3 Tips for Starting a Massage Therapy Practice...

Do you remember the first time you got to trade bodywork in massage school?

How about the first review you got from a client in the clinic?

Oh - and those at-home sessions for family + friends for Swedish?

It can’t just be me, right?!

When you were first figuring out what a massage entailed, picking up pieces of what made a treatment, learning the basics - What did you picture your future in massage therapy would look like?

Were you an employee at a major chain?

An independent contractor working at a chiropractic office?

Or were you that student who knew you wanted to own your own practice?

I was the middle one. I would have been completely content to continue working at a chiropractic office.

Letting them figure out where the clients came from, booking my own schedule, and handling my own laundry while they covered the rent and supplies.

…at least I thought I was content.

That is until a client came in one day with a big idea.

What’s next for you? Have you ever thought about having your own massage practice?

Nope. Sure haven’t. I’ve actually run away from that idea.

But thanks, hope you enjoyed your session, bye bye now.

…but my client didn’t stop.

He came back the next week. Asked me again. And I decided - there’s no harm in looking, right?

So I went to check out the space, talked rent with the owner, and worked the numbers for a couple months.

Can I make this work? Yes.

How can I make this work? Book this many clients each week, and make this much each month.

Cool!

Done!

Sold!

And my baby business was born!

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I’ve had said practice for over 6 years now.

It’s a thriving business. I work 5 out of 7 days each week. And I love my clients.

With 10 years in the field under my belt (I don’t even wear belts…), I want to share a few things with you.

Three things - actually - that I think you need to know if you’re thinking of starting your own massage practice.

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It’s so much easier than you think!

We’re trained to be massage therapists, bodyworkers, to touch tissue, listen, and make a difference.

Massage therapists are sorely lacking business education IMHO.

Part of my reasoning for not wanting to build my own business was simply this: It’s too hard and too risky.

Guess what?

It’s riskier leaving your life in the hands of someone else.

If you have your own practice - you call the shots.

And if you go the route I did, you don’t have to manage other people - only you + your clients.

You gain freedom, flexibility, and focus.

The biggest hurdle in my experience, was the beginning. That little bit of time where you have to patiently wait (and do a lot of behind-the-scenes magic to attract) for clients.

Once they start rolling in, if you’re good and they like you - they’ll send people to you!

So marketing - takes care of itself almost.

The room - doesn’t need much (more on that below >>).

And you - just need to pay attention to your clients. What do they need? What feedback do they have from you?

You got this!!

Follow the Golden Rule

I told you - this stuff is easy.

It’s simple, but we go off and make it complicated.

Sure! The legal and financial side of things are scary. But you know what you do?

You seek out those professionals who know what they’re talking about - the CPA’s, the attorneys, and the local business “authorities” you need to work with.

Back to what you need to focus on >>

Treat others how you want to be treated.

And get advice on areas you might not know anything about.

We are in the business of people.

Helping people, booking people, listening to people (and their bodies), and figuring out what to do with all that information.

Here’s how the Golden Rule has worked for me…

->If I have worked with a client and they’re not improving - I’ll give them a referral to the best PT, chiro, dentist, etc. I know (and have probably worked with).

I am aware of my skills and my scope of practice, and all those good listening skills get put to use when I can realize that what Bob here needs is a physical therapist.

->When I’ve had clients (that were amazing), but I didn’t enjoy the type of work they wanted AND I was in a position to politely suggest they se so-and-so instead of me because she’s the BEST at that type of bodywork.

I’d much rather send Sally over to someone who loves that type of work. This ensures 2 things: 1) I’m sending this client, this person I care about to a really good professional that I trust and 2) I’m helping my friend and fellow massage therapist build her business doing what she loves.

->That time (or 5) when a client just had too much life happening and they couldn’t make it back to see me for those 3 remaining massages on their package. I touched base and refunded the straggling massage sessions.

I might not have enjoyed that but it took care of the problems at hand. My client was able to not feel the pressure of booking (then canceling) more sessions, and I was able to go back to filling my time with paying clients who made time for me.

In all of these scenarios, I was able to think “If I were in their position, how would I want to be treated?”

And each and every time the response was something like:

“Thank you so much for …”

Start where you are with what you have.

No one cares if you have a $20 rug you found on Facebook Marketplace or the $200 one from the fancy boutique.

Nor do they care if you went way way over the CEUs necessary, which meant that you spent a lot more money than you maybe needed to.

They don’t care if you splurged for extravagant lighting, if you cleaned the room yourself or hired a company, or if you have sheets from Target or from a high-end store.

They really don’t.

They want quality.

They want clean.

They want to be seen, heard, and taken care of.

Can you do that?

Boom - you’re golden, my friend.

So… don’t worry about getting a ton of decorations for the room, don’t worry about anything other than:

Providing a clean, clutter-free, and calm space where clients can come in and feel comfy.

And then do what we really do best - give them the massage they need.

Show off those bodyworker skills you’ve spent years honing!

Be attentive, kind, and caring.

Help them!

And if you can’t, send them to someone who can.

But above all - start where you are with what you have and grow from there.

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To recap (or for those of you who think I write too much…)

*Starting your own practice is much more simple than what we imagine in our scared heads. Get a little advice on the things you’re unsure of, and go. for. it!

*Treating others how you would want to be treated is always always always the best policy. And it’s really the only one you need to follow in business.

*Start where you are with what you have and grow from there. Period. You making a client feel seen + heard + taken care of will go much further than a fancy studio ever will.

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Ready to start your own massage practice but still want a little more guidance?

Message me to book your FREE 30-minute strategy session with me!

We can talk through whatever is worrying you and see what your next step should be.