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.

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.

Bottom line, if you don't like it, don't do it. No one is twisting anyone's arm to do anything.

Thanks!

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.

ME is capitalizing on the "expendable" therapist. It won't be long before the schools start seeing less people entering the profession thanks to places like this.

My starting point is that I entered massage therapy as a profession, not an avocation. While I acknowledge it is more than “just a job”, it is less than a religious calling. I do it because I am good at it, it makes my heart sing and it keeps me in food and shelter. If it stopped doing that last thing, however, I would turn my back on the other two. My friends and family alone could keep me in all the heartwarming, life-affirming massages I would ever need to give away in a lifetime.

As a working therapist (now with 15 years in practice) I have, roughly speaking, twenty hands-on hours a week in me. More than that on a steady basis and I am simply waiting for either my body or my mind to give out. I acknowledge that the number may be different for other therapists, but I would expect general agreement on my assertion that there is a limit to the “economies of scale” that I can impose on my work as an individual therapist. Assuming an unlimited supply of clients, does (maximum-number-of-hours-I-can work-in-a-week) X (dollars-per-hour) = income-I-can-live-on?

A spa can hire multiple therapists to keep its fixed cost (a massage room) producing. As a practicing therapist, I cannot hire ‘independent contractor hands’ to work an additional twenty hours of my week. My argument here is that, as a profession, there is a floor of compensation under which we are committing to the idea that massage therapists are temporary employees. They leave the room at the moment that their bodies give out or economic necessity drives them out of a $15-plus-gratuity environment and into a different field of employment or better-paying-room environment.

So we can argue all we like about what is good for a potential client base that cannot afford our services, but the galling truth of capitalism is that somebody has to pay something to keep the enterprise going. Consider the idea that our skills are so important that we should partner with a company where EVERYBODY works for free; spa owners, massage therapists, front desk clerks, janitors and launderers. We will get suppliers to give us tables, linens, and oils. We can then openly and freely share the gift of massage with ANYONE that needs it free of charge. Laudable, perhaps, but as the massage therapist I am wondering where in this model I get to eat and sleep.

Getting paid $15 plus gratuity is just the slow (rather than instant) starvation version of the above model. I can’t (and I don’t believe our profession as a whole can) live on this wage unless we a) externalize the therapists living costs to a third party (spouse, parent, second job, trust fund) or b) acknowledge that the system works only as long as the therapists in it are considered expendable. They go elsewhere to make enough money to live on and the $15-plus-gratuity business hires the next expendable therapist.

As a customer, I appreciated the price, and that I could afford one every month, or more. Unfortunately at a Day Spa, the prices are out of my league, especially for regular visits. So, while I would like them, they don't fit in the budget at present. It's also nice to have a package, which guarentees a service each month. Perhaps that is a good idea for day spas to incorporate, although the prices might be higher. It kept me coming back, even if I wouldn't have on my own.

As a note, Massage Envy, also posts a suggested minimum tip, which is higher than 20% of a full priced massage - which I found fairly obnoxious. And they raised that "suggested" tip from $12 an hour, to $15 an hour a while back. It seems that they compensate for the lowered price of the massage by pressuring (and I did feel pressured, even for the bad massages) the customer to leave a higher than normal tip. (For the good ones, I was happy to pay it.) But my point is, part of the low price, from the consumers end, is an allusion with this pressured and high priced tipping.

I agree that ME has found a certain niche for clients who do want a "no frills massage" and who are busy and need to relax, albeit in a "quick in-and-out" way. The price is right and the people are nice. ME deserves the success they are acheiving.

And when I have the time and money and really want to indulge myself and be pampered with all the amenities, I will go to the high end spa. But, as you know, most people can't eat at Spago's on a regular basis, especially in this economy. But once in a while, it is a real treat!

The moral: There is room for every massage business!

As for the "pressured selling" that I have seen mentioned, we do not pressure membership sales. Massage sells itself! Those that understand the true benefit of massage can see the value of what ME has to offer.

I agree with those that have realized that just because a massage may cost more does not mean it is of better quality. Expensive spas hire from the same massage therapist pool that ME does. Yes we do have therapists that are recent graduates, but we also have therapist that have been in the field for 10+ years. And remember, it's not only the number of years of experience that your therapist has, but also the passion for the work. You can teach massage techniques to anyone, but only some will have the therapeutic touch.

This should matter to the new therapist just starting out because:

1. Massage Envy will allow you to get the experience needed to land a job at a higher end spa.
2. Without the pathetic little poor people like me you will have no customers.

This should matter to higher end spas because:

1. Lower end massage spas will eventually supply you with therapists who will be better prepared
   to give the high quality massage your customers expect.
2. Lower end massage spas will introduce millions of people to the world of massage. Some of these people will decide to try the higher end spa.

