Part Time or Full Time MT?

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Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on October 13, 2009 at 12:19pm

I work partime as an employee as a LMT. I work 4- 5 hours days. Then I also have my own business that I am building. I have a room in my home set up for massage and I also do outcalls. I am also a CNA and I do still have 1 private client that I see once and sometimes twice a week. I stay pretty busy most of the time.

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Permalink Reply by Marissa on October 13, 2009 at 1:10pm

Full time business owner with a part time schedule. Does that make sense? I've been self employed for 7 years, but do not work full weeks. I decided that I wanted to spend as much time with my little one as possible before she started school full time. I make my own schedule and decide when enough is enough for the week. I took the plunge from corporate to massage in a leap of faith. Head first! I didn't even stop to take a breath before the jump. The day of graduation from massage school was the last day of my "job". Now I have a fulfilling career and family life. Something that is seriously hard to maintain this day in age as you well know, my friend.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on October 14, 2009 at 8:57am

I was a retired travel writer at 45. Laying around in a hot tub in South Padre Island, TX. It got boring after 3 years. I kept building websites and maintaining some for others, still boring. I began getting massage which led me staight back into school in FL. I started my center two weeks before, I graduated. But I never stopped doing websites. I still do.

You are lucky too. You have graphic design to supplement. If your graphic work could be done from home, the transition should be easy. And you really wouldn't have to give up either. Most MT's do it part time. To a degree, it keeps it "special" this way!

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Permalink Reply by Trevor Chisman on October 14, 2009 at 9:28am

Full time in as much as it can be. I could do Monday to Friday 9 to 5 clients.

I have clients 4 days a week, averaging 5 to 8 clients in each day. 2 days are for marketing, Website, promotional stuff, paperwork, getting massage, reading, learning etc.

I gradually eased myself into it many years ago, my first massage course was way back in 1993. Since then I have floated in and out if it supplimenting with other work and sometimes full time. Been full time now for about 6 years and loving it.

For once I really feel in control of my financial and working life. I love being my own boss!

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Permalink Reply by Trevor Chisman on October 14, 2009 at 9:30am

Sorry that should read "couldn't do Monday to Friday 9 to 5 clients"!


Trevor Chisman said:

Full time in as much as it can be. I could do Monday to Friday 9 to 5 clients. I have clients 4 days a week, averaging 5 to 8 clients in each day. 2 days are for marketing, Website, promotional stuff, paperwork, getting massage, reading, learning etc.

I gradually eased myself into it many years ago, my first massage course was way back in 1993. Since then I have floated in and out if it supplimenting with other work and sometimes full time. Been full time now for about 6 years and loving it.

For once I really feel in control of my financial and working life. I love being my own boss!

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on October 14, 2009 at 9:38am

I feel completely out of control of my financial and working life...even with massage supplementing my income. I envy you. Sounds like you worked hard to get there and it paid off!! that's awesome.

Trevor Chisman said:

For once I really feel in control of my financial and working life. I love being my own boss!

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Permalink Reply by Trevor Chisman on October 14, 2009 at 4:22pm

It took a while to get comfortable with it and sometimes it's still hairy.

I was talking with a pal tonight and they are really quiet at the moment, the kids are off school here, but I am really busy just now and we where talking about clients coming in waves.

Sometimes you do have quiet weeks or periods when you look at the diary and it looks like the week ahead is dead then before you know it your fully booked and it works the other way too. Once I got to grips with that is how it is and made sure I had enough hours dedicatd to taking clients as I needed to pay the bills it was fine.

But yes once in a while I still feel like I'm flying by the seat of my pants, but wouldn't have it any other way.

Lisa said:

I feel completely out of control of my financial and working life...even with massage supplementing my income. I envy you. Sounds like you worked hard to get there and it paid off!! that's awesome.
Trevor Chisman said:

For once I really feel in control of my financial and working life. I love being my own boss!

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Jeffrey on October 14, 2009 at 5:31pm

Good advice here Lisa (no not the hot tub) the combining of your 2 skill sets away from coporate work !!!

Mike Hinkle said:

I was a retired travel writer at 45. Laying around in a hot tub in South Padre Island, TX. It got boring after 3 years. I kept building websites and maintaining some for others, still boring. I began getting massage which led me staight back into school in FL. I started my center two weeks before, I graduated. But I never stopped doing websites. I still do.

You are lucky too. You have graphic design to supplement. If your graphic work could be done from home, the transition should be easy. And you really wouldn't have to give up either. Most MT's do it part time. To a degree, it keeps it "special" this way!

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Permalink Reply by Eric Wilson on October 14, 2009 at 9:46pm

they are right on point with having the supplimental income because as someone else said you will see waves somedays you wish you could buy a break then other times you check to see if the phone still works because it hasnt rang
Oh yea I own my clinic and have 4 other therapist that work for and with me I have been a therapist almost 20 years I transitioned in a way I held a first job then massage was my second then I got tired of not seeing my children so I took off the golden hand cuffs of the corprate world and went out on my own. When still working other job I started in a hair salon between 15 and 20 hours a week, when i jumped in full time I was working 3 different places hair salon YMCA and outcall oncall then started in a doctors office from the doctors office I started setting up programs for massage at the YMCA from the build out of treatment rooms, scheduling, marketing, licenses, outfitting rooms, therapist. I found out fast that it was a great thing but can be more stressing then having a JOB...
but like a light bulb it gets brighter the more positive energy you put into it
. I thought I had it all figured out and went out on my own Hmmmmm another smack in reality. but in the last 19+ years it has been a great way of life that allows me to do go where ever I want i n flife there is massage application for it from pediatrics to gereatrics from sedantary to professional sports goodness you can get massage at the new york stock exchange. So loook at it as one of the most exciting ventures in your life


Stephen Jeffrey said:

Good advice here Lisa (no not the hot tub) the combining of your 2 skill sets away from coporate work !!!

Mike Hinkle said:

I was a retired travel writer at 45. Laying around in a hot tub in South Padre Island, TX. It got boring after 3 years. I kept building websites and maintaining some for others, still boring. I began getting massage which led me staight back into school in FL. I started my center two weeks before, I graduated. But I never stopped doing websites. I still do.

You are lucky too. You have graphic design to supplement. If your graphic work could be done from home, the transition should be easy. And you really wouldn't have to give up either. Most MT's do it part time. To a degree, it keeps it "special" this way!

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Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on October 14, 2009 at 9:48pm

Ahhh! The balance of the business.

Trevor Chisman said:

It took a while to get comfortable with it and sometimes it's still hairy.

I was talking with a pal tonight and they are really quiet at the moment, the kids are off school here, but I am really busy just now and we where talking about clients coming in waves.

Sometimes you do have quiet weeks or periods when you look at the diary and it looks like the week ahead is dead then before you know it your fully booked and it works the other way too. Once I got to grips with that is how it is and made sure I had enough hours dedicatd to taking clients as I needed to pay the bills it was fine.

But yes once in a while I still feel like I'm flying by the seat of my pants, but wouldn't have it any other way.

Lisa said:

I feel completely out of control of my financial and working life...even with massage supplementing my income. I envy you. Sounds like you worked hard to get there and it paid off!! that's awesome.
Trevor Chisman said:

For once I really feel in control of my financial and working life. I love being my own boss!

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