Business

Yes, this semi-Luddite has finally been dragged into the 21st century. Check out my new Web site at http://www.massage-stlouis.com. Make sure you include the dash and skip the period in stlouis or you'll get directed somewhere else.

More and more people are turning to the internet to find goods and services and my clients are no exception. Many new people find me through the internet and it's important to have at least a minimum of Web presence. I finally turned to Jean Probert, illustrator-designer, to help create a Web site for my business.

Jean has been the creative force behind those beautiful business cards, magnets, and postcards that many of you have admired during the last ten years. She is highly skilled, creative, and knows me well enough that the end results are a good reflection of who I am and what I want to convey. She patiently walked me through the steps of creating a Web site, kept me on task, and contributed helpful suggestions along the way. She was not only Web designer but editor and proof reader, too.

A reader asked the following questions:

I am currently in school for massage therapy and I have a few questions regarding starting a business for myself. My questions include:

What business structure did you chose (sole proprietor, partnership, LLC, etc)?

Are you happy with the structure you selected?

Was it easy or complicated to set up?

Were there costs associated with the business type you chose?

What are the advantages and disadvantages to the type of business structure you chose?

If you had to do it all over again, would they still chose the same business structure?

Any feedback is appreciated!! Thank You!!

Jamie

A few years ago, Massage Therapy Journal published an article, "Get Ready For Massage Envy!" The article, based on interviews with the founders of the franchise, painted a glowing picture of a business where happy massage therapists had 401K plans, were paid for empty appointments during their shift, and were well compensated for their work. I couldn't help but feel, though, that there was a slightly ominous warning in the title. How could a franchise offer all this to the therapist and only charge $39 for an hour massage?

Not long afterwards, the first six massage franchises opened in the St. Louis area, with four more soon to follow, each with ten or twelve massage rooms. I was curious about what it was like to work in such a place and eventually had the opportunity to find out from an experienced therapist who took a job in a franchise for about a year.

First, let's get one thing clear: for $39 you get a fifty minute massage, not a one hour massage. Still, it sounds like a good deal, right? But is it really as good a deal as it appears?