Massage Envy envy?
April 26th, 2007 • Posted by SpaBoom Staff • Permalink
I'm on the board of directors for the New Mexico Spa Association and at our past few conferences, Massage Envy has been mentioned or brought up. In every conversation there are basically two points of view about Massage Envy. The first relates to some level of anxiety and concern about their business model, and how that might erode already modest (if any) profits. The second relates to how Massage Envy isn't a threat, because they don't want customers who shop by price anyway, and prefer the customers who are paying for the experience.
After obtaining a massage from Massage Envy, I don't believe either position is quite right.
Let me explain.
As a vendor to spas and salons, I do my best to visit and pay for services from those spas and salons who are SpaBoom clients. I'm located in Albuquerque, and have visited quite a few of our clients located here (and there's still many more to visit). Every experience has been enjoyable, but different.
I visited Massage Envy last week, and have to say the experience was also enjoyable — who doesn't like to receive a massage — but different.
What this means is, Massage Envy has successfully created a niche for themselves, by offering low-cost, moderate-quality massage for the non-discriminating client. If a spa has a Massage Envy in its neck of the woods, and they don't have a strong, obvious differentiator, I do believe they will need to compete on price to remain competitive against Massage Envy.
You may disagree with me, but do yourself a favor: Go clandestine and pay the $39 introductory price for a massage at Massage Envy.
Then, go back to your spa. Really think about the type of clients you have, your differentiators, your quality of service, and the availability of potential clients in your region that your differentiators appeal to. Do you have a winning mix? If not, reformulate. Work harder at marketing. Provide incentives for client referrals.
Make it clear what your differentiators are. This is tough. Unlike the car business, your prospects cannot "kick the tires" of a massage. So, if your differentiator is experiential based, come up with methods that allow potential customers to experience your difference. Here's a suggestion: Have a "free massage" day, once a month or once a quarter. Or, make some PR for yourself, and invite the local police and fire departments to come in for a free massage.
Don't suffer "Massage Envy envy." Don't become anxious and give up. But… don't sit on your laurels and pretend that everything is the same, either.
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ME opened recently nearby (in NJ) and advertised a low-priced massage. When I called to make an appointment, the girls was friendly, but when I showed up, it was the coldest place I've ever been to. The girl at the desk wasn't friendly, and the woman that did my massage wasn't so friendly. The massage itself was good, but I didn't get that warm & fuzzy feeling I'm used to when getting a massage. Certainly not a feeling that made me want to go back. No one ever mentioned coming back or becoming a member. Nothing – just a goodbye. I've been in marketing for 20 years, and what Russ Winhusen said is very true. There are people that buy Chevy and people that buy BMW. People shop at Wal-Mart, at Kohl's, and at Nordstrom. The end consumer will decide what works. The only thing that surprises me is that people feel there's a need to purchase a franchise in order to open a massage salon. For the advertising? You could do quite a bit of advertising with the money you paid for the franchise.
I am contemplating opening a ME. Not being a MT I have certainly learned much from reading post on this site. It is imperative that in order to successfully run this business, long term, you need content, happy employees. Some of the owners that have posted seem to "get it". It is a people oriented business and your MT are the ones that meet with the customer on a daily basis. They not only have to be proficient at performing message but they have to have good people skills. They had better be treated properly by the manager and owner of the business. You can bet your bottom dollar if that is not the case they will not put their best foot forward while performing their job. Of course that will result in less tips and disgruntled employees. It will be of upmost importance to me to have content employees who are willing to communicate with me when things are not to their liking. A certain amount of flexibility in schedules and other benefits would seem to be in order.
The big question I have as a potential owner, can this business model make a profit in a recessionary environment. How's business holding up?
I would like to hear from other owners as to what their thoughts are regarding treatment of their MT and the business model in general.
Has anyone heard of Michelle Lea Massage Therapy? I'm thinking about buying into that franchise because I heard they were owned by a massage therapist and they treat their therapists right. I like the idea that their not an "assembly line" studio or spa. Just curious if anyone's heard of them.
Thanks!
I didn't have the time to read all of the responses to this post, but I thought I should add my two cents. I am a massage client. I have been to many massage therapists in my life in many different settings. I am currently a ME member. Here is why: After reading all of the Therapist Bios, I selected several to try. I then chose two that gave massages that I enjoyed, benefited from, and had hours that suited me. I now know that I can call and get a reasonably priced massage when it is convenient for me. Even last minute, when one of my favorites isn't available, I can get, at worst, a good massage at my convenience. I do feel that they keep the rooms cold, but the tables are heated, and I always warm up quickly once my massage begins. The therapists that I work with regularly are sensitive to my needs. I do go for massage for relaxation at times, but most of my massage needs are injury/sports/health related. I do believe that they will probably not stay at ME forever, but because of the sheer number of therapists available, I am confident I will find someone to replace them. From the perspective of a new therapist just coming out of school, I would think that ME would be a great place to start. The pay might not be great, but whose pay is great when you are just out of school? The benefits would be getting the opportunity to practice your technique on a lot of people and maybe start to build some relationships with people that could possibly become clients in the future; all while having a salary to get you started. On a final note someone earlier mentioned the idea that men would prefer this setting to a spa. I have to agree, I have notice many more men at ME than I have ever noticed at any spa. Even my boss who as resisted massage for years finally gave in when he was introduced to ME.
I find it amusing that other therapists are complain about how much ME therapists get paid and call it slave labor. I don't see chains shackling anyone to the massage tables. Its America and its simple. If you don't feel you are getting paid enough to do something, don't do it. If someone told me that they would pay me $1/hr to pick up garbage, do you think I would run out and do it for a living complaining about it being slave labor? No. I would just not do it. If therapists do it, its by their own choice and they make this choice for their own reasons.
Bottom line, if you don't like it, don't do it. No one is twisting anyone's arm to do anything.
I respectfully disagree. If you see a company whose business plan alters the de facto pay structure that has been in place for many years suddenly making it more difficult for an MT to learn a livable wage unless they overwork themselves then I think it is one's duty to speak if only as an advocate for the profession.
But you are correct, if people want to undervalue their worth there is no real way to stop them, except perhaps with information.
The reality though is that real talent will continue to be rewarded regardless of what ME does.
