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Kayla Stroud-DuSavage – Specific Health Massage
On keeping it moving: “Specific health massage offers the perfect blend of relaxation and therapeutic benefits for our clients.“
If you’ve ever wondered whether you could make it on your own in the business world, Kayla’s story will inspire you. She shares valuable insights on overcoming the notorious first-year hurdle, pricing strategies that honor your worth, and the magic of word-of-mouth marketing. Learn about the uniqueness of hospice massage, the intricacies of insurance in the industry, and why sometimes silence is golden during a session.
Welcome to another episode of Authentic Business Adventures, where we provide insights and inspiration from real business owners. In this episode, our host, James, sits down with Kayla Stroud-Dusavage, the owner of Specific Health Massage. Kayla shares her journey of starting a small massage therapy business over 2 years ago and offers valuable insights into the world of massage therapy and running a successful business. From transitioning from being an employee to starting her own business, to the challenges and rewards of providing hospice massage, Kayla’s story is filled with practical advice and wisdom. Join us as we explore the nuances of the massage therapy industry, the art of building a successful business website, and much more in this insightful and inspiring episode of Authentic Business Adventures.
Don’t forget, your journey to business triumph is just a play button away. Tune in, get inspired, and let’s turn your business dreams into reality! #BusinessCoaching #Entrepreneurship #MassageEmpire
Enjoy!
Visit Kayla at: https://www.specifichealthmassage.com/
Podcast Overview:
00:00 Business program featuring inspiring business owner stories.
05:38 Location should be recognized, not easily accessible.
06:15 Massage school curriculum varies in length and focus.
10:46 Facial cupping can be done all over.
13:55 Questioning the pain level of cupping massage.
17:56 Challenges of cleaning sheets in sports massage.
20:16 Online and local marketing to reach clients.
22:40 Confidently charging fair price for personal worth.
27:29 Evaluating software for massage and spa businesses.
31:04 Ordering pizza takes longer than expected, understandable.
32:35 New business struggles to gain trust, visibility.
36:25 Massage therapist always finds something to treat.
39:42 Multiple jobs in massage due to workload.
43:16 New clients may have misconceptions about undressing.
47:24 Authentic Business Adventures spotlights business owner experiences.
Podcast Transcription:
James [00:00:01]:
You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link found at draw in customers.com. We are locally underwritten by the Bank of Sun Prairie. Today, we’re welcoming slash preparing to learn from Kayla Stroud Dusavage, the owner of Specific Health Massage. So, Kayla, how is it going today?
Kayla [00:00:27]:
It’s going.
James [00:00:28]:
It’s going? Everybody says that, and I always wonder, like, cool. What’s going on? I think it’s always just, like, It’s good, but then always there’s things going on. So just kind of like that in between. Like It’s such a busy day, but you get to be on a cool podcast. Yeah. So that’s alright.
Kayla [00:00:42]:
Take it.
James [00:00:43]:
So tell us, what is Specific Health Massage?
Kayla [00:00:45]:
Oh, it’s a small massage therapy business. I started about over 2 years ago.
James [00:00:51]:
Okay. Yeah. Alright. And what made you decide to start your own business versus just working for someone else?
Kayla [00:00:56]:
I mean, I’ve been doing massage for over 10 years now, so it just came to a point. I’m like, I think I could do this all on my own, hopefully. Alright? And I’m just like, I’m I just wanna kind of answer to myself and see how things go.
James [00:01:10]:
Alright. And so far, how has it been going? 2 years? You made over the 1st year
Kayla [00:01:14]:
So, yep, that was always my worry making it over that 1st year hump and, like, am I gonna even make it? Because there’s so many other, like, businesses and stuff, and I think that’s most people’s worry.
James [00:01:24]:
Oh, yeah.
Kayla [00:01:24]:
And after yeah. Even after, like, at the 6 month mark, I’m like, oh, okay. We’re good. I got this. We’re good.
James [00:01:30]:
So is it if you versus being an employee Mhmm. Can you make more money doing your own thing?
Kayla [00:01:36]:
I have learned that it is possible to make your own because you have, Like I said, you have more wiggle room. You have, like you control everything so you can increase your prices as to stay, comparable to others. And, so that’s been helpful. Mhmm. So, I mean, it is possible, but there are more expenses you have to account for being on your own as well. Right.
James [00:01:57]:
Yeah. Yeah. It’s not just the hourly rate.
Kayla [00:01:59]:
Yeah.
James [00:02:00]:
And I think a lot of people just take that as a misconception where they start something and think, hey. I’m making, whatever, $20 an hour as an employee, and they’re charging, I don’t know, $100 an hour or something like that. So I could make $100 an hour, and it’s not quite that cut
Kayla [00:02:18]:
to dry. Because, of course, like, any place, like, they already take taxes out for your whatever you’re bringing in. And in this case, like, it might look like I’m getting a 100% of, like, the commission Mhmm. But, of course, I’m still not. No. Because you have to pay your dues like anybody else. But Yeah. Yeah.
James [00:02:35]:
So let’s talk about going from employee to starting your own gig.
Kayla [00:02:39]:
Yep.
James [00:02:40]:
You first started your own gig, did you were you working from home? Did you travel, or did you get your own office?
Kayla [00:02:45]:
I was kind of doing a little bit of everything. I was traveling because I did, hospice massage at the time, so it involved me traveling to patients’ homes and giving them massages. And then I was also working, part of the time at a specific place where I was actually in a room with clients and things like that as well-being an employee.
James [00:03:04]:
Okay. But you didn’t have a lease on a place. No. Did not? No. When did you decide to get a lease on a place?
Kayla [00:03:10]:
It was a couple months Before I actually opened business.
James [00:03:15]:
Okay. So it
Kayla [00:03:16]:
was maybe, like, August of, I think, 2021 ish. And then, a couple ladies I shared my space with refurbished it, made it look all pretty and stuff. And then from a couple months from Beyond there, then we kind of opened up.
James [00:03:30]:
Alright. So the space that you’re in, you share with a few other people then?
Kayla [00:03:33]:
Yep. I share with a hairdresser, and then I actually share with another therapist.
James [00:03:37]:
Oh, nice. Yeah. Okay. So then reduces overhead a little bit.
Kayla [00:03:41]:
Yep. Oh, yeah. So it’s Like,
James [00:03:42]:
quite a bit.
Kayla [00:03:42]:
Oh, yeah. It’s just substantially, and it’s great.
James [00:03:45]:
So So how did it go signing your 1st lease? Because that’s always a big undertaking.
Kayla [00:03:49]:
I mean, I had no problem. I knew, the other therapist I do share a space with. I knew her from previously working with her, so I trusted her. And the other lady is actually her sister, the hairdresser, so I already had some Trust into her.
James [00:04:04]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:04:04]:
So it kinda went smoother than I probably would have expected
James [00:04:08]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:04:08]:
Which made things a whole lot easier. Alright.
James [00:04:11]:
So tell me, you’re working with someone else that is you guys share rooms with different james.
Kayla [00:04:16]:
Yep. So it’s like we we have our place under one general name, And that we each are our own individual per like, business within.
James [00:04:24]:
Got it. Okay. So does that mean the big the broad one is specific health or yours is
Kayla [00:04:30]:
Mine is specifically is.
James [00:04:31]:
Specifically. Alright.
Kayla [00:04:32]:
And then we have a broad yeah. Then just a broad name
James [00:04:35]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:04:36]:
For the business their place itself.
