Franchise industry

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Permalink Reply by Cath Cox on June 23, 2015 at 9:59am

Hi Angelina!

My experience working at a massage franchise was mixed. On the one hand, as an experienced deep tissue therapist, I was booked consistently. On the other, I sustained a shoulder injury due to the pace of service there. For me, a part-time schedule was ideal in a high volume environment as a supplement to building a private practice. I found it impossible to make enough money to support my family while staying healthy working a full time schedule there. I think franchises are a great place to get your career started and hone your skills, but are not a realistic option for a long, full time massage therapy career. The model for them to be profitable does not support the needs of therapists like me. Good luck with your book!

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Permalink Reply by Maryshka on June 30, 2015 at 8:50am

I hear that a lot -- that franchise chains are a good place to get a career started and hone your skills -- but the massage chain business model/environment does not reinforce what is taught at a reputable massage school, that environment is not client-centered or conducive to proper intake, assessment, and discharge consultation with clients. The massage chain business model -- now being adopted by chiro offices, some spas, etc. -- virtually undoes what a quality massage education teaches new therapists. Therapists 'lose' sight after being worked in an assembly-line style massage environment. That is a huge red flag and sad lesson to learn in the 'real world'. Store management often sides with corporate policy even to the detriment of the therapists, even if it means violating labor laws, and just to keep their own jobs and climb the corporate ladder. What does that teach freshman MTs?

Every client is different. Clients are eager to get on the table, and most often much slower getting off the table after a treatment due to a variety of reasons, not limited to 'post-massage stupor' (various states of relaxation), physical limitations, stage of pregnancy, etc. yet MTs are required to make sure their clients are on and off the table within that 5 minute window. That's nonsense. The liability always falls onto the licensed professional even as an employee.

There is a lot of skirting labor laws and blurring of the employee vs. independent classification going on in the chains. The IRS could have a field day with these places. The owners/operators of such businesses do not have any idea of what massage 'is' fundamentally, what it entails both for the LMT and the client, they only know it is a way to 'make money' and therefore the owners jump on the massage therapy bandwagon.

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Permalink Reply by Maryshka on July 2, 2015 at 8:48am

You may want to post your request on FB massage therapist groups -- you'll get plenty of information.

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Permalink Reply by Mark from AQTN on July 25, 2015 at 10:29am

Ok, so you're opening up your own knowledge base for questioning. That's kind of you. Here goes with a question:

Among the guidelines / parameters / restrictions embedded in your contractual agreement as a franchise, what is the biggest constraint imposed on your business?

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Permalink Reply by Angelina Rose on September 8, 2015 at 7:47pm

I am so sorry to hear all of that kelly! I have worked six years in places that took away the therapeutic aspect to what we do. I've worked in practically a slaughterhouse just like you and I plan for the next six years to take back from the chain spas what they took away from us. I just opened my own business and I will exhaust myself until I get people to understand what massage therapy is really about.

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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on September 9, 2015 at 12:37pm

ABMP sponsors the award winning Every Body Deserves a Massage Week. Why don't they sponsor a Every Massage Therapist that Works in a Chain Franchise Deserves to be Payed Fairly and Not Treated Like a Slave Week?

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