DUNCAN — When clients walk through the door of Joey Simpson’s Refined Skin and Body medical spa, she wants them to feel like family.
While Simpson does much of the spa’s injectable aesthetics, her husband serves as the medical director and provider, and her mother serves as the patient coordinator for her business.
Since Simpson’s family is helping her live out one of her dreams, her goal is for her clients to also feel like they’re a part of a family atmosphere when they come in for services.
After having over 20 years of experience in nursing, pharmaceutical sales and managing medical clinics with her husband, Simpson decided to venture into the aesthetics side of the medical field. She opened Refined Skin & Body in Duncan in late January to pursue a passion and to open a business that offered services she felt her community was lacking.
“It’s been a journey, but it’s been really fun,” Simpson said.
The medical spa on East Main Street offers some of the same services as a non-medical spa in addition to services that are supervised by an on-site medical doctor through the use of technology, products and tools that aren’t used at a non-medical spa.
Simpson said the business aspect of opening the spa wasn’t difficult, but the aesthetics side was more challenging.
Over the past year, she and her husband went to training sessions, spoke with medical professionals in aesthetics and received certifications in devices and procedures that cover aesthetics.
“We’ve tried to make it very encompassing in aesthetics and weight loss altogether so that if someone came here for a regular facial and had other areas they wanted to address, it can all be done under one roof,” she said.
Some of the services offered at the medical spa are microneedling with radiofrequency, neurotoxin injections, fillers, skin resurfacing with CO2 machines, body contouring, IV therapy, laser hair removal and medical-grade peels.
SPARTANBURG — When Olivia Skelton opened Purple Sunrise Spa, she didn’t know what to expect being a first-time business owner.
The Cowpens resident had worked for a spa in Greenville and in retail. By the time she turned 24, she decided to pursue her dreams and open her own business catering to women’s health and wellbeing. In July 2021, Purple Sunrise Spa opened at 210 Westgate Mall Drive.
“I just didn’t want to work any corporate jobs anymore,” she said. “I just wanted to do something more. I started with no clients and now have over 1,000. I love the people we get here. We created a place where women feel safe, confident and beautiful here.”
Skelton’s family relocated to South Carolina from Michigan when she was 12 after her dad got a job in the state. She’s grown to love the city but still misses the snowy winters in Michigan.
Her focus is centered on expanding her business, which now has three employees. She spent six months prior to opening renovating the building when it had no power. She built a following during the process by promoting her endeavor on social media.
It paid off with her business fully booked with appointments during the first few months.
“The business is still growing, and I hope to have my own building eventually,” Skelton said. “We are looking to hire two more employees.”
When she opened, Skelton said she wasn’t sure about herself. However, her confidence has grown with support from her clients.
Kara Lee of Spartanburg is a Purple Sunrise Spa client and supports the owner’s business.
“Olivia is a huge inspiration to everyone around her and the environment she has created for her clients,” Lee said. “This spa is like no others. Olivia makes every single human feel welcomed, relaxed and it’s so different than any other spas I’ve been to.”
Nicole Gantz is among the massage therapists who work at the spa. She has been a massage therapist for two years. Each of the massage rooms are decorated with different themes.
SPARTANBURG — Robots are coming to BMW’s Spartanburg manufacturing plant, but not at the cost of any human jobs.
California-based AI robotics company Figure announced Jan. 18 that it signed a commercial agreement with BMW Manufacturing to “deploy general purpose robots in automotive manufacturing environments.”
BMW spokesman Steve Wilson said in an email Friday that there is no timetable for when the robots will be deployed. He added that no job losses will occur because of the robots and that there will be no changes for BMW’s associates.
“Companies that invest in innovation such as this are more sustainable, become more productive, and have a competitive advantage,” Wilson said. “Innovation, digitalization, and sustainability are key success factors for our future.
BMW and Figure will pursue a “milestone-based approach.” After the initial phase where Figure will identify use cases to apply the robots in automotive production, the robots will begin staged deployment at the BMW manufacturing site in Greer.
At its 8-million-square-foot Spartanburg County campus, BMW Manufacturing employs 11,000 workers. It is the largest U.S. automotive exporter by value with a total export value of almost $9.6 billion, and more than 1,500 vehicles are assembled at the plant daily.
Figure founder and CEO Brett Adcock said the potential of general purpose robotics is untapped.
“Figure’s robots will enable companies to increase productivity, reduce costs, and create a safer and more consistent environment,” Adcock said.
The companies will also jointly explore other topics in advanced technology such as artificial intelligence, robot integration, robot control and manufacturing virtualization.
BMW CEO Robert Engelhorn said the use of “general purpose robot solutions” has the potential to make productivity more efficient.
Wilson said that the carmaker is investigating several tasks across the plant to help improve safety and ergonomics.