James [00:04:37]:
Alright. Yeah. And I so I’m vaguely familiar with massage. And I get massage with the business of massage. Yeah. That’s why I’m excited to interview you because I’m planning on learning some stuff here.
Kayla [00:04:47]:
Yeah. Definitely.
James [00:04:48]:
Typical massage place, are they expecting walk in traffic, or are they expecting to be found just from an online search or something like that.
Kayla [00:04:56]:
I think it’s I mean, it is some places do take walk ins. It kinda depends on The flow of, like, how many people they already have scheduled and whatnot. But most most of the time, it’s, like, scheduled appointments. Okay. Like online kind of presence there.
James [00:05:10]:
Gotcha. So it’s not necessarily super important to be on main street of whatever city that you’re in.
Kayla [00:05:14]:
I mean, it’s nice, Especially people can see your james.
James [00:05:17]:
Mhmm.
Kayla [00:05:17]:
Because I’ve had a lot of people like, oh, I drove past your business, and I looked it up and Went on from there.
James [00:05:24]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:05:24]:
So it is helpful, but not it’s not, yeah, like, a make or break kind of thing.
James [00:05:28]:
Gotcha. You know, it’s interesting. It reminds me of the rule for storage buildings. They say that you wanna be seen from the highway
Kayla [00:05:38]:
Yeah.
James [00:05:38]:
But you don’t necessarily need to be easy to get to. Because as long as people know where it is and they’re aware of it, then they’re like, oh, that’s the place. Because they’re not going every day. And I guess with the storage place, don’t want them there every day. You don’t want them people taking boats and stuff like that. No.
Kayla [00:05:54]:
Every day. That wouldn’t be good.
James [00:05:56]:
So tell me from a training point of view, Is there just like, hey. One massage training, or are there is it like a martial art where there’s 50,000,000 schools of training?
Kayla [00:06:07]:
I mean, that’s a question I always got a lot when I started. Like, well, do you need to go to school for this? Well, yes. It’s it’s kind of like an like a trade.
James [00:06:15]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:06:15]:
Like a trade Cool. So my schooling was at least about a year. That’s typical for most massage schools. Sometimes it can be slightly shorter, maybe slightly longer. I mean, in most curriculums are the basics of the same thing. Sometimes people go different avenues with it. So some schools are more like spa based. Some so they get very specific and, like, they want you to do your massage kind of in a specific way or incorporate, like, Body scrubs and things like that.
James [00:06:45]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:06:46]:
Some schools are a little bit more clinical, so they do more of that pain management side of things. That’s kinda where my avenue was. And then some schools, again, are just more of a generic. This is the basics of it. Find your way kind of from there.
James [00:06:59]:
Okay. So when you say massage
Kayla [00:07:01]:
Yeah. I’m
James [00:07:01]:
sorry. When you say spa. Yeah. Is that more relaxing type thing?
Kayla [00:07:05]:
In a sense. Yeah.
James [00:07:06]:
Okay. And then the pain management is more I can’t move my arms since I played baseball with my kid kinda thing?
Kayla [00:07:12]:
And, typically, yes.
James [00:07:13]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:07:14]:
It can kind of mix and match throughout, but that’s the kind of the basics of
James [00:07:17]:
Gotcha. Now I see a bunch of add ons, massage places you got, man, I’m going off memory here. There’s, like, hot towel cupping, which I’m not sure what that is, hot stone, and there’s probably a laundry list of other ones.
Kayla [00:07:33]:
So There’s Several things within. Yeah. And a lot of those are things a lot of people have to do extra schooling for or not schooling, but, like, education for.
James [00:07:42]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:07:42]:
Like, continuing education. So, like, yep, cupping is 1, like, hot stones. Sometimes people, yeah, use hot towels. It’s just kind of, like, warm the back up. It just make you feel more relaxed and comfortable. There’s so many, like, modalities and techniques throughout massage. It it’s crazy.
James [00:07:58]:
Alright. So how do you choose which ones or, I guess, which ones do you offer?
Kayla [00:08:03]:
I offer I mean, I offer cupping. I offer hot stones. I do A couple other things is like kinesiology taping
James [00:08:12]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:08:12]:
Which is I can’t even describe. It’s kind of like it’s kind of like an athletic tape, but you can usually place it on any area of the body to help. Sometimes it’s to keep muscle in place to, like, increase mobility, a number of things like that.
James [00:08:28]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:08:29]:
Even getting into I call it blades, but people call it other different specific names.
James [00:08:35]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:08:35]:
And it’s literally like a metal tool that you’ll scrape, like, the muscle of their skin to calibrate breakdown. Yeah. Like, break down scar tissue and Stuff.
James [00:08:42]:
You’re not shaving them or anything. No. It’s
Kayla [00:08:44]:
not like a razor. It’s just like a metal. Yeah.
James [00:08:47]:
A wand or what?
Kayla [00:08:48]:
It looks it’s almost Most like if you have, like, a knife and you were scraping somebody, that’s a terrible but, like, a and you’re yeah. Like I said, you’re scraping, like, the top,
James [00:08:57]:
So if someone comes down with a sore leg or something like that, you’re scraping the top of the leg kind of thing? Yeah. Okay.
Kayla [00:09:02]:
Makes sense.
James [00:09:03]:
I’ve never heard of that. That’s interesting. Okay. And how do you know when you’re done?
Kayla [00:09:08]:
I mean
James [00:09:08]:
I guess I’m not yelling at you.
Kayla [00:09:10]:
They’re in yeah. Like, I’m not yeah. Like, usually, sometimes it is uncomfortable. Okay. Usually, you’ll do it For a short period of time to, like I said, help down usually to help down, like, break down scar tissue, release muscle tension.
James [00:09:24]:
So it’s similar to a foam roller type thing in what it’s doing or something to buy?
Kayla [00:09:28]:
General concept, kind of.
James [00:09:30]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:09:30]:
Yeah.
James [00:09:31]:
Alright. Yep. But okay. When you draw blood, that’s when you
Kayla [00:09:34]:
That’s a little excessive, but yeah.
James [00:09:35]:
Okay. Yeah. So and then cupping. I’ve heard of cupping, but I have no clue what it is. And I’m betting there’s some listeners that don’t take theirs.
Kayla [00:09:45]:
It’s literally kind of depending on what kind of cupping you’re doing, there are other different types. So some of them are, like, plastic cup cups, silicone. There’s even, like, the fire cupping.
James [00:09:55]:
We’re talking like a Cup like a cereal bowl or
Kayla [00:09:58]:
coffee cup. And it’s like
James [00:10:00]:
That shape.
Kayla [00:10:01]:
A little bit of a smaller shape. Yeah.
James [00:10:03]:
Small like, we’re talking in 3 inches in diameter?
Kayla [00:10:06]:
It’s like in a sense. Yeah.
James [00:10:08]:
Okay. Alright. Think of
Kayla [00:10:09]:
a good diameter since Do
James [00:10:10]:
they have handles on them for you?
Kayla [00:10:11]:
Nope. It’s like it’s it’s like a little, like, suction cup kind
James [00:10:14]:
of thing. Okay.
Kayla [00:10:15]:
So, usually, it’s, again, used to help break down scar tissue, release muscle tension. You’re kinda bringing circulation to the area. Alright.
James [00:10:23]:
Does it create a suction, or are you just setting it on there and walking away?
Kayla [00:10:26]:
You’re it’s creating a suction. So a lot of times, you might see people who have giant red circles in different places. That’s kind of the interpretation of cupping.
