Advice please!

[what da fuh]

Hello folks. Firstly, I apologise if I am posting this in the wrong section!
I was made redundant last may, and have been working in a pretty much dead end job for the last few months.
I have always been interested in Massage and its applications, and am considering a career as a Massage Therapist.
I have a few questions though!
1. Which are the best Colleges/Schools to train at in the London area?
2. Roughly how long does it take to get momentum going in terms of a decent client list?
3. Am I likely to struggle as a man? I have read that male therapists can find it very tough to succeed.

Any other tips would be great, I have only recently considered this as an option and have very little knowledge of the nuts and bolts of making a living as a Massage Therapist.

RelaxedCat

 

[Sturg]

London school of sports massage??

 

[Bill G IV]

Yes, it is more difficult to get started as a male, but the long term earning potential as a male seems to be greater. You will need to specialise in something (sports massage is always a good solid option). The problems for males seem to be when they try to get a job in an established spa or clinic where the option of having a male or female is given at time of booking. For whatever reasons, a good portion of the population prefers to be worked on by females, so getting the initial client through the door is more of a challenge, but there are plenty of people that are prepared to be worked on by a male, just takes a bit longer to find them and there is the overt rejection of 'I'm not being touched by a man!!!' to deal with. Females don't have to deal with that type of rejection, they get the 'oh the massage won't be strong enough' etc.
Anyone working from home can encounter the 'oh is it run from home?' question, some people don't want to go to a home based business, some do want to go to a home based business, some don't care; just as some want a female to work on them, some want a male, and some don't care.

You can't be the perfect therapist for everyone, and there are enough people that are prepared to have a male work on them to make a living out of being a massage therapist, just might take a bit longer. Most small businesses fail in the first 2 years (doesn't matter what industry), the first couple of years is tough (doesn't matter what industry), get through that and you'll be fine, male, female, home based, spa based, sports, relaxation, whatever. (I've mentioned a small business, because it's very rare to be 'employed' as a massage therapist, even in a clinic/spa setting, you generally only get paid for treatments you do)

 

[Pompal 09.]

I would definitely recommend the London School of Sports Massage. The tuition is excellent, and I think it is probably easier for a male therapist to establish themselves if they can offer sports massage. If you look at the SMA and ISRM therapist directories (http://www.theisrm.com
and http://www.sportsmassageassociation.org/ ), there seem to be quite a high percentage of male therapists.
It took me 2-3 years to build up to 20 clients a week (although, as discussed on previous threads, I did so without a website and relying primarily on ‘word of mouth’). I would recommend reading the book 'Massage: A Career at Your Fingertips' by Martin Ashley. It is aimed at the American market, but is still very useful for British readers.

Alan

 

[FAirY]

Thanks for the replies people. It's good to hear that it is possible as a man to get established.

 

[eplarods]

RelaxedCat,

Please be reassured, you'll get plenty of work. I love to get a good massage and of the few that I have had, I will say one thing, a man beats a woman anyday by a long way. I'm a woman that's writing too, but I'm not afraid to speak up.

I wish you the very best in your new future.

Chestnut

 

[BretEmejup]

When I was first training in massage, a female therapist told me I should specialise in sports massage because I'm a man. Great idea - as long as that's what you want to do. But don't think you HAVE to do that because you are male.
My last two aromatherapy clients were men, and I probably have equal numbers of male and female clients.
Having said that, don't count on earning a fortune!