5 Things No One Told Me
About Running My Own Massage Studio
Welcome back to another Monday with the Mavens. We created the Massage Mavens blog to connect with and educate self-employed massage therapists working to grow as business owners.
It can be lonely working for yourself – and we’re here to remind you that while you’re in business for yourself, you don’t have to be in business by yourself.
While we cater our content to independent MTs, all massage therapists are welcome here; whether you run your own independent massage therapy studio, work as a contractor in a clinic, work as an employee in spa, or are even still in school.
5 Things No One Told Me About Running My Own Massage Studio
I don’t know about you, but the list of things I did not learn in my Business 101 class is far longer than the list of things I did learn.
Here are some of the more important concepts I wish someone had planted in my brain before I opened my doors…
1. I don’t owe free things to anyone.
People book appointments with you because they want to. They are aware that your services cost money, and are willing to pay. You only owe your clients exactly what they paid for, nothing more and nothing less.
2. I don’t owe extra time to anyone.
It is one thing if you were running late…but for your day-to-day operations, people choose how long they want to book; if they want a longer session, they will book a longer session.
Going long for free reinforces two things: That you don’t actually value your time as highly as you say you do, that they can probably expect extra time at their next appointment (so why bother booking/paying for those minutes when they’ll just get them anyway?)
Going long also runs the risk of backfiring. If your client has somewhere to be, but you run long because you feel you *should* -- you have just made someone late, and added stress back into their day.
3. I *will* work extra shifts if I don’t keep tabs on myself.
Owning a massage therapy studio is an amazing journey. But it is easy to fall into a rhythm of working too much. It is one thing to choose to take on extra shifts when saving for a large purchase or time off. That’s a conscious choice you’re making for the financial health of your business, and I commend you!
It is another thing, however, to start taking on extra shifts because your books are filling up and you feel like you need to squeeze everyone in because you don’t want to say no to money left on the table. The instant payoff of a few extra dollars is not worth the accumulated impact that working extra shifts has on both your physical and mental health. Protect your time and set yourself up for sustainable, long-term success.
4. I can throw out old habits and systems that don’t serve me.
Just because you’ve done something the same way since you opened your doors does not mean you’re required to continue doing them for eternity. You’re in charge. You can change them.
One of the reasons you left the spa world and founded your own massage therapy studio was to give yourself the freedom to explore new and better ideas when they present themselves. Make sure you really are giving yourself that freedom.
5. Whether a problem is a minor speed bump or a massive problem has nothing to do with the problem and everything to do with the mindset surrounding it.
Running a massage therapy studio can be a major pain in the ass some days. And many people warned me that running my own business would be more hassle than it was worth. I used to believe them. (The only thing that stopped me from throwing in the towel some days was the knowledge that I’d signed a long lease and couldn’t go anywhere.)
But I am glad to say that I now choose to take a breath and remind myself that problems are an opportunity to 1. Learn and apply a new skill, and 2. Set myself up to avoid similar problems in the future.
Now new problems are a puzzle I’m excited to sit down and solve. Mindset, baby. Mindset.
Thanks for stopping by!
As always, we’d love to hear how our content has helped you improve either your studio, your mindset, or your revenue as a self-employed massage therapist.
Rachel Martin, LMT, is an independent massage therapist living in Denver Colorado. Having built her solo massage studio to capacity, she now spends her free time helping other massage therapists do the same. Check out The Bodyworkers Business Collective, Queen Street Marketplace, and The Techy MT to learn more.
