Do It With Intention | Business & Marketing for Massage and Bodywork Therapists

Have you ever heard a client say something like, "Oh, I tried massage once, but it didn't work." It sounds ridiculous, right? As bodyworkers, we know that our clients need to be committed to our modality to see results. But somehow, we forget that when we're setting goals for our massage or bodywork business. We set moonshot goals and when we don't achieve them as quickly as we'd like, we give up....

I get it...there's a lot going on right now. And a lot of people, myself included, are putting information out in an attempt to help others. But I hear you, it can all get really overwhelming. That's why I've decided that my next few episodes are going to be a bit shorter than usual. I'll pop in with some quick motivation, advice, and words of wisdom and let you continue with your day. This week,...

It's not always about you. As bodyworkers, we are really just a part of the healing process for our clients. If we can detach from the outcomes, not only can we avoid a lot of emotional highs and lows, but we can perform better work, and our clients can get better results. Over 16 years ago I opened the doors of my bodywork business, and realizing that it wasn't really about me was just one of the...

Did you know that the average millionaire has seven different income streams? That doesn't mean that they are experts at seven different things, it just means that they are smart about what they offer. So...who wants to be a millionaire? For the final episode of the Building an Intentional Practice series , I sit down with my friend, mentor, and business coach, Racheal Cook, to talk about being in...

There are people out there who are waiting for you to get over your fears, so they can get the help they need. Bodyworkers are often so humble and so afraid of standing out that they barely show up at all — and that doesn't only hurt your business, it hurts the people who really need your services. I had to work through these same feelings of self-doubt, too. That's why I'm so excited to welcome J...

Now more than ever, it really is so important to know where you stand with your money. When money doesn't flow the way it usually does — for any reason — you need to be prepared. For a lot of bodyworkers, COVID-19 came as a scary wake-up call when the ability to work hands-on with clients was taken away. In this episode, I sit down (virtually, of course) with Laura Cook , a business finance strate...

People are looking for your services...will they be able to find them? Because so many bodyworkers deal with fears around visibility, they avoid putting themselves out there and lose potential business. In this episode, I chat with Theresa Reed , aka The Tarot Lady, about how she overcame her own fears about marketing herself, and grew her business to a level where she could stop overbooking herse...

As bodyworkers, we constantly ask ourselves about our intention — for a session, client, modality, or sequence of skills, but almost never for our massage or bodywork businesses. If I asked you right now what the intention for your practice is, would you know? It is just as important to have an intention around the business side of your practice as it is to have one around the work you do. I know...

I always tell my students that building your own massage or bodywork business is some of the deepest personal growth work that you'll ever do. And some of the time, it can be extremely uncomfortable. In my last episode, I talked about creating online offerings to not only fill income gaps due to the Coronavirus, but also to prepare your business for the future when you might have an injury, or jus...

There is power in planning. Personally, I love to plan, and part of the reason COVID-19 has been so difficult for me is because I've had to deviate from my regular plans. But for some of you who don't love to plan, this might have served as a wake-up call about how important it is to not only have a plan, but also to have a variety of offerings. An online offering can help you fill an income gap r...

Anyone else feel like every day is a month long right now? Things have been really turbulent lately and everyone, including myself, is on a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Try to remember: we're all in this together. But we all respond to trauma differently. I've seen all kinds of responses from bodyworkers as we try to deal with the changes in our business. But right now there are two things...

Being proactive means "controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than responding to it after it has happened." And I nearly always encourage bodyworkers to be proactive. But right now, there is a lot going on that is out of our control. I truly do have so much love for each of you — not only for listening to this show, but for the way you show up and serve people as bodyworkers...

Let's all take a deep breath together. Seriously — stop reading for a second and do it.  In...out…Good. If you haven't heard it yet amid all the panic, let me be the first to tell you: things are going to be okay. Everyone who knows me knows that I am a planner. If you could peek into my Google Drive, you'd see that I have podcast content planned out weeks in advance (#TripleVirgo). And that love...

