Taking on more spa work vs spend time on private practice

[the only dode]

It was bad enough when last week my friend asks point blank, "Why won't you work at [name of spa she works at]?" and I explained that I was getting along with just two shifts of IC work per week, and wanting to focus the rest of my time on building my private practice...

But now a client of mine who also gets massage at the place he gets his hair cut, a downtown dayspa targeted to male execs, has called me to tell me that his therapist there quit and the other MTs aren't to his liking and he talked me up to the owner and could he give her my contact info?

Two years ago when I had just graduated, I was begging for work, and wasn't even considered by this place. Now, apparently, the owner may be contacting ME soon. It's such a weird place to be in, that I told him I would at least have a conversation with her.

So here's the thing: building private clientele is still taking forever. But it will take even longer if I don't keep putting time and energy into it. And I'm wanting to put even MORE into it, not less.

On the other end, more cash flow in the short term is also nice. I'd get a lot more exposure to a particular target market that happens to be one of my target markets. I'd get experience in a higher-end spa... not that I intend to ever need the resume again, but you know... although they charge less for an hour than the massage mill I work one night a week for. Burke Williams it's not.

Anyone have any similar experiences?

Also, I've never been in this kind of position of me having "no deal" on the table before with a potential employer. Any advice on how to go about this kind of interview? How to interview them too, how to negotiate?

 

[furgetabowdit]

First off ask to see a copy of their typical contract.

You need to have in mind things that would be deal breakers for you -

Do you get to keep your clientelle mailing list? If yes than it would be an EXCELLENT way to build up your private practice since you'll be making more contacts.

Are you signing on for a certain length of time?

Can you set your own prices or do they set their own?

What are they charging rent/perceneforum.xxxe and is there a cap?

You need to know in your OWN MIND what is acceptable to you BEFORE you go in with them. Write it down if you have to "In order to make this worth my while I need to average X number of clients at X amount per hour and I want to be able to mail them my quarterly newsletter along with my private practice clients."

When you go to the interview find out their offer first. Ask them "How did you find out about me?" or "What made you decide to call me?" You already know they heard great things about you and your skills so they will proceed to tell you why they love you and think you'll fit in there.

Then say "Sounds like this might be a good fit for my skill set - what are you prepared to offer me?" Then shut up and see what they say. Don't convince them - they are already convincing themselves for you.

Find out their offer if it doesn't line up with what you know you need just simply say "That isn't good enough".

Then shut up. See what they say.

Either they will make it worth your while or they won't.

Angela

 

[Mujer Alta]

EgoM, I'm in the same position. A friend of mine just opened up a place in a holistic doctor's office and wants me to work in there with her. It's sooooooo tempting, but I have come to realize (and through some bad experiences) I will never get where I want to go working for someone else. I guess it's the difference between choosing the rewards in short term (more money in your pocket)and the reward of the long term (living your a life you wanted to build and your career dream)

SO I turned her down. The day I would have been in there I will use to do self promotion, even if it's on the computer at home.

Best of luck to you.

 

[sokokl]

Which is of greatest value to you? (Answer quickly.)

Available time to build your own practice, or extra cash right now?

When I was starting my practice, my husband and I went round and round on this. I felt badly about not bringing in much money, and often suggested that I get a job somewhere for a day or two a week that was a "sure thing." He always maintained that the time given up was not worth the extra money coming in.

We did a cost analysis.

I could earn $18/hour working at XYZ place. They could possibly book me up to 4 hours a day. That would be $72 + possible tips. So let's call it an optimistic $200 for 2 days of work. I would need to see three clients in my private practice to make that goal. Thus I had 5 hours left over. If I marketed that 5 hours, not only would I likely be able to gain those 3 clients needed for "break even," but I would reap the rewards of client retention and additional income (plus less effort required in each subsequent week to be able to work 3 paid hours.)

In the end, it became very obvious to me that, unless I had a necessity to put food on the table immediately, working elsewhere instead of working on my private practice was ultimately shooting myself in the foot.

So, are you living comfortably (even if a little lean,) on what you are making now? Or are you in danger of not being able to make your expenses for basic necessities?

