ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
When I graduated with a master’s degree in finance and joined the industry, my father thought I’d thrown
PHOTO: SIX SENSES
away my education and career
It’s an amazing time to work in the sector, says Bjurstam
Anna Bjurstam Raison d’Etre and Six Senses What’s been your biggest life lesson?
The first is to never rely on a contract or ethics. I was naive and unaware of this in the early days when setting up a Raison d’Etre spa at a resort in the Maldives. It went so well the owner ripped up our contract, took down our sign, poached our staff, concept and products, gave it a new name and ran it himself. He was able to do that because he had more money and power. The second is to never give up. During the financial crisis in 2009, Raison d’Etre almost didn’t make it. We hung in, got creative and founded LivNordic, a brand based on Nordic health traditions, which is now highly profitable. What you can do with a dedicated, talented and passionate team when everyone feels part of the whole is fantastic and many are still with us today. The third is not to be afraid to take risks – you either succeed or you fail and learn a valuable lesson. When I was given a blank canvas to turn Six Senses into a wellness company, there were a lot of non-believers in the initiatives we created. However, we walked the road less travelled and it paid off. 18 spabusiness.com issue 3 2023