Cornwall


<p>International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women as well as being a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. Here at Muddy Cornwall we are marking the day once again with an interview series of inspiring women across the Duchy, celebrating women&#8217;s achievements, how are we raising awareness about discrimination and what is being done to take action to drive gender parity.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/Diane-Nettleton-Gaia-March-2023-Diane-PS-portrait-1000x667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29872" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/Diane-Nettleton-Gaia-March-2023-Diane-PS-portrait-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/Diane-Nettleton-Gaia-March-2023-Diane-PS-portrait-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/Diane-Nettleton-Gaia-March-2023-Diane-PS-portrait-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/Diane-Nettleton-Gaia-March-2023-Diane-PS-portrait-787x525.jpg 787w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/Diane-Nettleton-Gaia-March-2023-Diane-PS-portrait.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-me-a-bit-about-yourself-your-background-and-what-you-do-and-how-you-came-to-do-this">Tell me a bit about yourself, your background and what you do – and how you came to do this?</h2>



<p>I moved to Cornwall age 18 for a summer job at the Philema Hotel, Newquay. I found a love for hospitality serving people, looking after guests and creating memories. As the years progressed spa and wellness began to emerge as an extension to care and nurture guests during their stay. </p>



<p>Our family business built and opened our first spa, <a href="https://fistralbeachhotel.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fistral Spa</a> in 2007. I was the general manager of the hotel and took over the spa which became a passion. When the opportunity to buy Boringdon Hall in Devon arose we bought the hotel with the intention of building a destination spa on the land. </p>



<p>During this period I had just lost my husband and having lost my role as the manager and as a wife unsure of the future. However I was tasked with setting up the spa operationally, treatment rooms, treatment menu and we decided to create our own identity by developing a skincare brand, GAIA. It took 3 years to create GAIA brand including development of the products, packaging, creating treatments. In 2016 Gaia Spa opened and we launched GAIA skincare.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/fistral-spa-massage.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-22637" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/fistral-spa-massage.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/fistral-spa-massage-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/fistral-spa-massage-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/fistral-spa-massage-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/fistral-spa-massage-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tell me more about GAIA, particularly in light of the IWD theme <em>building workplaces where women thrive</em>?</h2>



<p>The intention was to launch GAIA in other spas and in the past year we have increased our accounts by 160%. We now have just over 30 spa partners across the country. To achieve this, we have grown our team. Spa is predominantly a female industry and in fact all our GAIA team are female except for one male. It is a creative industry, and we have a strong marketing and creative team responsible for promoting the brand and graphic design. These are both new roles created in the past year. There is also a team of 4 educators who travel across the country delivering exceptional training and to date we have trained therapists to nurture and care for their guests empowering them to look after themselves by adopting self-care and taking time to look after their physical and mental wellbeing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What do you and your team do to further the IWD themes in Cornwall? </h2>



<p>Apart from three of our team who travel to our nationwide accounts, our team are all local to Cornwall. During COVID we moved our warehouse to Newquay where we fill and label our products and dispatch to all our accounts. I wouldn’t say I encountered any bias or discrimination but when we initially took over the warehouse the GAIA team was just three of us, all female, and we set up the warehouse which was quite a physical job and something new to all of us. It was challenging and hard work and certainly took us out of our comfort zone but looking back now definitely something to be proud of.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">During the last two years day to day working life changed for some. Have you been able to continue any ideas into 2023? Or indeed anything you’d like to change?</h2>



<p>Since opening our warehouse day to day life did change for me. I was no longer involved operationally in the spas but my primary focus was on GAIA skincare and I was very busy in the warehouse. Although now GAIA has grown I have been able to spread my wings more and spend my time on product development and more general administration of the brand aswell as promoting it at various events. I have been asked to tell my story at some events which I love to do and would like to do more. Inspiring others and having an impact is a passion I like to share.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Do you have any role models? Who are they?</h2>



<p>One of my role models is Jo Fairley. She is the founder of Green &amp; Blacks chocolate but also a journalist, public speaker and founder of the Beauty Bible. She has been very supportive of me and GAIA. She gets a thrill every time she stays in a hotel and sees her chocolate in a mini bar! I recently had that thrill walking down the road and seeing someone carrying a GAIA bag!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What’s your favourite Cornish beach / view?</h2>



<p>Can I have 2 favourite beaches? Fistral Beach is very important to me. Our businesses have overlooked Fistral for over 40 years. We now have 2 hotels on Esplanade Road and I feel it has played a very important part in my life. Apart from it being beautiful, ever changing but just the same too! </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/08/Fistral-Beach-Hotel-Spa97333_Low-Res-_For-Web_-RGB_-1000x667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27710" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/08/Fistral-Beach-Hotel-Spa97333_Low-Res-_For-Web_-RGB_-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/08/Fistral-Beach-Hotel-Spa97333_Low-Res-_For-Web_-RGB_-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/08/Fistral-Beach-Hotel-Spa97333_Low-Res-_For-Web_-RGB_-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/08/Fistral-Beach-Hotel-Spa97333_Low-Res-_For-Web_-RGB_-788x525.jpg 788w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/08/Fistral-Beach-Hotel-Spa97333_Low-Res-_For-Web_-RGB_.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>I am lucky to live overlooking Crantock beach just round the corner and I find the contrast and the peace beneficial. I love walking down on the beach, past all the caves and out to sea at low tide. It is good for the soul.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What do you do in Cornwall to make the most of living here?</h2>



<p>Since the success of the skincare I am traveling more so when I am in Cornwall I love to walk across Fistral, around the headland and into town. In the summer months you can find me on my stand up paddle board on River Gannel or practicing yoga down my garden overlooking the beach. I try to make the most of nature and our beautiful surroundings.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="960" height="568" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/04/beach-yoga-in-cornwall.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-26671" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/04/beach-yoga-in-cornwall.jpeg 960w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/04/beach-yoga-in-cornwall-800x473.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/04/beach-yoga-in-cornwall-768x454.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/04/beach-yoga-in-cornwall-887x525.jpeg 887w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Favourite cafe/ restaurant / shop?</h2>



<p>On my walk into town I have a few chosen places I like to call in for a coffee or browse in a shop but I think favourite local business would have to be Oceanflow Yoga. They hold often hold Silent Disco Yoga on Fistral (above) attracting hundreds of people and promote wellbeing. Plus, during COVID they personally delivered a few things I bought from them to support them during the lockdown.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.gaiaskincare.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Gaiaskincare.com</em></a></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="166" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/InternationalWomensDay_Landscape_PurpleOnWhite.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29870" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/InternationalWomensDay_Landscape_PurpleOnWhite.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/InternationalWomensDay_Landscape_PurpleOnWhite-800x133.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/InternationalWomensDay_Landscape_PurpleOnWhite-768x127.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/03/InternationalWomensDay_Landscape_PurpleOnWhite-900x149.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>


Muddy Meets: Diane Nettleton, Founder GAIA skincare

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