Sapphire Day Spa
Sapphire Day Spa opened in 2005 with the goal of providing authentic, meaningful self-care and mindfulness-rooted treatments and services. They strive to integrate body, mind, and spirit in their spa experiences. The spa’s name comes from sapphire gemstones, which symbolize sincerity, truth, and constancy and have long been called the “the celestial gemstone”, fulfilling dreams and promoting healing of the body.
Heidi Sherwood, the owner of Sapphire Day Spa, is honoured to contribute to the health and wellness of our community and to develop the spa into the amazing place of transformation, support, and healing that it is today.
What is your background?
“I am a natural health practitioner, educator, and industry leader. I have formal education in business and in natural medicine which has allowed me to combine my passion for wellness by opening one of Victoria’s first wellness spas. Most recently, I have worked with the industry governing body and WCB to ensure safe return to work and operations during the pandemic.”
Photo by Ariel Glidden
What made you want to open your business?
“I love a good business. A place where people want to go over and over again. A place where team members call it their second home and their customers do too. The quest to create a space for whole body wellness was the impetus for starting the spa. In order to do that very well, we needed to be that second home. The goal was to create a safe space where we could offer authentic and worthwhile treatments that our clients could use to make incremental steps for positive lifestyle change and improved health.”
Photo by Ariel Glidden
For someone who hasn’t been to Sapphire Day Spa before, what is your business? What makes it special?
“Sapphire Day Spa is a downtown Victoria Ayurvedic wellness spa. We are in our 16th year of business. We infuse ancient Ayurvedic concepts into each treatment and have a unique treatment menu. Our approach is to customize the guest experience to provide individualized, powerful opportunities to reconnect with the body and mind. The spa is a very special place. It is unmistakable from the moment you walk through the door. The character of the building washes away any pretentious expectations of a spa environment and it becomes a place for everyone. Our eastern-influenced décor and warm earthy tones help to immediately reduce stress as the feeling of ‘arriving’ sets in.”
Photo by Ariel Glidden
What inspires you?
“I am inspired by continual improvement. Not the laundry-list modern version that leaves one imbalanced and exhausted, but the graceful one where you keep making incremental changes and get better. It is inspiring to see challenges overcome, failures laid to rest, lessons learned, and new connections made.”
Why downtown?
“Downtown Victoria is a remarkable place. It is full to the brim with locally owned shops and history. It is easy to forget that millions of people set their sights on Victoria for their vacation time. The skyline is captivating and the bouquet of businesses offer up something wholesome and artisan which make running a business in this community worthwhile.”
Photo by Ariel Glidden
What advice would you give to others who want to start a business? What would you have liked to know before you opened yours?
“The best advice that I can give is to pace yourself and remember that good things take time. Avoid the ‘everything now’ mind-set. You know what they say about the journey not the destination. It is very important for every business to have a strategic plan to guide your business development and ensure that you don’t take on too much, divert your energy away from your goals and stay focused.”
Photo by Ariel Glidden
How to find Sapphire Day Spa:
Sapphire Day Spa is located at 714 View Street, between Douglas and Blanshard Streets. They can be reached by phone at 250-385-6676 and by email at reception@sapphiredayspa.com. You can also find them on their website, on Facebook, and on Instagram!
