Today we’d like to introduce you to Sherry Summers-Ball.
Hi Sherry, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Houston, Texas, the youngest of three sisters. While we were all Texas-born, my childhood was shaped by frequent moves across the U.S. — and even a chapter living in London — thanks to my father’s adventurous spirit and entrepreneurial career. Although, as kids, we often disliked leaving behind friends, those experiences turned out to be a gift. They taught me how to adapt, connect with all kinds of people, and embrace new perspectives, shaping the resilient, open-minded person I am today.
My parents were both tremendous influences in my life, each in their own unique way. My father, a brilliant scientist and inventor, holds over 55 patents and is still inventing and writing books at 88 years old. From him, I inherited a “never give up” mindset, the value of hard work, and the courage to take risks. But just as importantly, my mother taught me to be an independent, loyal, and honest woman — a career-minded force who guided not only my father but also her three daughters with integrity and grit.
My mother’s strength was shaped in part by her own mother, my grandmother, who was a true pioneer for her time. In the early 1900s, she was a savvy, self-made woman who owned stock in Coca-Cola and the railroad, saved diligently, and purchased her own home in the heart of Houston — all while raising my mother largely on her own. She was the first on her street to own a television, lived in a beautiful modern home, and eventually upgraded to a home with a swimming pool, all through her own determination and work. These women’s examples instilled in me a deep pride in earning my own way and working hard to achieve my goals, never shying away from risk or challenge.
In 2000, after having my son, I started Body BeneFits. It began with a simple, personal frustration: summer was approaching, and I was unhappy with how my body and legs looked in shorts, noticing more cellulite. I saw a news segment about Endermologie, a French device designed to reduce cellulite, and after trying it myself, I was hooked. But I soon realized the results faded if not maintained, and rather than continually pay for treatments, I decided to invest in the machine myself and bring it to The Woodlands — becoming the first to offer it in the area.
What started in one small room grew steadily: offering treatments to preschool moms, expanding to two rooms, merging with a small laser business, and eventually evolving into a full medspa. Now, 25 years later, we’ve built something rare — a loyal, family-like client community, where many who started with me decades ago still trust us today, and we now care for their grown children and even their teenagers. This has been with the help of other strong females who hold high standards and integrity in their work. I could not grow if I continued to work alone and have learned that a great team makes a great medspa.
The medspa industry has evolved dramatically over the years. When I started, natural, non-invasive treatments were often dismissed by physicians as silly or ineffective; now, many of those same practices have embraced or even incorporated similar services. I never intended to expand into the medical side, hiring nurses to provide Botox, fillers, or hormone therapies — but as demand grew, so did our offerings.
What sets Body BeneFits apart is our experience, integrity, and high standards. We’ve never been a place for quick certifications or shortcuts. I’ve always ensured we stay compliant with evolving regulations, and I’m proud to have served as a founding board member shaping Texas’s medspa landscape.
Even before launching my business, I was influenced by both science and advocacy. I worked for years alongside my father at his medical device company, learning about innovation and entrepreneurship. Before that, I spent a decade in the legal world, rising from word processor to paralegal. That legal background taught me how to navigate contracts, regulations, and challenges with confidence, and how to advocate not just for myself but for others.
I’ve always believed that when one door closes, another opens — often leading to something even better. Letting go of what no longer serves you creates space for growth and greater opportunities. I’m a firm believer in seeing the glass as half full, and over the years, I’ve learned that sometimes when things go off plan, it’s actually life’s way of leading you to the best path of all. Many times with heartbreaking experiences that paved a stronger foundation of the right people to hire and surround myself with. Learning from life’s mistakes and learning there are lessons in every disappointment and it only makes you wiser.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have been many ups and downs along the way — especially the high anxiety of investing a significant amount of personal money into an industry that was still largely unknown and undeveloped at the time. I grew the business from a small two-room space to a five-room location with a twenty-five year commitment, supporting a very talented and dedicated team. This industry naturally has high and low seasons, and you have to maintain faith during the slower times, invest wisely, and avoid getting in over your head. Other challenges are keeping up with trends and seizing opportunities that arise.
Some of the greatest challenges haven’t come from the work itself, but from the trust I placed in people I hired. While I always had their best interests at heart, I often came to learn they had their own agendas — and navigating that has been one of the toughest parts of leadership.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’ve always had a love for art, exploring different creative modalities over the years — from stained glass and pottery to, more recently, large abstract canvas pieces using acrylics, chalk, and resin. My journey into large-scale painting blossomed during a particularly intense phase of my business: relocating to a larger space, committing to a long-term lease, hiring more staff, and once again investing in new devices. It was another giant leap of faith, and painting became my personal outlet during that time — a way to process the pressures and find a sense of balance.
For years, I never shared my artwork publicly. About four or five years later, I began slowly introducing some of my pieces into the medspa, using them to complement the theme and atmosphere of each room. Normally, I keep my private life and creative pursuits separate from my business, so opening myself up in this way felt vulnerable — I was fully aware it could invite criticism. But to my surprise, a few clients began telling me how much they loved the artwork. One day, my CPA’s boyfriend visited the office and offered to help promote my pieces and sponsor a public showing. That experience turned out to be a thrill and a true highlight: I sold 12 pieces that night. It was both inspiring and incredibly rewarding to see my private passion touch others.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Yes, taking risks has been part of my journey from the very beginning. Investing in my first device was a major leap — especially at a time when the word medspa didn’t even exist. I was renting a room from a personal trainer just to offer treatments, and I put $100,000 of personal funds into that first machine, telling myself, ‘If this doesn’t work as a business, at least I’ll have it for myself and my sisters.’
The next big risk came when I outgrew the two-room lease and moved into a five-room suite with a long-term lease commitments. That transition required another huge financial push — a delicate balancing act between staying ahead of industry trends, upgrading the space, and carefully choosing which products and devices would deliver real, lasting results. I invested about $50,000 into updating the office and another $175,000 in furnishings, equipment, and supplies. Every step required faith, determination, and a willingness to bet on myself and the business I believed in.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.bodybenefitswoodlands.com
- Instagram: @bodybenefitsmedspa
- Facebook:: Body BeneFits Woodlands and Sherry Summers-Ball
- Twitter: sherrysuccesssFacebook:
- Email: info@bodybenefitswoodlands.com
- TikTok: bodybenefitsmedspa
Image Credits
Chris Spicks Photography
