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Finding a good business owner to work for

How do you evaluate a good business owner/ place to work for/with? Growth over time, technology they use, policies? What are some red flags, beyond the super exterm stuff like not filling tax returns?

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Permalink Reply by Cassandra Cravens on December 13, 2012 at 9:21pm

I can offer my experiences with the business owner I've been working with as some red flags that I should have seen off the bat. This is based on independent contracting with a salon owner who brought me on as her first massage therapist.

If the business owner will not sign a simple contracting agreement that is a big red flag. This means they want the freedom to change your agreement without due consideration. Everything from the hours you'll be available to your percentage/rent to linen services. It doesn't need to be complicated, just clear. I've done one on a single printed page. Many good business owners will have their own contract. Read it well.

Be clear about your duties or responsibilities with the business. Don't get roped into providing free or basically free labor for the business. It is very easy for "helping out" to lead to unfair or unethical expectations.

Never participate in services that you aren't licensed for. If the owner tries to encourage or even insist that you perform services you aren't legally qualified for refuse. Don't give into any sort of advice that "no one will care" or "it's not a big thing".

As an independent you are not responsible for any of the owner's cost of business. If you are ever asked to help with a utility bill or with the building's lease or even advertisement that is a red flag. this is the same for hourly wage employment. You have no obligation to pay any business expenses. you may want to participate in time or with money in helping promote the business, but that is your choice.

Spend some time listening to how the business owner talks to clients and other contractors or employees. If the owner spends a significant amount of time talking to clients about his/her worries or talks about personal or professional problems with clients this is a bad sign. No one is chipper all the time, but patterns will show and clients shouldn't be burdened with the owner's worries, even if the clients are the owner's friends. Be especially careful of owners who talk poorly about their contractors to clients.

Massage services require a relatively calm atmosphere. Does the business owner play loud music? Is the space you'll be working in sound proofed? The owner I work for keeps her new puppy in the shop and even after several customer complaints about the dog barking during a massage she has no intention on keeping him home. Things like this are not good for building a clientele.

Don't go to work for someone who at any time makes a joke about sexual services, especially with clients around. We work hard in this industry to keep a clear distinction and off color jokes of that nature are not appropriate in the work place.

It's not a good business plan to be the only massage therapist for a business that takes walk-in clients, especially if you are paid by commission. The business owner may expect you to be there during all business hours to take every walk-in. When it's busy it will be fine, but if he/she expects you to be there for full time hours even when you are not seeing clients it will be frustrating. That is really up to you, the hours you want to commit. But the owner may see any walk-in turned away as money lost.

If the owner tries to dissuade you from getting medical intake information this is also a red flag. You should have paperwork on every client, as simple as one page. Their contact information, basic background, any recent injuries. It is very important for you to have this information. An owner who sees this as an inconvenience does not a have a good understanding of massage.