Massage Therapy Practice

Massage therapists provide therapeutic massage in various settings - private practice, spas, chiropractor offices, or mobile (traveling to clients).

Services include Swedish, deep tissue, sports massage, prenatal, and specialized techniques.

Success requires state licensure (500-1,000 hours training depending on state), skill development, and building clientele.

Pricing ranges from $60-120 per hour depending on market and setting.

Building 15-20 clients weekly creates full-time income.

Startup costs vary by model - mobile requires minimal investment (table, linens, oils) under $3,000, while opening private practice costs $15,000-50,000 for space, equipment, and buildout.

Revenue comes from sessions, package sales (discounted bundles encourage rebooking), gift certificates, and potentially retail (oils, creams).

Working at established spas offers steady bookings but you keep only 40-60% of service fees.

Private practice keeps all revenue but requires building clientele and covering overhead.

Operating costs include licensing, insurance, linens, oils/creams, marketing, and rent if applicable.

Marketing works through referrals, partnerships with chiropractors/physical therapists, gym relationships, and online booking platforms.

Challenges include physical demands (RSI risk from repetitive motion), irregular schedules, client cancellations, and building initial clientele.

Success requires therapeutic skill, professional boundaries, reliable scheduling, and excellent customer service.