I moved to Franklin, TN (close to Nashville) from Lakewood Ranch, FL (close to Sarasota/Tampa) almost exactly 4 months ago today to reside closer to family.
Not long before the initial "Covid scare", I started my new massage practice (both mobile and I worked at a few spas) after many years of a career in sales. Without Covid interfering in my new endeavor, I was having a tough enough time... When Covid smacked me (and all of us) in the face, no-one knew what would happen within the spa industry and I didn't know if it would be a smart idea to continue on my new path. What I did know is my heart felt full when practicing massage therapy. So, when it was deemed safe in FL to do so (sooner than most other states), I began working at a couple local popular spas again (Four Pillars and Sirius Day Spa) and saw some mobile clients in Lakewood Ranch (LWR), but business all around suffered tremendously and there were several months of financial uncertainty and the unknown of what was to come within the massage and spa community.
About a week before I’d planned my move to Franklin, I was offered an opportunity to work back in home medical equipment sales, covering the Nashville area. I'd been looking. My search began mid "Covid scare". I excitedly accepted it thinking I'd work my mobile massage business on the side once licensed in TN, as long as the government didn't interfere with the spa industry again for Covid related reasons. I was very happy to get back to a more secure career path within the medical field (especially in Nashville), in an industry where I'd once been very successful. I was also looking forward to working with the new welcoming, friendly, enthusiastic team who displayed a refreshing sense of southern hospitality.
What I came to realize is, although I especially loved my new customers and was able to help patients both directly and indirectly, my heart was not fully enough into it, which I felt was unfair to the company I joined, the team I worked closely with and myself. I believe it's better to leave sooner than later when this is the case and it's not something I've always been brave enough to do. I took the leap after only a couple months, a few days before January 1, 2021. I also felt it wouldn't be a bad idea to wipe my hands clean of 2020 and the spa industry seemed to be looking up.
Initially, I had a couple nights of tossing, turning and waking up abruptly in the middle of the night saying, "DID I DO THE RIGHT THING??!!" But it didn't take long for me to become present, enjoy the freedom, creativity necessary to keep the new ball rolling and embrace the ability to take things day by day.
I am now officially a licensed massage therapist in TN as of mid January and I have more than a handful of mobile clients in Franklin. I also recently accepted a LMT position working a couple days per week at the most classy, tranquil spa in Nashville, the Woodhouse Day Spa and I'll be practicing massage one day per week at a local chiropractors office in Brentwood.
I'll update you on the progress of my mobile business and my experience working at the new spa and chiropractor office. I'm very excited about what's to come...
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