I have worked for Massage Envy for a few years now. Yes, they have something going for them with the low prices and the everyone needs massage thing, BUT, working there is one of the hardest jobs I've had as a therapist. Overbooked, under payed, and being forced to work injured are just a few of the things I've seen or experienced my-self. Yes, they are bringing massage awareness to the general population, but at what cost? All the therapists worth their weight know better than to work at Massage Envy. It is just not worth it! They find jobs elsewhere. However, in the city I live in Massage Therapists are a dime a dozen. And finding a good paying job here is nearly impossible. This is how I see it. Making a decent living at Massage Envy is an impossible joke unless you are super-man and do 8 massage a day, 5 days a week. Burnout here we come! To a therapist, Massage Envy is good for one thing. Get your experience (part time only), and get out! If you are a seasoned experienced therapist, there are better places to work, even if you have to go it alone.
As a traveling therapist, I can charge approximately the same rates and make two times what I get payed at Massage Envy and not hurt my body in the mean time!
Massage Envy even makes the therapists sign a do not compete. This means that if you take YOUR clients elsewhere, they can take you to court for compensation.
Not the best place to work.
Wow. I only read through some of these comments, and I can't honestly believe some of the things I hear from other massage therapists.
I am appalled to be called bottom of the barrel. That is low, especially since there is no way of actually getting a chance to receive work from every single therapist that is employed by ME.
But, I live in kentucky. Here the massage industry has become popular within the last 5 to 10 years, and really only in the two 'cities' of the state. In the rural areas, trying to get started in this profession means having serious capital and the ability to go into the red for many years before actually making profits.
The truth is, for the past year, after hitting obstacle after obstacle from my school not doing their job with sending paperwork where it needed to go… once I finally got my license, I found that for me to actually practice, I was having to pay out of my pocket. I don't mind to pay to work in this industry to get practice and experience, but after paying so much for school, being unemployed for 9 months because of the economy and living in a seriously rural area, I'm close to being sued by my student loan company.
The fact is we as therapists have to get a start somewhere. If your institution taught you well and you have clear boundaries, then ME cannot take advantage of you. The ME I work at is the best place I have ever worked in my life. I am aloud to choose what days i work, I'm aloud to choose how long of a break I have between clients. All I am asked to do is come in and work. I don't have the capital to start my own place. I don't like the idea of a spa because, #1 every therapist i have met that has worked for any of our local spas has complained that they are seriously restricted on what they can do in any given session, and #2 most people in my area consider spas to be only for the elite and I like to work with the working people. Kentucky has a great deal of poverty, and while the ME i work for is located in an area that has more money than most of Kentucky, it is only a bus ride away for thousands of individuals.
So I get the opportunity to not be stressed with the lack of business skills. I am getting the chance to concentrate solely on gaining experience and build my skills as a therapist. Yes, I see multiple levels of quality from the individuals I work with. Some have been working for 2 to 10 years, others are right out of school. I have had nothing but support from all my professional peers in my work place since I started.
The way I see it, ME fills a specific niche. It is not a spa, so it cannot be compared to a spa. It is a massage clinic, it doesn't offer the same things a spa does. It may be hard to believe, but a lot of that stuff can be a turn off for a huge part of the population. I have never once felt any interest to go near a spa. It's not really who I am, I don't have a problem with them nor do I belittle the therapists that work at them… it's just not me and so I understand the clientele that feel the same way. It is not a private practice, so it can't compare to the private practice. A therapist working for themselves often offers special touches and a completely different atmosphere unique to itself, which draws in the people that are looking for that.
What ME envy does, at least in my area, offers a very low introductory rate, which brings in many prospective clients who never would have otherwise tried massage. For Kentucky, this is HUGE. And most importantly, the membership rate is low enough to make long term therapy affordable for the everyday folk in my neck of the woods. I can't tell you how many people I know who would love to get regular massage but simply can't afford it. ME gives me and my clients the chance to experience long term therapy with each other, something I really look forward to as I grow in this profession. I want to specialize with geriatrics, and this location is easy to get to, and affordable for that age group.
I can't speak for the other areas. I can only speak for my own. What I am seeing are 3 massage schools located in one city that are flooding the market. We are in a profession where the majority of therapists fail in the first year. After experiencing the trials and tribulations of the first 11 months trying to get started, I am very grateful for that fact that ME has come to my area. yes, i don't get paid a whole bunch of money, but #1 i didn't get into this business to become rich, I got in it because I am good and channeling healing energy and felt the call to use my skills with the public, and #2 I'm a young professional with only about 300 hours of experience with the public, who would expect to be paid the same as a therapist who has been working for years and has a lot of CEUs and hours upon hours of experience under their belt.
I personally feel that most people I meet in this field aren't really made for this field. I think that is the fault of the institutions that don't give the full truth about all areas of this field when they scout for prospective students. As I said, the market has been flooded in my area, and spreading out in the state is extremely difficult, to really work full time, you have to be located in one of the two big cities… otherwise you have to have the capital on hand to start up and the will power to build clientele in areas that are very old fashioned and skeptical of massage. Those areas are suited for more experienced therapists, and that's they whole reason I'm at ME now… to get that experience for when I move out of the city for good.
Maybe I'm just lucky and the people running the ME I work at are rare. But as I said, I'm encouraged to be myself here. I'm allowed to choose how many clients I work with a day and how much i work, and how much time I have between clients. I am never pressured to go past my stamina. I have watched as other therapists have been asked to go home if they injure themselves, while my classmates at much better paying jobs are completely destroying their bodies and working full days with serious injuries. As i said, if you have clear boundaries and stick to them, maybe your employer will pay attention, and if you are a good therapist, that should come naturally anyway.
So please, other therapists, be careful with your words. Calling new therapists the bottom of the barrel is not fair, you were new once too and had to get your practice somehow. And for some of us, this is a blessing in so many ways. You don't have to agree, but you don't have to be so negative either… that is not what this profession is about!
You know, after posting that, i went back and read so much that just still makes me reel.
Maybe it's because I come from Appalachia and am used to being poor. I was thrilled to sit at a desk for 8.5 hours a day (and driving an hour each way just to get to work) after 9 months of unemployment for only $8.25 an hour because that job, even with a college degree AND a professional license, was the highest pay I have ever been paid until ME.
Maybe it's because I despise TV and therefore don't need cable. Maybe it's because I utilize the library for the internet and use it in moderation. Maybe because, after living on a farm completely off the grid for the past year, I learned to utilize my local farmers for food rather than paying all that extra money for the fancy packaging and fuel costs found in grocery stores. I buy 'recycled' clothes from the goodwill, and turn heads when I go out on the town. The only 'luxury' i really allow myself is to drive, because i love to see the beautiful countryside of kentucky and my family and friends are spread all over this state.
