How to Improve Your Massage Business

Although the job is all about bringing relaxation and relief to others, massage therapists are actually responsible for so much more than hands-on care. If you run your own massage therapy business, or if you’re interested in going to massage therapy school in order to become an entrepreneur, you’ll have to learn more than massage in order to be truly successful.

In addition to getting things like city licenses, state licenses, and tax identification numbers, as well as meeting all health code restrictions, you’ll need to become a business expert as a private/independent massage therapist. Included below are some great starting points for learning the “business side” of the business without sacrificing who you are as a professional.

Building Your Massage Therapy Business

Diversify your daily activities. If you’re running your own massage therapy business, there’s a good chance that you do a lot more than just see clients. From marketing for new clients and business accounting to coming up with ways to make your space more inviting, you have quite a bit of work on your plate. By filling your days with a good balance of client massage and business-related tasks, you can avoid getting overwhelmed or spending too much time on either side of the business.

Find partnerships. Whether it’s with a local spa or health food store or a nursing home or sports therapy clinic, there are so many different types of companies that could benefit from having a massage therapist on call. The partnerships you make could be a great ticket to steady work without a regular effort on your part.

Limit the number of clients you personally see. Whether you have to increase your rates and reduce the number of clients you see, or if you’re considering bringing on a massage therapy partner or employee, it’s important not to overbook your massage client workload. Providing sub-standard massages due to your own exhaustion will only serve to make both you and your clients unhappy in the long run.

Get more education. Most state certification boards require that massage therapists take annual classes to stay up-to-date on the latest massage techniques. Since this is already required, try using this opportunity to learn new and different massage types. You can make your business more appealing and also add some variation to your day.

Go part-time. One of the great things about the massage therapy field is that it offers flexible hours. If you are overwhelmed with work or feel that you’re nearing burnout, you may want to consider reducing your hours. Part-time work isn’t going to pay as well as working full-time, but this may allow you to continue working for a longer period of time overall – even if that means you have to take another part-time job unrelated to massage.

Consider other ways of making money. In addition to the massage therapy, you might want to become a “storefront” for wholesale massage items like lotion, oil, or aromatherapy materials. You could teach a massage for couples class, or even become a personal trainer and diet consultant. (Remember, though: no matter what you decide to add on, make sure you have the education, licensing, and training to back it up.)

Don’t forget about the perks. Health insurance, a retirement plan, and vacation days are all a part of working in any field. If you are your own massage therapy boss, be sure and work these into your paperwork and budgeting.

Although you might be interested in massage therapy training for the low-key employment opportunities, self-employment is anything but easy. If you find yourself intimidated by the prospect of opening your own clinic, consider finding a job with an already-established spa or practice until you’re ready to branch out on your own.

Palm Desert revokes license of massage business

Ty Spa, a Palm Desert massage business that city officials say employed unlicensed masseuses, has been permanently shut down.

The City Council cast a unanimous vote Oct. 22 to revoke the owner's business permit.

Ty Spa failed to openly post masseuses licenses and employed unlicensed masseuses, say Palm Desert Code Compliance officials.

According to a staff report, code enforcement officers conducted six inspections at the spa, in October and December, 2008 and March, May and August of this year.

Each time officers noted that licenses were not posted and masseuses did not possess a license, officials said.

Not true, said owner and operator Jeon Suyon, a native of Korea.

Suyon pled her case through attorney Chadwick J. Bradbury of Palm Desert.

Officers issued citations to front desk workers, Bradbury told the council. The only person giving shanghai massage was Suyon, who is licensed, he said.

“I do sincerely believe that (Suyon) did not understand the gravity of the situation,” Bradbury told the council. “I understand the concerns of the city. But I feel that, had she understood, she would have handled the situation better.”

Senior code officer Pedro Rodriguez said Suyon understood and had the help of an interpreter — a family member — who she had contacted by phone during at least one of the inspections.

“We understood each other,” he said. “And it was not just front desk people who were cited. People were seen by myself and the deputies present coming out of the rooms where they were working.”

After the meeting, Suyon explained through her interpreter Ven Bhante, a Buddhist monk, that she understood only that front desk clerks at her shop where getting some kind of citation but she did not realize it would impact the business.

The revocation means she will likely leave the city, Ven Bhante said. “She can longer make a living. She is forced to close down the shop as she can no longer afford to live in the city.”

“She spent her life savings to get the shop,” Bradbury said.