James [00:10:34]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:10:35]:
I mean, I have a lot of people who really enjoy it. Some people don’t find any benefit to it, which can be common. It depends on the person.
James [00:10:41]:
Alright. Is this a back only thing? Because I feel like gravity would mess with you if you try to do arms
Kayla [00:10:46]:
or something. Usually done Mostly in the back, but you can really use it throughout the body. I mean, they are they’re even smaller, like like, not even an inch size cups that you People do, like, facial cupping as well.
James [00:10:58]:
Holy cow.
Kayla [00:10:59]:
I don’t do that. But
James [00:11:00]:
How do you Yeah. I feel like it’d be tough to even grab on to.
Kayla [00:11:03]:
That yeah. I’ve never tried it, but I it would be tough, I would do.
James [00:11:06]:
Alright. And is cupping I’ve heard of it, but I wanna say that I’ve heard of it relatively recently. Is that a new ish thing or just made its way here from
Kayla [00:11:15]:
I think it’s
James [00:11:16]:
China or wherever.
Kayla [00:11:17]:
Been around. I think it’s becoming more Noticeable to people Okay. Know that they’ve learned the benefits in of it like anything else. But, I mean, I use it a lot of times, and it feels great.
James [00:11:29]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:11:29]:
I mean, I even have cups that I just got new a new tool, cupset vibrate as well. So it gives, like, a downloadable benefit of Really? Yeah. I use them, but I have them To use eventually.
James [00:11:42]:
Gotcha. So you put a cup on someone. Yep. Is the vibration tool part of the cup?
Kayla [00:11:48]:
It’s like it’s like almost like a little battery with inside the cup, and, like, you can turn it on, and it gives certain intensities.
James [00:11:55]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:11:55]:
And usually cups you leave on, Everyone’s different. I usually anywhere from it’s a very 3 to 10 minutes, 5 to 10 minutes.
James [00:12:02]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:12:02]:
Kinda depending on somebody’s comfort level with it.
James [00:12:06]:
So if you had just put cups on someone
Kayla [00:12:08]:
Yeah.
James [00:12:09]:
And somebody else walks in the room, how many cups are they gonna see on Person’s back.
Kayla [00:12:14]:
Everyone’s different. It kinda depends.
James [00:12:17]:
3 or 500?
Kayla [00:12:18]:
I wouldn’t say 500. Usually, I’ll put anywhere. If I’m just generally doing someone’s whole back and, like, shoulders and stuff, it’s maybe maybe 10
James [00:12:26]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:12:27]:
Somewhere around there.
James [00:12:28]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:12:28]:
I usually try to, like, make it even on Both sides so it looks symmetrical.
James [00:12:32]:
Okay. Because
Kayla [00:12:33]:
it is yeah. But
James [00:12:35]:
So people won’t get mistaken for having chicken pox or something like that. Okay. Tell me, when you are doing the massage Mhmm. Sorry. Let’s just dig into the cup a little bit more. Yeah. I’ve had massages, that were relaxing.
Kayla [00:12:49]:
Yeah.
James [00:12:49]:
And then you have some where I feel like the massage person wanted to
Kayla [00:12:53]:
Like
James [00:12:54]:
take a chair, like a WrestleMania kinda thing. Right? Like, they’re just, like, off the ropes. Right? The elbow. So cupping thing, is that a relaxing thing, or is that to solve a problem, physical ailment kind of thing.
Kayla [00:13:06]:
I mean, some people do find it relaxing. It kind of all depends on, I think, what type of cup I could be using. Okay.
James [00:13:12]:
Like
Kayla [00:13:13]:
I said, sometimes the silicone ones aren’t as intense. And then I have another one that is literally like a suction. I place it on, and I suction the air kind of through it.
James [00:13:21]:
Oh, is this a syringe type thing?
Kayla [00:13:22]:
Well, it’s like a little, like, suction gun.
James [00:13:25]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:13:25]:
And sometimes that can get even more intense because I control how How much of it is kind of Oh. Vacuumed?
James [00:13:31]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:13:31]:
So sometimes that’s not always comfortable.
James [00:13:33]:
But tip well last time. So we’re just Yeah.
Kayla [00:13:37]:
But it’s kind of an in between. I mean, it is comfortable, but you’re gonna feel that pressure as well.
James [00:13:41]:
Alright. So it’s kind
Kayla [00:13:42]:
of yeah.
James [00:13:43]:
Alright. So is the idea after that happens, You get up, you’re leaving. Sometimes you’re you gotta go to your car. I imagine to drive home. It’s interesting because after a relaxing massage, sometimes I gotta take a moment. You’d like
Kayla [00:13:54]:
to say. Yeah.
James [00:13:55]:
Let’s shift into reality here before I try to move a 4,000 pound bullet, down the road. Right? So but there’s other times when you get that off the ropes type massage person where you’re like, I’m in pain. After the cupping thing, is that a hurts so good kinda pain thing, or is that more relaxing?
Kayla [00:14:16]:
I mean, I think there is a slight discomfort. Again, I think it kind of depends on the person.
James [00:14:21]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:14:21]:
But, usually, it’s nothing like yeah. They’ve been, like, elbowed through the whole massage kinda thing.
James [00:14:26]:
Gotcha. Yeah. Alright. We were talking a little bit before we started
Kayla [00:14:29]:
Yeah.
James [00:14:29]:
About how therapists use different parts of their body. And I guess I was naive. I mean, 1, I’m laying on my face, So I don’t know what they’re using, but I always assumed it was their hands. But they’re getting in there with all kinds of elbows and
Kayla [00:14:44]:
We use we use any sort of tools We got. That’s why sometimes we’ll use the cupping or we’ll use, like, the blades or things like that to save on our hands because this is How we make money.
James [00:14:56]:
That so it’s so interesting you say that because somebody I’m trying to think who I was talking to about this, but I was thinking there’s no way that a massage therapist is doing a massage for 40 hours a week. Your hands would
Kayla [00:15:08]:
fall off. Yeah.
James [00:15:10]:
But then so when you’re using other body parts, I imagine you can do more, but how many massages are you doing in a day? A typical day where you’re not at the end of the day going like, oh. I was pumped.
Kayla [00:15:22]:
I mean, it’s again, it’s sometimes always somebody’s preference. I’ve I’ve had people tell me they do 8 in a day, which
James [00:15:28]:
How many do you do?
Kayla [00:15:30]:
For me, I usually do anywhere from 4 to 5. Sometimes depending on the length of the massage.
James [00:15:35]:
Holy cow.
Kayla [00:15:36]:
But it varies.
James [00:15:36]:
Alright. That sounds like it’s a workout in itself.
Kayla [00:15:39]:
It is.
James [00:15:40]:
Okay. Yeah.
Kayla [00:15:42]:
Oh, yeah. Especially if it’s
James [00:15:43]:
beer cans with your fingertips
Kayla [00:15:45]:
Especially if it’s all, like, deep tissue massages in a day. Yeah. So I’ve learned early on where my limitation lies if I wanna continue to keep doing this For x amount of years out.
James [00:15:55]:
Alright. Yeah. Alright. Tell me the difference between or what is the opposite of deep tissue and shallow tissue? Or
Kayla [00:16:02]:
Just like a Swedish massage is kind of usually kind of like a basic, more so relaxing massage. Okay. Can’t get deeper with it, but
James [00:16:11]:
the
Kayla [00:16:11]:
deep tissue is, like, working there a little deeper, working more specifically on areas there.
