How This Medium Business Earned Millions of Qantas Points

Perth-based day spa empire Bodhi is making it more comfortable to travel to Europe – and earning millions of Qantas Points along the way.

When Danny and Tania Taylor mortgaged their house to start the first Bodhi day spa in Perth in 2007, they took a seriously hands-on approach to running the business. “We were in there seven days a week for a good number of years,” Danny recalls. “Then we’d take bags of washing home after a busy day and spend the whole night laundering towels.”

That work ethic, along with a focus on excellent customer service and a commitment to being Perth’s first fully organic and natural spa, meant that Bodhi soon began to attract a fiercely loyal clientele.

As demand grew, the Taylors expanded their original premises twice before adding a second Perth location in 2015. They now have six locations in Perth and Margaret River, with a combined turnover in excess of $10 million, and are unlocking surprising new opportunities along the way.

In 2018, they partnered with Qantas to open a Wellbeing Studio in the Perth International Lounge – a custom-built space to service passengers before the 17-hour flight from Perth to London. Travellers heading to Singapore, Johannesburg and Rome can also visit the studio for Bodhi’s “very stripped down version of yoga that's appealing to all ages, shapes and sizes”, including breathing and stretching exercises to make sure they’re rested and relaxed in readiness for a comfortable flight.

And that’s just the beginning. “The same week we first heard about the airport opportunity, the Marriott Group approached us about opening a Bodhi in the new Westin Hotel in Perth,” says Danny. “Working with two international brands that are so well-respected presented a huge opportunity for us but every new location or expansion requires a huge amount of money.”

Fortunately, the Taylors had signed up for an American Express® Qantas Business Rewards Card at the start of their business journey. With no pre-set spending limit on the Card – businesses can access a dynamic line of unsecured funding¹ – their spending power has grown consistently to keep pace with their expenses.

This access to funds has also helped Bodhi grow despite fluctuating cash-flow cycles throughout the year. Pampering packages make popular presents so the business is incredibly cash-positive when gift card sales boom in the lead-up to Christmas. But once those sales slow down and vouchers start to be redeemed, incoming funds also drop off.

“That’s when cash flow can be an issue and having up to 51 days to pay for purchases² on our American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card comes in very, very handy,” says Danny. “When rent or a big insurance bill is due, it’s really helpful knowing that we can put it on the Card and have a little bit of extra time to pay.”

On top of that, the Taylors earn up to 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent³ on everyday business expenses and 2 points per $1 spent³ on eligible Qantas products and services using the Card. Plus, the points the business earns when flying are tripled when they book eligible flights with the Card.⁴

All these points have come in handy when Danny flies to the east coast to meet with developers about potential interstate locations. He and Tania also recently flew to Brisbane to see their Yallingup property named Best New Spa in Australia at the inaugural Spa & Wellness Awards.

“We were able to take our general manager and brand manager with us and we all flew Business using Qantas Points we’ve earned on the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card,” he says. “It’s a lovely way to travel and a nice reminder of how far we’ve come since the days when we would stay up all night doing the laundry.”

Unlock the possibilities

Danny Taylor shares his top small-business tips…

• The key to… travelling in style

“With millions of Qantas Points in my account, I fly First wherever possible. It sets the tone for a good trip from the moment I arrive at the airport, and once I board the plane there’s more space to work on the laptop, the service is fantastic and I can sleep better so I arrive refreshed and ready to get straight to work.”

• The key to… creating a strong identity

“You need to live your values as a business, even when it’s not the most convenient option. For us, that means sourcing natural, organic products and avoiding all chemicals in our day spas. That creates extra work – chemicals like bleach make cleaning easier – but the result is a fully organic offering that we can be proud of and that our customers love.”

• The key to… growing your business

“Our expenses shoot up whenever we open a new location but because our American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card has no pre-set spending limit,¹ our access to funding has expanded too. That's very, very useful considering our turnover is north of $10 million a year and the bills can be eye-watering. It means we can pay a $400,000 tax bill in a single transaction and know that we’ll still be able to cover all the other expenses involved with running the business.”

• The key to… good customer service

“Word of mouth is one of the key drivers of growth, so good customer service is essential. We like to refer to our customers as guests and present them with a complimentary Bodhi wine if they come in on their birthday. We also take notes after every booking so we can personalise the experience and make them feel special when they come back for their next appointment.”

• The key to… smart recruitment

“There’s a huge demand for staff at the moment and we’ve hired 27 people in the last couple of months alone. Doing that in the middle of a labour shortage means thinking outside the square – one recent initiative involved creating TikTok videos for students in France, Italy and South Africa that encouraged them to come to Perth and work for us once they graduate.”

• The key to… reducing travel expenses

“We earn up to 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent³ on our American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card, so we use it for pretty much all our everyday business expenses. This year I’ve had to fly a number of contractors over from the east coast, including the interior architects for the new spa in Yallingup and three separate staff trainers, so booking those flights using points has saved the business a significant amount of money.”

SEE ALSO: The Ultimate 5: Best Things to Do in Tokyo in 2023