Category: Interview

An interview with Mr. Weay Cheng,
General Manager of MAHA Club and Residences, Chaoyang Park, Beijing

Joined Four Seasons Singapore in 1995 followed by Regent Singapore, also worked on the opening for Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo Maranouchi, Four Seasons Resort Exuma at Emerald Bay, Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, Four Seasons Resort Maldives, Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake and Four Seasons Hotel Tianjin, Mr. Weay Cheng is a full experienced hotelier in the hospitality industry, born in Malaysia, Multilingual in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Indonesia, Mandarin and Cantonese. In his free time, he enjoys drinking green tea and is a sports enthusiast, with a focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. SpaChina interviewed Weay.

Could you please provide an overview of MAHA’s wellness concept and how it is integrated into the club and residence experience?

MAHA is a state of being, whereas wellness is the state of living a healthy lifestyle, from where we were, optimizing a holistic approach to well-being. Meanwhile, with bespoke facilities, MAHA creates a dedicated venue for health, nutrition, mindfulness and well-being that perfect harmony within the originality extremely high-grade residential experiences. MAHA is exemplified by extraordinary residences set in breathtaking corners of the world and it allows residents to enjoy all the wellness offerings from unique health experience, innovative wellness, sustainable exploration of body, spirit and mind balance, to bespoke services that make MAHA a truly out of the ordinary lifestyle.

What specific amenities or services does MAHA offer to promote wellness among its residents and club members? How does MAHA create a unique and standout experience for its guests?

MAHA Spa, designed with four treatment rooms that use top-notch Gharieni physiotherapy equipment and MANSARD products. The spa offers personalized health care plans that blend Western expertise with traditional Chinese medicine. It also has a unique private Himalayan salt wellness space with heated recliners by Fabio Alemanno design, SOMADOME capsule healing space and technological health rest area. Residents and club members can enjoy a vitality massage pool, yoga studio, fully equipped fitness center with an oxygen system, and Astral pool Swim spa. MAHA’s exceptional personalized services and diverse living experiences, such as bespoke wellness, food and beverage, entertainment, catering events and an exclusive rooftop garden, set it apart from other luxury residences and clubs in Beijing.

We organized regular residential events at least once a month and co-organize/co-branding with luxury brands from all over the world. For example, recently we jointly organized a sports workshop with Dior and Technogym, as well as a golf experience with our International Golf pro instructor to have an in-depth personalized experience based on resident’s  capacity and interest. MAHA seeks to find the best team of professionals from all over the world to create wellness activities suitable for the home experience for our residents.

Could you share some examples of the wellness programs or activities that MAHA organizes for its residents and club members?

We have curated a selection of wellness programs that focus on promoting overall health and well-being. One of these programs included a seminar where we invited a renowned sports and human science doctor from Beijing University. During the seminar, he shared insights on leading a healthy lifestyle and provided a comprehensive range of physical and mental health information. At the end of the program, residents who participated in the event had the opportunity to receive a one-on-one assessment based on the doctor’s professional guidance.

In addition, we also offer yoga meditation classes and facial uplift work shop. These programs are designed to cater to the unique needs and preferences of our residents, ensuring that they can achieve optimal health and well-being in a personalized and holistic manner.

On how to ensure that the health services provided meet the different interests and preferences of guests: the majority of MAHA’s residents are well-to-do families, with children and the elderly. We found that these customers’ interests and preferences are actually the same, they like to eat home-cooked food, enjoy sports and child-related activities. They pay special attention to the selection of ingredients, as well as the brand, origin and function of the product, and the services need to be more convenient for them. The key word is ‘conveniences’ with good healthy lifestyle. Therefore, we are selective in choosing our products, as simple as the oil we used by our culinary team, the origin of the dishes cooked by our chefs, country of the skin care products made from to the benefits of learning for children activities. Therefore, while seeking for high-quality health care services, we will create trust and convenient spaces for our residents, so that they can depend on our one-stop services.

MAHA emphasizes a holistic approach to wellness. Could you elaborate on the different dimensions of wellness that MAHA focuses on and how they are incorporated into the club and residence?

I have to say that we are committed to create a trusted luxury serviced apartments that are different from other hospitality industry. In the hotel industry, every day, the customers will be   different, the age group is also unpredictable, so it is a challenge for hotels to accurately provide the services required by their customers. However, our groups of people are fixed or we know them better. Hence, we can easily obtain different dimensions of customer needs, such as the children or the elderly needs. We can ask the information of our residents and do a data analysis based on their age group, background and preferences, in order for us to customize our services and products that suit them well.