Or maybe it's because I live in Kentucky where the cost of living is lower than average. Very lower than average because most of the state is living in poverty, and it's all due to the fact that we have important resources and are exploited for those resources. I've survived being unemployed for the past year by raising goats and poultry in a small farm house instead of paying rent. So i fed myself by walking out into the barn most days.
But to read so much about money and this profession makes me ill. Truly makes me ill. I do this work because I found peace in my heart and know for peace to spread in the world, it has to be cultivated in the hearts of others. This is the best way I have found for that to happen, as getting a soul in a no thrills, safe environment gets them away from all the stimulus that keeps them from finding a bit of peace. The touch therapy, whether it is 'fluff and buff' or medically oriented, is touch therapy nonetheless… and for a society that has compartmentalized itself behind computer screens and numbed itself with drugs, prescription or not… i feel touch therapy is necessary for all individuals and want to see as many possible at least get to experience it.
For me, each session is a highly spiritual experience. My clients don't know that, and I don't disclose that information to anyone I work with, but if they pay attention, they will see it. I consider myself to be an energy worker who choses to do that energy work through touch therapy because of the needs of the majority of people. we are spirits having a human experience after all, IMOIMO, so the needs of the human body, not just the energetic body, need to be met. Before each session I express gratitude for the opportunity to be touching someone's life, I ask for only the purest energy to come through me into the person i am working with. After each session my first words are words of gratitude to the person on the table, and I always bless the water I give to each person with love and peace. It may be a little woo-woo for most of you out there, but i think it is my gratitude for my job that makes me a good therapist. Because I truly do not believe I am making the changes in the soul on the table, I am just supporting them as they choose to make their changes. To watch the sparkle in a persons eyes after only an hour, to see the light bulb come on, to see an overly stressed person leave calm and peaceful… watching those changes is amazing to me and that's why I do this.
Because of my belief that I am a good channel of that healing energy, which to me is very sacred energy, I also believe that a price can never be placed on it. I don't think it should be delegated to the elite, i believe it is abundant and should be freely available for all souls on the planet. If i wasn't in debt from a bad marriage, I'd be running around KY doing this for free or for a meal afterwards with all the hill folk. I feel as though when I go into a session with gratitude, understanding that I'm just apart of the process and not expecting anything in return, the universe supports me well.
And my job consists of me working with people in a way that opens the door to a better quality of life for them; the people i work with have never failed to show me respect, gratitude and appreciation; i listen to calm music and my work day feels more like meditating for four hours a day than working; i come home with peace in my heart and a quite brain. How many people come home from work with a quite brain in these times? How many people come home from work and have to drown themselves in alcohol or drugs or stupdify in front of the TV and miss all the beauty of the world around them because of their high stress? The fact that I get paid to do this is a bonus, and one that I am extremely grateful for. $15 to most of you may not be a living wage… but I don't need a whole heck of a lot to live, I don't go outside of my means and therefore, it is sufficient for my lifestyle.
I live in an area where even $39 is out of the price range, especially in this current economy, for the souls who truly have the highest amounts of stress. And because of that, I volunteer much of my time. People in the communities I have been apart of have observed me do this, and when I do in massages with them, they go way above and beyond in compensation, to the point that I almost feel like I should give some of the money back. So to me, as I stated earlier, with the right intentions for being in this profession, the Universe always sees that I am supported, fed, clothed, protected, and most importantly, loved. That's all I need, and it has never let me down in my 27 years walking the planet.
I personally believe that for this work to be beneficial, there has to be a connection between the souls working together. Not every therapist is for every client. I watch the young therapists around me ignoring everything we were taught in school because they are as caught up in meeting the demands of this society as their clients are. So i feel that it does take a certain type of person to be really good at this profession. It takes a person who is aware enough to always put themselves and their health first, who is mature enough to say no when need be and not let their ego get in the way, but to listen to the person they are working with. I don't think it is the fault of ME or any spa for bad therapists. If therapists allow for employers to walk all over them, that is their lesson and they have to take responsibility for allowing it. This is a profession that requires us to be grounded in who we are, and places like ME will either weed out the people not meant for the profession, or help those who are develop their skills and touch many many people in the process.
I think that customers shouldn't be afraid to ask their therapists how much they work, how they take care of themselves. Do they practice what they preach? Are they stressed? I also think it's important for customers to realize that ME does have quality therapists and not so quality therapists because we are all human and this is a really difficult field to be in. And this is going to be the case at any ME, any spa, any school clinic, and private practice. Strive to find the therapist you connect with, the therapist your body feels open with, and support that therapist when you find them, and always be willing to try new therapists as sometimes your body just might need a different energy than the same old thing. I think the ratio to people in the world who can benefit from massage therapy verses licensed professionals is high enough. I don't think it is fair to say that price is equal to quality as many people above have state you get what you pay for… because honestly, some of the best therapists would be working for free if only it were possible. Check out your local hospice and find out the therapists that volunteer there… my guess is they are probably the best that will be found in your area because their hearts are in it for the right reason. And well, this is one profession that really requires the heart to be in the right place for the healing to occur.
Samantha, thank you for your post. I graduated from massage school in October and immediately enrolled in a continuing ed course to learn and become certified in oncology and hospital based massage for the next year. Therefore, being in school again does not really allow me to focus on my own business right now and have been looking into different part time massage jobs. The area I live in is mostly farmland and there is not much for me to choose from when it comes to finding a nice spa or chiropractic office. I did find a p/t job at a salon, but only work 9 hours a week and they are not real busy with massages. Therefore, I did look into a ME in the area and sent them my resume.
I have heard quite a bit of negative comments from other students that have had the experience with either working at ME or knowing someone who did work there. I had started looking on the internet for more information and came across this site. I have heard a lot of different views on why or why not we should work for ME. But I can't help but think that I really do need to get the experience under my belt if I want to go out there, start my own business eventually and be successful.
I got into massage because I wanted to help people. I didn't think that I would make millions, but it has been such a rewarding profession for me so far. In the hospital where I take class, we will be working on people from all walks of life with all different types of disease, some of them who are in hospice or in a coma. I don't get paid right now, but what an amazing feeling it is knowing I may have provided just a little bit of comfort or relaxation to someone who is really in need. My heart is totally into this.
I don't know what type of people run the location of the ME I am applying too, but I have learned a lot from others here as to what I need to watch out for and I thank you all for that. I know I won't be making a career of ME, but for me it's a start; a learning experience. It will be something to help me pay my student loans for the next few years, that's for sure!