James [00:16:16]:
Gotcha. So when you are massaging someone Mhmm. How do you find the areas where you’re like, oh, that needs help? Are you just practice. Just is it I feel like it’s mechanics field. I used to be a mechanic, and so you can just tell like
Kayla [00:16:30]:
that. Yeah.
James [00:16:30]:
You know? There’s a good 49, £50 of torque right there. Perfect.
Kayla [00:16:34]:
A good ex yeah. That’s a great example. Like, like I said, I people usually ask, like, oh, like, how do you can you feel that? I’m like, years of practice. I didn’t just say magic. But years of years of practice, I mean, you can tell when an area feels tight or if there’s, like, And not going on or, like, the trigger point, and it’s just knowing what I’m looking for in a sense too.
James [00:16:55]:
Got it. Alright. So tell me you wanna start your massage business. I imagine the place that you worked at before had a table and sheets, towels, cups, stuff like that. Now you gotta buy all that stuff for yourself. Yep. How big of a an expense was that? Was that just few $1,000, or was that like, holy cow, we got a mortgage of the house?
Kayla [00:17:15]:
I would say it was probably maybe only a few $1,000.
James [00:17:17]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:17:18]:
The The other lady that was in the space, the hairdresser, actually bought the table me and the other lady used. So that was already a huge expense off Of our shoulders. Okay. Because it’s one of those, like, nice, like, mechanical ones. So I
James [00:17:31]:
didn’t even know what they I just figured, like, it’s a table. How how elaborate do they get?
Kayla [00:17:36]:
They can get pretty elaborate. Some of them like I said, this one, you step on a paddle and it goes up or down. Oh. Sometimes, like, the head of it can come up to accommodate for, like, Like, older people who can’t just sit flat on their back or lay flat on their backs.
James [00:17:47]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:17:48]:
Some of the basics is just, like like, nuts and bolts, and you just, like, higher or lower the table that Way on, like, all 4 sides.
James [00:17:54]:
Alright. It’s
Kayla [00:17:55]:
like being pretty elaborate.
James [00:17:56]:
Gotcha. Tell me one of the things that I find interesting about any business. Right? There’s always some quirk where you’re just like, How do you solve that? There’s a guy that I used to coach that did massage sports massage specifically, and he was talking about the challenge of just going through and cleaning the sheets every day. Because you’re doing 4 or 5 massages, whatever. You gotta clean the sheets every time. That means you get essentially a set of linens, 5 sets of linens, whatever, that you have to wash every single day. And what he was doing was he was bringing that home, washing it and then bringing it back, and it seemed kinda tedious. Yeah.
James [00:18:32]:
So do most places have washer and dryer on-site?
Kayla [00:18:36]:
Some places do.
James [00:18:37]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:18:37]:
A lot especially, yeah, if you’re, like, with an employer, they usually either have it on-site or they have somebody come get the linens for them.
James [00:18:44]:
Oh, like another service.
Kayla [00:18:45]:
Yeah. Like another service.
James [00:18:46]:
Oh, gotcha. I know a lot
Kayla [00:18:47]:
of just, like, independent people who, like, hire just a service, and they just come pick up their laundry and wash for them and bring it back. I Go home and wash it myself.
James [00:18:55]:
Okay. You do the james.
Kayla [00:18:56]:
Okay. Yep.
James [00:18:58]:
So someone’s like, hey. I want hot towels. You’re like, oh, man. It’s What? You know, it’s interesting, though, the hot towel thing Mhmm. Just to go on a little tangent that way. I didn’t know what that was for, but it worked out. I got it once. I don’t know.
James [00:19:12]:
I think the massage therapist was late or something like that. So, like, free hot towels. I was like, okay. Whatever. But it actually worked out well because the massage I got was in the middle of the day.
Kayla [00:19:20]:
Mhmm.
James [00:19:20]:
And when you get a massage, I guess, you know, you’re oily Yeah. The rest of the day. But the hot towels, I can actually put my to turn back on without oil just being everywhere.
Kayla [00:19:31]:
Yeah.
James [00:19:31]:
So it actually worked out pretty well. It felt good too, but I was like, oh, that’s a crazy benefit that I would have never thought about, which is interesting. Yeah. Let’s talk about marketing.
Kayla [00:19:41]:
Yeah.
James [00:19:42]:
You get on your own or when you’re an employee Yep. The I imagine the people just come. Right? Because they’re you’re an employee, so they’re just like, hey.
Kayla [00:19:49]:
Place doesn’t
James [00:19:50]:
really matter. Betty here. Whatever.
Kayla [00:19:52]:
Yeah.
James [00:19:52]:
Now you got your own place. You got your shingle hung out there, and you have to get clients
Kayla [00:19:56]:
to come
James [00:19:57]:
to you.
Kayla [00:19:57]:
Yep.
James [00:19:58]:
So did clients follow you from your other places, or did you have to market?
Kayla [00:20:02]:
I had a couple people follow me after I told them what I where I was, what I was doing, and stuff like that. But, otherwise, a lot of it was, yeah, marketing.
James [00:20:11]:
Okay. So tell me what marketing have you done, and what has worked out the best?
Kayla [00:20:16]:
I mean, a lot of the marketing what a lot of it was, like, Posting on, like, posting online, like, this is where I’m at. This is what I’m doing, things like that. Just Going around to people in the area and letting them know I’m here. That’s usually the biggest one.
James [00:20:30]:
Knocking on doors kinda thing?
Kayla [00:20:32]:
Businesses usually. I already knew a few couple local people who I Think would benefit being not in partnership, but work together well with. Okay. Letting them know what I did as well. Again, the ladies I already shared the space with, they kind of told people as well. Alright.
James [00:20:49]:
Lot of
Kayla [00:20:49]:
it was just general word-of-mouth the most.
James [00:20:51]:
Okay. Is that Did it work?
Kayla [00:20:53]:
Yeah. Pretty well.
James [00:20:55]:
So and you are you’re 1 person show, so no employees yet. Is the idea to get employees, or is the idea to maintain where you’re
Kayla [00:21:03]:
Maintain where I’m at.
James [00:21:04]:
I told you know, it’s so interesting because 10 years ago, I would have said, you are crazy, but now I’m like, you know, I kinda get it. Employees are paid. Such a pain.
Kayla [00:21:16]:
I still get that from people. Like, do you plan on, like, you’re so busy? I’m like, No.
James [00:21:21]:
Yeah. So that means that there’s, essentially a cap because there’s only so many hours in a day. Yeah. So many massages you can do in a day. So, you know, hey. X number of massages times what we can charge for a massage.
Kayla [00:21:33]:
Yeah.
James [00:21:34]:
So whatever. Tell me a story about pricing. You don’t have to tell me what the prices are that you deal with, but I hear from I’ll take my mother-in-law. Not recently, but years ago, she would always always talk about Groupon’s
Kayla [00:21:52]:
Mhmm.
James [00:21:52]:
And how she was just chasing the deal. Yeah. Chase the deal, 0 loyalty. And I looked on Groupon, and I was she’s like, you get a massage for $20 or something like that. And I was thinking there’s no way that massage therapist is making money off of that. There’s no way. No way. Mhmm.
James [00:22:09]:
So tell me a story about the Groupons, or I imagine there’s other websites like that. Yeah. And that whole battle and then how you figure out what you’re gonna price in relation to how people value it kind of thing.
Kayla [00:22:22]:
Yeah. I mean, everyone prices differently. Sometimes it’s Based off years of experience, sometimes it’s what they offer. A lot of times, I know my prices are based off of trying to be comparable to Others in the area. Mhmm. So not being terribly high without being terribly low and, like, devaluing myself.
