The Bio: Karena Zolner | Founder of The Spa Coach & Executive Director of Tulum Wellness

Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of working with and representing leading skincare lines like Eminence, Circadia, and Murad. This experience, coupled with managing positions at various spas, culminated in opening the first milk + honey outside of Austin and the first spa within Valencia Group Hotels, and most recently, launching Tulum Wellness Spa in 2022, where I serve as Executive Director.

Karena Zolner is a high-performance Spa Business Consultant and the founder of The Spa Coach, a boutique consultancy dedicated to the "rebellious" evolution of the wellness industry. With over 20 years of experience—ranging from licensed esthetician to Executive Director of Tulum Wellness in Houston—Karena specializes in bridging the gap between luxury aesthetics and rigorous operational intelligence.

Known for her "Midwest work ethic" and a refusal to accept industry "hustle culture," Karena helps spa owners transition from daily grinders to CEO-level visionaries. Her methodology focuses on scalable systems, AI-driven automation, and brand identity that cuts through the noise. Having launched major market entries for brands like milk + honey and Valencia Group Hotels, she provides the blueprint for sustainable profitability in the modern medspa and wellness landscape.