MAHA Garden’s prime location makes it the “Air Purifier of the city” and it provides a secluded space for MAHA Club & Residences. MAHA Spa offers wellness experiences in harmony with the natural world. Residents can start their day with refreshing activities such as jogging and yoga.  Our service extends to home, with spa treatments available on-demand and without time or space constraints. The residents can enjoy a variety of wellness facilities and dining experiences. Healthy meals can be delivered or prepared by our chefs at their home too.

What role does technology play in enhancing the wellness experience at MAHA?

We are very fortunate that our spa is designed with a great scientific healing spaces for our residents. We used Gharieni’s high-end treatment equipment, a very exclusive Himalayan salt room with the Italian Fabio Alemanno design infra-red heated lounge chair, the Somadome meditation chamber and jacuzzi with hydro exercise therapy. We will not stop but continue to look for the latest high-tech products that can be integrated into MAHA Residences so to bring a different and yet wonderful wellness experience to our residents.

MAHA offers an innovative online personal coaching platform, enabling residents to stay connected with their wellness advisor. Each resident can access “My Wellness”, an interactive measurement app through Technogym, which allows them to track, measure, monitor and interact with their progress. By providing regular attendance and participation, this platform fosters a sense of belonging and enhances the overall wellness experience. It allows the residents access a personalized health coaching wellness hub through their computer or smart-phone app, to manage their treatment schedules and training sessions. This ensures that residents stay connected to the program, even when they are traveling or away from their apartment for an extended period.

How does MAHA foster a sense of community and social connection among its residents and club members within the framework of its wellness concept?

At MAHA, every resident can enjoy the personal butler service, which is also one of the big features of MAHA. Our butler is available 24 hours a day. Our residents can always let us know what they need. We had a video clip on a scenario where the parents were not at home. The parents feel comfortable to leave their children with us, and we will help them to watch, design and provide a healthy educational course for the children. Hence, our butler training is a great bridge between MAHA and the residents. In addition, we also have a program that provide monthly updates on our featured services and experiences to make sure our residents get the first hand information and stay connected with us.

In what ways does MAHA continuously evolve its wellness offerings and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and advancements in the wellness industry?

MAHA has always stay connected with many expertise from different countries and regions. Not only for spa related, but also for food and beverage. It was a pity that due to the pandemic, many of our spa masters from other countries cannot fly over to provide their unique expertise services or treatments for our residents. However, I believe that with many country borders having opened up, we will be able to invite and collaborate with more international expertise/masters to MAHA, which will bring a different experience to our residents.

MAHA just started less than 2 years ago in Beijing and it is a brand-new club and residences services in the market. We are still humbly improving our services while we actively worked on establishing network with excellent organizations, such as SpaChina and continue to evolve by learning more and improving our knowledge in the field of wellness, and strive to keep the pace with the trends and advances in the wellness industry.

An Interview with Ms. Lili Tu, Founder of GODREAM

A graduate of the Chinese Department of Wenzhou Normal College, Ms. Lili Tu, founded Wenzhou GODREAM Health Management Company in 1999. In Wenzhou, a place known worldwide for its entrepreneurship, she now operates eight beauty and health clubs, one health technology company, one TCM clinic, one beauty training base. She is the chairwoman of the Women’s Federation of Wenzhou Hair and Beauty Industry Association and the volunteer station chief of the Ruian Life Care Charity.

“I changed my career path from being a high school teacher to entering my current business. In the past 24 years, I’ve always been in a “beauty business” which I am really keen on.  In fact, I didn’t give up my initial choice, I just moved from being an ordinary secondary school teacher to a more precise platform to learn, and develop talents in the health industry.” Ms. Lili Tu told SpaChina.

Over the years, GODREAM has always advocated building a happiness-oriented enterprise with family feel and a learning team, leading employees to learn Chinese traditional culture, improving the spiritual quality of employees and customers, and achieving both material and spiritual happiness of employees and customers. GODREAM has trained more than 500 beauticians, 41 senior beauticians, 2 national level-2 technicians, and provided internship and employment chances for more than 300 college and university students. “I continue to nurture people diligently and contribute to the economic development of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, and the country as a whole, as a female entrepreneur,” said Ms. Lili Tu. SpaChina interviewed her on the topic of women’s leadership and social contributions.

You have won many honors from the province and city. Which one do you personally like the most?