James [00:22:39]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:22:40]:
So when, I mean, when I got into everything, I already knew, like, I’m not gonna devalue myself. I’m not gonna if I have an opening for me personally, I’m not gonna discount it because I know what I’m worth. Mhmm. I never I’ve never done, like, the whole Groupon thing or anything like that. I just kind of set this is what my price is. Throughout the last 2 years, I have increased Slightly because I’ve been on the lower end.
James [00:23:01]:
Mhmm.
Kayla [00:23:03]:
But I just kinda knew, yeah, knew what my value was worth, know where I would like to be at, how I want it to be, and Kinda set it from there and Alright. Hold on.
James [00:23:11]:
And it’s worked out well, so that’s cool.
Kayla [00:23:13]:
Yeah.
James [00:23:14]:
Tell me about accepting payments.
Kayla [00:23:15]:
Yeah.
James [00:23:16]:
Because It’s so interesting. When I was a kid, cash was a lot more of a thing.
Kayla [00:23:21]:
Mhmm.
James [00:23:21]:
Now people are leaning away from cash. I even have met people, friends of mine that laughed at me for carrying cash, which I thought was the most bizarre thing in the world. They’re like, you actually have a wallet. You carry cash? Like, 1 1 guy, he literally just walked around with 1 credit card. And then another guy had, 0 credit cards. He had every everything on his phone. And I was like, wait a second.
Kayla [00:23:46]:
I don’t trust that.
James [00:23:47]:
Like, if that dies like it seems like a lot that you’re putting on that one device Yeah. That’s got a lot of moving parts, very small moving parts, but moving parts that can go wrong with cash. It’s just is cash. Yeah. Just a piece of paper. Let’s make magic happen kind of thing. Yeah. So knowing that, there’s an expense to accepting any type of payment beyond cash.
James [00:24:08]:
Cash is free to accept. Yeah. Or credit card, there’s a charge. Yeah. Check that’s Whatever.
Kayla [00:24:14]:
You never know.
James [00:24:15]:
Flintstones era, you gotta take that.
Kayla [00:24:16]:
I mean, I yeah.
James [00:24:18]:
I mean, so how do you accept payment, and how have you dealt with the extra expense of processing credit cards, and stuff like that.
Kayla [00:24:25]:
I I haven’t really dealt with the expensive processing credit cards. It really I haven’t noticed a huge Difference with it?
James [00:24:32]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:24:34]:
I mean, I still accept cash, check, card, all of it. And I have some people like, well, why do you accept, Like cash or check and stuff. I’m like, until I have an issue
James [00:24:43]:
Mhmm.
Kayla [00:24:44]:
I’m gonna do it.
James [00:24:45]:
I don’t see why you wouldn’t accept cash. Cash
Kayla [00:24:48]:
I mean and I have a lot of people who will pay me in cash or tip me in cash so I don’t have to run that extra expense on a card. Yeah. And they’re like, be honest with me. I’m like, I’m, I’ll be honest. I will prefer these 2
James [00:24:59]:
Right.
Kayla [00:24:59]:
Options.
James [00:24:59]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:25:00]:
And, I mean, a fair portion of my people pay in check or cash.
James [00:25:04]:
Yeah. That’s cool. That’s cool. Yeah. Because credit card, you’re talking 3 to 4%
Kayla [00:25:07]:
Yeah.
James [00:25:08]:
Processing, which that’s a big nut when you think about over the course of a month or a year. That’s
Kayla [00:25:13]:
Until I really noticed a huge difference, then I know some people accommodate for, like, well, if you pay with card, it’s gonna be x amount of dollars over.
James [00:25:21]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:25:21]:
But I haven’t really looked at the numbers or crunched them to see how bad of a it was dipping into things, but it could change. But right now
James [00:25:29]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:25:29]:
Not an issue.
James [00:25:30]:
Tell me how you figure out your schedule. Yeah. Because I imagine most people want to get a massage nights and weekends. I imagine when they’re not at work.
Kayla [00:25:39]:
Most But
James [00:25:40]:
that means that you’re having to work nights and weekends. Correct me if I’m wrong here.
Kayla [00:25:44]:
I don’t know.
James [00:25:45]:
So is that a challenge just from being a person that wants to, I don’t know, maybe hang out with people that don’t work nights and weekends. So tell me how that works with just your lifestyle.
Kayla [00:25:55]:
With yeah. I mean, I I’ll admit to anybody, like, I’m not a morning person. So, I mean, I will work mornings and vacation, but usually, most of my hours are set more, like, later in the day Into the evening and, like, every other weekends.
James [00:26:08]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:26:09]:
Because I like accommodating for those people who are after work and Need to get a massage or different things like that.
James [00:26:16]:
Mhmm.
Kayla [00:26:17]:
Doesn’t bother me none. I mean, if somebody wants to do something at night one day, I just try to make sure I Schedule off early in advance and
James [00:26:24]:
Gotcha.
Kayla [00:26:25]:
Kinda go from there.
James [00:26:25]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:26:27]:
But I I mean, I do work some mornings. Oh, yeah. Usually weekends and stuff. Yeah. I’m not cut myself Completely. But I mean and it’s not an issue, but it seems to be, like, middle of the day evening is when most people are wanting Thing.
James [00:26:39]:
Gotcha. Fair. Totally fair. Tell me about scheduling.
Kayla [00:26:43]:
Yeah.
James [00:26:43]:
Because there’s I think of how did Companies do this, massage or hair or anything where you have people scheduling stuff, but they’re changing their schedules all the time. Because, hey. My kid is sick or
Kayla [00:26:56]:
And it happens.
James [00:26:57]:
I got stuck in traffic kind of thing. Where before, it was probably just a I don’t know what those huge calendars on a desk kind of thing. We’re now with software, but there’s 50,000,000 different choices for software to figure out how to schedule online and make it easy for people. Do you have software for scheduling? Mhmm. Okay.
Kayla [00:27:13]:
And there are many options too.
James [00:27:15]:
How did you decide which one to go with?
Kayla [00:27:17]:
I kind of asked the opinion of one In person that I trusted and what they used and looked it up and looked good and kinda went from there.
James [00:27:24]:
Okay. That was it. Okay. We’re good.
Kayla [00:27:25]:
And it worked. And it was it being a reasonably priced program as well.
James [00:27:29]:
Okay. That’s you know, it’s interesting because we have we answer phones for a few, people that do massage and spa and stuff like that. And The different softwares that they use. Software? Software? Yeah. I look and you see, like, what is the monthly nut that they’re paying for that. And then good or bad, where how user friendly is it for the people on our end, and then how user friendly is it for the people to just go into the website
Kayla [00:27:58]:
Mhmm.
James [00:27:58]:
Or an app or something like that. It’s very interesting. I’m like, man, some of these things are just inferior products at a higher cost, and they’re still in business because maybe people got them. And at the time, they were really good, and it’s such a pain to change.
Kayla [00:28:15]:
And it happens. I know a lot of people. Yeah. They went into a program using it. And after years of either they’d Growth just didn’t work for them anymore, so they switched or just it wasn’t functioning how they thought
James [00:28:27]:
and
Kayla [00:28:27]:
changed over. And So, I mean, it’s not an easy process, but a lot of people do it.
