Read the story of one career girl who took the brave step if turning her passion for relaxation into a full blown business! Ever thought of setting up a massage business? Here is what you need to know.
After eight years of working as a secretary at a dead end job, I suddenly began to realize I wasn’t completely satisfied. Sure, the job paid the bills and I had a pretty decent benefits package, but at the end of the day I just didn’t feel fulfilled. I wanted a career that would allow me to help people that made me feel great on the regular basis. Of course I knew there was no “perfect jobâ€� and that anything worth having would require some fight – but I was ready for change. I was ready to earn my respect in the world of business, and I would stop at nothing to achieve that feeling.
I Decided to Chase My Passion
Since I already had a degree in massage therapy and business administration, I decided it might be time to pursue my passion as a career‌. But this time, I was going to work for myself. I wanted to start small and eventually branch out having my own location for clients to come and visit me on the regular basis. I knew the road to entrepreneurship would take some time, so I decided to keep my 9 to 5 as I began to work towards my passion on the side.
Obtain My Certification
Before I could be officially declared a massage therapist, I had to obtain the proper certifications. Requirements vary by state, however, those interested in starting their own massage therapy business are required to complete a certain amount of training hours and complete a few state tests. I was able to find a spa in the area that offered massages and other forms of therapeutic treatment. I began working there on the evenings and weekends until I achieved the required training hours in my state.
Making My Plan
As I worked my training hours, I began the basic planning of my business. I ironed out a few things include:
- Types of services to offer
- Type of retail location needed
- Rates for services
Once I had the basics down on paper, I was ready to begin the legwork to turning my “side hustle� into a full on business.
Legalities
Now that I had enough training hours to obtain a certification, I was ready to work out the legalities of owning a business. Here’s what I did
- File business type with the state – I first reviewed the various types of options available for starting a business (sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability, and corporation). I decided that filing as an LLC was the best course of action for the type of business I was interested in getting into.
- Apply for EIN – Next I applied for an employer identification number by visiting the IRS website. This information was necessary for tax filing purposes, hiring additional staff in the future, and to obtain a business checking account.
- Obtained Insurance – in order to protect my business I decided to obtain liability insurance.
Finding a Place to Lease
Now I had my company name, a business plan, and the basics of what I was looking to accomplish with my new business. Next I needed to find the perfect location to open. I checked out several locations and found a neat little storefront on the corner of a very busy business complex. I decided to choose it because the idea of marketing to tired business professionals seemed like a great idea. I was able to obtain a business loan to pay for the first few months of the lease.
Once I secured the place, I began purchasing equipment, including stationary massage tables, chairs for the waiting area, lotions, oils, and other décor pieces to put my clients in the mood. I was officially opened for business, but needed to put forth effort to find customers.
Marketing Myself
The most difficult part of this entire process was finding ways to market myself to the surrounding community. I hired a web designer to help me create a compelling website and begin placing flyers around the office buildings in the complex. I offered lunch specials and other attractive sales as a method for getting them in the door. Before long, I was getting more customers than I could stand. I ended up hiring two more massage therapists and was eventually able to work the hours I wanted.
If I could turn an old passion into a lucrative business then so can you. Trust me I say it’s not an easy road, but once you’re open for business, somehow it makes all the work you did worthwhile. Whatever your passions or side hustles are, there is a way to turn them into a business that you enjoy each and every day. Just set goals, map out a plan, and you too can be on your way to entrepreneurial success.
