11 Years!

A week or so ago marked 11 years for me in business as a massage therapist. Amazing! Time has flown by, and much has changed....and stayed the same. As I sit here, printing more Christmas gift certificates and brochures (and folding them), laundering sheets, checking my e-mails for any updates on appointments from patients, and thinking about my next facebook post to hopefully boost some activity, I realize I still do all the legwork (grunt work I call it) myself - just me and my printer and my old laptop - no fancy big printing company; my phone - no intricate phone system (no "press one to make an appointment"); passing the word about my business or specials via my mouth, my friends' and patients' mouths or a snail mail mailing - no bright and bold advertising or billboards announcing my information; and on and on. Eleven years later it's still basically me serving others because I love and believe in massage so completely. And that's kinda how I prefer it. Before you think I'm crazy, just let me say, I do realize the world has changed around me in the last 11 years. I do know there's internet and paper advertising available; I do know there's people who manage other people's businesses; I do know there's internet programs that allow the patient to schedule their own massages - I know advancement in procedure is out there and available for a price. However, I feel like massage is such a personal service and to incorporate some of those features would cause me to lose some one on one contact with my people. Isn't that, afterall, what "small business" is all about?

As I look back over the past 11 years, I am very thankful and feel much gratitude to be able to do work that I enjoy so much. Not everyone gets that opportunity in their lifetime and I feel very fortunate to be one who does. So Happy Anniversary, Soothing Moments Massage! Here's to many more years of success in assisting others on their journey to healthiness!

... because sometimes life makes you frazzled!