James [00:28:32]:
Yeah. We had 1 client that switched, I don’t know, a year or 2 ago or something like that. And I think she saved I wanna say $5 a user. So it’s probably, neighborhood of $50 a month. That’s big. But It was such a terrible user interface on the new stuff that my crew was like, this is costing them more in time. Mhmm. Time on the phone because to find if somebody’s like, hey, you wanna add this or change that, whatever.
James [00:28:57]:
It was such a terrible interface. It’s like, well, We just have to adapt, man. That’s that’s our job.
Kayla [00:29:04]:
And we have some people who don’t like using it at all, and I still get people who call me or text me and
James [00:29:09]:
Mhmm.
Kayla [00:29:09]:
Schedule from there and just Interface with me most of the time.
James [00:29:13]:
Alright. That’s fair. That’s totally fair. That
Kayla [00:29:14]:
works too.
James [00:29:15]:
You know, you were it reminds me of pizza ordering. Yeah. I so I had a group of kids. My kids got a birthday party. There’s 10 kids I have to order pizza for. And I tried to call the pizza place because I’m old school and just wanna call Yeah. Say, what are your specials? Find something, move on with my life. Yeah.
James [00:29:35]:
But It was just his voice prompt that said go to the website, whatever, and save 10% or something like that. So, anyways, go to the website. You gotta create an account. Yeah. And then I didn’t know that there are so many choices for pizza. Holy cow. I was on my phone, I swear to god, 20 minutes. And then because I don’t know what I clicked, but apparently, the Internet had to take a little shift.
James [00:29:58]:
So then it’s like someone will reach out to you shortly. And so I got a phone call from somebody in India. I was like, hey. We just gotta clarify whatever blah blah blah blah blah. And then they’re like, it’s not working. All I’m trying to do is order pizza. Three pizzas. That’s all I’m trying to order.
James [00:30:14]:
Oh. And we’re at a park, and my wife is like, What is going on? And I’m like, it’s kind of entertaining. Normally, I would just hang up and just find somewhere else. Okay? But this is so entertaining, and the kids are playing, so I’m not really needed there. I just wanna see where this goes.
Kayla [00:30:33]:
I just gotta keep
James [00:30:34]:
So, eventually, this this person that was calling me from India Mhmm. Decides I should talk to the local shop. So they send me to the local shop. I talked to the pimply faced kid there, and they’re like, I can see your order, but it’s something’s not right about it. It’s like, what does it take for this to happen? And so I talked with that guy for about 5 minutes. And then I’m like, I said give him the address, and he’s like, oh, I set this up for pickup. And I’m like, stop right there, man. I’ll pick it up.
James [00:31:04]:
It’s gonna be faster for me to pick it up then to start over. That’s 40 minutes 40 minutes total to order a few pizzas. This is national chain, probably worth 1,000,000,000 of dollars on the Nasdaq, whatever. It’s one of those things where I’m like, man, I feel like it would have been so So much easier just to have a person answer the phone and be, like, what do you want from the start? So I get that. But on the flip side, you’re also often giving massages where you can’t basically answer phones. So Pretty much. I get it. It’s just interesting conundrum, I guess, as far as that goes.
James [00:31:38]:
It’s the same
Kayla [00:31:38]:
with, like, gift certificates. You can buy them online. Mhmm. But then sometimes I have people that are like, I want a paper copy. I wanna see your face. You hand it to me So I know Oh. It’ll work kind of thing, or I know it’s, like, legit.
James [00:31:50]:
Oh, so you sell digital gift certificates?
Kayla [00:31:52]:
Yeah. I do now. It’s been the last several couple months or so.
James [00:31:55]:
When they give those as a gift, what if they just give them empty box?
Kayla [00:31:58]:
Like, it’s
James [00:31:59]:
as good as cash.
Kayla [00:31:59]:
That’s why some people like actual, like, holding in their hand, and I get it. It’s like the same idea as cash. I would rather Carry have cash in my hand and hand.
James [00:32:07]:
Which I bet you like that too because you’re like, hey. You’re gonna lose that thing. It’s all good.
Kayla [00:32:11]:
Alright. I mean, I keep track of everything very well. So
James [00:32:14]:
Gotcha.
Kayla [00:32:14]:
If something happens, I still have a record of it.
James [00:32:16]:
Alright. Fair. Totally fair. Yeah. Tell me, what have been some of the biggest challenges you had to deal with in the past couple years since you started.
Kayla [00:32:23]:
I mean, definitely just getting in business. That’s like anybody. I mean, as much as I could give Have people give word-of-mouth or things like that. Like, you never know where people are coming from particularly.
James [00:32:35]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:32:35]:
That’s always I mean, I’ve had several days starting out where I would just sit in the office and be like, okay. What else can I do to get the word out, to get people to know where I’m at, Or to even trust me? Because, I mean, there are so many other great businesses in the area. When you’re just coming in brand new, people aren’t just gonna come in if they see you have No, like, star rating anywhere. Like Alright. Let me test this out. Mhmm. That’s usually the biggest thing.
James [00:33:02]:
Okay. Tell me about reviews.
Kayla [00:33:06]:
Yeah.
James [00:33:06]:
Because reviews are a big thing.
Kayla [00:33:09]:
Mhmm.
James [00:33:09]:
I mean, people trust, I don’t know. Bots or people they don’t even know in this little 5 star review thing. Right? I have no idea if that’s a real star review behind that thing, but I still trust it even more than my friend that I’ve known for decades.
Kayla [00:33:22]:
Yeah.
James [00:33:23]:
So and I imagine that sooner or later, everyone gets a bad review. Yeah. So how do you deal with that? Or how do you even convince people to leave a positive review? Like, everything’s cool. You’re happy. We leave positive review, and they’re like, ugh. I can’t find 10 seconds in my life to do that. So which is challenging because Yeah. They’re not business owners.
James [00:33:41]:
They don’t know. So how do you solve or figure out that problem?
Kayla [00:33:45]:
Try to get people. I mean, either way, it’s tough. I mean, a lot of times, like any business, I think you’re not gonna tell somebody specifically to their face like That was terrible. Usually, it’ll
James [00:33:58]:
come in.
Kayla [00:34:00]:
It would have to be pretty bad in that case. I mean, a lot of times, I think it’s Just people are just like, oh, yeah. I had a great experience. Maybe I’ll go write a review. Or sometimes I’ll, like, ask people, like, let other people know you had a great experience. Sometimes I’ll do, like if you write a review, we’ll enter a drawing to win a gift certificate or give, like, an incentive almost.
James [00:34:22]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:34:23]:
I’m like, once in a great occasion, I’ll do that. But sometimes it’s just people just willy nilly feel the need to tell people.
James [00:34:30]:
Okay. Alright. And
Kayla [00:34:31]:
about out of the blue.
James [00:34:32]:
Sure. Tell me about website. I guess, going in that regard. You have a website?
Kayla [00:34:37]:
Yep.
James [00:34:37]:
Alright. And just for fun, tell the crowd what it is.
Kayla [00:34:41]:
Specifichealthmassage.com.
James [00:34:42]:
Well, that’s easy enough. Alright. And so did you build the website, or did you pay someone to build
Kayla [00:34:48]:
I built it. I went I’ve maybe changed my website 3 times, I wanna say.
James [00:34:54]:
In 2 years?
Kayla [00:34:55]:
In a couple I started out with a very basic, like, I need something so people can see something.
James [00:34:59]:
Mhmm.
Kayla [00:35:00]:
Then I actually went into, like, a website, like, builder and built 1. Okay. And then I got input from some People who know more about websites and, like, how to draw people in, got a little bit of their insight, and then kind of revamped it
James [00:35:13]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:35:14]:
As well to hopefully draw People in from, like, certain specific words when looking at massage.
