When Kelly Foster founded Bohemia Healing Spa in Wichita, Kansas, she didn’t have industry experience, a business degree, or even a clear roadmap. What she did have was determination, a willingness to learn, and eventually, a coach who would help her become the leader her business needed. Today, Bohemia Healing Spa is a thriving wellness destination, known for its elevated standards, happy team culture, and resilience in the face of adversity.
With the support of her ActionCOACH mentor, Lee Gray, Kelly transformed not only her business but also herself. Her journey is a powerful example of what can happen when vision meets vulnerability, and when a business owner is brave enough to face hard truths, evolve, and lead with purpose.
Building a Business From the Ground Up
Fourteen years ago, Kelly started Bohemia Healing Spa without any prior experience in the wellness or spa industry. A massage therapist by trade, she initially brought on independent contractors to deliver services. But early on, she realized the limitations of that model. With contractors, it was hard to maintain consistency or enforce standards, and the team culture suffered as a result.
Her first major breakthrough came when she transitioned from using independent contractors to hiring employees. This structural change allowed her to set clear expectations, implement standard operating procedures, and deliver a consistently excellent client experience. “That one shift catapulted us in a whole new direction,” Kelly recalls. “We were finally able to enforce the policies, values, and culture that would shape Bohemia into what it is today.”
The Turning Point: Leadership Through Coaching
While the structural foundation was critical, it was business coaching that took Kelly’s leadership to the next level. When she first met ActionCOACH Lee Gray at a local BNI meeting, Kelly was already running a successful business. Still, something about Lee’s energy and message resonated. What began as curiosity soon became a turning point.
“People ask me all the time why I need a coach if I’m already successful,” Kelly explains. “But business ownership is lonely. There are things you can’t talk to your staff or your family about. Lee became that sounding board, the voice of honesty and accountability I didn't even realize I needed.”
One particularly transformative moment came during a team meeting exercise orchestrated by Lee. Each employee anonymously submitted feedback about what they disliked about Kelly’s leadership. The criticisms were read aloud, and Kelly was stunned.
“It was painful,” she admits. “But it was also the moment everything changed.” Instead of becoming defensive, Kelly showed vulnerability. She cried in front of her team, acknowledged their concerns, and committed to becoming a better leader. That emotional breakthrough opened the door to a healthier, more engaged work environment—one her employees now describe as positive and supportive.
(Lee Gray, ActionCOACH, Wichita, Kansas, US)
Resilience Through Adversity
Bohemia Healing Spa faced one of its biggest tests when two separate fires struck its Delano location in 2018 and 2019. One resulted in flooding, and the other destroyed the entire back side of the building. These disasters could have brought the business to its knees, but Kelly’s meticulous financial planning kept things afloat.
“We didn’t skip a beat because we were prepared,” she says. Having a financial buffer and a strategic plan allowed Kelly and her team to recover and rebuild. More importantly, the crisis cemented the importance of being proactive rather than reactive, a mindset that coaching had helped her adapt.
Growing Into the Leader Her Team Needed
Leadership didn’t come naturally to Kelly, and she’s the first to admit it. But with Lee’s guidance, she evolved from a hands-on technician into a visionary CEO.
Together, they worked on soft skills like emotional intelligence and hard skills like management systems, hiring frameworks, and team engagement strategies. Over the years, Lee challenged her thinking, offered brutally honest feedback, and ensured that Kelly’s decisions aligned with her long-term goals.
Today, Kelly leads a team of over 25 employees with clarity, confidence, and compassion. “Lee is part of my family now,” she says. “Her coaching changed my life and my business.”
Reconnecting With Purpose
In addition to operational success, coaching helped Kelly reconnect with her "why."
After surviving a difficult divorce and building her business as a single mom, Kelly was determined to create a life where she could raise her children with flexibility and purpose. But as the business grew, she found herself losing sight of that original mission. Coaching brought her back to the center.
“Now, our purpose is central to everything we do,” she says. “It’s part of every staff meeting. If an employee doesn’t align with that purpose, they’re not the right fit for the team.”
Goal-setting has also become a key part of her leadership playbook. With a renewed focus on visualization and long-term planning, Kelly ensures her team is aligned not only with short-term objectives but also with the overarching vision that drives Bohemia forward.
Advice to Other Business Owners
If she could go back and give her 25-year-old self advice, it would be this: know your purpose and stick to it. “Money will come,” she says. “But if you lose sight of why you started, everything else starts to fall apart.”
To other entrepreneurs, especially those who think they don’t need help, she says: “You probably think you can’t afford a coach. But you can’t afford not to have one. Business coaching will change your life if you let it.”
Final Thoughts
Kelly Foster’s story is a masterclass in resilience, transformation, and the power of asking for help. Through the guidance of ActionCOACH Lee Gray, she turned crisis into opportunity, feedback into growth, and vulnerability into leadership. Bohemia Healing Spa is now more than a wellness center—it's a reflection of a founder who leads with purpose, passion, and the wisdom gained through coaching.
Ready to take your business to the next level? Get two weeks of free coaching with ActionCOACH and see how personalized coaching can transform your leadership, your team, and your future. Start your journey just like Kelly did, with one powerful conversation.