Things are getting crazy out there. People are worried, anxious, and confused about Covid-19, and you may be seeing the effects of that confusion in your massage or bodywork business. It can be scary, and it can be frustrating, but you don't have to let the fear get the best of you or your business. In this special BONUS episode, I share ideas for connecting with your clients during this crisis, s...

Let's talk about the elephant in the room… Money. WHY as bodyworkers do we feel guilty charging for our services? Why do we think we have to lose our gifts for the sake of financial security? You've heard me say it all the time — you do great work in the world, you deserve to make a great living doing it. This week, I unpack the money insecurities that so many bodyworkers face and get real about t...

When I first started my CranioSacral Therapy practice, I made the classic mistake of trying to be everything to everyone. I offered every service I had ever learned, even ones that I wasn't very good at. Imagine getting booked for a service you've never even practiced...that happened to me! I can't go back and undo my mistakes, but I can help you avoid making the same ones I did! In this week's ep...

What is the first thing you should focus on in order to grow your massage or bodywork business? Should you learn a new modality? Spend a ton of money on marketing? Try those quick tips and tricks that you see all over the internet? Well...it depends (which I know is everyone's least favorite answer!) But your bodywork isn't one-size-fits-all, and neither is your business. This week, I sit down to...

If I gave you a choice between $100 and $1000, it would be a no brainer. Right? But think about it. How often do your drop-in clients become lifetime value clients? For years now I've been a bit of a bodywork "mystery shopper." When I travel, I book bodywork appointments not only for self-care, but also to see how other massage and therapists are treating their clients. In this week's podcast, I s...

It doesn't matter how successful you are, how much money you've made, or how many clients you have, NO ONE wants to deal with criticism or rejection.  Yet, as bodyworkers, we often face it on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Maybe our modality isn't the right fit for a client, or we didn't get all of the re-books that we wanted, or no one responded to one of our ads. Whatever it is, it can really hu...

"If I reach out for help, people will know that I don't have it all together." Have you ever thought this way? I know I have. And guess what? No one has it all together! We ALL need help at some point in our business journey. You might be asking yourself, when is it time to find a mentor? This week, I'm joined by massage therapist and owner/continuing education provider at Co-Ed Institute , Amanda...

Research shows that businesses that plan outperform businesses that don't by 60%. 60%! That's a bump from $1,500 a month to $2,500 a month! Seems like a no-brainer, right? But instead of making a plan, so many bodyworkers are falling victim to time-wasting activities that are making it nearly impossible to build the business, and the life, that they want. This week, I'm sharing advice that will he...

Believe in yourself! Believe in your dreams! Have a clear vision! Doesn't that all just sound lovely? I get asked all the time what my number one piece of advice is for those either just starting out their bodywork business, or looking to take their business to the next level. And while it is important to believe in yourself and your dreams, and have a clear vision, I have a MUCH more down-to-eart...

We've all been there… You set an intention, and sit waiting for it to magically come true. Let me tell you from experience, if you sit there waiting, you will probably be waiting forever. On this episode, I'm thrilled to chat with CranioSacral Therapists and founders of Touch Matters, Robyn Scherr and Kate Mackinnon , about one of my favorite topics — how to create an intentional practice. They of...

"Mindset" is a bit of a buzzword right now. There seems to be a belief that when something doesn't go our way, it's just because we had the wrong mindset. That may sometimes be true, but can we really manifest everything we want for ourselves and our business? This week, I chat with Rebecca Brumfield , the creative marketing and mindset success coach of Badass Bodyworkers , about finding the right...

The new year is a really exciting time for me, but trust me, not for the reasons you'd think. On January 1st every year, I'm not setting crazy goals or making vision boards. I'm getting a jump on doing my taxes! And yes, I truly am excited about it. One of the reasons that I love working with bodyworkers is because they are so creative and artistic. But, that can mean that they're not the best at...