James [00:35:19]:
Gotcha. So it’s been tough from a search engine optimization point of view to get people to find the website, or do they
Kayla [00:35:26]:
Not terribly. Okay. No.
James [00:35:27]:
Alright. Are blogs the thing with massage websites, I imagine?
Kayla [00:35:31]:
Some, yeah. I mean, I have a blog on my website because I was told a good way to, like, keep refreshing it in a sense.
James [00:35:37]:
Content.
Kayla [00:35:38]:
Yeah. I have not written anything on it. I’m not gonna lie. It’s there.
James [00:35:42]:
There’s a link that says blog.
Kayla [00:35:44]:
Like, there’s nothing there, but that’s something I hope to kind of develop throughout the Gotcha. Several months or so.
James [00:35:50]:
Alright. So what have been some of your success stories as far as clients go?
Kayla [00:35:56]:
I mean, a lot of people Coming back with no pain. I mean, that’s usually a big one. So it sounds bad, but sometimes people decreasing the amount of visits they come in, Which, I mean, sounds bad, but in reality, some people come for a specific goal in mind. And when they necessarily don’t need me as much because of their specific, issue has gotten better is kind of always a good sign as well.
James [00:36:20]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:36:22]:
Yeah. That’s kind of
James [00:36:23]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:36:24]:
Usually, always good ones.
James [00:36:25]:
Know, it’s so interesting you say that because the therapist that I go to the massage therapist I go to, she always asked, like, what’s hurting? And I was thinking the last time she asked, never have I ever said, you know what? I don’t hurt at all. It’s so funny because I’m like, there’s always something, but it’s usually different. Yeah. I’m like, oh, I played catch with my kids, so I feel that. Or we went skiing, so I feel it here. Or We went roller skating, so I found out I had some muscles that I didn’t know that I had. Right?
Kayla [00:36:57]:
Yeah. That’s
James [00:36:58]:
Or just something you’re always like, oh, I did this physical thing and that and I don’t know if it’s just being old or dumb or maybe a combination of both. Okay. Sure. But it’s always funny where I’m like, nope. No. I I messed something up. I didn’t do right. And it made me wonder, like, is everybody else just walking around in pain? Maybe they are.
James [00:37:18]:
I don’t know. But
Kayla [00:37:20]:
A number of people.
James [00:37:22]:
Well, I imagine there’s enough massage therapy places around that it’s not just me. No. So
Kayla [00:37:27]:
Oh, no.
James [00:37:28]:
I guess that’s good for you. Yeah.
Kayla [00:37:29]:
Business trade. Everyone comes in for specific reasons. Some people have a goal. Like, I wanna be able to put my arm behind my back. And sometimes that’s a that’s one goal I’ve had with some people, and some people are like, I just wanna lay in bed comfortably for more than 10 minutes, that’s been accomplished with people as well. And sometimes it’s keeping up with that
James [00:37:48]:
Mhmm.
Kayla [00:37:48]:
To make sure we don’t go back to those either bad habits or back That pain you were before
James [00:37:53]:
Gotcha.
Kayla [00:37:53]:
Is sometimes what keeps people coming as well. It’s just not maybe as frequent as a basis.
James [00:37:58]:
Okay. That’s fair. So where do you see the business going in, let’s say, 2 more years?
Kayla [00:38:04]:
I mean, I hope to go into a different space eventually.
James [00:38:08]:
Like, I
Kayla [00:38:08]:
want an actual, like, Building Oh. And have a whole space to myself. I love working with the ladies that are out in the space with. This is a general goal I’ve always had. And then having, like, a rental space on top of that, like an apartment kind of thing.
James [00:38:22]:
Gotcha. Is the idea more that’s just another avenue to bring in revenue or Yep. It’s pride thing because you get your own space kind of thing. Or I
Kayla [00:38:31]:
think it look combination of both.
James [00:38:33]:
Gotcha. Okay. And is that we’re talking within 2 years, or is that
Kayla [00:38:38]:
Maybe, like, 2 to 5, I would say. I mean, I think 2, it’d be a good Goal.
James [00:38:44]:
Mhmm.
Kayla [00:38:44]:
But I haven’t gotten the works of looking up anything or doing anything, so maybe longer.
James [00:38:49]:
Alright. Yeah. I suppose.
Kayla [00:38:50]:
That’s a general that’s a good goal, yeah.
James [00:38:52]:
If you don’t take any actions, it’s probably not likely to happen. So that’s fair. Yeah. That’s totally fair. So the the women that you work with, their schedule I mentioned the other massage therapist. Does her schedule work with your schedule on the software?
Kayla [00:39:07]:
We have, like, separate Softwares and stuff. But we have, like, a set schedule. Like, she works these days and these hours. I work these days and these hours. Oh. Because this is all I do.
James [00:39:17]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:39:18]:
It’s just this, And she works at another full time job, so it’s kind of her side gig.
James [00:39:22]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:39:23]:
So it’s really the only conflicting hours I usually have to work around.
James [00:39:27]:
Interesting. You know, I find that a lot with massage therapists that a lot of them are part time and have other hustles, whether that’s full time job, part time job, or something. And is that because it’s so intense with your hands and muscles type thing? Or, I guess, why is it?
Kayla [00:39:42]:
For most people. Because, I mean, it is kinda hard to work 40 x Hours in a week. That’s what I’ve always done throughout my 10 years is work multiple jobs. It might be either all through massage or different avenues, like doing, like, Hospice massage, which is a little easier on the hands in comparison to, like, deep tissue everyday kind of thing. Mhmm. So that’s something I’ve always done.
James [00:40:01]:
Alright. Tell me about hospice massage. I’ve never heard of that before.
Kayla [00:40:05]:
I mean, the hospice place I was with, I traveled to people’s homes and gave them a massage usually, Whether it be mostly comfort and relaxation because it is a hard time for them Yeah. And family.
James [00:40:18]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:40:18]:
Sometimes it is a little bit to help with another alternative Form of pain. That’s usually the biggest ones there. And usually, it’s done laying in a bed or wherever they’re comfortable or wherever they can sit, stand, kneel, lay, whichever direction.
James [00:40:31]:
So is that something is a onetime thing, or are you going there every week?
Kayla [00:40:36]:
For for the most of the people I I would either go in every week or every other
James [00:40:41]:
week. Okay.
Kayla [00:40:42]:
Kinda depending on how they were feeling because each day is something new for them.
James [00:40:46]:
Sure. Okay. Hospice just seems like one of those things, like, you’re not gonna be here that long. So we’d like, when do you wanna schedule your next appointment
Kayla [00:40:54]:
and the things. Yeah. That’s why
James [00:40:55]:
I don’t mean to be morbid, but in the end, it’s like
Kayla [00:40:58]:
In a way, yeah. But that’s why I always communication with, like, the team I was working with and the family Lay was a key part of knowing too.
James [00:41:04]:
Gotcha. And was it the person in hospice that reached out to you, or was it a family member at the request of
Kayla [00:41:11]:
Usually, it’s a combination of everybody involved. So sometimes whether it’s the nurse that thinks it would be beneficial, Sometimes the patient wants it. Sometimes the family think it’s beneficial. So do anybody, really.
James [00:41:24]:
Alright. Let’s talk we don’t have a ton of time, but I wanna talk about insurance. Yeah. Does insurance typically pay for massage? Or is it
Kayla [00:41:32]:
Typically, no. I think there are some That do.