That's all very nice, but I give you a year or two max before you see the light, or rather see the devil for what it is = Massage Envy. Underpaid, abused, overworked to injury and then kicked to the curb. That's what you will be. Massage Envy took all the joy out of what was once a passion, talent and calling for me. I look forward to the day when they are bankrupt.
It will happen to you too… OMG LOL Who pooted in your fruit loops??? If you stayed at a workplace for so long that it affect your attitude like that then you DON'T need to be rubbing on anybody anyway. Why would you take that kind of abuse from an obviously bad boss? If you still had a "passion" for what you do then you should have bailed out when you first started to know that something wasn't right. Don't blame a bad boss, blame you self for allowing yourself to be in that kind of position and not doing anything about it!
This has been a very interesting (and lengthy) thread, to which I'd like to add the following from the perspective of both a practitioner and a recipient of bodywork:
These are smart consumers who want a good deal on services that positively impact their health and well being. Who can fault them for that? Our role, then, is to educate these very smart consumers about what they *could* be getting instead. So, in my case: I don't offer nice back rubs – I offer specialized Asian massage treatments to address the specific health needs of women.
The reality is that the majority of the American public is still relatively ignorant about massage therapy both because they have yet to receive professional massage and also because regional stigmas *still* exist due to the unfortunate prevalence of illegal activity within the so-called "massage business." If ME is introducing massage to these folks in a reassuringly sterile massage environment, I think that's fantastic.
I'm still in the process of opening a practice in a new city and I look forward to speaking to groups in my community about what it is that I do and about massage therapy in general. People are looking for answers to their pain and dysfunction. We can learn to become the messenger as well as the answer to their needs.
Finally, I'd like to say the following in response to the comments about ME's and other companies' plans to dominate as preferred providers for insurers: People will continue to pay out of pocket for services that meet their needs, no matter what happens in the insurance industry. We may have to meet folks halfway with pricing but massage therapy, just like so many other professions, is built on relationships and service. Because our work is so personal and requires such a significant commitment on our parts, however, it will continue to have a high value in the eyes of those who most benefit from it and can never, ever become someone else's brand. Our work is uniquely ours.
Educate, educate, educate!
Though the business model of ME is a profitable one. However it brings ups several ethical questions…
We already have a plan if Massage Envy comes to our town. We have talked with our therapists and believe it will only help build awareness and get us more clients.
Some things that might help…
We have Massage Envy as one of our keywords for our Google ads. (We have a transient population who is familiar with ME.) In fact as ME has started to advertise on cable we have noticed more hits and GC purchases from people who searched ME in our area. ME is still about 75 miles away now.
I agree educate, educate, educate…
Lastly, hire the best. Our therapists are what make us great.
Our marketing motto:
A dissatisfied will tell 10 friends and never return;
A satisfied customer will tell no one and is what for the next offer;
A loyal customer will tell everyone, and stays despite better offers.
Massage Envy is a cheap massage. A waste if money for a "fluff" treatment. I went to a new ME in Cooper City, Florida thinking the therapists would be excited to work, but found them to be edgy already. They were complaining the owners knew nothing about the industry and just wanted in for a short time and then sell out of it. Anyway, who has money to waste on garbage now?
Brownie… It sounds like the folks in that clinic need to get their act together. It all boils down to the OWNER. I would never try to open a business that I new nothing about. Especially in this business. That sets one up for instant failure. I'm sure that the district manager will be on top of that and get them straightened out. Massage Envy has too much at stake to have someone who doesn't know what they're doing screw it up for the rest of them.
According to Simply Hired dot com Massage Envy's hirings are down 99% since August 08. This poll was taken from May 2007 up to October 2008.
If you go to Simply Hired dot com and click on Employment Trends on the top of the page, type in Massage Envy and click search you'll get the latest polls about how M.E. is doing in regards to "revolving door" employees.
It's not going well.
Relaxalot… I'm not sure where you're getting your percents from. I went to that site after reading your blog and all I see is a 37% decrease which ,I'm guessing ,is because of the overall economy. Could you please tell me where you saw that??
If you read my post correctly I said down 99% from August of 08. Overall though it's down 37% from May of 07. I would think that if it was just the economy that ME would be doing better because of the cheap prices they have. Doesn't seem to be the case, in fact it's the opposite. I think it's just suffering from what any boom suffers from, a bust. The question is why? My guess is that the novelty has worn off and the cracks in the concept are showing through.
I've been a practicing MT for about 17 years. I've worked in medical settings. I also had clients outside the office. It's been a labor of love. Massage, I believe, is about relationship, It's a two way street. You give excellent skilled service with real concern and consideration. Your client compensates you fairly, and treats you with respect and dignity. Places like Massage Envy encourage exploitation, from the owners, managers, and even the customers you seemingly want something for nothing and are surprised that the object of their employment won't or can't deliver. You can not deliver quality massage if your heart is not in it. The real news here is that massage will never make you a fortune. It takes time, lots of time. I assure you good therapists always go underpaid, because we sacrificed the opportunities, that would afforded us better compensation. But you see, we didn't enter the profession to make a fortune. Now, Massage Envy has made a fortune, but then again, it's not really massage. P.S. for those of you (clients) who like the convenience of having walk-in service. Consider that you may be doing a disservice to your therapist and to yourself. When no appointments are made you MT waits around without receiving compensation, yet they cannot run errands, or otherwise employ themselves, they are stuck. As, a client, think about how often you wait to long to get that massage, had you put yourself on a regular schedule you would likely have avoided needless suffering, and have had longer sustained intervals of feeling good. God Bless.
I've heard the most negative comments about Massage Envy. Most of the negative comments are coming from Therapist employed by them. If a few were unhappy in their workplace, I would say, that's to be expected, but when so many feel so negative about the way they are treated by this company, I take their complaints seriously. Too many of the negative comments are similar…..too many to be disregard. Massage Therapy schooling is no walk in the park…it's hard work and can be expensive. I spend time preparing and eating nutritious foods, getting proper sleep, exercising, getting regular massages and avoiding as much negative energy as possible. There is no way, disrespect of your profession and who you are, should be acceptable…period. The fact a person may be a recent graduate doesn't change that. My training is in Clinical Massage. We tend to work in medical settings. Typically, treatments are a half hour and the last word that comes to mind is relaxing. I know one thing, I would not work there, I would not receive a massage there. Energy is transferred in a massage. I wouldn't want a frustrated and unhappy Massage Therapist putting their hands on my body.