Over the years, I have won the following honors: Zhejiang Craftsmanship Awards, Wenzhou Service Industry “Famous Master”, Wenzhou Chief Technician, Wenzhou Craftsmanship Awards, Wenzhou Highly Skilled Personnel Innovation Studio Awards, Ouyue Craftsmanship Awards, Masters Around Us, Wenzhou Most Beautiful Woman, Fashion icon, Famous Master -Leader in Wenzhou Service Industry. I am very happy that my efforts have been well received by the province and city, and each honor makes me feel that my efforts are not in vain. I particularly like the honor “Zhejiang Craftsmanship Awards” the most. This title affirms the value of being a woman in the beauty industry, the craftsmanship and social contribution of women, and also the affirmation and support of the provincial government and our customers to our business. 

What is the most important quality of being an entrepreneur?

It is responsibility, a sense of social responsibility. As a business leader, I realize that in addition to the efforts in the process of starting and operating our own business, we cannot do without the trust of our staff and team. As entrepreneurs who started business more than 20 years ago, we have taken advantage of the rapid economic development. Our business development is closely related to the government’s economic support policies, and the response of the society. Therefore, after we have achieved success, we have to do more to give back to the society.

I value “sense of social responsibility” so much that my company and employees are actively involved in contributing to and passing on the social responsibility. In 2011, we established Rui’an Life Care Charity Volunteer Station and 5 sub-stations, and organized more than 1,900 people to visit orphanages and nursing homes. We have participated in the Wenzhou Federation of Trade Unions’ public service program to go into the communities for a total of 29 times, spreading health and giving love.

Are all your employees women? How do you create more opportunities for your employees and encourage them to plan for their future?

Yes, all of them are women. It is best to be a woman in a business that is born for women.

In terms of creating opportunities for our employees and encouraging them to plan for the future, our company is committed to diversification, starting with two segments. One is the professional system from two lines: beauty therapist – professional consultant – store manager – operation director – general manager; and manipulation skills- professionalism-management. Through these systemized steps, we give our staff a platform and development space. Now GODREAM has directly-owned chain stores in Wenzhou area of Lucheng District, Longwan District and Rui’an City with 100 employees, serving more than 200,000 female customers.

The other segment is the education system: front desk – administration – teaching instructor – head of education department – director of education. We help them to plan for a good life, improve spiritual quality and professional skills, and achieve both material and spiritual happiness. We will guide and plan for their future employment in the health industry according to their respective personalities and specialties.

As women, we have strengths that men do not have, namely compassion and meticulousness. Our corporate culture encompasses a family-like atmosphere. The relationship between staff and leaders, and between the staff, features both a working relation and a friendly connection. Namely, there are tasks delivered by superiors to the subordinates, as well as equality and mutual support. Women’s emotions are delicate, and we always pay attention to each employee’s emotional condition, and give care and help to them in work, family and personal aspects. Many of our veteran employees have been with us for 24 years since we opened our doors, so we can say that we have made the company our home.

Therefore, it is important to have not only craftsmanship, but also warmth. The warmth and love that business leaders give to their employees can also be directly transmitted to our guests from them, which is what a good company must be able to do.

How do women’s leadership positions and roles in the health industry be manifested? What traits and skills should women leaders possess?

The health industry I work in is a special industry that starts with the idea of doing small things with great love to help more people. Being attentive and perceptive, good at listening and understanding happen to be natural strengths of women. It is also one of the important reasons why we can see so many excellent women in the big health industry.

The essence of the health industry is to provide people with products that improve their health, enhance their quality of life and create a better family atmosphere. This is very consistent with the role of women in the family, coupled with women’s unique perseverance and persistence, and the way to overcome the rigid with softness can eventually make the problem solved.

The challenges faced by women in the workplace cannot be ignored, such as gender-based labeling, dilemmas in personal growth and career transition, etc. As female entrepreneurs, they need to be able to step out of their comfort zone, and have the decisiveness to break the old and establish the new. Women leaders in the health industry should be knowledgeable, elegant and professional, as well as be able to empathize and understand women’s needs better. Female leaders should have an independent mindset, be confident but not conceited, decisive but not forceful, and gentle but with a bottom line.

What is the state of TCM now compared to 20 years ago?

The world considers TCM culture as a treasure of humanity and is actively researching and exploring this field in depth. We all know that TCM has a long history and has been remarkably effective in body strengthening, daily health care, disease prevention, and clinical medicine. One of the best things about TCM in China is that there is no need to educate guests any further, for their understanding and trust in it is rooted in their DNA.