James [00:41:36]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:41:38]:
In some, I know for me, I don’t do any sort of insurance things. It’s a whole another headache for me.
James [00:41:44]:
Oh my gosh. I can only imagine the paperwork.
Kayla [00:41:47]:
But there are other people that do accept insurance as a form there too.
James [00:41:50]:
Okay. It’s so interesting that they insurance pays for
Kayla [00:41:55]:
Or sometimes it’s a reimbursement thing. Like, you they pay for it, and the insurance reimburses them back. So had that occur.
James [00:42:01]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:42:02]:
Which is easier. Just give them a receipt and they deal from there. Mhmm. But yeah.
James [00:42:07]:
Nice. So there’s one thing that you wanted people to know who let’s just say a couple things. First thing, first, massage experience. What do you want people to know that they may not know when they first come? Like, when they first show up to the door. Because Massage for me, I remember being told about massage and like, wait. What? It was just one of those I couldn’t wrap my head around it. And then you get 1, you’re like, oh, that’s amazing. That’s cool.
James [00:42:33]:
So but I feel like I always joke with this with my, students. When I teach business planning class and they they live business, and they’re the first one. I always think, imagine that you’re the 1st massage therapy place. Right? Like, now there’s Dozens of them, whatever. But imagine you’re the first one and you’re trying to describe what you’re gonna do. Right? You just lay on this bed face down. We’ll dim the lights. Play some soft music.
James [00:43:01]:
Maybe you have some incense burning, and I’ll rub you with oil kind of thing. And people are gonna be like, what? What is something that you want people to know that haven’t experienced massage yet? Just something like insider information kind of thing for
Kayla [00:43:16]:
I mean, the biggest thing I’ve come across with people who are brand new is I mean, I hold I have have a whole spiel for people who never had One, the biggest thing that comes up is some of the clients think I’m gonna stand in their room as they’re undressing, which sounds odd, Or they’re gonna get a robe, which some places you do get a robe. But since we’re in the same room, I’m literally gonna leave the room, Have them undress. Usually, I’ll say down to their comfort level, whatever that may be. Everyone’s different. Get underneath the get underneath the sheets, and usually whatever Body part we are going to work on at that time will be uncovered.
James [00:43:49]:
Gotcha.
Kayla [00:43:50]:
Sometimes people just think it’s, oh, plop on a table on top of it, and you’re not covered kind of thing, which I guess
James [00:43:55]:
At all?
Kayla [00:43:56]:
Yeah. Some people everyone’s interpretation is yeah. And I usually will say do that, and you’ll be like, you’ll be be fully covered until we do your back, and your back will be uncovered, your arm, your arm, your Vice versa, kind of going on from there.
James [00:44:08]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:44:09]:
And usually kind of describe, like, if something is hurting, we need to adjust something, this or that. Tell me. Like, I usually try to leave communication usually for the 1st time for a massage very open.
James [00:44:19]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:44:20]:
And I always tell People I may talk I try not to talk at all during a massage, which is usually typical. But I may talk more during the first one because I wanna Make sure they are comfortable. So ask them, are you comfortable? Do you have any questions throughout? And just kind of leave it, Like, they’re in the driver’s seat of things, so they feel more comfortable throughout the massage.
James [00:44:42]:
You know, you raise an interesting point that I forgot to ask you about, but I appreciate you bringing it up. They’re talking during a massage because I have a very hard time shutting up. I mean, I suppose that’s why we have podcast, whatever, but It’s one of those things where I don’t know how to like, I go there with the sole intention initially of relaxing.
Kayla [00:45:01]:
Yeah.
James [00:45:02]:
And then I’ll just be jabbering and just having a conversation. Yeah. But I wanna be, like, I’m just gonna stop talking now. So you, the person giving the massage Yeah. Are you thinking like, oh, I wonder what’s on TV tonight? Or something like, what’s going through your head?
Kayla [00:45:19]:
Usually I usually try to focus on what’s going on, what I’m finding, And usually, like, why is this area causing this issue kind of thing.
James [00:45:27]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:45:28]:
Usually, if I go into massage, I usually don’t talk. I mean, something as simple as, does this feel okay? Are you in pain? Basic things like that. But if it’s people I’ve seen for x amount of forever, I may not talk at all.
James [00:45:41]:
Alright. But, I
Kayla [00:45:42]:
mean, some people do wanna have a whole conversation during that. And if that’s what they wanna do, That’s fine. That’s how they trust us.
James [00:45:48]:
Mean to at all.
Kayla [00:45:49]:
And most people, I don’t think do. Some people, I noticed, will maybe talk a little bit more. Sometimes they’re feeling uncomfortable for some reason. Oh. Or sometimes they just don’t know how to get comfortable, so then speaking becomes a comfort thing to them.
James [00:46:02]:
Okay.
Kayla [00:46:03]:
It’s kind of a little bit of everything.
James [00:46:05]:
Alright. What do you prefer as the person doing the service, whatever?
Kayla [00:46:10]:
I mean, I don’t mind having a little bit of a conversation because sometimes it’s peep like, how I’ve, like, caught up with people. How’s it going? How are things doing? But then, usually, It is easier to focus if there’s silence.
James [00:46:21]:
Alright.
Kayla [00:46:21]:
But I also understand sometimes silence for me is doesn’t get me into things as well.
James [00:46:28]:
Yeah. It’s so it’s so interesting because I remember leaving the massage, and I was like, I was chatting. Like, it was a conversation, but it was still the whole freaking time, which means that I didn’t relax because you’re just on. Right? Just like you’re in sales, you’re just on. It’s very difficult to shut off. So I’m like, maybe I just need to put tape over my mouth or something like that in order to for or something. I don’t know. Force myself Just to just be quiet.
James [00:46:54]:
To I don’t know what you’re like in business, whatever, but I’m just you’re constantly on.
Kayla [00:46:59]:
Yeah. I
James [00:46:59]:
understand. Difficult to shut it off. Even when you’re laying on the table with the sole intention of relaxing. It is
Kayla [00:47:08]:
so Everyone’s here?
James [00:47:09]:
Yeah. It’s challenging. So interesting. I’ll take care of that, I guess.
Kayla [00:47:14]:
I’m gonna be quiet next time.
James [00:47:15]:
Yeah. Just shut me up. Just tell me to be quiet. Anyways, Kayla, you could share that website one more time.
Kayla [00:47:22]:
It’s specific health massage.com.
James [00:47:24]:
Specific health massage.com. I love it. This has been Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. We are locally underwritten by the Bank of Centuri. If you’re watching or listening to this on the web, if you could do us a huge favor, give us a big old thumbs up. Right? Subscribe. And, of course, share it with your entrepreneurial friends, especially those that are maybe a little uptight and could use a massage. Like this guy.
James [00:47:52]:
Right? My name is James Kademan, and Authentic Business Adventures is brought to you by Callsoncallcom, offering call answering and reception services for service businesses across the country on the web at callsoncallcom, as well as the bold business book, a book for the entrepreneur there in all of us available wherever fine books are sold. We’d like to thank you, our wonderful listeners, as well as our guest, Kayla Stroud Dusavage of Specific health massage. Kayla, the website one more time. I’m just gonna drill it in a couple of seconds here.
Kayla [00:48:22]:
At specific health massage dot com.
James [00:48:24]:
Excellent. Past episodes can be found in morning, noon, and night. The podcast link is called at draw in customers.com. Thank you for listening. We will see you next week. I want you to stay awesome. If you do nothing else, enjoy your business.
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