Massage -Survey Available Next Week

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Permalink Reply by Gloria Coppola on October 23, 2009 at 7:32pm

So how do you feel about this?

If a facility was to start you with say $8/ hr plus tips, plus a % for each enhancement you get the client to agree to add on????

Do you feel you should be "selling"?

If there is this opportunity to make more money through add on's do you feel you are motivated
enough to push that and increase your income? Do you like incentives of this nature to increase your pay?
Or is that something you are not into doing?

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Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on October 23, 2009 at 7:34pm

"Politically Correct" (Something) lol ! You are getting better at this. lol ! Yes, therapists are. And I'm in. Anyway, I can assist, just let me know! 'Something'.... I'm still laughing...

Gloria Coppola said:

Wow! Thank you ALL for your input. Great! exactly what I am looking for. Yes, there are MANY 6 month programs out there, in my opinion "Unfortunately" they exist and hopefully we can change that soon and make states require a minimum of 'something'.

Continue to bring in your comments all!
If you work in a spa, please tell us your experience? Your compensation etc.

The more info and feedback would be great! I am taking this survey not only for an article, but Mike you also know I am seeking to help therapist get a 'fare' compensation out there.

However, we all need to understand what the parameters are that employees are setting - so I would love to hear from you working for someone or have done so in the past!

Thanks in advance! Love reading your feedback.

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Permalink Reply by Gloria Coppola on October 23, 2009 at 7:39pm

Glad I'm making you laugh! ;)
Some needs to.

Mike Hinkle said:

"Politically Correct" (Something) lol ! You are getting better at this. lol ! Yes, therapists are. And I'm in. Anyway, I can assist, just let me know! 'Something'.... I'm still laughing...

Gloria Coppola said:

Wow! Thank you ALL for your input. Great! exactly what I am looking for. Yes, there are MANY 6 month programs out there, in my opinion "Unfortunately" they exist and hopefully we can change that soon and make states require a minimum of 'something'.

Continue to bring in your comments all!
If you work in a spa, please tell us your experience? Your compensation etc.

The more info and feedback would be great! I am taking this survey not only for an article, but Mike you also know I am seeking to help therapist get a 'fare' compensation out there.

However, we all need to understand what the parameters are that employees are setting - so I would love to hear from you working for someone or have done so in the past!

Thanks in advance! Love reading your feedback.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on October 23, 2009 at 7:40pm

I would say no. I think it would hurt. First, what if I wasn't a salesman, my income would reflect it. Second, the economy will play a large factor. Third, I hate it when a service entity does this to me and I think it would "run off" clients. Just my thoughts.

Gloria Coppola said:

So how do you feel about this?

If a facility was to start you with say $8/ hr plus tips, plus a % for each enhancement you get the client to agree to add on????

Do you feel you should be "selling"?

If there is this opportunity to make more money through add on's do you feel you are motivated
enough to push that and increase your income? Do you like incentives of this nature to increase your pay?
Or is that something you are not into doing?

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Permalink Reply by Gloria Coppola on October 23, 2009 at 7:41pm

Great , I personally agree...just continuing my survey based on what I know does happen 'out there'. Hmm? Is there a standard we can set for these employees!??? Ha ha ha ha ..oh I wish

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Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on October 23, 2009 at 8:58pm

lol !!!

Gloria Coppola said:

Great , I personally agree...just continuing my survey based on what I know does happen 'out there'. Hmm? Is there a standard we can set for these employees!??? Ha ha ha ha ..oh I wish

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Permalink Reply by Julie Onofrio on October 23, 2009 at 9:04pm

Actually one of the biggest problems is that paying a percentage is usually illegal in most states as far as I know and getting that word out to people. You can be an employee and paid a commission fee but not an IC.

http://www.massageprofessionals.com/profiles/blogs/ic-vs-massage-em...

I think it is horrendous that massage therapists don't get paid for down time if they are employees. After all it is the employers responsibility to have clients for their workers. I think it is interesting that massage therapists put up with this at all and even allow it which is really part lack of info and other part lack of self esteem (or something!) What other profession doesn't get paid when they don't have a client?

I think the issue with jobs is that jobs are a really a new phenomenon in the massage profession. 20 years ago when I started there weren't any. Employers just seem to be jumping on the band wagon opening shops and hiring massage therapists because they think they can make a lot because they can charge a fair amount for the massage service and all the extras. Employers are taking advantage of massage therapists left and right.

