Self supporting individuals please!

[DNC Circle n Jerk]

I have recently opened my own practice in a town of about 2,500 that is located withing minutes of 3 other towns of about the same size with sizable rural population surrounding all. Before my present situation I was an independent contractor in a small city of about 35,000 and there seemed to be a massage therapist on every corner, kind of like hair salons, (also I'm in PA, massage has no regulations here) and building a business for myself while operating in an office that had someone elses name on the front door was both frustrating and discouraging.

My first 2 months of operation has seen my business double and I am very happy about that, and I have looked at the national average income of massage therapists, but it's hard to compare yourself to the national average, isn't it? Before becoming a massage therapist I was completely independant, no matter how many jobs or hours I had to work. Since completing school my circumstances have changed and I now live with my fiance and he is supporting me until my business gets off the ground (6 months I'm hoping) and I hate it. I absolutly love massage therapy, I tell my clients all the time when they ask about my hands getting tired that I don't even feel like I'm working that's how much I love what I do. Does anyone support their household on their massage income alone? What is a monetary goal I should strive for?

I know that success is a mind set and not a monetary value, but I'd like to know that my business is also a monetary success as well as satisfying my need to bring this service to other people. Any advise?

 

[Linni]

don't give up!

although it's taken me a long time and alot of hard work to get my business where it is today, I now make a decent income and I have even been the sole income while my husband was getting his business off the ground. so it can be done!
I had to turn myself into a business-minded person (something that I never considered myself to be before) and that seemed to be the turning point for me.
There's lots of great advice around the forum - soak it all in and try everything - that would be my advice! 8)
hope you keep us posted on your successes - as they are sure to come

 

[64224mah]

Welcome to the forums. Since you have someone supporting you, that will help. The question may well be "how much" are they supporting you? Extra monitary support in the way of giving you freedom to market, get out in the community, and just generally be less stressed at making the bills will go very far in making your business successful.

Small towns are all different. Some welcome you, while others may shun an outsider. It sounds like yours has welcomed you. A great start!

I'll tell you my situation was a bit different, but it may help in some small way. I had to work multiple jobs in two different fields and did not have much financial backing. I didn't have time to put into my practice, except for when I was on the premisis, because I had my efforts tied up in the other work I was doing supplementing my massage practice. Added on to this, I am in a very large city (millions of people) and I needed to make "community bonds" which can be difficult here. In my situation, a rule of thumb for getting the business to run was about 8 years.

It sounds like you are on a road to success. Keep at it!

 

[Dllama]

I've supported myself w/ a stand alone private practice in a rural community for 10 of the nearly 12 years I've been in practice. Some days it's rough financially because the bookings aren't there. Some days, I am literally praying for a break from being so busy. It took me about 2 1/2 - 3 years to have sufficient income to leave all the part time and full time jobs behind and focus solely on providing massage as my true professional calling.

This community is the county seat which helps somewhat with population body count............... the whole county runs between 48-50 thousand citizens................ here it helps to be friendly, neighborly, know who is related to whom, all the gossip, etc so that you fit in whether you like that sort of thing or not. Here, if you are seen as an outsider, or, worse yet, standoff-ish because you act like you are a "medical professional" it has a definite effect on the bottom line. I don't trade in gossip,but, I do have to understand what is being said so that there is no inadvertent snubbing, etc going on. My client group seems to prefer someone warm, friendly, friend-like, and knowledgable about the appropriate techniques and about how all the A&P stuff goes together in case they need explanations of how things are "discombobulated" as one of my fellows says............... I don't get rich financially by a long shot operating the way I do, but, I have a loyal client base with many referrals, am respected by chiros and physicians alike for my skill set and ability to do what I say I can do, and fit in well with the type of personality the area has in general.

It took me a while, but, the work getting here was so worth the effort. It will be for you as well.

 

[Pompal 09.]

update

My business is growing!! I am entering into my fourth month of independent business operation and I am happy to report that things are going very well, I have had a few set back as far as my space is concerned, but I am paying my rent on time and all the other bills associated, with enough surplus at the end of the month to make me feel pretty good about myself. Now I need a little advise about space, the problems with the space I rent, there is an inch gap under the front door the landlord has made no attempt to remedie, the heat does not work, so I have had to buy space heaters, the space is small so it is not a huge issue, but no the less it was an expense I was not planning on. I had to pay someone to sound proof the window in my massage room, because after telling the landlord about it I realized my business could not wait for him to decide to do something about it so we plugged the window with the inch thick blue construction foam and I had a mural built to put in front of it to block out the ugliness and and artist friend is going to paint a landscape on it for me. Then I realized that my entire space, both waiting room and massage room is on the same circuit so it's a little trickie when I have to plug in my roaster to do a hot stone treatment, the rent is pretty cheap by my standards that's really the only plus! But I am still looking at the positive, business has been good.