Many companies treat massage too much like a business. I think those of us with a deep understanding of the power of massage realize that it belongs in the realm of health care, not profit. Of course, health care is treated like a business in our culture. I was just reading about the problems in Japan with health care – ERs actually refuse people outright – there are documented cases of people getting rejected by 30+ hospitals. A sign of things to come? We need to get our priorities straight. Massage should be place where everyone is treated with dignity and care.
ME has not made it to my city… yet. I am pretty sure it is only a matter of time and a willing investor and ME will be here. Your bottom line at the end of the day should include more than numbers irregardless of what industry you are in, it must be about relationships. Customers who care about quality over quantity run from places with high turn over, even in a Dentist's or OB/Gyn office.
The average cost in my city for a year long LMT program is about $14k, and a two year program about 22k at the vocational schools. With making $15 a massage, not $15 an hour at ME you won't find quality LMT's you will find graduates who are in despair to pay back their student loans and make ends meet. Personally, I've never liked being a guinea pig, and have never benefited from such, but add despair, resentment, and fatigue to the equation, there may be more liability lurking than the average investor wants to ponder.
Chiropractic school in the 80′s was short term to start before it became a 4 year doctorate. We all deserve that same opportunity and is exactly what the pioneers in our Industry have focused the future towards, as well as being paid by insurance for treatments by educated professional Massage Therapists.
ME's business model was around before they were, and it didn't work in my city. They have done well to sell franchises. When I first heard of ME, the concept was taking the worry off the LMT's shoulders by taking care of their needs. If what all the blogs out there are saying then that was a facade and they obviously have changed the concept to SELL MORE FRANCHISES. That being said, we live in the land of FREE ENTERPRISE, and they like us have a right to run their business as they see fit, and open as many as they see fit, however whether graduates continue to go to work for them and whether consumers continue to patronize them is another question.
Let's be honest here, if not for competition Massage would not be so popular to cause us to rant and rave in a blog on the internet. I have always looked at competition good or bad as an opportunity to shine. The bad ones make me look very very good, and the good ones also make me look very very good and that is a win win. What is not a win win, is burn out and disinterest in going to school. As therapists come and go, finding a replacement may get harder and harder if there is a bruise on our reputation as an industry. We have all worked too damned hard to turn around the population thinking we were having sex with every client, and I am sure it is not even at %80 turned around yet.
This new bruise as some of you have expressed will reach more of the population, with a satisfied customer percentage bringing a very low score. With recent Wall street events and others we have seen where greed leads. Those of us Veterans in the Massage business are very aware the higher level of consciousness necessary to bring a client to well being. When you have evolved to that level of care there is no "ME" that can compete.
Massage is not immune to free enterprise, commerce, etc… There is a dentist or Chiropractor on every corner in America. Both have experienced concepts similar to "ME" and it caused them to stand out. Castle Dental for instance took Graduates, offered very low prices and did pretty well on the onset, but turn over set in and they are not as big as they once were.
Where the owner knows nothing about the industry there will be problems. I would like to see "ME" back up with the greed factor pointed out by so many, and look more towards the future of our delicate and very vital to humanity industry and therapists, by educating the franchisee's and paying therapists more decent pay. Otherwise, we may just be a dying commodity sooner than later.
Sarah… you have some very good points although you closing statement really hits the nail on the head. I think it should almost be a prerequisite that potential owners who are going to be active in their investment should have knowledge in what they're putting their money into. The success of a ME is based on the therapists who are happy and treated well. The fact is too, massage therapists march to their own drummer. There are ME owners who don't understand that massage is very physically and emotionally demanding. Every client that comes in has their own story and the therapist must be able to switch gears accordingly. It's easy for therapists to get burned out when they aren't give a chance to reground and take a break. It is the responsibility of both the therapist and the owners to make sure that everyone is happy and taken care of to make a clinic run smoothly.
Shari,
Your right. It is everyone's responsibility to make sure everyone is happy. However, Massage Envy is a business built on the idea of low price and exploitation. The only way to make things right is to have the owners provide the service themselves, ah, then you would see the appropriate price structure and treatment of "employees." However, having no training or experience must customers would recoil at the idea of using such a service. Which brings up a larger point, why work for someone else anyway.
Sarah,
I agree the Massage Envy has built their business on making Massage more affordable but I would have to disagree with the exploitation. That comes from owners not knowing what makes a therapist tick. My business partner Krysta , who is also a massage therapist, and I own our own private office and know what we like to work with. WE both have the same ideas and beliefs in what would make and run a smooth office. We also would be able to massage if the clinic needed a back up in an emergency. We are not going to treat our employees any diffrent than we would want to be treated.
Well, when Massage Envy makes their service "affordable" it is the therapist you who absorbs the discount. I don't know your operation, and don't want to give offense, but are you willing to work for what you pay your employees? I presume you prefer the current arrangement because it provides the opportunity for bigger $'s. Massage Envy exploits because those jobs do not provide for a sustainable relationship, you have to continually replace the worn out, or the ones that smarten up and leave. And though It is painful for me to comprehend, for most out there it is the money that makes things "tick."
I am a ME therapist and have been for the last year. I first established myself as an independent contractor and did that for 5 years but began to feel isolated and out of touch with other therapists so when a ME opened up in my area I applied and got the job. I was excited at first because it was nice being around like minded individuals but as time went on things began to change. Our original manager was HORRIBLE and it took the owners a LONG time to decide how to handle the situation. I though once that manager was gone things would get better but haven't. I agree that the owners are the ones who can make or break a place and these owners just don't get it. It IS all about the bottom line. When I was hired I was told that as a therapist one of my perks (in fact my only perk) would be to get a free one hour massage each month. GREAT!!! As a therapist, I think I need a massage just as much if not more than the next guy. The only stipulation was that we couldn't book on Friday, Sat. or Sun. (the busy days). Okay, no problem. I have booked three (on Tuesdays and Thursdays) massages that have gotten bumped due to the now new policy of members and clients first. Now, I'm all about the clients and their needs but as a therapist I realize that I'm not going to be doing anyone any good if I can't take care of myself. I do work several hours and my schedule is tight so when I get called and they tell me I've been bumped off I start to become a little disgruntled. I have asked the owner to change this policy and first got a flat out, "NO" and now they've decided to Mickey Mouse around and asked us to come up with a solution. My solution is to allow us to have our one hour massage a month when booked.
