Folding Towels - A Podcast for Massage Therapists with Jackie and David

From marine biology, to working in retail, to learning massage to connect with her mother with dementia.  Join Jackie as she talks with Liz Sharkey from Massage Training Australia.  Liz recognised early on that many of the training colleges aren’t teaching the really basic skills that therapists need to know (like report writing and notation).  These might not be the skills that many of are excite...

Join Jackie and David as they unpack whether or not it is okay to only work with women as a massage therapist. We discuss in general "what does the law say". Explore the reasons why massage therapists might want to only work with women, and ways to do this directly and indirectly. We discuss branding that specifically targets women (e.g. Sportsgirl), and ways to say no to male clients wh...

In this episode of the Folding Towels Podcast, we're diving into practical, low-cost strategies to help massage therapists attract more clients and grow their business. David shares ten actionable tips that require more courage than cash, perfect for any massage therapist looking to expand their clientele without breaking the bank. We'll explore the power of digital communication, from cra...

In this extended and final episode in this series, Jackie and David chat about even more stuff that they never told you about in massage school. Do you need a mentor and how to choose one? How much can you expect to be paid as an employee? What's "the going rate" for rental and profit share and is it as good a deal as it sounds (spoiler alert, no it isn't)? How often do you stop...

What would you do if someone "raised a flag pole"? Do you know how to drape to work on someone's glutes without pulling their pants all the way down? Do you know how to use your body weight to generate pressure and do you massage with just your hands or are you also making good use of broad forearms? Ever been asked to commit health fund fraud? And just what do you say if someone cal...

Jackie and David are back from a break - Conference, Coronavirus and just other stuff. It's rolling into the end of financial year. Jackie is Registering for GST for the first time, David is doubling down on compliance stuff. But really, this week we are here to talk about the podcasts that we listen to and enjoy. Remember, not everything that you do and listen to has to be professional - whic...

Recorded at the Massage and Myotherapy Australia 2024 Conference in Tweed Heads, David and Jackie chat with Ann Davey (CEO) and Selena Hagen (Vice President) from Massage and Myotherapy Australia. Have you ever wondered what your Association does for you? Are you even a member of one? Do you ever question why you are a member at all? Ann and Selena take us on a journey of the 21 year history of Ma...

Jackie and David chat about ways to keep up your education without breaking the bank. If you are a member of a professional association, you need to commit to education every year. And even if you're not a member, continuing education helps to keep you fresh, motivated, up to date and connected with your industry. From borrowing books from the library, to watching webinars and listening to pod...

Join David as he talks about why you should use email to connect with your clients, what not to do and what he loves to read in an e-news. Sending regular e-mails to your clients doesn't have to be hard, long or fancy, and it especially shouldn't feel dirty. But if you want to cut through the crap already in their inbox you need to give your clients a reason to open your news. Swap the ide...

Guess what! We made it to 50 episodes! Jackie and David get some feedback, and are issued a challenge about picking their superhero names (KittyMumma and Terry Toweling anyone?). We give a shout out to Allissa Haines and Michael Reynolds who hosted the Massage Business Blueprint Podcast for 8 Years. Listen to the Massage Business Blueprint Listen to the ABMP Podcast   We intended to talk about our...

Join Jackie as she chats with Amy Tyler of Institute of Oncology Massage. With over two decades in remedial therapy, Amy talks about how massage can provide comfort and aids recovery for cancer survivors. Amy also shares her personal journey having recovered from a benign brain tumour herself, enhancing her empathy and understanding towards patient care. She advocates for all therapists to learn o...

Jackie and David share tips and stories about leaving the daily grind into starting your own beautiful massage business on your own terms. We explore the challenging yet rewarding journey from paid employment to self-employment, discuss the importance of careful planning and financial preparation before making the leap. We also talk about taking your time to build a client base, especially in cont...

Join Jackie and David as they try to help you to overcome overthinking when it comes to naming your massage business. Chances are you are probably an independent, solo practitioner. Can you get away with just using your name? Of course you can. And if you want to have something else, perhaps something creative, you can do that too. From registering your business name and domains, to naming your bu...

