Re: Massage Therapy Course...is it a profitable income or worth doing?

newbie2009

Hi there,

I'm 28 and soon hopefully in the next few years my partner & I will settle down and have some child (ren?!).

I work full time and this includes a saturday, althought the moneys fabe the flexibility is not there and maternity pay isn't great nor are any other benifits.

I'm thinking of doing a Holistic Therapy course in body massage. It last for 23 weeks and you can then go on to do aromatherapy and hopi etc as add on's.

Registration is this week and I can't afford it but the receptionist adviced I can pay monthly.

I thought with this I could work at weekends/evenings to gain experience and then if sucsessfull do it when I have a child in the future.

Can anyone tell me if they do this job or have changed career paths and what income you can expect?

Thanks

Don't mind what I do just need more money and more flexibilty...doesn't everyone!

gingernights

hi good luck with the course, i have also done body massage, indian head massage and aromatharpy.
it's a good little earner but to be honest i got sick of it and packed it in, when i went back to work part time i now just sell on ebay and do a little avon to make ends meet, you need to pay out a lot to get your buisness off the ground in advert's these can cost £35 plus in some evening papers and that's just for a night, plus you will need somewhere to rent, (if you arn't doing it at home)
let us know how you get on x

Great_Hairdresser

Hi Newbie
I retrained as a hairdresser (not holistics I know, but bare with me) 8 years ago and have never looked back, but dont think it is the easy ride you think it will be.
You need to gain experience and getting that is HARD WORK, not everyone wants to be a guinnie pig and salon owners are not interested because they want someone to hit the ground running and make them as much money as possible in as quicker time as possible. (I had to do 2 years, being a 1st and 2nd year developer, to gain the speed and confidence to work alone)

I then started my business and worked 12 hour days 5 days a week to gain a name and a reliable client base, only now can I rest on my laurels and have recently reduced my hours to tue- fri 9-5 and every other sat.

Also I was not a bit of a kid doing it I was 26 when retrained with a husband and no children to look after.

Please dont think I am trying to put you off, because I have no regrets, but it has been hard work.

Good LUck xx

newbie2009

Well the more i think about it the more convinced i am. I can't go to university so training to be something else full time is out of the question, at least with this I can or don't have to use it as I keep my main job.

lozza1985

Not much help from me I'm afraid - but I do suffer with bad shoulders, love having a massage but can't afford to go and have them....if someone ever pushed a leaflet or business card through the door then I would definately ring them, so long as they were affordable lol! Just an idea for you to help get you clients...obviously not everyone wants a massage, but I imagine a lot of people would like to but just couldn't afford to have it done. The cheaper I could get a massage for (within reason...to cheap and I'd think you were rubbish lol) the more often I would have one done as for me it would be a regular thing rather than a one of treat......for other people they might only want one every year or something.....maybe do discounts if they have them regularly to build up regular customers???

Raquela

The key for things like this is the ability to market yourself and your talents successfully; all very well getting the skills, but if you don't market them/yourself, you won't get customers.

My sister trained as a shiatsu massage therapist and it still isn't bringing her enough to live on as a wage, three years after finishing her training. Part of that is the credit crunch, part is her location and marketing.

balijay

Hi I did this course last year with the intention of being mobile but have found it hard to get work. I think you could do quite well if you are able to set up at home. Just a couple of things to consider:

You need to complete the Anatomy & Physiology course as part of Holistic Massage if you haven't done this already, and some people on my course found it tough

The equipment is really too heavy to be mobile so I wouldn't recommend this.

Good luck whatever you decide. x

lyndsey80

I done an Indian Head Massage course as a sideline business but you need insurance and not sure I can afford it tbh.

tandraig

I am a reiki master practitioner - been qualified now for three years and there is no way i could set up in business.
one my home its ex council and mortgage and deeds exclude it being used as business premises
two marketing - oh boy - when i first qualified i printed out and delivered over 500 leaflets - no enquiries - local papers too expensive for ads
three insurance - too expensive - i even had to give up offering reiki through a local charity to cancer sufferers as i had to pay the insurance myself and it was over a hundred pounds!
four at least two local reiki therapists in area - at the time and both have now gone out of business
I wouldnt say dont do it - just do your research first - find out if there is a demand for your services then check you can work from home or can get cheap premises and how much competition in area. a thought here - some hairdressers often have a back room you can rent - ask around! i wasnt able to find one
if you decide to go ahead - i wish you luck!

tandraig

may i add another thought? when i did a computing course at a local college the course was free if you were on certain benefits - do you get working tax credit , DLA or any other benefit? perhaps someone else on here could advise you on that or the college website would.

nickypol

Hi
My friend has a good job as an accounts technician. She also did a one day course on waxing and hair removal. She has male clients who I think are too embarrassed to visit a normal salon. Mostly I think she does back waxing. She does have a steady number of clients. There is definately a demand.