Eyebrows Microblading and a complimentary retouch.

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