Massage as a second job

[Kebo]

Hey everyone,
I havent visited this website in a while. For a year now I took a break from massage and work in a new full time job which is very stressful. I recently got married this summer which has been great. My husband hasnt benn able to find work at all for several months. Before we were married he had his own business (not massage ) but he had to close it down because he wasn't making it financially. I have wanted to add doing massage on to my other full time crazy job, but I think this may be too much. I would also have to go to people's homes for a while until I found a place to do it again. Has anyone else had to take a break before?

I would like to be able to just quit this full time job (which has caused me alot of grief) and get back into massage but I feel irresponsible doing this till my husband finds work. I dont know if this is the answer because alot of my massage therapist friends are having a hard time making it. This full time job I have right now is just not cut out for me. It does however offer health insurance. Have any of you been in this situation before? How did you build up your businesss? Do alot of you have a second part time job or full time job in addition to massage therapy? I just miss doing massage so much but I am not sure what to start doing yet without burning myself out....

 

[placplacplac]

Massage as a second job

It sounds like you are at a crossroads, and I can identify with the mixed emotions you are feeling. Some years ago, I was in a very similar situation.

Right now it sounds like you and your husband need the financial stability that comes with a regular full time income and employer-provided health insurance. Though you don't love the job, it would be foolish to just walk away from that without a clear plan of action. Massage is not something that will easily replace the financial stability and health insurance you have now, so you and your husband need to think this through together and figure out something that will work for both of you. Have you talked this through yet?

If your current job is driving you a bit bonkers, don't think that jumping back into a massage career will solve all your problems. Jumping ship for massage will simply replace one set of known problems with a set of unknown problems. Therefore I suggest that you seek to make this a very gradual transition.

Start by talking this out with your husband; make sure you both understand each other's feelings and hopefully you can find a shared vision of the short-term and long-term future.

Look around at the local massage business climate and weigh the pros and cons of employee vs IC work. Taking a table to someone's home may be good, but having them come to you is good too. Since you are already frazzled from your current job, I recommend seeking an employee position 1-2 shifts/week. This would let you get back into it, just doing the work and collecting your pay. You can always choose to change your situation later when you feel ready. Also, working for someone else means they will be working to get the clients for you - this will save you a TON of effort in building a clientele. It will be good for you to get back into the work and see if this is something you really want to do again - after all, you took a year off for a reason.

Last, pay close attention to how your overall mood changes once you start doing massage again. Pay close attention to your marriage, too. If it's a positive influence, these things should improve. If not, reconsider if it's worth it.

I hope you find the path that takes you to a happier place!

 

[gary w]

Massage as a second job

For my first 5 years out of massage school I worked 30 hrs.a week at a regular job. And I did 10 hrs. working at spa's. Like most people I needed a stable income with a new baby, new house a new marriage. It was stressful, but in the end well worth it for me in the end. I don't know too many new MT's that have been able to make a good income to live on right out of school unless the have a spouse who is willing and able to pick up the slack

 

[Kristina_UK_1999]

Massage as a second job

Thank you both for the advice. It is very helpful to know others who have been there too. I am still thinking through what my next step will be. I know that eventually I will come back to doing massage again. I may try doing a few shifts a week as an employee doing massage. I also want to take a class here and there to keep my mind fresh. Thanks again!

 

[SandraAmore]

Massage as a second job

I also had another thought. Hospice is always looking for massage volunteers. I looked into it myself, but there is a lot of paper work and I would need to get my Hep. B vaccine. There is also an 8 hr. training you need too. But it maybe a great way to get your name out in your community

 

[C-is-for-cookie]

Massage as a second job

Hey all,
Thanks for the good advice. My job has offered to let me have one day a week off, so then I could see clients. I have interviewed at a place recently but they dont offer much in the way of hourly pay until the client base increases. They are also about 20 minutes away. It is a tuff decision to know if this is the best bet or if I want to just take my table to some clients who I am sure would be happy to have me come to them. The only thing is the set up and tear down of the table at other people's homes is extra time. We live in an apartment and I dont know if I have the extra room to see clients where they would feel comfortable. It would have to be in our living room and there is no door. I do have a small divider but, I am not so sure how that would work. Do any of you work out of your home or apartment?

