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Should I pay chiropractor a cut from my mobile business?

Here's the situation... I currently share an office with a chiropractor who gets a percentage of every massage I do at the office. Recently I have decided to start a mobile massage business to supplement my income and since most of my clients derived from the chiropractors referral, the chiropractor feels that I may be taking away business from the office and that they should get a cut from my mobile massages I do on clients they initially referred (or would most likely have gotten a massage at the office.) Although we do not have a non-compete agreement, I can see where the chiropractor concern that I may be taking clients away from the office.

Regardless, I have come up with the idea of giving a flat rate (say $25) of mobile massage that I provide for clients that they referred. (they wouldn't get a cut from clients I've obtained through my own marketing). I feel I'm backed into a corner, that I need to provide them something or be prepared to part ways which I am not.

I was wondering if anyone out there has been in a similar situation? What are your thoughts on this situation and whats the best resolution?

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Permalink Reply by Stacey Freitag on April 10, 2013 at 11:48am

I think that if the mobile clients are coming from or originated from the chiropractors referral then it would be fair for the chiropractor to expect some form of compensation...maybe $20? Otherwise, be prepared to part ways (which might not be a bad thing...sometimes change can force us to grow). Good luck with whatever you decide.

BTW, can I ask, is it customary for chiro patients to tip? There is a chiro here wanting to hire a LMT for $20/hr. I think that is way way too low if the client doesnt tip and I was under the impression that since its more of a health care environment that the patients would not be inclined to tip.

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Permalink Reply by Qiana Thompson on April 10, 2013 at 12:40pm

Thank you Stacy. I am on the same lines and thinking of compensating the chiropractor a flat rate and not a percentage like I do at the office. I also am thinking of parting ways down the line as well.

As far as your question goes, this is my only experience sharing an office and working with a chiropractor so my experience with clients tipping may be different from others. All of the clients tip me except for those who are receiving massage for the first time (most likely because they don't know much of the tipping etiquette) and those who came in through some sort of promotion like groupon (which I limited to two a week). I also agree with you that $20 is too low of a payment for massage.