The “Health China 2030” planning outline released in 2016, clearly defined the goals of the development of TCM in the next 15 years, namely, to vigorously develop TCM, promote the construction of a healthy China and improve the health of the people. By 2020, China has partnered with countries along the “TCM one belt one road” to build 30 overseas TCM centers, promulgated 20 international standards of TCM, registered 100 kinds of TCM products, and built 50 demonstration bases for TCM foreign exchange and cooperation. During the National People’s Congress in 2023, Zhang Boli, a deputy to the National People’s Congress and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that COVID-19 has made the world have a deeper understanding of TCM and recognized its accessibility. At present, the Chinese government has signed 86 TCM cooperation agreements with relevant countries and international organizations, and the Chinese government has supported the establishment of 10 TCM centers overseas. It is evident that no effort has been spared at the national level to promote the globalization of TCM.

Who are the target groups for the beauty and TCM programs at GODREAM? What kind of services do you offer?

Everyone has a love of beauty. Modern women’s pursuit of beauty and health has become a part of a good life. Therefore, our target group is “beauty loving women” of all ages. Our female staff also knows what our female customers need and can provide them with targeted health and beauty suggestions.

GODREAM continues many of the theories and treatments of traditional Chinese medicine based on modern beauty, and is strict in techniques and efficacy. We are inspired by a very core part of TCM wellness and modern SPA, which is based on natural healing philosophy, to customize treatments for different individuals. TCM helps people to achieve a full range of relaxation of body and mind and spirit based on theories like unity of heaven and humanity, conformation to the four seasons, a balance of yin and yang, the five elements and five colors, as well as catering to the five senses of man, namely hearing (healing music), taste (herbal tea, healthy diet), touch (massage, contact), smell (herbs, natural aromatic oils), and vision (natural landscape, humanistic environment). Now SPA has gradually evolved into a synonym for improving beauty and nourishing health. In fact it’s the same with TCM which our ancestors have left to us.

Technical services are the lifeblood of a beauty company. The company has invested heavily in the introduction of high-quality beauty and health devices and programs, and has created its own “5M Rejuvenation” life-cycle health management system, which covers more than a dozen high-quality treatments and is very popular among the guests.

What advice do you have for women who want to enter the TCM wellness and spa industry in the future?

Make sure you love the industry! Have a loving heart, craftsmanship and long-termism. Professor Deng Tietao, a lifelong professor at Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and a national famous veteran TCM practitioner, said: Western medicine is microscopic medicine, TCM is macroscopic medicine, and both are sciences. All TCM doctors have to review, study and deeply explore the classical and cultural essence of TCM.

An interview with Ms. Guo Jian, Yoga Training and Education Master

“Both male and female leaders have one common trait, which is they all have a very high sense of social responsibility as well as commitment. This is an essential quality for a successful entrepreneur.” So says Ms Guo Jian when asked how female leaders differ from male leaders.

“Men and women are inherently different. Male leaders show more social responsibility in areas such as financial data, production and processing,” says Guo. “Female leaders play more of a connecting and sharing role, with the ability to improve harmony, and their social value is more fully presented especially in areas such as media, beauty, and fashion. In addition, female leaders are more likely to promote the cultural development and harmony of society with their group influence ability, including enhancing the rationality of the system and improving the happiness of the society.”

Ms. Guo Jian graduated from the Guangzhou First Military Medical University in the 1970s and became an ophthalmologist at the Guangzhou Army General Hospital. She practiced ophthalmology and medical plastic surgery in the 1980s at Guangzhou First People’s Hospital. In the 1990s, Guo Jian entered the health and wellness industry and started to explore ancient Yoga and its profound culture. She has promoted the healthy development of yoga culture in China. Guo was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 and then devoted herself fully to life-care education, China Breast Cancer Awareness Activities and Yoga holistic training. SpaChina interviewed Ms. Guo.

How have you leveraged your leadership and influence in your yoga and body-mind practice?

As a former military woman and clinician, I am involved in the field of cultural communication, body-mind education and life-care education through the approach of yoga. In addition to a solid foundation in medicine and psychology, I also have certain knowledge of Eastern life sciences, as well as TCM and yoga. In the process of continuous learning, I have gained a deeper understanding of self-care and self-awareness. I have indeed reaped a beautiful state of life.

In the effort of improving my state of life, I am actively learning, enriching my knowledge, enjoying my work, and always being creative. Such a happy state of life comes from the love and joy that overflows from within after practicing yoga. Through the practice of yoga and the practice in my work and life, I have achieved the coupling of intellectuality, materiality and sociality.

My life actually started at the age of 60, and now ten years have passed and I am still learning continuously and sharing my knowledge with more people through education and training, which is what I call intellectuality. In terms of sociality, I really enjoy serving the companies in the health, beauty and spa industry that I am in. In terms of materiality, I have fulfilled it by teaching students and helping them to grow. I am influencing my students in such a way that they always say, “Teacher, I don’t want to retire either. I am not afraid of getting old now. I can still work when I am old.”