Last week a close acquaintence gave me an alternative space idea, he owns a very historic building 4 doors from my office that has been converted into apartments, the first floor tenant is leaving the end of the month and he wanted to show it to me, it's huge, not that I need huge, but where I am I have enought room to stand up and turn around and that's about it. The front door in this apartment opens into a large living room with vaulted ceilings and continues into a dinning room of about the same size, both rooms have beautiful fireplaces. The first bedroom is large and spacious the second is smaller, but definatley adequate. The nicest part about the second bedroom is that you step down into a hall way walk across the hallway and step down in to that second bedroom/treatment room, at the other end of the hall is a full bath that is set up perfectly for privacy of a spa client that wants to rinse off product. As perfect as this second space is it is twice the rent and that has me hestitating, it's doable, but may leave me strapped for a few months, there is also a nice private concrete patio for clients to relax and sip tea if they choose.

Moving my practice isn't really an issue for me it's only 4 doors away and with the addition of my website and snail mail it shouldn't be hard to keep clients up to date on what I am doing.

the sapce I'm in right now is adequate, but probably won't be for long, did I mention the building I am currently in is also for sale? The space I looked at would be perect for many years to come. Any objective questions or input would be greatly appreciated, please check out my website http://www.essentialharmony.net

 

[The Reverend Soleil]

Wow ... a lot to consider.

The new space sounds gorgeous and has the potential, as you say, to be a long term space. Have you thought about having another MT share the space/rent from you, as an Independent Contractor, to help financially? He/she would be separate from your business so they could maybe do something completely different.

What about another complementing modality, like yoga, acupuncture, or a nutritionist? There are many options to consider, but I really don't know what your locale consists of.

It does sound like a move a little too soon, since you've just opened your doors, but some times "doors open" for a reason. You are successful from the beginning - you should be very proud!

The fact that the building you are currently in is for sale would be a concern for sure (my office is a condo in a large office building, and it, too, is for sale!). When the building is sold, you may be asked to leave, or the rent may be raised, and then what? (I'm asking myself these questions, too.)

The new space sounds perfect, and as long as it's zoned for business and you can legally work there, I think it offers a lot of positives for you at this time.

Good luck.

Donna

 

[Steven J]

Thanks Donna,
I really appreciate your input. I have thought about including someone else in my practice unfortunately am an over analyzer, which in a way solves my own problem :? After working under someone else, even as an independent contractor for 2 years, I just don't know if I am ready to bring someone else into my practice when I myself am not completely satisfied with the volume of clients I am seeing, I wouldn't want to hinder their growth the way I felt that mine was. As far as something completley different, I am not sure I would have enough room for a class, ie yoga or the like, they would have to be small focused classes and if I would branch out much further than that I think insurance costs would be come an issue. All of your input was great, I hope to get a lot of brainstorming ideas, my friend told me not to hurry into a decision, so I am taking him at his word that I won't have to. I believe I have a lot of soul searching to do, I just can't help but think a space like this could be a once in a life time deal, as an apartment alone, people have lived in this space for years, and I am afraid of turning it down and completely missing my chance at a beautiful space!!!

 

[Foggy Idea]

Why would you think you would be hindering someone else's growth? They would be renting space from you, not working for you. They would come and go on their own terms, to build their own business.

This is the definition of an independent contractor, as I see it (and the IRS, from what I have read in my state). They are independent and free to work as they see fit. Your connection to them is that you are renting them space. You should have an IC Agreement that spells out the specifics on days/hours, etc., and the rent they will be paying, etc., but the businesses are really separate and individual.

I am looking at this very scenario. I am going to be subletting to a new grad that I've been mentoring. She will have my space (when I'm not there, since I have only one room) and will build her practice. She will determine everything - our businesses are completely separate.

Take your time and think of all angles and I'm sure you'll make the right decision.

 

[cap d]

Yes the definition of an independent contractor is the same in my state as it is in yours. My previous situation I was an independent contractor and was brought into a business as such, that was owned by a therapist that had been practicing for 7 years and was very successful, knowing I did not have clientel from the start this therapist really attracted me with the statement that she was not accepting any new clients and that should allow me to build my business. Unfortunatley with her name being on the business often times, 99% of the time people would want to see her, after all other than the business cards on the desk, the name of the business gave no indication that anyone else worked there. It was a very difficult process for me to get through and ultimatley lead me to open my own practice, (that does not have my name in it) so that when I could expand and include someone else, I would not be able to hinder their success, the way mine was, (and none of that was her fault). It is almost unheard of in my area to find a therapist with clientel looking for a place to practice, most of what we are seeing is practitioners right out of school and I just don't think I could handle the stress of watching someone struggle to build their business when I, myself am not at a point where I can steer clients in their direction.