Your Responses

comment@mtcoach.com

I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy reading your e-mails that appear in my inbox. I really respect your openness with regards to feedback from peers. You are the only RMT who addresses the profession from a different perspective. From a business owner’s perspective. Once we as MTs overcome our guilt over earning money we can develop the self confidence needed to push our industry forward, and most importantly serve our clients better.

I own a 5 treatment room massage therapy only clinic in Kanata, just west of Ottawa. We now have 9 of us working, some of us are full time and others are part time. We see an average of about 100 clients going through the clinic weekly. Once I was more open with how much it costs to run a clinic of that size, not to mention the time dealing with administrative and management stuff, everyone seemed to be more content with their contracts. I just hired a therapist who came from a chiro clinic that was paying a much more favourable percentage split. She came on board with us despite having to pay more “rent” for these reasons:

a) clinic environment: a nice sized treatment room (10x10) with a huge window with a private view. The clinic itself is spacious and professionally designed. Being stuck in a small, stuffy room for 8 hours a day can wear on you.

b) the people: working with other MTs every day allows plenty of opportunity to bounce ideas off one another, for massage trade-offs, and support. She felt she had no one to “vent” to because no one else really understands what we do.

c) we’re established: many people like the security of knowing that there is a steady number of new clients calling in, and that the time they save promoting themselves in the community can be spent treating, and thus earning more money. In my experience, most MTs are not “sales” people, and don’t enjoy that role.

My point is that in response to the clinic owner who was having difficulty competing with multi disciplinary clinics who charged less rent, I feel that there are other factors to consider. Most of the time in the interview process you can determine what the therapist wants from his or her career. A clinic owner should hire MTs based on whether or not the therapists will “fit” in the environment you’ve created or trying to create, and also communicate clearly to the applicant what your objectives are for the clinic and what can be expected, so that the therapist can determine whether or not a “massage therapy only” clinic is the right fit for them.

The biggest learning curve for me has been taking on a managerial role. I’ve learned that it’s often not about money. It’s more about creating an environment that everyone can look forward to coming into work and feel like they are doing a great job. Also, being careful with choosing the right team is important. When I’m hiring new therapists, I focus less on their hands-on ability (since it is SO objective and can also be improved on with mentoring) and more on personality. Are they a “people person?” Are they patient and caring as a whole, not just acting it out with clients? Do they seem trustworthy? What else do they want from their career besides a healthy client base and an income?

I have found that looking for more than just a massage therapist has helped with the turnover. Looking at the group of therapists like they are a family – will this new therapist shake things up? Or will she contribute to the balance of a healthy work environment? It’s like adopting a new pet. You choose a pet based on your lifestyle, so that both the pet and the family can be mutually happy together. You wouldn’t take on a pony if you live in a suburb, and you wouldn’t consider a goldfish if you lived on a ranch.

If you have a good group of people working together who support one another and care about one another, creating a positive energy, then client care improves, referrals come pouring in, and everyone earns more money! If a therapist gets a “better offer” elsewhere, my goal is to create a work environment where the therapist might think twice and say “Sure I’d make a bit more money per client, but I’d really miss working here”

Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experiences with the rest of us. I feel as though you have helped me with my confidence as a clinic owner and my entitlement to earn money too, even if I’m doing more admin / management stuff and less hands-on stuff. The business and grown and improved every year. (Practicing for 9 years self-employed and working with other MTs for over 6 years)

M.W._____________________________________________________________

I happen to believe that your advice can be adapted to almost any situation in almost any town. Knowing your own worth and the value that you offer is vital in any business dealing - in any kind of relationship, really. You wouldn't stay in a romantic relationship with that kind of imbalance in power and potential for abuse, so why would you in a business relationship? If you really can't charge what it is worth, then maybe you need to re-think if you really want to hire an associate, or if you would be better off keeping the status quo. Sometimes it's better to be "single", than in a bad relationship!

As for me, I am a new graduate, and I feel I found a good compromise. I am now working with a group of psycholgists/social workers who wanted to have an RMT to refer clients to. They are charging me a referral fee of 50% - but only on the clients who they directly refer to me (about 5 - 7 per week). I am also paying a room rental of $300 (this is in Fredericton). This is pretty much the same deal they have with the counsellors who work with them, and I feel it is fair. I am responsible for all of my own advertising, billing, washing linens, etc., but have use of their reception area. It's early yet, but I feel like this is a group of people who I will want to continue working with for a very long time!

You keep going, Don! Your advice and information can be hard to hear, sometimes, but this is the stuff that we NEED to know! And, hey, together we can change how massage therapy is practiced!

K.U. _____________________________________________________________

I see a different role for massage therapists.  I see us placed in the position of exploring the effects of touch on our whole self expression and presentation in the world.  This includes physical health and much more.

Touch can express and mediate how our emotions and psyches and physical experience plays into the way our bodies grow and respond. This avenue is largely unexplored and untapped by others in the health care system. 

Is this the vintage that we massage therapists become when we mature in our profession?  I hope so!

Debra P.

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