When I first opened my business, like many other entrepreneurs, I did not have a business degree or any real education in business. I consider the first few years of running my business “the school of hard knocks”.

Throughout the years I have learned many of my business lessons the hard way, but truth be told I think it’s one of the best, if not the best way to learn. Even now that I have a degree in business and have attended multiple business classes and programs, including 10KSB, designed by Babson college, the best lessons have been taught to me through hands on experience. You learn what works and what doesn’t, what action gets what reaction, and really become an expert problem solver. along the way.

One area of the business that has gotten a lot of my focus and attention is culture. Culture meaning the shared set of values, goals, attitudes and practices that make up an organization. Throughout the years I have experienced a both a healthy and a not so healthy culture in the early years of my business. Cultures can became unhealthy due to a set of attitudes and beliefs that have became negative and unproductive. This can develop very easily if not managed properly and is a challenge to change once it happens. Sometimes it can stem from a single team member that has spread negativity amongst other team members.

There are a few practices that have helped my business maintain a healthy, positive, and productive culture. Developing our 10 Core Values serves as basically our culture bible. I originally developed a set of values that were true to my own beliefs and through the years I included our team in developing our values together. This way it reflects all of our beliefs instead of just my own.

Our 10 Core Values

1. Create personal connections with guests and team members. 

The best part about coming to citron, whether to work or to have a service, is the personal connections we build. Creating friendships with our guests and each other builds a community that all are grateful to be a part of.

2. Be healthy, balanced and at peace.

Good health is the core of citron’s purpose. It is the launchpad for reaching our goals, maintaining healthy relationships, and being balanced and at peace within our own minds and bodies.

3. Make a difference by delivering extraordinary experiences through service.

We make a difference in the lives of our guests by going above and beyond to deliver the most relaxing, rejuvenating, and result oriented treatments in the spa industry on a consistent basis.

4. Be humble, kind, and compassionate to all equally.

Have empathy and treat others the way you would like to be treated regardless of whether their views differ from your own.

5. Have gratitude and live life to the fullest.

Being grateful for our lives including our relationships, our careers, our guests, and our passions will help us continue to live lives filled with joy daily.

6. Be honest, respectful, and patient while openly communicating.

Openly communicating in an honest way while having respect for each other’s feelings and privacy will lead to solutions to any problems that may arise.

7. Continue to reach for your fullest potential through continued growth and learning.

Knowledge is power. Power, in a sense, to change your own life, creating a life of success, happiness and peace.

8. Embody leadership

We have an inclusive leadership culture where all ideas, suggestions, feedback, and input are welcome to make the best possible decisions for the holistic well-being of citron and its team members.

9. Take care of Mother Earth

From planting trees and sustainably sourcing ingredients from local farms , offering reusable citron water bottles and shopping bags to recycling- we care about improving the health of the environment and therefore, each other.

10. Be mindful 

Be present daily- with guests and each other, attention to detail and quality, and attention to appearance and cleanliness.