Today we’d like to introduce you to Cecily Braden.
Hi Cecily, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m excited to be celebrating 30 years in the Spa & Wellness Industry as an Esthetician, Educator and Innovator.
Originally, with a degree in Journalism, I had a passion for writing and telling stories and wanted to create educational videos for corporations, so I packed up all my hopes and dreams and moved from Colorado to Minnesota, where I eventually forged a path into the spa business.
I never intended to be in the wellness world, nor did I want to be in skincare once I was, but I allowed my heart and passion to lead the way and do what came naturally, which was to write and tell stories of the places I traveled, the people I met and the experiences and education I gained. I wanted to share it all, and thus the story of Cecily Braden Spa & Wellness began.
I’m an educator at heart, and training is a way of telling the story of the skin, how it functions, and how we can support it so it can do what it was intended to do.
As an Educator, I traveled extensively throughout the USA and Asia and gained an appreciation for global spa treatments and how they are so closely connected with the culture. The one principle that has really guided me is the understanding that “there is more than one way to do one thing.”
I love educating professionals and giving them the tools they need to take care of their clients with care and attention to achieve immediate results for long-term change.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I always equate my journey with the game Shoots and Ladders. There have been a lot of “ups and downs,” but I never gave up and worked through each challenge with understanding of the lessons learned and being able to take the hits and let them guide me to the next step.
I started my business and moved to NYC in 2001 and just before 9/11. I was just getting started when the world changed, and so much was lost. I remember working with a group of spa owners to set up a makeshift spa down at the World Trade Center site and giving massages to the firemen who stood “on the hill” day after day working to put out the fires that burned for a 100 days.
This was not only a pivotal time in the spa industry, it was a pivotal time for me, and without any customers or a solid foundation to stand on, I went all in and exhibited at my first tradeshow in Philadelphia. The night before the show, my ex-employer served me with an injunction as an attempt to “break the bank” before I even began or made my first dollar.
The tradeshow was amazing, and amid a sea of white lab coats and machines, we stood out in a booth I had made in Indonesia out of teak wood and flown directly to the show. It was my first lesson that different is good and taking the “road less traveled” would be another guide that I still follow today.
The challenges of a small business with no money were plenty, and looking back; it’s hard to believe I started with a phone and a fax machine and without social media to showcase what I had developed and all I had to share.
We’ve been impressed with Cecily Braden Spa & Wellness, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m the Founder of Cecily Braden Spa & Wellness & CJB Spa & Wellness Academy. www.cecilybraden.com / @cecilybraden
I’m an Esthetician, Educator, and Innovator. I develop spa protocols and training programs and have the honor of training wellness professionals throughout the world.
Gua Sha Facial Fusion is our most popular and world-renowned training program that incorporates Gua Sha + Thai Herbal Poultice + Manual Lymphatic Drainage.
I launched The Lymphatic Brush (TLB) in 2023 and overjoyed with the feedback and the wide range of benefits that I never expected. In addition to the skincare benefits, people are sharing stories of feeling less stressed and calmer. They’re relating stories of TLB helping those with disorders that affect the nervous system like ADHD or Autism. Visit www.thelymphaticbrush.com / @the_lymphatic_brush
We specialize in Gua sha, Thai Herbal Poultice (@cjbthaimassge), and Manual Lymphatic Drainage and have a range of hands-on and online courses for professionals and self-care. Visit CJB Spa & Wellness Academy (www.spawellnessacademy.com)
Who else deserves credit in your story?
That’s a long list!
I’ll start with all my educators, mentors and everyone I’ve met during my travels who shared their knowledge and deep love for their culture and the beauty rituals that they trusted me to pass along to others.
The most credit goes to my sister Melissa, who has been with me since day one and has worked part-time for the first year for free. She has weathered every storm and has never wavered in her support despite many failed attempts and hardships through the years.
Kristin Shaw and Stephanie Lubow have earned honorable mention. I couldn’t have done it with their support and helping me learn and grow together.
My life partner, Dave, also deserves credit for standing by me and letting me do what I needed to do to keep things going and growing.
My Mom and Dad for giving me fortitude and the ability to believe in myself and follow my dreams.
To those who took a chance on me in the beginning and everyone since who has put their trust in me and attended my classes.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cecilybraden.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cecilybraden/?next=%2Fthe_lymphatic_brush%2F
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecily-j-braden-028a581a/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CecilyBraden
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvjo2vxhAYG32XQDb5UWrh1Q
- Other: www.thelymphaticbrush.com
Image Credits
Cory Rice
Eileen Silverman
