5 Questions with SpaSocial’s Amanda Lyles
Happy Friday Round Rock! In an effort to get to know more about the people who make Round Rock such a great place to live, I am starting a new series called “5 Questions With….” Each week, I will be asking a few questions of interesting people of Round Rock – people who work hard behind the scenes, people who strive to make our city great, people who make fun events & places possible in our city, and just cool folks you need to know! So join us each Friday morning for…..
5 Questions with Amanda Lyles
A few years ago, I began noticing a new group in town at several events and attractions. It was a Star Wars group that interacted with kids in a fun & approachable way. The Lone Star Saber Academy was started by Round Rock native, Marc Tucker. They have a unique story – one we needed to hear, which is why I thought it would be fun to get to know Mark with our 5 Questions series.
What brought you to Round Rock?
Round Rock is such a convenient location to everything the Austin metro has to offer. Excellent dining, shopping, entertainment and most of all the people! I am a Rancher’s wife so finding a location that fits all of our needs including access to excellent child care and school districts as well as convenience to our small business, SPASOCIAL and our cattle, Round Rock was the place for us!
What do you like most about Round Rock?
The growth of Round Rock is one of the most fascinating components of being a part of this community. And I can’t help but going back to the people. Both business and personal relationships have been by far some of the best I’ve ever encountered. Being able to entertain out of town guests with our fantastic eateries, activities for families, extraordinary networking for businesses and genuine warmth of this community.
What is your favorite memory of Round Rock?
Round Rock holds such a special place in my heart because this community welcomed me with open arms as I took on one of the most challenging projects of my entire life in creating the unique spa atmosphere at SPASOCIAL. Everyone from the chamber members to other local business owners reached out to me and their support and guidance through this exciting time will never be forgotten. Round Rock is where we started our family, our business and the beginning to the rest of our lives.
As a Round Rock business owner, what are your proudest accomplishments?
We have been so incredibly blessed as a business owner in Round Rock. Most recently, SPASOCIAL was named America’s Best Day Spa through LNE & Spa Award 2015 and that ranked up there as one of the proudest accomplishments of my life. SPASOCIAL has graced the cover of American Spa magazine and had a spread in Day Spa Magazine, two of the leading industry publications in the U.S., featuring our unique concept in “social spa-ing”. I am so proud of our team of professionals that have tirelessly to provide our guests an experience where groups can come together and celebrate each other while getting amazing nail, skin and massage treatments in one of our private party rooms or make it a monthly treat through one of our membership packages. For a Rancher’s wife from west Texas, that had never worked a day in her life at a spa before, I am having the time of my life and it is greatly in part to this amazing city.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
“Go do you.” ~The Rancher
Being empowered and supported to go out, get uncomfortable and live your dream is scary. I am blessed to have a family that supports each other, helps each other and celebrates each other.
A young dynamo, Lyles is a West Texan Native who grew up near her family’s ranch in San Angelo, earning her MBA in Entrepreneurship from Texas Tech University. Her background gave her a keen grasp of just what her stylish peer-set is looking for: “We’re all super-busy, and hyper-connected, yet we crave some downtime for ourselves and our friends.” With that in mind, Lyles conceived the idea of “Social Spa-ing”, envisioning a spot that brought the motto ‘Spa With Friends’ to life—where patrons can receive a wide array of deluxe spa treatments in a happy social environment. “We all seem to ‘multitask’ anyway, so why not make it fun?” she explains.
For Lyles, flexibility was also key: she offers SPASOCIAL clients not limits, but options. Anti-Social services are a la carte choices that can be enjoyed by members and non-members alike; the SPASOCIAL Society lets clients enjoy a monthly membership with exclusive invitations; and the Social Butterfly package allows groups to gather in one of several private party rooms—complete with robes, slippers, beverages, spa snacks, even iPads for posting updates in real time. “Whether clients want to enjoy some private time, or turn their spa experience into a private party, SPASOCIAL can do it.”
In her private life, Amanda Lyles and her rancher husband manage to keep pace with their young son. She is an active member of the Junior League of Austin and Project Chair of that group’s Colorado River Alliance. Lastly but not less enthusiastically, Lyles is a self-proclaimed “raving” Red Raiders fan!
More from our 5 Questions with… series
Mayor Alan McGraw
Mays Street Boutique’s Sandy Deli
Round Rock Councilman Will Peckham
Penfold Theatre’s Ryan Crowder
Kaleidoscope Toys’s Terry Myers
Round Rock Express’s Steve Richards
Round Rock Express’s Spike
Sweet Love & Sugar Britches’ Julia Broadway
Trashy Roots’ Anna Craig
Round Rock Express’s Laura Fragoso
Lone Star Saber Academy’s Marc Tucker