How does me get out of paying their employees only for the massages they give and not for the hours they are clocked in… how do they fall through the labor codes set forth here in california? I have worked at my ME for over 2 years and i am trying to be supportive, but find how they pay their employees to be a bit shady. Also we are expected to help out with cleaning and up keep when we are not massaging… where's the compensation? One more thing… my pay was reduced because of economic situations… how do they do it? …because our massages are a commission based wage. I find this to be in very bad taste… how are you to get good therapist and keep them if an owner has that ability to mess with your pay? After taxes are taken out, I am working for a pay that is equivalent to a slap in the face. I will be leaving me soon and will not return… hope you know your value better than your employer does.
Amy…
I CANNOT comprehend WHY an owner or manager would not want their therapists to take care of each other! You shouldn't even have to ASK to get a massage. It should be assumed that ALL the employees are getting one. That's part of the personal maintenance of the profession. That makes me insane! LOL, okay I'm done venting. Amy, explain to the owner that your solution is so simple, and cost effective for the business, as opposed to bad moral, workers comp, medical bills and lost time at work not to mention that they would be out a good therapist that is bringing in money for their pay check. If they have any open communication at all with their employees they will reconsider the feed back they're getting. Good luck!!!
Unfortunately, I have tried talking with them and it has fallen on deaf ears. They are now out one good therapist, I put my two week notice in today. Thanks for the advice and much happiness to you all!
Amy…
Good for you sweetie!!! I'm saddened that you have to do that because that just enforced all the negative ideas about ME and their high turn over rate and that really shouldn't be the case. I hope you understand that not all ME's are run like that and that there really ARE happy employees that work for the company. You have just proved too that it all boils down to the management I know of a ME that still has ALL of their original staff since the day they opened just over a year ago and everyone is very happy. Please don't be discouraged but this. Hopefully a new clinic will open up around you and you can go there. In the mean time, know that you did right thing by your decision, and from what I gather that it was the best decision for you. One door closes..another one opens… Good luck to you Amy…
Massage Envy… this place is like going to McDonald's for steak… if you want to enjoy your massage experience I would suggest going somewhere other than this establishment. The front desk staff is less than professional, less than friendly, and they think it is funny when they mess up your schedule. So unless you want to leave feeling angry and anything but relaxed… this is not the place to waste your time or your money. Don't let that introductory rate suck you in… they are worse than the people at the mall trying to squirt you with lotion at the kiosks… it is a trap to suck you into a package to come back all year long for massages that aren't worth the nine tenths of a cent you pay on gasoline. Well — if my introductory service sucked to the point of keeping the better business bureau on speed dial..you can either take it from someone who tried to tell you — or you can find out for yourself just how sorry this place is.
Jennifer… If it was that awful then why didn't you say something to the manager or the owner and give them a chance to rectify the bad experience?
If a ME is allowed to perform that poorly in the first place from reception through service to the end, do you really think it would help to speak to management? They're the ones who created the environment that gave the poor service in the first place. Massage Envy is well known as a franchise for treating customers like the garbage service they push. I wouldn't waste my time trying to rectify the situation, either. I've never heard of anyone who had an issue satisfactorily resolved at one of these horrible places.
Yep. Just stay away!
I "folded" to a high pressure person at a ME in North Carolina and took out a six month membership. My experiences with mixed up schedules and failed follow through have been horrible. The condescension, the total lack of respect and lack of concern for their customers is amazing to me. I'm sure there must be some good franchises. Maybe I got caught in a bad one. However I will never recommend ME to anyone! Stay away!
Carol and Trilla… there are lots of good clinics out there that have thousands of happy clients and there is ALWAYS someone higher to go to, to complain if your service was that bad.
Wow, a lot of food for thought, I am a new Massage Envy customer, we actually paid up-front for 6 months, rather than put a card on file, so we can use our 6 (each) massages in the next 6 days/weeks or months. My husband and I get a massage for relaxation/therapeutic purposes. The clean, professional atmosphere at the Massage Envy we visited is what prompted us to sign up. I knew going in that the therapists were newly licensed, that does not make them bad, in fact, fresh out of school could translate into newest techniques and fresh skills. With both of us working full time, we are willing to try the concept and see if it fits our needs and lifestyle and at an affordable price. I can make an appointment on Friday after work and be refreshed for the weekend, and "bonus" the Massage Envy is on my way home from work. I'll update you on my experience over the next months.
I have been reading this post for a while and just wanted to put in a few words. I have been a Massage Envy client here in California since 2005. I loved the experience, the front desk, the therapists and the concept so much, that I started looking into it as a business only 6 months later. Everyone I spoke to LOVED it. I did more due diligence and called over 100 clinics/ owners across the country and talked to them about how they enjoyed working at ME. I even went so far as to drive to 20+ MEs in Arizona to talk to the therapists, front desk, management, etc. After talking to so many people who loved the business, I decided to invest in one as well. It took me over 2 years dealing with permits, city licensing, building codes, etc, before I was even able to open my doors.
I started reading this post before I was open, during construction and now here 1.25 years after I have opened and I want to reiterate that even though Massage Envy is a national organization, the manner in which we all run our operations can be considerably different from one clinic to the next. All Massage Envies are trained to super serve their clients. If there are people here who received less than satisfactory service, then ask to talk to the manager. If that doesn’t fix things, escalate it to the owners. Owners want to know if clients are not being treated correctly. If it is employees who are not feeling they are treated correctly by their owners, then I recommend going to a different owner. Talk to other therapists and see how they like it. Those owners who don’t treat their people right give a bad image to those of us who do. I fully encourage people to leave. Only then will those owners realize how important therapists are to their business.
On the point of therapists. I started with 10 therapists, and now employ over 50 (still hiring). I hire enough therapists to keep my clients satisfied with enough appointment times. I also have enough so if therapists need time to rest or take personal time, that there is enough coverage. Therapists who feel over worked at their current place of work, need to express to management that they need rest. No one benefits with tired or injured therapists. My therapists are able to get massages any time they need them (except Sat and Sun) and even while on shift, if they aren’t booked. Our therapists are FAR from inexperienced. We do hire some people right out of school, but most of our therapists have 3-10 years of experience. I would say 40% of my therapists work at “high end” spas down the street. So my clients can choose to pay to get a “superior” massage for $130 at that spa, or get a $39 massage from the SAME therapist at my clinic. Why do these therapists choose to work for us? We treat all therapists with respect. We keep them as busy as THEY want to be. If they want 3 massages per day, or if they want 7 massages in a day, they let us know. We don’t dictate what they have to do. Does it make for a management nightmare? Absolutely. But does it make life easier for therapist. Absolutely.