A fair wage would be one that provides a good living. Since massage therapists don't/can't work more than 30 hours I think they should be paid $45 an hour and I do know a few people that do make that at a chiro. office. The other thing is to offer free massages to employees esp. those who work over 20 hours a week. that should be a required benefit.

I am not sure where this is all going astray -Are the massage schools telling massage therapists to take low paying jobs or are high paying jobs just that much harder to find. I am working to teach massage therapists how to negotiate salaries and also with that prove that they will be worth it by having a 'sales' package for themselves showing how they work with and relate to clients will get more business.

Julie
www.thebodyworker.com
www.massage-career-guides.com

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Permalink Reply by Erica Olson on October 24, 2009 at 12:31am

I've been licensed for almost 4 years now and the vast majority of my work has been done in spas.

The first place I worked at started me at a 40% (I think) commission--as an independent contractor. After three months, I was promoted to lead therapist (ie, extra responsibilities), so my commission was upped to 50%. We kept all our tips.

Second place, where I've been for three years--we get a 40% commission and keep all our tips. I'm considered an IC there, too.

The problem with both of these places that I don't think the IRS would consider me an IC. MTs are responsible for doing/helping out with laundry at both places, yet are not paid for it. It's just "part of our job." At the first place, we were told that we were going to have to remain on site come winter (our high season) without being paid for it. Luckily, I was fired (due to an erroneous assumption/accusation on the owner's part) before things got that far.

I've also done a little side work here and there: at a high-end guest ranch an hour's drive away where I had to bring my own table, linens, etc. The first season, I charged their current going rate of $100/hr. The second year, with rising gas prices, I was able to ask for (and receive) $120/hr. The ranch did not take a cut. They did, however, promise me a job when their lodge spa opened (as per the owner), yet never called me and made all sorts of "gee, we thought you'd moved!" excuses when I followed up. The money was unbelievable, but the corporate environment drove me nuts.

The other place I'm working at right now is a salon. The owner was in dire need of an MT after her last one split, so I was able to negotiate my rate from a position of power. Things are still in the works (namely, it's been two months and I still haven't received a contract), but it's such a small portion of my life that I'm willing to let things ride for now. I'll see where they're headed and make my choices from there.

As for selling things, I hate it. Hate it, hate it, hate it. I've no problems with saying, "Hey, this stuff you like so much? We've got some out front for sale if you want some of your own." However . . . actively trying to shill while a client is on the table is nothing more than bad taste, and not what I got into massage for. Haven't had to do it anywhere, but I've heard the stories. My current spa boss is also Very Big on this galvanic ion multi-level-marketing thing, which I oppose on so many levels, but she hasn't directly stated she wants us to pimp it out for her. Yet. *sigh*

Gloria Coppola said:

If you work in a spa, please tell us your experience? Your compensation etc.

The more info and feedback would be great! I am taking this survey not only for an article, but Mike you also know I am seeking to help therapist get a 'fare' compensation out there.

However, we all need to understand what the parameters are that employees are setting - so I would love to hear from you working for someone or have done so in the past!

Thanks in advance! Love reading your feedback.

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Permalink Reply by Gloria Coppola on October 24, 2009 at 5:42pm

This is all great stuff! Mucho gracias.

Anyone else out there have something to add???

Erica, I am so with you , hate those MLM's! UGH
Julie - Awesome, I think it's great you are teaching negotiation skills. Thanks for the web links too.

Keep it coming LMT's!

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Permalink Reply by Lorrie J. LMT, CKTP on October 24, 2009 at 8:55pm

Hi Gloria, here is my input hopefully it will be helpful for your article. I am 90% self employed doing home visits, primarily clinical and sports massage work. I charge $70 for an hour treatment, $105 for an hour and a half. Fairly straight and simple, don't like to have to remember different fees for mileage or little add ons so, no travel charges, or extra charges for deep tissue/pre-natal etc. The only up charge I apply is if I am using Kinesio Tape.
The only therapist I employ is myself and aside from an occasional bout of over work crabbyness I get along with myself pretty well :)

The challenges along the road of being a sole practitioner have been few, generally not so different than many others i.e. boundries, scheduling conflicts, self care etc. Oh yea, LAUNDRY I am challanged by LAUNDRY!
One draw back with being a sole self employed practitioner may be that I am a bit isolated from other MTs in the area so there is no one around to bounce ideas around with or vent to if I do have a challenge or not-so-fun day.

