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Is it a good idea to go into private practice without field experience?

ok. so here is the question. I am a massage therapy student. I will be graduating in september. Two of my classmates want me to join them in renting a commercial property right after we are all certified. I find the thought of this exciting and the possibilities are endless but I am hesitant because part of me feels that I need field experience and a true mentor to work under in a professional setting before going on to any personal endeavors...the other part of me feels that it would be a great idea to take a leap of faith and have a go at being a business owner.... any advise that can be offered up regarding this matter would be much apreciated!!!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on April 28, 2011 at 8:25pm

If Sept. comes, you are all still together on it... go for it. Confidence is half the battle. You can do anything, if you plan, work and don't quit!

Permalink Reply by christina on April 28, 2011 at 8:29pm

that is an awesome outlook! thank you for the boost of confidence...

Permalink Reply by Frank J on April 29, 2011 at 10:35am

in my professional opinion i would say it isnt wise to do so.

1. If you do I would keep another job to have a for sure income because there are some established therapists who have some ups and downs.

2. It depends on how the space would be shared and how much it would costs to start and operate a. will there be one, two or three rooms.

3. Also working for another establishment first also gives you some ideas of things you would like and wouldnt like to do with your own business.

But Law 28 in the book "48 Laws of Power" says "Enter Action with Boldness"

that is just my opinion.

Permalink Reply by Julie Renee Willis on April 29, 2011 at 6:12pm

I agree w/ Mike in that confidence is at LEAST half the battle. How do you feel about your own skills? I assume you will have some sort of "student clinic" towards the end of your schooling, and by then you should be able to recognize how you view your own competency as well as other people's responses to your work. Do you like marketing? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to create and keep a client base? If you feel unsure about all of that, then perhaps working for someone else might be a better option as you build your skills and comfort in this new endeavor! However, some people are more business-minded and naturally like to work for themselves. If you are one of these, then it sounds like you have an awesome opportunity w/ your classmates!!
Best wishes!

Permalink Reply by christina on April 30, 2011 at 6:16pm

thank you Frank and Julie. Your input is most appreciated. I am willing to do whatever it takes to succeed as a massage therapist as this has been a dream of mine for a long time and the universe has gracefully afforded me the opportunity to finally do so! I do think that working for an establishment would be beneficial as it could serve as a great opportunity to see how their business is run, although I must say what I am hesitant about is working for someone who is going to receive sixty percent of every client I have.That sixty percent that would go to the business owner could be put towards a personal business endeavor instead.

I will be starting my student clinics in a few weeks(yay!) I am confident in my skills as a massage therapist because I have been blessed with the best teacher that anyone could ask for! What I am not so confident in is the business/marketing aspect as I am not a left sided thinker.It is a lot to think about and I am looking forward to what will be! Thank you all for you're awesome ideas

Permalink Reply by Daniel Lopes on May 1, 2011 at 4:58am

Christina,

I am graduating in 17 days. I have contemplated the same thing, but after looking into it I decided against it. Let me give you my reasons I will not do this at this time. First was the cost of rent and utilities. I know that to start up a business you should have 6 months worth of rent and utilities, and overhead, in a account to pay the bills while you try to get started. I had the money but my prospective partners did not. Therefore, If we did this I said that "they would be working for me". They were not willing to do so and I was not that interested in becoming a solo business owner at this time. I also felt that getting the experience working at a spa, to glean ideas how I want to do things on my own, could be very valuable. I am going that route for now. If these issues are not a problem for you, then by all means "Go for it". What ever you decide, I wish you the best of luck.

Permalink Reply by christina on May 1, 2011 at 9:11am

Daniel Lopes said:

Christina,

I am graduating in 17 days. I have contemplated the same thing, but after looking into it I decided against it. Let me give you my reasons I will not do this at this time. First was the cost of rent and utilities. I know that to start up a business you should have 6 months worth of rent and utilities, and overhead, in a account to pay the bills while you try to get started. I had the money but my prospective partners did not. Therefore, If we did this I said that "they would be working for me". They were not willing to do so and I was not that interested in becoming a solo business owner at this time. I also felt that getting the experience working at a spa, to glean ideas how I want to do things on my own, could be very valuable. I am going that route for now. If these issues are not a problem for you, then by all means "Go for it". What ever you decide, I wish you the best of luck.

Permalink Reply by christina on May 1, 2011 at 9:18am

Thank you Daniel for your most apreciated insight. I will be graduating in september and the idea of partnering with my classmates is a fairly new idea that we have been tossing around for a short while. I will definetly mention to them the six months of utilities/rent/overhead and see what it brings. That is a sound piece of advise that I was not yet aware of! Thank you again!

christina said:

Daniel Lopes said:
Christina,

I am graduating in 17 days. I have contemplated the same thing, but after looking into it I decided against it. Let me give you my reasons I will not do this at this time. First was the cost of rent and utilities. I know that to start up a business you should have 6 months worth of rent and utilities, and overhead, in a account to pay the bills while you try to get started. I had the money but my prospective partners did not. Therefore, If we did this I said that "they would be working for me". They were not willing to do so and I was not that interested in becoming a solo business owner at this time. I also felt that getting the experience working at a spa, to glean ideas how I want to do things on my own, could be very valuable. I am going that route for now. If these issues are not a problem for you, then by all means "Go for it". What ever you decide, I wish you the best of luck.

Permalink Reply by Kim Galliher on July 14, 2011 at 5:23am

I have been back and forth with this same issue. I finally decided to initially work for somone else because my strength lies more in the relaxing spa massage and services. I do not feel confident in my therapeutic or sports massage. Before I open my own place I want to be strong and confident in all areas, so I am going to work for a business that specializes in therapeutic and sports massage. After I have learned what they have to teach me and I feel comfortable in it I will most definitely open my own place. I just want to make sure I have all the right tools in my belt so that I can succeed. I graduate today and start training for my new job next week. All very exciting.

Permalink Reply by christina on July 14, 2011 at 9:58pm

Congratulations!! I too have deceided to work for a small business before I embark on the journey of being a business owner. After much consideration I feel it is best for me to work with and learn from others who are more experienced .My strength lies in therapeutic massage but I want to continue growing and pursuing my therapeutic education. I will continue taking classes and certifications while working for someone else.I think you said it best when you said that you want to have all the right tools in your belt so that you can succeed. Best of luck and wishes for you, and congratulations again!!!

Kim Galliher said:

I have been back and forth with this same issue. I finally decided to initially work for somone else because my strength lies more in the relaxing spa massage and services. I do not feel confident in my therapeutic or sports massage. Before I open my own place I want to be strong and confident in all areas, so I am going to work for a business that specializes in therapeutic and sports massage. After I have learned what they have to teach me and I feel comfortable in it I will most definitely open my own place. I just want to make sure I have all the right tools in my belt so that I can succeed. I graduate today and start training for my new job next week. All very exciting.