Our clients are highly educated on what their options are. They know that they are getting a great deal on massage, and they tip well to those therapists who they request. The therapists here who complain that they cant make a good living working with us, should really consider what they are doing wrong. My full time therapists work about 30 hours/ week. They make a very good living, are completely in control of their schedules, walk home with thousands in cash, are able to maintain their private clients, are surrounded with like-minded, supportive colleagues, and best of all, don’t have to take their work home with them. When I compare that to what I used to do working an office job (55+ hours/week) plus having to take work home with me to get projects and presentations together, Hour for hour, they make more than I did. Those therapists who work for me who make the least, also tend to be those who have poor attitudes, poor massage skills, very few client requests, and inflexible schedules. I would wager that those therapist here on this board who are complaining, probably fall into that category.
If clients aren’t getting the service or quality massage from one location, then I recommend asking the front desk to recommend certain therapists. They should know which therapists are better. My front desk staff is required to get massage from our therapists so they can give their honest opinions of them. Some Massage Envies only require 1 massage as part of an interview process. In my clinic, a therapist has done at least 6-7 massages before I feel comfortable enough to let them touch my clients. Again, this is a personal business decision, but one that allows me to know that my clients are getting quality massage and that has made us one of the fastest growing clinics in the nation.
The Massage Envy family is growing. As a group, we do about 500,000 massages per month now and just completed our 9 millionth massage a few months back. The few therapists here on the internet who make hundreds of posts do not represent the 9000+ currently employed massage therapists. Also the hundreds of thousands of members and non members who love what we do. If Massage Envy was “well known” for mistreating their clients, why would we grow so quickly?
Went for a mid-week after work massage. I had a different MT this time but she was as good if not better than the first MT 2 weeks ago and the staff was just as pleasant as well. I am particularly pleased with the fragrance-free atmosphere, I don't have fragrance sensitivities, but I don't like overwhelming perfume, it really punishes my sinuses. I am so far still a fan. My next massage may be the hot-stone therapy, we'll see how that works for me.
June of 2008 I TRIED TO discontinue my membership with Massage Envy after two years of membership. My wife had just lost her job and we couldn't afford the extra expense. I did explain this to the staff. She said it would take 30 days and I would still be charged one more session. I told her again I couldn't afford the automatic charge to be taken out and would like to stop services. She said she could help by suspending the service for 6 months. I said I would only agree if they were to call me before I was charged again. I should have got that in writing. After 6 months the charges started again. I went in to clear this up, and was told that is standard procedure to auto start. since I already paid I got a massage scheduled showed up got my massage and tried to cancel again. We need a 30 day written notice. I explained, argued, called back and was hung up on. They finally canceled my account with another charge on it. After a long cooling off period I scheduled for my final session. Guess what, I was told it expired 30 days after I canceled. Read the fine print…
Good ongoing massage is like any good relationship. The way you treat others eventually comes back to you. Exploit therapists fresh out of school, break 'em, discard them, and just get another warm body. It kind of reminds me of the classic by Upton Sinclair, "The Jungle".
For those of you clients who expect great service, and not be willing to compensate for it, you're not being fair, you conspire with owners who are of like mind, so don't be surprised if you can't get your money back. I'm skeptical of ME clients who say they always have a good experience, probably just never received a quality massage.
Eric,
Thank you for writing such a positive post. You have said everything that I have been trying to get across for the last few months. My partner and I are still waiting to get our clinic up and running. We believe that a clinic should be run like you said you run yours. She and I are both therapists and have our own private office. We know how we want to be treated and what will motivates us. We also know when to say when we've had enough. It's better to not massage at all rather that to give a crappy massage. I keep track of the posts here too. Some (NOT ALL) of the posts on here that are about disgusted employees and unhappy clients are so far beyond logic that it makes me wonder why they got hired at all or if the customer was just looking for something to carp about and wasn't going to listen to resolution. Keep up the good work. Maybe out paths will cross one day…
I am a LMT and also a member of Massage Envy for 2 years now. I am in the South Florida area. I have found at least one good therapist in four different locations near my house. For me it works great — I have had my share of bad massages but have addressed it to management and they have given me credit as well as being very apologetic.
I do agree with the talk that most of these therapists are over booked. Myself, a therapist for 7 years, I can do no more than 5 massages a day and I work 3-4 days a week — after that my quality decreases and I am just telling it like it is… for some one to say they can do 6-7 QUALITY massages a day; they are probably not giving a quality massage — or very deep work.
We are taught to be healthy ourselves because we are trying to heal — yet most therapists eat crap food, do not work out and never get a massage. I have found a lot of me therapist with a negative view on their employment but I remind them they have a job or they can find another. If you are not happy then leave. It could be YOUR ATTITUDE that makes you so unhappy.
Every day above ground is a good day!
Listen, it is pretty difficult to listen to folks characterize therapists that they do not know as malcontents. It is a bit self-serving. I have been practicing Massage for over 17 years. I know what it takes to provide a consistently high quality service. ME does not fit the bill. Nor do many spas for that matter.
The constant low balling of ME has had a largely negative effects on the profession driving out great therapists who perhaps are not great business people. Face it, some owners can really lay down a line of bull. Smoke and mirrors. And of coarse when all else fails blame the unhappy customer or therapist.
Massage is about relationship. And ME's high turnover tells you they can not maintain relationship. Always need new meat for the cannons. ME owners would never work for the "wages" they pay their serfs. Look around, all the empty shops, store fronts, the unemployed, the overworked. It is all a testament to the kind of free enterprise companies like ME who take much more than they ever provide.
My advise to therapists? Hit the pavement forge one-on-one relationships with prospective clients. If your looking for a massage therapist you can find a better one outside of ME, you will sleep better, not only because you will get a better consistent massage, but because you are not participating in something that is wrong.
Hello, all,
I have really enjoyed reading all of these posts, both the negative and positive. I am a MT who has been in the profession for 5 years now. I can tell you a lot about my experience, all things considered. For starters, the massage school I went to, as do a lot of schools, did not adequately prepare us business wise. We were told that we would have unlimited opportunities to make the standard $65 an hour rate. Well, that is true if you get out there as a sole proprietor, which takes YEARS to build a steady clientele. I had to learn this I guess the hard way. After I got my license, I immediately took an office space and worked it on my own. I made about 500 bucks a month, after expenses, average, which was not enough to live on. A few months after I started my business, I went through a divorce which was emotionally draining, and was faced with single parenthood. I, of course, decided to work at various local spas in addition to working on my own. What I found was what many therapists that work in spas experience — too many bookings with out breaks and total chaos, disorganization, and sanitation problems. Oh, did I mention drama, too? Well, I also marketed myself and managed to get various gigs that paid well. After a couple of years of all this running around from gig to gig, spa to spa, and meanwhile trying to operate a practice, along with personal life issues, I became exhausted. I applied to ME and decided to give it a try, since I had to close my office and just do outcalls. I really at first resented $15 an hour plus tip, but as time went on I realized there just aren't any salaried jobs out there in massage at the current time. As other ME therapists have said, you really can set your own hours, schedule breaks as you wish, state which modalities you can perform, and go in and just do the work and go home when your finished. I never do more than 5 per day, or more than 3 in a row back to back. I have a set lunch hour, that is never moved unless one of the front desk associates gets my permission first. I work Tues. thru Friday, weekends off. If I need a day off, I can always get it, no problem. I still have a few clients I see outside of ME, and I can do those sessions free of time restrictions, etc.