Have you heard of Sunspot? Marvel comics only Brazilian superhero. Rafael Bucater is a musculoskeletal therapist and massage tutor in Adelaide at the Australian Institute of Fitness.  He arrived in Australia in 2009 from Brazil, studying multiple diplomas and falling in love with massage. Portuguese is Rafa’s first language, one of the Latin languages which means he has an advantage over someone w...

Join Jackie and David as we chat with Kylie Hicks, a remedial massage therapist in Mildura (Victoria) who has spent the last 20 years helping people to move forward from chronic pain. Chronic pain isn't just about sore muscles or aching joints. It's an intricate dance between the mind and body, where emotions play as much a part as physical discomfort. As she puts it, "Pain isn't...

In this episode of the Folding Towels Podcast, David and Jackie explore the relevance of Facebook for businesses amidst a plethora of social media platforms. We chat about our personal experiences (David apparently has some strong feelings about social media) especially how cheesy and fake social media can be when you're trying too hard. But Facebook (and other social media channels) can be yo...

Join Jackie and David as they talk about the stuff they never told you about in massage school (and probably should have). In this episode, Jackie divulges her love of Meridian massage tables (spoiler alert, they are the worlds lightest and most comfortable massage table, made in Australia, and with a gas lift adjustable height option) … and no Meridian tables do not sponsor us! We chat about the...

In today's episode Jackie dives head first into the world of commercial leasing with Kelly Cunningham, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Your Leasing Co. Kelly shares her expertise in helping businesses negotiate better lease terms to save costs and balance power with landlords. With a focus on supporting small enterprises, particularly during renewals, Kelly offers strategies such as avoidi...

Join Jackie and David as they chat with Stuart Hinds a soft tissue therapist whose career includes 32 years of clinical experience, four Olympic Games and one Commonwealth Games and who has presented workshops globally. Stuart is passionate about self-care within the industry and he shares invaluable insights into the world of massage therapy. Key Points from This Episode: Stuart's Extensive E...

Join Jackie and David as they chat about whether we should be asking our clients for a note from their doctor. The human body is a complex organism and weird things happen. While we're trained to understand things about muscles, bones, ligaments and tendons, our clients will often present with things a little out of the ordinary. Spoiler alert!! If you ask for a doctors note, then you treat, a...

Join Jackie and David as they explore why being booked out could be a sign of a solid business, or it could inhibit effective client care. From a place of ego, to a question of vulnerability. Take comfort, your success and/or efficacy as a massage therapist is not defined by how far in advance you are booked out. Being booked out does have an advantage of providing comfort that you can pay yoursel...

Join David this week as he talks about the intricacies of sponsorship – a strategic dance between business, community, and genuine connections. When you run a business it doesn't take long for someone coming begging for money. Spoiler alert! You don't HAVE to sponsor anyone. If you do chose to sponsor a club, you can botch it up like I've done, or you can be smart about it. - know who...

Welcome back to 2024! Our Folding Towels podcast journey continues from a seasonally confused Adelaide. It's been quite the year—bushfires, floods, hurricanes—but here in South Australia, we're enjoying some greenery after December rains. Jackie has indulged in family time and movie marathons (shoutout to Gerard Butler). On a less thrilling note, she tackled overdue bookkeeping—a necessary evil fo...

So Jackie, where do you stand on Mariah Carey in your massage room? I'd happily stand on Mariah Carey if she asked me to ... but that's not what you mean is it! Our last episode for 2023 - a bit of banter, some Christmas fun, a big thank you to all our listeners around the world thank you for supporting us in our first year. We will be back in 2024 with a full calendar of episodes, some fa...

Jackie and David are joined by our special guest and friend, Paula Nutting from Your Musculoskeletal Specialist . In Paula’s own words, she’s a dinosaur – active in bodywork for at least 28 years, but previously an intensive care nurse.  She tells us how empathy fatigue led her on a journey through fitness training to a long and exiting career in bodywork.  Now massage trainer, lover of golf, indu...