 

[Psychodelic Chicken]

Ego, if you are seriously going to interview with these people, I agree with AngEngland.....just shut up and let them sell themselves to you, not the other way around. And listen to what they say. You'll know if it feels right. Or not.

But I agree with Breathe here. During some lean times, I thought about working for a local day spa. But I weighed the hours I would have to put in making low dollars vs. those same hours investing in some serious marketing and getting clients that paid good dollars (of which I got to keep it all). It's amazing how profitable one convention can be........and I would not have landed that account if I had been putting in time somewhere else.

 

[ericalynn429]

Besides looking at whether you want to be running your own show or working for someone else, I agree with what others have said except for that when you own your own practice you do get to take home all your fee but after rent, bills, supplies, etc you may be actually bringing home less than if you were working for someone. If money is the only issue, you will want to do your math before making that decision.

If you are working as an IC only two days and say the job offer is a good one, why not do part time (2 or 3 days) and that still gives you time to market your business (unless you have another job besides massage).

 

[PFC Ramirez]

Taking on more spa work vs spend time on private practic

You are not making a lifelong commitment to them, most places will have a 3 month probationary period - that is for them AND you. If you find winter usually gets a bit lean, you could try it for a while. If you do leave after 3 months, because you choose to, not them, you'll get labelled one of those flakey MTs that can't stick with something. Are you comfortable with that? They might be busy over Christmas/New Year, they might have gift certificates with a 3 month expiry date and really only need you for the short term anyway (not that they will actually say that)

I'd get experience in a higher-end spa...

THAT is worth something, spa treatments, quantities of product, tight scheduling, quick room change, unreasonable demands - the treatment exposure should be good for future use, the rest of it may make you decide NEVER to be tempted by that type of thing again, which is also a good thing, or you may decide it isn't as bad as you thought and get rid of the other 2 IC shifts.

Whatever you do in the interview, AngEngland's advice is right - they are approacing you, they have to make it worthwhile.

As for not giving you any time when you first graduated, just let that go, that was then, maybe different people involved, might be a general policy, absolutely nothing personal about it, this is now.

 

[J.J.]

EVeryone has valid points.

I went to work at a resort spa for some extra money and to take the stress out of building my clientele. It was the best thing I could do. Once that NEED to get more clients disappeared, I had enough clients!

The experience I got at the spa was good, atleast on paper. Many situations occured there that will forever help me in this field. I would probably still be there if I wasn't offered a daily gig doing massage at an insurance company located 10 minutes from my home and private office.

One point made was to calculate what you will make versus private massage and marketing your business. Good point, IF you actually market yourself 5 hours a week??

But again, if you need money, take on some extra work. Just make sure it is a office you are comfortable in.

 

[Kass86]

Thanks for the replies. You folks are really helpful. I'm digesting, will do some energy work and some number crunching.

 

[Father Christmas]

Taking on more spa work vs spend time on private practic

So here's the thing: building private clientele is still taking forever. But it will take even longer if I don't keep putting time and energy into it. And I'm wanting to put even MORE into it, not less.

Why don't you just do both? Work more hours elsewhere AND put more effort into building your own clients.

Nothing worth having ever came from working less!

I'd get a lot more exposure to a particular target market that happens to be one of my target markets.

What do you mean by this?

 

[johnevanwinston]

Taking on more spa work vs spend time on private practic

I'd get a lot more exposure to a particular target market that happens to be one of my target markets.

What do you mean by this?

Could go two ways.

1. He wants to rub shoulders with people who frequent spas just for the hell of it.

OR

2. He is hoping to turn spa clients into his own clients.

 

[~Volcom~]

No, I don't think that's what Josh meant. Please don't 'stir the pot' like that.

R&R gave some helpful advice in the first part of his post that Josh may want to consider, and I think the second question was an honest question. (I was somewhat curious what 'particular target market' Josh was referring to as well...)

 

[tonalc1]

The target market is mentioned right in the original post: the dayspa is targeted to male executives. Target market = male executives.

And there are only so many hours to a day. If you are putting the bulk of your professional hours towards working for someone else, then that's less hours towards working on your own practice. "Just do both" and"nothing worth having ever came from working less" are sentiments that seem, to me, out of place in the context of the original poster's question.

 

[Scarlite]

Why don't you just do both? Work more hours elsewhere AND put more effort into building your own clients.