Our clinic has been around since 2006. I have been there since 2007. In October, all the therapists got raises, based on longevity. I make $21.50 per hour massage, and I average $10 tip. Not too bad. The only concern I have now is the recession has affected us here in N.C. Our clinic had a staff meeting last night and the regional director has a plan that will be implemented to our clinic to increase memberships, which is going to help us therapists keep our books full and help the clinic give better service to the clients. there have been issues with communication and organization that are soon to be resolved by a business like and professional approach. I am looking forward to seeing how this will all play out. Our clinic owner does not yet offer healthcare benefits, but pays up to $200 per year for CEU's and pays for the privilege license — $50. I think that is a good start. I feel that once our clinic improves we will see that happen. I still continue to market my own private business on the side. There is no good guaranteed income in this field, that is one thing that is clear. However, I have always had what I needed to get by and I am grateful for that. ME is I guess a little on the "sterile" side, but I bring in my own music and create that sacred space best I can there. I am also an energy worker, and I channel healing through massage, just like someone else mentioned earlier. I will also say ME is a heck of a lot more organized and cleaner than all the spas I have worked in. No one mentions how abusive spas can be. I really think ME has somewhat become a scapegoat for all ills and abuses of this profession. It is up to the individual therapist to decide how they are going to support themselves while making a difference in lives. I am currently working on working smarter, not harder. After 5 years, I have no injuries and have great stamina. That is because I know myself and have clear boundaries, and I communicate effectively.
I definitely feel that ME does have skilled therapists, including myself. We have therapists in our clinic with 10+ years of experience, as well as a guy who taught at a local massage school. There is a perception out there in many of the forums I have looked at that claim that ME is great for newbies. Well it is, but not JUST those fresh out of school. It has been good for me for many reasons. I have been able to see from an insiders point of view how a business operates. I am learning a lot, not just doing massage. That is how I look at this experience. It is one of many places I have worked in the last 5 years. I think someday I will have enough experiences to build my own wellness center and I will know exactly what works, and what doesn't, both from a client perspective and a therapist perspective.
So far we're still happy customers. My husband has found a therapist who gives him an excellent deep tissue massage. I've not yet had a bad massage, I will say my last massage was good, but I'm not a "chatter" and my therapist was, so I won't request her again. When it comes to massage, I want to relax and drift away, so please shhh…
Sehalia described my own experience coming out of massage school with stars in my eyes. After a year of working on my own and nearly going broke, I signed on as an independent contractor for an on-site massage company. A year later, I left that job to work at Massage Envy.
My experience of ME turned out to be very different from Sehalia's. At first I really liked it. $15/massage hr isn't much but the trade off was that all equipment was provided, administrative tasks were taken care of including taxes, and the company got clients for me. I really liked my clients and the other therapists.
But our franchise expanded too fast, from 3 to 5 clinics in just a few months, and when the new clinics opened our clinic started to have problems. The money was no longer being put into very basic things, all was being poured into the new clinics. There were days when we ran out of lotions or towels or even sheets, and then there would be a mad scramble to rush to another clinic and grab something. The environment was very sterile as well, not as in clean but as in generic and empty. The same music was piped in for the entire 2 years I worked at the clinics and believe me if anything could drive a person loopy it is that. Even the clients didn't like it after their first few massages.
I eventually moved and transferred to another clinic within the same franchise and that is truly when my troubles began. Therapists schedules were not respected. For instance, if a person's limit was 4 massages per day they might find themselves scheduled for 5 or 6. Therapists who were willing to work 10 hr days were praised. I also never got a raise in 2 years, the reason always given was that, "the new manager just started and doesn't know you guys yet, so we'll have reviews in a couple months." In a couple months, we'd have a new manager. In 2 year, I had 9 managers. I also got a work injury (from overwork) but was let go when I took too much time off to recover. This is only the tip of the iceberg of my negative experiences at ME.
I always liked the concept of making massage available to all, but massage there is not less expensive unless you have more than 1 massage per month. And you just can't make a living there. I was always taking on other work. Yet the owners of my franchise pulled in $5 million in 2007. Surely there was some money in there for keeping the clinics running at a professional level, hiring management that was stable and committed, and for paying the therapists at higher wages.
In terms of the quality of massage at ME, my experience was that there were both very talented and mediocre therapists at the clinics. Some people were just out of school and inexperienced, some were long-time therapists for whom the structure worked well with the rest of their life responsibilities, such as a set working schedule. Some people were committed to their clients and for others it was a place to put in their time and punch out.
I now work at a massage clinic that focuses on treatment massage for people who have injuries, although relaxation massage is provided too. I feel I am seen as a professional for the first time, and treated like one by my company. I am in demand and my manager No one is allowed to do more than 5 massages per day, and we all have a set lunch break. We start at $22/massage hr. Still no medical insurance for employees but the overall situation is vastly better. We are allowed to have our own music, set up our own environment for the room, such as with candles or fragrances, have a bit of our individual selves reflected in our work. The clients really enjoy that.
I'm sure each ME franchise varies in quality of therapists, management, and business set-up, but the one I worked at was enormously stressful and a big disappointment. I am trying to let go of my anger at some of the things that happened to me and to the other therapists at the hands of management and the owners.
[...] Google's Massage therapists are treated with the kind of respect not often afforded in the "real" world, working no more than 12 hours a week. Contrast that with Massage Envy's sweatshop like conditions and meager wages that take advantage of under-trained and undereducated recent "graduates". I bring this up because Massage envy does a lot of the "massage" business. But they don't really provide much steak, just the sizzle. So it is not really massage you receive and therefore it is more a luxury then a real benefit to your health. Don't take my word for it…….here is what others think! The Massage Envy ? or this spa site. [...]