Expanding Practice

[Zerexiam]

Please offer any suggestions/opinions you have on expanding my practice. I am in a small town/county (pop 46,000). I am currently the only full-time therapist in this area. I have been in business (by myself!) since June of 2003. I have excellent clientelle but could do even better if I was more than one person. My past experience is in sales/marketing which I am very good at. Although I love being an MT and want to continue the hands on work I would like to add another therapist and expand my business concentrating more on the expansion and on-going sales/marketing of the business while still doing massage...just not as much!

I currently lease a building in which I have an extra room available. I need advice and experience input on if I should hire another therapist and if so how do I work out the payroll. I currently charge $1.00 a minute for massage. Should I hire her on commission basis? Should I sub-lease her the additional room? I have washer/dryer on premises. What is your input on this? I am currently wanting to keep my clientelle but I don't want to run myself thin trying to keep up with it! Thanks for your input!

http://www.mendesmassage.com

 

[#1 Cat Lover!]

Hi Mende, and welcome to massageplanet.com!
Personally Mende, having considered moving to Hunstville in the last three years... and having actually started the process to transfer my licensure to Alabama at that time, I'd say since you already have your "massage establishment license"... which seemed to me to be a bit of a stumbling block... I'd suggest sub-leasing to a massage therapist. It sounds like that's been a massage therapy office for quite some time... that's great!
She or he (your new renter) can build their own business, or if you are fully booked or sick and someone has to have a masssage, you would have someone to whom you could refer.
Of course it's great if your interests, style or talents happen to be a bit different... but you may be able to find another therapist quickly through the school you went to for your training.
There are a few more Alabama massage therapists on the board, you may want to try to PM them specifically for their advice.

Alabama MTs:
backtoyourhealth
harperorium
sherrylmt
Isis_leone - Gadsden
lovesjimmorrison - Anniston/Gadsden
DigitalShaman - Odenville
Kelli5 - Mobile

HTH,