I live each day as if it were my whole life and enjoy it to the fullest. So, I think my leadership lies in the inner intellectual abundance, and in awakening more people’s life potential through my expressiveness and happiness.

What are the advantages and challenges or obstacles for women as business leaders in China? How can these obstacles be overcome?

Both in China and the world, over thousands of years, male power and the male mindset have dominated the society. Though there has been progress in this aspect as society advances, there are still some fields and industries where women may face strong barriers. For example, we often see women managers at the middle level at big companies, but it is difficult for them to continue to move up the ladder and enter the top senior management level. This is related to the inherent social hierarchy and management model.

In addition, in Chinese society today, there is still some kind of questioning or hidden bias against women for no reason even though women have done a very good job. Apart from that, I think these so-called obstacles may also stem from women’s own physical and mental limitations, as well as the nature of women. Women are more sensitive, and sometimes emotionally unstable and easily fluctuated. So when making decisions, they are more emotional and sometimes lack rationality. These are actually things that female leaders should try to overcome. Therefore, when it comes to making some strategic and forward-looking decisions, it is important for women to have male partners or close friends beside them so that they can listen to different opinions, and each can put their qualities to good use.

Do you encourage women to develop or exercise their leadership in your courses?

In my career of life care education, one of my main courses is the Life Management Workshop, which is specifically designed for women entrepreneurs. On the courses, I lead the participants to train their inner force through physical movement such as dancing, games, and group activities. In terms of masculine force, they will be trained to discover their inner passion for work and transform it into effective action and execution, as well as the courage in making decisions. On the side of feminine force, the course will help them to develop the power of connection, love and art. On the mental level, it develops a sense of mission, intuition and creativity.

In modern China, the rise of women is very evident, and their leadership has become stronger and stronger, already driving the progress of society.

How important is mental health to a person’s overall well-being?

From a biological perspective, our brain activity affects the thalamus, the emotional center, which works on the pituitary gland, and in turn affects our adrenal and gonadal axis. Therefore, a person’s mental health, i.e., the soundness of the cognitive system of the brain and the enhancement of the mind, is very important for one’s happiness power.

What is happiness? According to WHO, happiness refers to a state of completeness in physical, mental, and social relationships. I summarize happiness as three H: Health, physical health; Happiness, happiness in the heart; Harmony, harmony in relationships. Happiness can be described as the subjective feeling we have about the state of our life. Therefore, the understanding and care of one’s own life and the expression of a good state of life is truly a kind of happiness power, that is, the satisfaction of one’s own state of life.

Can learning yoga or meditation help improve mental health?

Yoga and meditation is a very complete system of life sciences from ancient India, which includes various asanas for physical conditioning and meditation for spiritual practice, using the breath as a bridge to cultivate the mind and body. In each asana, the body’s autonomic nervous system is trained. At the same time, all the asanas are completed with the training of awareness and breath. Therefore, yoga is not just about fitness, but a complete training of the body and mind.

Yoga emphasizes a sense of “mystery”, that is, unspeakable. So it must be experienced by oneself. It is both a life practice and a lifestyle, which allows each of us to embrace the awareness of life, and to fine-tune the state of life we perceive at the moment to the most ideal state, which is mental health. The highest state of yoga is samadhi, a presence of love and joy in the moment, where you feel unconditional love and joy overflowing out, and this feeling is yoga. So we are not practicing yoga, we are living yoga.

What is the impact of social media and digitalization on people’s mental health? What should we do about it?

The big wave of social media and digitization cannot be stopped. It’s a global trend, so we have to embrace it, but we shouldn’t be overly dependent on it. From the point of view of efficiency, it is good and reflects the progress of society. However, the large amount of fragmented information brought by it may affect our ability to concentrate, and twist people’s values, aesthetics, and understanding of health and well-being. Long-term indulgence in it can also have a great impact on our eyesight, cervical spine, and physical and mental health.

We need to take good care of ourselves, embrace the wave of digitalization and enjoy the dividends it brings. However, it is very important that we must remain aware and alert, and not be completely passively led away and get lost. Therefore, we have to consciously maintain a balance, connect more with nature, interact more with people around us, and take the initiative to contribute and give, to trust and love. Meanwhile, we need to learn to enjoy solitude and self-companionship through breathing, meditation, reading, and artistic experiences.

Please give a piece of advice to women who want to become leaders.

I learned a saying from Japan: “Respect the Universe and Love People”. We need to respect the natural laws of the universe, which also include the balance between feminine and masculine qualities in ourselves. So we need to think about how to switch the roles in different situations. We must take care of ourselves and live a good life, so that we can influence, care for and lead others to grow together.