Massage Envy Article

[Tada!(sparklesparkle)]

Has anyone seen the latest AMTA magazine with their spread on Massage Envy?Painted them to be a couple of geniuses who really care about their therapists - quite the opposite of the thread in the ethics section.I would think AMTA would jump all over an outfit so roundly criticized by therapists.I am still crunching the numbers, but can't seem to find that much money in one of their operations if they actually pay $25 - $30 per session to the therapist.

 

[RockIt]

Massage Envy Article

R&R, can you post a link to the article?Thanks.

 

[Assist_u]

Hello-  I didn't read that article, but just received an email regarding massage envy.  What do you think about a massage membership?  Having a massage club?  I'm very curious, and wanted to see what others here have to say or think about it.  Although, not extremely informative the web address to massage envy is: http://www.massageenvy.com/index.html

 

[Steven J]

Everyone,be gentle....Jas looks as if they are new here.Jas, there is a whole topic on ME.  Go there for a lot of information.ALthough it is a place where a new MT could pay their dues and learn what to and not to do....it does not look like a place I would like to work.By all means, if there is one near you, take a look.They are undercutting massage to the public and in my eyes(only mind you cfrom what I have read) they do not do good by their MTs either.RObyn

 

[Shadow Striker]

They do not pay their therapists 25-30$ an hour, but tips do make up for that and they pay half your taxes. I am so looking forward to not paying 1/2 my soc. security this year.  I do not know about other clinics, but mine is great and the owners really do care abou thier therapists. I am sure the different owners make a big difference.   "If anyone from ME on here is in a position to arrange a visit for me as a professional courtesy, I would love the chance to "talk shop" with the GM or franchise owner. I don't really have a "competitive" mindset. I believe that my market is slightly different from ME, so they are not my competitors. But we are colleagues, like it or not. I've kind of withdrawn my opinion until I can collect a little more data." (ya I don't know how to do the whole quote thing yet)I don't know any of the people up there so I can't help you out there. I am also glad that you don't see them as competion, because you shouldn't. If you are a good therapist you have nothing to worry about!Great now I have to stay up a little longer and find the article!

 

[bugsysue2]

Massage Envy Article

One thing that I found annoying was the total lack of critical thinking on the part of the writer.Things like "165,000 people flooded the golf course...everybody has an opportunity to get a complimentary chair massage.."Do the math...working 10 hours a day, one chair could accomodate 100 people. So how many therapists were there? No where near the 1650 it would take to make sure everyone had the opportunity to get a massage.Also, this was not some noble effort to promote massage to the masses on the part of ME. Look at the photo of the event - the sign next to the chair says "Compliments of The Thunderbirds", Services Provided by ME. Someone was paying ME to be there- which is great, just don't make it sound like ME is changing the world's view of massage through free sampling (don't get me started on chair massage's relevance in selling hour-long services...free chips and salsa don't lead to people buying fancy entrees).She also failed to do the math on their success. They GROSSED $9M, not made that amount. Which works out to $50,000 per location per month, which works about to about 1,100 treatments per month, yet she report some locations have 2,000 per month. That means there are a lot that do 600 a month for the average to work out.The story reports a capacity for 3,500 appointments per month, but on average are doing 1,100. That is very low utilization - akin to a sole practitioner doing 2.5 per day. Not exactly a juggernaut.Divide revenue by # of members, and you get less than $54 per member per month. The monthly fee is $49, so only 20% of members are getting two treatments a month.I wish ME all the best, but I don't see how their economics will hold up in the long run, and I don't see how such fawning coverage will keep MTs taking AMTA's magazine seriously.

 

[Allmosquitos.com]

This article felt very "Stepford Wives" to me.  I'm relieved to hear that I'm not the only reader who was put off by it.  I agree with R&R...hard to take AMTA seriously if future articles continue to lack critical thinking.JD

 

[airjarrod]

She also failed to do the math on their success. They GROSSED $9M, not made that amount. Which works out to $50,000 per location per month, which works about to about 1,100 treatments per month, yet she report some locations have 2,000 per month. That means there are a lot that do 600 a month for the average to work out. The story reports a capacity for 3,500 appointments per month, but on average are doing 1,100. That is very low utilization - akin to a sole practitioner doing 2.5 per day. Not exactly a juggernaut.Divide revenue by # of members, and you get less than $54 per member per month. The monthly fee is $49, so only 20% of members are getting two treatments a month

It might be impossible for us to do the math with the data provided in the article. It says "Massage Envy made $9 million with an average of 15 clinics open with 14,000 consumer members".  This company is apparently growing fast and adding many locations. I assume that each location has a slow start and then increases its bookings and revenues after a few months. In that context, I'm not sure what an "average of 15 clinics" means.  And regarding the 14,000 members, is that an average, or the number at the end of the year? If it is an average, how was it calculated?

 

[bullsfootball]

Massage Envy Article

This article felt very "Stepford Wives" to me.  I'm relieved to hear that I'm not the only reader who was put off by it.  I agree with R&R...hard to take AMTA seriously if future articles continue to lack critical thinking.

