On this episode of The Advisory Board Podcast, I sat down with someone whose story, leadership philosophy, and operational discipline are going to stay with you long after this conversation ends.
Nuttha “Nita” Goutier, founder and CEO of Sabai Thai Spa, built a spa brand that blends cultural warmth, natural healing, and deep community roots—then systemized it so her team could replicate it across seven corporate locations. And now, as she begins franchising, she’s proving what many brands struggle to figure out:
Nita grew up in a rural village in northern Thailand—no electricity, no running water, no hospital, and a community where neighbors simply showed up for one another without being asked. Today she leads an emerging wellness franchise built on that same foundation of community, care, and people-first leadership.
This episode is a masterclass in how culture becomes a system, and how systems—when built with heart—can scale beautifully.
Meet Nuttha “Nita” Goutier
Nuttha “Nita” Goutier is the founder and CEO of Sabai Thai Spa, a 20-year wellness brand built on cultural warmth, natural healing, and the belief that people perform their best when they feel cared for. Her journey didn’t begin with capital, corporate training, or industry connections. It began in a small village in northern Thailand with no running water, no electricity, and a way of life centered on community interdependence.
That upbringing shaped everything about how she leads today.
Where many founders talk about culture, Nita lived it long before she ever built a business. She grew up watching neighbors show up unprompted to build homes, harvest crops, and support each other through everyday challenges. Care wasn’t a “value”—it was a way of being.
When she immigrated to Canada and entered the Western spa world, she saw something missing. The services were clean, efficient, and transactional—but the emotional warmth of Thai hospitality wasn’t there. She set out to change that.
And she did.
Sabai Thai Spa has grown to seven corporate locations, each intentionally designed through the five senses—sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste—to recreate the feeling of being welcomed into a Thai home. Over two decades, she has systemized every element of that experience, not to replace the human touch, but to protect it.
What struck me most in our conversation was how Nita thinks about people.
While many leaders default to KPIs and performance metrics, Nita starts with mindset. She doesn’t see mindset training as optional—it’s foundational. As she puts it:
“Production come when the mindset is there.”
It’s a simple line, but a profound one. And the results speak for themselves: unusually long employee tenure, strong customer loyalty, and a culture that scales without dilution.
Nita represents a rare blend of operational rigor and authentic humanity—the kind of founder who reminds you that systems shouldn’t replace heart… they should preserve it.
Community Is the Foundation of Everything
Growing up in a Thai village where people helped each other with farming, building homes, and day-to-day survival shaped Nita’s view of business.
Community wasn’t optional. It was the operating system.
She carried that belief straight into Sabai Thai Spa.
Massage Should Be Routine, Not a Luxury
When Nita moved to Canada and worked in Western spas, she noticed treatments were cold and transactional, and guests treated massage as a once-a-year indulgence.
Her goal was to normalize massage and natural healing as part of preventative health—a routine, not a rarity.
Create a Five-Sense Experience That Scales
Nita designed her entire spa experience around the five senses:
- Sight: Warm teakwood and home-like interiors
- Sound: Custom Thai-instrumental music
- Smell: Unique herbal scents
- Touch: Traditional techniques + signature moves
- Taste: Ginger or lemongrass tea to complete the journey
These sensory elements are documented and standardized so every location delivers the same emotional experience.
Culture Is a System — And It Starts With Mindset
The hardest thing to standardize is mindset. So Nita built a Cultural Plus Program that trains:
- How to greet guests
- How to communicate with warmth
- How to practice kindness toward yourself and others
- How to manage emotions and prevent small moments from escalating
This becomes the cultural baseline across all locations.
Mindset Training Improves Performance
When team members shift their mindset, performance follows.
Nita’s line from this section has already become one of the most quoted from the episode:
“Production comes when the mindset is there.”
This is where Eastern and Western workplace philosophies diverge. Western businesses focus heavily on KPIs. Eastern culture emphasizes presence, balance, and inner state. Getting the inner state right leads to better production.
Culture Makes People Stay
Sabai Thai Spa has unusually high tenure:
- Nearly 20-year employees
- Numerous 10+ year team members
- Therapists staying 5+ years
From day one, Nita designed a culture of belonging—where people feel at home, feel cared for, and treat coworkers as family.
This is why people stay, and why guests feel the difference.
Systemize Community Engagement
Giving back isn’t something they “try to do.” It’s structured:
- Raffles
- Silent auctions
- Local schools
- Hospital partnerships
- Sports team fundraising systems
- Monthly community involvement plans
This is built into the franchise model so every location contributes to local goodwill.
Purpose Fuels Team Energy
Nita explains that when people connect with purpose, they have more energy to give, perform better, and show up differently.
Her brand purpose is clear:
- Helping people feel better
- Encouraging longevity and preventative care
- Making self-care routine
- Offering emotional and physical renewal
Purpose-driven teams outperform.
Use Technology to Protect Human Connection
Sabai Thai Spa uses CRM tools, AI, and custom-built systems to automate tasks—so people can spend more time with people.
Technology isn’t there to replace human touch. It’s there to protect it.
It’s the same philosophy we teach at ClientTether.
The Franchisor’s Job Is to Clear the Path
As Nita steps into franchising, she sees her job clearly:
- Support marketing
- Support accounting
- Support training
- Systemize culture
- Remove friction
- Let owners focus on staff, customers, and community
She wants franchisees to avoid the painful trial-and-error she went through. And now she’s added a fourth pillar: supporting franchise owners as people.
Watch this moment at 31:17.
Listen & Watch the Full Conversation
Watch the Full Episode on YouTube
Check Out the Podcast Hub Channel
Connect with Nita Goutier and check out Sabai Thai Spa.
