Vis-A-Vis Spa hires 16 as it grows biz, location in Ann Arbor

Melissa Mueller spent the first year of her business, Vis-a-Vis Skin, Spa & Body Works, getting it established and setting the stage for growth. The second year, that growth took off in a big way. The Ann Arbor-based firm has hired 16 people over the last year, expanding the company’s staff to 19 people. Mueller is now expanding her business’ physical footprint to accommodate hair and  nail technicians. She expects her staff to grow to 25 people within the next year. “I didn’t know there was this much of a demand for a practitioner in Ann Arbor,” Mueller says. “It has really blown up in the last year.” Vis-a-Vis Skin Spa & Body Works offers skin care, waxing and massage services. “We’re hoping to do a blow-out bar,” Mueller says, adding such services are a popular trend in major U.S. cities, such as New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. Mueller has a background in wine sales, working as a sommelier and buyer for high-end win stores in Metro Detroit. She also worked as a solo practitioner in massage in the area before starting Vis-a-Vis Skin, Spa & Body Works two year ago. She credits her company’s focus on customer needs as one of the driving forces behind its growth. “I feel my customer service background helps drive the demand,” Mueller says. Source: Melissa Mueller, founder of Vis-a-Vis Skin Spa & Body Works Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.