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Info Massage Career: Avoid the Pitfalls

Once you have completed training as a massage therapist then the big decisions really begin. You will be probably flirting with the idea of running your own massage therapy practice. However, you may be worried about how viable such an investment would be, how successful you are likely to become and even whether or not you will actually like massaging people all day long. Knowing this info on your Massage Career can save you a lot of stress.

“How quickly you transition into your massage career will depend a lot on your personality and tolerance for risk (and poverty)” (about me)

The Gentle Transition

There are a number of ways in which you can pursue your natural therapy goals. Firstly, you can continue working in another field while you gradually build massage therapy clientele on the side. This way you avoid the stress involved with the lean periods of running a business, the ebbs and flows of clients coming and going and last minute appointment cancellations and no-shows. For newly qualified massage therapists with limited experience, this option also offers the opportunity to gradually develop skills and confidence without risking income or lifestyle.

Steady Paychecks and No Stress

The second option available to you is to work for someone else as a massage therapists. Physiotherapists, chiropractors, medical centers, natural therapists may offer massage services using contracted services. Resorts, hotels, hospitals, aged care facilities, rehabilitation clinics can also be a good source of massage therapy work.

The benefits of this option are that you will begin to gain experience immediately, are in a position to build a good reputation, will improve your skills faster, and will gain self confidence. The disadvantage of this option is that the pay rate of doing massage therapy for someone else tends to be low. However, if you treat this period of time as much as you would treat an apprenticeship or any training period, you can justify the lower income and aim to ultimately establish your own practice.

Or just...Go For It!

The third option for newly qualified massage therapists is to simply jump right in and start your own business. If you choose this option you need to be very careful to understand that you will be engaged in a business not just a profession. You are responsible to do the necessary due diligence just as you would for any business. It is important to accurately estimate your start up costs and ongoing running costs so you can work out how many clients you need every week just to break even.

You also need to be fully aware of any licensing requirements for the business, legal and administrative obligations you will have as the business owner. If your business is undercapitalized and the cost of running it is too high you will have little chance of success. This is how most businesses fail, massage businesses included. So before you jump in and start your own massage therapy business and build your own client base fully consider how you can do this with minimal start up and ongoing operating costs in the beginning. The lower you keep your costs, the lower your break even point and the easier you will find it to be profitable.

No matter which of these options you choose to set yourself on a professional pathway as a massage therapist if you make wise choices, pursue excellence, and make sure you are fully informed, you will find that your chances of success in this field are greatly enhanced.

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