Roger Weaver first heard of Burke Williams from his massage therapy instructor. He was wowed by their elevated presence and sense of family. After 11 years of growing within Burke Williams he is now the General Manager of SimplyMassage by Burke Williams.
Name: Roger Weaver Joined: 2013
Why did you choose to work for Burke Williams?
I went to a massage school in Bakersfield and one of my teachers used to work at Burke Williams in Torrance. He told me I was “Burke Williams material.” I had never heard of Burke Williams before, but I thought I would explore the idea once I was closer to graduating. It took me 15 months to get my Associate Degree in Massage and my instructor saw more in me than what I saw in myself.
As I was getting ready to graduate, I applied to Burke Williams in San Jose. I chose San Jose so I could be close to my daughter. At that time, they were interviewing at the training center in Union City. After my 1st interview, I wanted to go to an actual Burke Williams Spa to get a better idea of what the company was all about.
I booked a service in Sherman Oaks and was blown away by the culture. It felt like Disneyland. The vibe was so cool, the standards were high and every detail seemed laid out with intention and purpose.
As I prepared for my final interview, I found a YouTube video with Bill Armour, who founded Burke Williams with his wife Theresa. In the video he said something like “If you invest in us, we’ll invest in you.” It felt so personal. I liked that it had a family feel and wasn’t so corporate.
When I was hired at San Jose after my final interview I felt so honored and humbled to be part of such an amazing team. It never felt like a job. When I came to work, it was more than just performing massages, I was able to focus on the guest and help create an amazing experience for each person. I felt so welcomed by the San Jose family.
How has your role evolved over the last 11 years?
In December of 2015, about 2 years after I started, I was promoted to be the Regional Massage Trainer at the Union City training center. I would deliver the new hire and enhancement trainings for all massage therapists at our San Jose and San Francisco locations. After another two years, the trainings moved in-house so each spa would train their own therapists.
In the Summer of 2017, I became the Massage Manager at Burke Williams in San Francisco. Though it was fun to meet all of the massage therapists as the Regional Trainer, I didn’t have the opportunity to see the therapists when they were done with my trainings. It was great to be part of a team again and actually get to know the therapists I had trained. The General Manager was an amazing mentor as I also learned more about the guest experience. This new role, with more support of a core team, allowed me to better develop my massage therapists and trainers. We were able to celebrate each other while also expanding our understanding of teamwork and creating an elevated experience for our guests.
At one point I applied for the position of General Manager of Burke Williams in Hollywood. I was advised to get more guest experience before applying again. So, in the fall of 2018, I became the Guest Experience Manager of Burke Williams in San Jose. It was awesome to be back in my home spa. This new role allowed me to challenge myself as I expanded my knowledge of the guest experience.
During the 2020 COVID pandemic, I had time to reflect on what I was most passionate about and I realized I missed massage. I spoke with our Chief Treatments Officer, Diane Hibbard about my feelings that summer. In the fall, as we were starting to navigate opening during a pandemic, the Massage Manager position in San Jose opened up. I jumped at the opportunity. There was no one else to fill my role as Guest Experience Manager and we were also missing an Operations Manager. The General Manager and I creatively worked together to ensure our team and guests felt safe and supported as we navigated a new normal.
In August of 2024, Bill and Theresa Armour, asked me if I would be interested in filling the General Manager position at the SimplyMassage by Burke Williams location in Marina Del Rey. This location focuses on giving guests an elevated massage experience for those who may not have time to relax in the spa. This opportunity would allow me to stay connected to my passion in massage while also utilizing my leadership strengths of developing teams and creating elevated experiences for guests. It was an offer to have the best of both worlds and I couldn’t pass it up. I’m so excited to be connected and part of the support to the teams in Southern California.
How do you describe your Dream Team?
The staff at SimplyMassage are absolutely incredible! The key to having a dream team like this is to first understand the expectations. Here at Burke Williams, we exist to transform each guest's day no matter what our role is. As a leader, I look at the tools my staff have and empower them to use their tools and gifts to elevate the team even more.
Communication is also important. I understand as a leader, I need to express my needs and expectations to my team and empower them to let me know what they need. My job is to inspire and empower my staff to use their strengths and to get involved.
Just the other day I found out one of my staff loves to decorate. She then decorated the break room and that simple gesture made her feel good. It also inspired others as several staff have commented how nice it feels to come to work and sit in the break room now!
I have a lot of staff who want to get more involved with planning fun events and helping me celebrate them. We are going to have a lot of fun in the coming months!
How do you measure success?
You can’t have success unless you first know what you want. It starts with having a desire or passion for something. One should be curious and ask a lot of questions. This will help create your style. There should be an intention behind what you do that is aligned with your passion. Know the “why” behind what you are doing. Be inspired to be involved in the experience.
If I became a massage therapist only for the money, it would be really hard for me to successfully hear or care about a guest’s needs. However, if my passion is to help people feel better, listening to that guest and delivering a service that addresses the needs of that guest, with everything I do intended to serve that guest, that is success.
Is there anything else you want people to know?
For those of you who want to be amazing massage therapists: What do you love about massage? How do you create that experience? Never dismiss what the guest is saying. Remember, the focus is the guest. Guests trust us and that’s an honor. Creating that connection is what brings people back.
And if you are in the Marina Del Rey area, feel free to stop in to say "hi!" I would love to meet you!