Congratulations to Andrea McNeil, one of our Planet Beach franchisees for being named a ‘Woman of Empowerment’ by 2012 Minority Report.  Please read the article below! 

Congratulations Andrea!

Planet Beach Spa Owner Breaks Down
the Stereotypes of Ownership

by L. Kasimu Harris

Andrea McNeil was nervous, excited and anticipated opening the doors for the first day of business. She ran campaigns for political candidates in New Orleans and led multi-million dollars fundraising drives for non-profits. But, this was different, she was about to open the doors of her Planet Beach in Terrytown.

She recalled the hard work, but didn’t celebrate too much after her first customer. “I knew it was just the beginning,” she said. “I’ll feel accomplished after the one year anniversary.” Even on her opening day, she was thinking about the 80 percent of new businesses that fail within the first year. Now, she’s moving toward year two.

In year two, she aspires to expand Planet Beach’s Business Partners in a mutually beneficial program that shares discounts and increases clients for both companies. McNeil will also heighten awareness of the corporate wellness program, which helps reduce health care cost for companies that are associated employee’s obesity and smoking, while also increasing their productivity, by being happier and healthier.
McNeil’s path to opening Planet Beach wasn’t a straight one, but the right one. She relocated to New Orleans and started direct sales and marketing company, a year after graduating from Northeastern Illinois University in 2002, with a degree in chemistry and math. In August 2005, like most New Orleanians, Hurricane Katrina forced her from the city. McNeil returned to the city and transitioned to working on political campaigns and later did fundraising for nonprofits.

“Non-profits were doing a lot more change and growth than politics,” she said. In 2010, she earned her master’s in public administration from the University of New Orleans. Seeking a business she was passionate about led her to Planet Beach. The company’s model is a contempo spa, which is an automatic day spa. “It’s really a passion of mine, helping people look and feel good,” McNeil said “That’s what health and wellness is about.”

She referred to the state’s obesity ranking, which is always among the worst in America and her business addresses that problem. In McNeil’s posh Planet Beach with hardwood floors and brightly painted orange walls and yellow trim. Planet Beach is more than tanning, it’s also weight management. One program is the Saunatox, where users can burn 300 to 600 calories during a 20 to 30 minute sessions while relaxing. They also offer massages, tanning, facials, and skin care and teeth whitening, McNeil’s spa offers 13 different services. McNeil combats offering a non-essential service during an economic down turn by offering a superior product.

“We’re in a wellness revolution,” she said, “people want to be healthier an anti-aging is important.”

McNeil describes the business as a service for everybody and membership for anybody and on cue a tall athletic man completed his session then walked towards the door. The attendant addressed the client by name as he set up his next appointment and said his goodbyes.

“We see our members between one to five times a week and get to know them,” she said.

McNeil hails from an entrepreneurial family; her father owned one of the first Subway restaurants in Chicago. But, she has never formally studied business.”It’s a spirit, it’s a mindset it’s characteristics,” she said about thriving in business and added that people’s environment are paramount. She attributes her solid upbringing to her family and her faith in God. “The turning point in my business,” she said, “is when I decided to make God my business partner.”

We are Changing the Way the World Rejuvenates! Convenient, affordable and self-automated spa services to help you achieve total skincare, wellness and stress relief!

Planet Beach – Terrytown
867 Terry Parkway, Suite 1
Terrytown, LA 70056
(504) 324-8473
andrea.mcneil@planetbeach.com

2012-2013 Minority Report

The Minority Report represents all that is good and unique in the top diverse businesses in New Orleans, Louisiana. Our goal is to assist and be responsible for $1 billion in minority business inclusion activity over the next 5 years by matching these listed minority companies with city, state, and federal opportunities who subcontract tasks/jobs through requests for proposals or direct hire agreements.