 

[carrie_adams19]

Massage as a second job

Hi Chloe. It looks like you're on track with making your decisions.

I want to address your mention of possibly seeing clients in your apartment:

First, you'd have to check with state and local regulations, and then with your apartment complex, to see if it would even be legal for you to see clients in your home. I know each state is different. In our state, for instance, there are strict rules for the setup if you choose to see clients in your home: there must be a separate entrance, separate bathroom available for clients to use during business hours (no traipsing through the house), and there must be a lockable door between the treatment space and "the rest of the house". Since we *know* that our state can and does check up on these things, taking clients in our home would be "out", because we cannot provide those things easily (besides having other "cons" for us, that have nothing to do with the State's requirements). And this is with owning our own home. I do know that many MT's do operate from a home office, but yours does not sound like the "ideal" situation to pursue such a course of action, to me.

Good luck!

 

[amee G]

Massage as a second job

I don't know much about the place you mentioned that offers hourly pay... would you be an employee then, and how much would you make per hour?
That might be my choice if I felt I was able to make a decent amount of pay by working at the place.
Is it a salon, or clinic or...
Anyway, having a place to work out of, is good IMO, because you do not have to spend your time hauling your equipment all over creation. Too many times I have gotten to a client's home only to find the space to give the massage in was just a little on the small side. (One should not have to crawl under the table or other furniture to get to the other side of the massage table IMO.)
Working in such cramped spaces can lead to compromised body mechanics or injuries. (And that's not to mention having to haul the table up flights of stairs or down into basements...)
As others have mentioned there are issues with working out of one's home too. And I think you can find plenty of those reasons mentioned on the board here by doing a search on "home office"...
The one I would mention... clients that tend to linger for a while after their appointments. If you only have one day per week to dedicate to seeing massage clients, you need to find the "venue" that is going to allow you to see the most clients per day... then when you get that day booked up, you can open a second day up to appointments and so on...

 

[Rusty]

Massage as a second job

Thank you again for the suggestions. Well, the place that I was thinking of being an employee I turned down. It is a Salon. It would be around $10 per hour. It is about a 20 minute drive. I almost would rather take my table to people at there home and build up clientle slowly. I dont think my apartment woud be alright for the place to have them come. We do have an extra room but it is an office/ man cave room ha! that my husband has. It has a twin bed in the room so it can be used as a guest room. I know my table wont fit in the room so I think that the best way to see clients is to go to them for now.

 

[Thamain P]

Massage as a second job

Thank you again for the suggestions. Well, the place that I was thinking of being an employee I turned down. It is a Salon. It would be around $10 per hour. It is about a 20 minute drive. I almost would rather take my table to people at there home and build up clientle slowly. I dont think my apartment woud be alright for the place to have them come. We do have an extra room but it is an office/ man cave room ha! that my husband has. It has a twin bed in the room so it can be used as a guest room. I know my table wont fit in the room so I think that the best way to see clients is to go to them for now.

That is what I have done, and it has worked out great. It takes a little while to build up the business, but when word of mouth advertising gets started......there is no stopping it!

DO check on whether they have space for the table, when having that initial phone conversation (or email conversation!) I let them know that I can take the chair if there isn't room for the table, and now have some very regular chair clients, too. Those are nice because although they are shorter, therefore less $, it is so easy, and I can fit more clients into an evening. Also, always suggest multiple massages in one home - I tell them they are welcome to have other family members or friends schedule one after the other, while I'm there.

 

[DancerForLife<3]

Massage as a second job

I am going to ditto Sharon. I still do more than one massage at a house call. My clients have gotten in the habit. And I give those clients a little bit of a discount

 

[LambChops]

Massage as a second job

I am having a hard time getting the ball rolling. I sent out a letter with my cards to all my clients . I have only heard from one or two people. I will do some follow up calls though this week. I may decide to do a spa party for some ladies I know. Has anyone ever done spa parties? any ideas? I would be the only one doing the massage.