Q & A with Zent's Founder Cord Coen

Meet Cord Coen, Massage Therapist and creator of Zents, a uniquely formulated and luxurious body care product line.


How many years have you been involved in the spa/hospitality industry?

20 years; 15 years with Zents.  Before starting Zents, I was a therapist in Boulder, Colorado.

What was the path that led you into the spa industry?

I had always had deep love for the healing arts.  I was introduced to and started doing Reiki when I was 15.  I grew upon that base and started my own practice in Boulder.

While I was working as a therapist in Boulder, I was involved in a life-changing car accident that left me with brain damage, chronic pain and many physical problems.  At a certain point my healing with physical and cognitive therapy stopped, and I was still in a very bad place.  My family and I were determined to not stay in that place for the rest of my life, and we started looking for other avenues to continue my healing.

We heard about a doctor in India and I packed my bags, moved there, and spent a year and a half in alternative therapy.  I had a year's supply of Tibetan medicine and did my physical and cognitive rehabilitation along with 6-8 hours of yoga and meditation per day.  I received 3 massages a day as well as a good amount of energy work, and my body and brain started to heal.

Zents was born out of this healing.

I felt so lucky and grateful for my own healing that I wanted to create a treatment line that made people smile and would be part of a healing process for other people.

What is your favorite place in the whole world?

Wow, so many amazing places that I can't pick one.  Here are a few . . .

India; my home and the most magical place I have been.

The island of Mykonos, Greece; I was lucky enough to live there for a portion of my life.  There is nothing like the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean.

The Rocky Mountains; I grew up in the mountains, hiking and camping in the summer and skiing in the winter.  There is nothing like it!

If you could have any profession in the world, other than what you do now, what would you be?

I would love to teach people more about meditation, pranayama (healing deep breathing), yoga and Pilates.  All have changed my life.

What is your motto or concept that you live by?

"Our life is our message."  Ghandi.

What is your most treasured possession?

My family, friends, health & breath.

What’s your go-to spa treatment?

Massage!

What is your proudest accomplishment?

In India, I taught Reiki to people with leprosy.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I would like to have more balance between life and work.  I am so lucky that I absolutely love what I do.  Because of this it is so easy to just keep going.  However, even if we love what we do, it is important to have a balance.  I would love to get better at that.

Care to share any details on family life, i.e. spouse, partner, children, pets?

I have been blessed with an incredible, loving family and a sweet bulldog named Flash.

Tell us two things about yourself we don’t know.

I grew up skiing and it is my favorite sport.  It is my goal this year to go heli-skiing; be dropped off at the top of the mountain and make fresh tracks.

We have started an organic farm on my family's 38 acres in Boulder.  We will be growing some of the organic and biodynamic herbs for Zents.  It is our goal to take the concept of "farm to table" to a new level and start a "farm to treatment table" concept.