Please get off your high horse and look at the facts. Lower end spas will eventually result in more customers for all involved. If your business is suffering from the introduction of cheaper alternatives then you should look at how you do business, not whine about people who are topoor to afford your higher end product. Do you really feel only wealthy people deserve a massage? Doesn't that sound like discrimination?

As for the comparison between cars and massages I see a lot more Chevies than Porsches. I get the feeling that some of you out there believe the Chevies don't deserve to use the road if they can't afford the Porsche.

Many posters are breaking down the massage business to the nuts and bolts. Forget about arguing over cold rooms or the lack of room to sprawl out or where to put your tiaras. Poor people like me aren't out to take away your pleasures,but simply enjoy a no frills massage. How can this threaten your way of life? Isn't there room for all of us?

Please excuse my grammar and spelling. My stupidity is most likely why I'm poor. And thank you for reading my scattered opinions.

I rescheduled at another location in person for a couples massage. Because of my hassle with the other location I make sure that the receptionist is clear that I want a couples massage. She even calls me later in the day to confirm I have a couples room. We show up for the massage, and what happens? No couples room available and we get separate massages b/c at that point I was upset and clearly I would never be able to get the couples room.

So after all of this I try to get my money back b/c of the poor customer service. No luck. I am so pissed that I don’t want to go anymore. Now months have passed. I was told that if I don’t use it, the massages roll over and I can use them later. I call and I’m no longer a member and can not use the massages that have been paid for up front. I HATE MASSAGE ENVY.

Here's mine:

What is full-time vs. part-time for a therapist? For me 15 to 20 hours of massage is full-time. Less than 15 for me is part-time.

How many hours, deep tissue can you do in a day without injury and with keeping with a business model? If I correctly use my body I can do about 4 hours of deep tissue a day. It's not just about pressure, but knowing how to get to the deeper muscles. When it does come to utilizing pressure I use my forearms and elbows almost everywhere. I will use a tool of some kind when it's not wise to use my elbow.

How much time is needed for "down-time" between appointments? Stay healthy and do a quality massage. At ME there is no down time as you only have less than 10 minutes after finishing that last massage and beginning the next. That includes the time both clients take to change and get on/off the table and the time it takes you to change the sheets, wash your hands and take care of your own needs. Now that I am away from ME I don't mind doing a back to back appointment, but then after that I like a small 30 min. break before doing the 3rd session.

How many days can be worked per week? 4 or 5?

I don't blame my therapist. It was at the end of the day (around 7pm) and he was clearly exhausted. His movements were choppy and sluggish. He also smelled strongly of either cigarettes or a very cheap cologne; I couldn't tell which. When I'm getting a bad massage I often want to say something, and I have this internal monologue about how I want to bring it up, but I seldom actually say anything just because of politeness. Also, you're laying there naked, it takes a lot of courage to just say, when you're totally naked and someone is trying to relax you, "let's just stop, I'm not enjoying this." I kept having to remind him not to rub so hard, although his communication was good… he kept asking me if I was comfortable, I was NOT but I just couldn't say anything. His draping technique was also pretty poor and there were times when I just got this bad vibe, not like he was a letch but that he just didn't care about his work at all. It's just a bad experience when a massage is bad, and having a male therapist who's sloppy in his draping to the point of nearly exposing you or touching you by accident someplace WRONG makes it about a hundred times worse.

Plus, my therapist had just said goodbye to another customer and I just went in right afterward. He hadn't even had any time to rest and I'm sure massages are hard work! Once he got around to massaging my back it became clear that the guy had a lot of skill — he was just plain worn out. The result was a very sloppy massage and one seriously freaked out customer.

Even after I reported this to the woman at the front desk, she STILL pushed me to commit to the membership! I told her, "I was a little weirded out," and she just kept going. I am never going back there.

I don't doubt that some customers get lucky with ME, probably the ones who come in earlier in the day, but as one of ME's selling points is that they're open late, I'd say this is a moot point for their business model. The adage is true, you get what you pay for. If you want a luxurious spa massage go to a luxury spa and pay the price. If you want one for cheap, ask a loved one and swap out. You are likely to be embarrassed by this ghetto establishment if you are used to better.

And to reply to PC above me: Full time = about 25 hours a week… all of your other questions can only be answered by each individual therapist… some have amazing stamina and some are reckless about their bodies and some would prefer to keep the number of massages they do low… each person's abilities and limits are different.

• What is full time vs. part time for a therapist?
• How many hours, deep tissue can you do in a day without injury and with keeping with a business model?
• How much time is needed for "down-time" between appointments? Stay healthy and do a quality massage.
• How many days can be worked per week.

Sincerely, PC