I have enough on my plate already, trust me.

No, I don't think that's what Josh meant. Please don't 'stir the pot' like that.

Thanks, Ding. I appreciate that.

And there are definitely more than two ways it could go ;-)

By exposure I didn't mean exposing them to me as in advertising, but exposing me to them. And far from "rubbing shoulders... for the hell of it," the intent would be to gain more experience with what this market looks for and values in bodywork. I only have a couple of them in my private practice, and I am considering the possible value of working with a larger sample size.

Anyway, the owner did contact me and we're to set up an appointment to talk. I'll let you folks know how it goes.

 

[almarj70]

Trust your body's response. You'll know the right thing.
I admire your mindfulness around this issue t045

 

[M3x!TaL!aN0]

Anyway, the owner did contact me and we're to set up an appointment to talk. I'll let you folks know how it goes.

Yes please - keep us posted!

Angela

 

[Bad Radio]

I apologize if I sounded brash. I wasn't trying to stir the pot, so to speak. I type differently than I come across in person.

It is not difficult to figure out what a certain type or group of people want and desire. Perhaps that could be another whole topic on the board, but I bet lots of different types of people want the same thing from a massage therapist.

Josh, if you have a couple of clients who are your ideal clients, treat them like gold. They probably have lots of friends just like them, don't be shy about asking for referals from these people. Hand them out lots of business cards, brochures, information, coupons, and give them referal credit (even a bit more than you normally do, if you do it at all.)

Find out where they hang out. Is there a coffee shop near your location? How about a salon that doesn't offer massage? A health food store? Ask to put a fish bowl in that business. Make a mailing list from the entries and tell the shop you will share the mailing list with them for letting them let you collect the information. Ask for name, address, phone number, email, and perhaps even occupation. Be sure to include a short note on each entry which says something like, entry forms must be completely filled out to be elligible. Draw for a free half hour or a dollar amount. Do the drawing every month. For those who don't win the big prize, send them a postcard with a coupon on it for a free upgrade or dollar amount off. I have done this very successfully in the past.

Good luck!

 

[moniquebaby]

Find out where they hang out. Is there a coffee shop near your location? How about a salon that doesn't offer massage? A health food store? Ask to put a fish bowl in that business. Make a mailing list from the entries and tell the shop you will share the mailing list with them for letting them let you collect the information. Ask for name, address, phone number, email, and perhaps even occupation. Be sure to include a short note on each entry which says something like, entry forms must be completely filled out to be elligible.

I can't see male executives taking the time to fill out a form for a drawing. However, a business card fish bowl could work really well. Their business card would contain all the above listed information.

 

[Wavey]

I have enough on my plate already, trust me.

Sounds like you might need to prune your less productive time sinks.

Look back through the past month, and figure out how you have been spending your time. Start by counting hours, then bucket the activities into "Private client appt time" "Private client admin", "Private Client marketing" "Chair massage subcontracting" etc. and make each bucket a % of the whole month's time.

Then assign a monetary value to what you get out of it. Admin and appts go hand-in-hand, so it is revenue / total hours. Marketing you have to take a back of the envelope guess at -- how many clients do you get out of X # of hours, what is the value of a client (appt rate * avg. appts per month of your current client base).

An hour at the spa is easy - but don't forget to calculate travel time and time you would have to spend standing around. (if you are on call, then idle hours go into another bucket since you can spend them on admin, marketing, whatever.

Then draw yourself a chart. The vertical is the $ value of each activity. The horizontal is 100% of your time. The sooner you start doing less of what is on the right and spending that time on ANYTHING further left, then you will be getting more bang for your buck of time.

Sounds like you would know this intuitively, but you would be amazed at what you might learn. THings like - marketing time is better spent getting existing clients to book more often than to find new clients, doing subcontracted chair massage is better than working at Spa X, etc.

We have dropped employee-paid chair massage and no longer do work at hotels that are not under contract and spend the freed up hours hunting the chair massage elephants (40+ hours of service) and pitching to hotels that are interested in a structured in-room spa program - and we are much happier and more profitable for our trouble.

 

[and_y_knot]

My current mantra these days is "worker smarter, not harder". Best of luck EM and keep us posted.