One and a half days a week I work in a wellness center that pays me $22 an hour, regardless if I am doing massage or stocking towels. The clientel there is challenging (in a good way) and usually very generous with gratiuties. They also give me a membership to the center to take any class (yoga, pilates etc.) and one massage or facial a month. So though I make considerably less working there, for me it is a fairly good trade off as I don't have to do any scheduling, marketing, or lug my table and supplies around. Oh yes, and no LAUNDRY there either :)

I do feel in this profession as with most others, it is fair that pay is in line with education and experience. I am not the therapist I was 10 years ago and I wouldn't expect to be paid what I am now as a new graduate. What that wage is will be largly determined by geography and demographics. Comparisons can only be made with like populations/income/cost of living levels.
So, there ya go. Hope it helps, let us know when and where your article comes out. Gotta go do laundry........

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Permalink Reply by Gloria Coppola on October 24, 2009 at 9:50pm

Thanks for taking the time Lorrie and all of you!

If anyone else writes, please tell me where you are located too?



Lorrie said:

Hi Gloria, here is my input hopefully it will be helpful for your article. I am 90% self employed doing home visits, primarily clinical and sports massage work. I charge $70 for an hour treatment, $105 for an hour and a half. Fairly straight and simple, don't like to have to remember different fees for mileage or little add ons so, no travel charges, or extra charges for deep tissue/pre-natal etc. The only up charge I apply is if I am using Kinesio Tape.
The only therapist I employ is myself and aside from an occasional bout of over work crabbyness I get along with myself pretty well :)

The challenges along the road of being a sole practitioner have been few, generally not so different than many others i.e. boundries, scheduling conflicts, self care etc. Oh yea, LAUNDRY I am challanged by LAUNDRY!
One draw back with being a sole self employed practitioner may be that I am a bit isolated from other MTs in the area so there is no one around to bounce ideas around with or vent to if I do have a challenge or not-so-fun day.

One and a half days a week I work in a wellness center that pays me $22 an hour, regardless if I am doing massage or stocking towels. The clientel there is challenging (in a good way) and usually very generous with gratiuties. They also give me a membership to the center to take any class (yoga, pilates etc.) and one massage or facial a month. So though I make considerably less working there, for me it is a fairly good trade off as I don't have to do any scheduling, marketing, or lug my table and supplies around. Oh yes, and no LAUNDRY there either :)

I do feel in this profession as with most others, it is fair that pay is in line with education and experience. I am not the therapist I was 10 years ago and I wouldn't expect to be paid what I am now as a new graduate. What that wage is will be largly determined by geography and demographics. Comparisons can only be made with like populations/income/cost of living levels.
So, there ya go. Hope it helps, let us know when and where your article comes out. Gotta go do laundry........

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Permalink Reply by Gerry Bunnell on October 25, 2009 at 5:58am

5 years or so ago I read on one of the career sites that the mean earnings of a massage therapist was around $55,000.00 a year. I wondered to myself what market they were taking their info from. That meant there were at least 30% of therapists making more than that, and to this day I can not conceive how any single therapist can make that amount of money unless they are a spa owner with other therapists working for them. The numbers just don't add up in my calculator.

Given the wages I am seening listed here, I am even more convinced that mean earnings I found was hype, most likely put out by a massage school. It could have been the way they surveyed. If they ask a therapist how much they make an hour, and then factor that into a 40 hour work week, I can see where they got that figure. We all know here that therapists do not work 40 hours/week doing back to back massages. If they did, they would be burnt in a couple of weeks, I don't care how good of shape they are in.

I am currently shocked at how little MTs earn compared to other therapists in the healthcare field. For a very long time I was put out by the attitudes so many had of MTs being in the same category as hair stylists. No offence to hair stylists, but I feel MTs provide a greater therapeutic service and we assume greater risks in our work and should be compensated and given the respect that is accorded to the work we do.

I feel self esteem is a huge issue in our industry, but something that is not openly discussed. Hmmmm, sorry for my rambling folks, but I think I just hit on a new forum topic. Thanks for this string Gloria, great questions.

Peace

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