JD

very true

good point migueldc  

 

[SupR]

I'm curious if anyone will be writing the AMTA magazine and expressing your opinions regarding this article and their lack of critical thinking?  I think the points R&R has brought up are very important ones to bring to their attention.Also, since there are quite a few members here who are not AMTA members and are not receiving their magazine...can someone cut and paste the article into this thread so more people can read it?Thanks.

 

[lolit]

Massage Envy Article

The current issue is not yet online.Yes, they are growing fast, they expect to have 100 locations by the end of the year. But the numbers offered were for last year.An "average of 15 clinics open" means they started the year with 10 and finished with 30, or one of the dozen or so combinations of timing and numbers that would lead to 180 operating months in 2004.Memberships are month-to-month, so assuming 14,000 is an average, it is more favorable to their success than if it were an end of year snapshot. But it looks like an end of year snapshot since is works out to about 500 members per location (both end of year figures) which is consistent with their 5 year plan to have 700 locations serving 350K members.Annualizing or averaging figures to a standard unit is common practice to make them meaningful and comparable period to period.They currently employ 30+ therapists per location (granted, 90% must be PT) but plan to have that down to 20 per location in five years. They had better - Unemployment taxes alone - paid by ME - on those extra bodies runs almost $3,000 per year, per location, not to mention all of the other costs associated with employees (uniforms, payroll complexity)

 

[Good Bye Everyone !]

I am so relieved that I'm not the only one put off by this article!  As a current member of AMTA, I'm really disappointed in their reporting.  I was so angry when my magazine came & there it was ... the "suger-coated" article.It made me want to puke -- just like the recruiting visit they did -- suger coated and fake!! I've lost alot of respect for AMTA over the past year and am looking into changing my membership to another organization.  This article just put me over the edge!!I LOVE the "Stepford Comment"!  AMEN!!!!

 

[Robert Cordiak]

Massage Envy Article

I am soooo with you all on the Massage Envy thing. I live in Phoenix, where they started, and granted there are 5 million people in this city, but there are 15 massage envy's here!! They are the massage equalivalent to Super Wal-Mart, which is so against the grain of what massage is supposed to be. Also, a tid-bit the article didn't mention (which I firmly believe that ME paid the AMTA to print) is that the Scottsdale location had a male LMT there that was fired, and is facing 10 counts of serious misconduct, such as sexual touch, looking, and breathing on female private parts. Plus they only pay their theripists $15 a massage, and since they do the whole walk in basis, you are expected to sit there, booked or not, hoping that you and the other 30 therapists there have appointments, but don't get paid for your wasted time. I have no idea where they get the $25-$30 an hour thing, because tipping is a lost art in Arizona. I don't know anything about the tax part. I also had a frined who went there for a massage (I beat her for a week over it...) and she stated there is zero personal service, they are interested in an intake form or interview, didn't ask what she was there for, and gave her a sports massage with active stretching, while she was only there to relax....... bottom line .......Massage Envy is the devil!!

 

[Propane Cylinder]

Massage Envy Article

I'm glad somebody else said it. My first thought was "How much did they have to pay for that spot in their magazine?" Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[Not now]

Massage Envy Article

I can send a zip file to any still interested if they pm me with a working email address.

 

[Joe P]

My first thought looking at the 4th image down was "OMG, Look at the posture on that therapist! She's gonna break her back in a week!"  :-/

 

[Doctor]

Massage Envy Article

Thanks for posting that Gina.Seforum.xxxg, I saw/said the same thing "What is she doing?"Well, after that, I'm converted. I'm gonna close my doors & take them up on that McOffer to work for them...NOT.I wonder, really, if the schools I admire are sending therapists their way. Heck, if I could find a licensed, recent grad with some similar ethics to mine, I'd pay them $40 per hour to cover my evenings & weekends. And they'd show up IF they have bookings, not sit around. Then, who would envy who?Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[TimTimTimma]

I just read the article on sunday and I think that they had to pay too!!!  I just can't see why The AMTA doesn't do their research first.  It boggles my mind to think that these guys are producing such wretched places!!  Needless to say, I will look at this  with the glass half full, with all the "newbies" they are giving jobs too, which is great and all, they will not stand up to the test of time, employee rollover is probably going to soar, soon, and that never looks good.  Therapist eventually get smart and get out of situations like that and I can guarentee you, if they are any good at all, they will take at least one client with them!!  Happens all the time!  They might be doing well now , but lets all talk agian in a few years and they will be GONE!!!  Nothing this "good" last forever!

 

[Doctor]

Massage Envy Article

They won't be gone in a few years, for a couple of reasons.First, they are a franchise. They take forever to die since most franchise owners will be a therapist who can do a lot of the work themselves. A true corporate entity would not tolerate losing money very long, but a franchise can break even year after year while the owner draws a decent living.Secondly, they are aimed at the mass market and people who are cheap. No shoreforum.xxxe of the first, by definition, and a fair number of the second to be sure. And if they would not run rock bottom rates, someone else would. Just look at the ridiculous listings on Craig's List in most major cities.

 

[amberaewmu]

Massage Envy Article

R&R, what you say about therapists working the franchise themselves is true. Do any research on buying a business & its always advised to buy what you know (or can learn & do quickly), so you can hire fewer employees. That's why I had always said in the past that its a good business model... just definitely not for me.