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How Do I Start A Thai Massage Business?

Hi all!

I've been with Massage Envy for two years (and they've been very good to me, so please save the ME negativity for another day) , and I'm starting to get very, very bored with my work. I've been learning Thai massage on my own and even purchased a mat for it. I LOVE Thai massage because it's mostly hands-free, but I can't do it at ME because they don't have the space for it.

I would like to switch completely to doing Thai massage, but I don't know how to go about it.

A little background: I've been licensed for 2 and 1/2 years. For the first 6 months I rented a room out of a beauty shop, which was fun because I loved my coworkers, and it was kind of fun running a business, but most of my money went to booth rent and advertising, leaving almost nothing left over.

Granted, it was in a small, rural town where people are still wary of massage therapy but it's made me terrified of starting my own business again.

Plus, now I'm in a metro area where booth rent is much higher, so there's more risk involved.

Has anyone here started a Thai, or otherwise unconventional, massage business and have any advice?

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Cohen on May 11, 2013 at 11:45am

It looks like it is an open market. The only Thai massage I could search out is in Lake Hamilton (Thai-Me). Here in the San Fernando Valley, CA there are about 2 per mile.

My suggestion would be to forgo the rental and go to homes and. get a portable thai mat. Network with women's groups to give talks and presentations on the benefits of Thai Massage.

Good luck,

Dan

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Permalink Reply by Laura Garza on May 17, 2013 at 7:25am

I'm in the DC metro area and have been seeing a lot of out-call Thai Yoga Massage services being offered. As Daniel mentioned, you can look into a portable mat.

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Permalink Reply by Gary W Addis, LMT on May 21, 2013 at 2:58am

Respectfully, Pam, I don't understand why you mentioned ME at all, as that has nothing at all to do with your discussion question about Thai Massage.