Building Quiet Prairie: Starting a Massage Therapy Business While Still in School
What I’m learning as Quiet Prairie takes shape one decision at a time.
Several Puzzles at Once
At the Universal College of Healing Arts in Omaha, Nebraska, we began learning Swedish massage techniques almost immediately. We also study anatomy and physiology and take classes in business and wellness.
After being accepted at UCHA, it was an easy jump from creating a vision board to brainstorming what my future massage practice might look like. Somewhere along the way, I developed the habit of making a vision board whenever I set a big goal. There is something about seeing my goal in front of me that helps me stay focused and follow through.
Our instructors also spend time helping us improve our own wellness. They remind us that we need to fill our own cups and work through our own issues so we can be present while caring for other people.
Our second-semester business course concentrates on helping us build our future practices. We work on business names, cards, websites, blogs, licensing requirements, massage therapy laws, and the steps needed to make a business real.
At times, it has felt awkward to begin starting a massage therapy business while I am still in school. There are several amazing massage therapists in my area. We may not have many, but the ones we have are high-quality professionals. It humbles me to be a student among so many accomplished therapists. In time, I plan to schedule a massage with each of them.
During my search for a career outside dentistry, I took courses in website building and blogging. I enjoyed them, and now I have an opportunity to use those skills. I am comfortable sharing some of my awkward learning moments because authenticity is important to me—and much needed online. I am not sharing this journey as a business expert. I am sharing it as a student who is learning along the way.
How Quiet Prairie Got Its Name
The name of my business took a while to find. Using my own name with the LMT initials I am working toward felt intimidating. I know several amazing massage therapists who use their names and those glorious initials for their businesses. That just did not feel like me yet.
While brainstorming, I began thinking about the small things that bring me joy: nature, animals, books, plants, rainy days, and thunderstorms.
There is something about standing in a pasture, looking in every direction, and not seeing signs of modern life. Those moments make me appreciate the strength of the people who settled Nebraska. They endured bitter cold, relentless wind, extreme heat, drought, and severe storms.
I wanted the name to honor the struggles and triumphs of those who came before us. Eventually, Quiet Prairie came to be. To me, it represents rest and renewal, but also quiet strength and determination.
When Quiet Prairie Began to Feel Real
Our internships also began at the start of the semester, which brought another big decision: Where would I complete mine?
I was considering finding someone in Creighton to supervise me, but an amazing friend and massage therapist kept telling me, “Go to Dr. Mary at Healing Hands. It is all set up there. You will never leave.”
After visiting with Dr. Mary and her office manager, Ruth, I knew I had found my people. They have been extremely helpful and are simply fun to work with. Healing Hands Wellness Center quickly began to feel like the right home for Quiet Prairie.
It took about a month for my body to adjust to the physical demands of massage therapy. Good body mechanics and proper techniques are essential when caring for clients and protecting my own body. Once those skills began to gel, I started applying what I was learning in school and from my textbooks to clients who might benefit from a particular technique.
I always ask permission before trying something new and let the client know that I want honest feedback. My internship clients have been generous and enthusiastic about helping me learn. It is even better when someone tells me they feel better as they leave. Now that is job satisfaction for me.
What I’m Learning About Starting a Massage Therapy Business
Before massage school, I thought the biggest part of preparing for a massage business would be learning how to give a good massage. I now understand that the massage itself is only one part of caring for a client.
From the outside looking in, opening a business appeared fairly straightforward. A dear friend of mine started her own home-care business, and I was impressed by what she accomplished. Now that I understand a little more about what was involved, I respect her even more.
I had never given much thought to zoning, business laws, taxes, or deciding between a sole proprietorship and an LLC. I also did not understand all the daily, monthly, and yearly responsibilities that come with running a practice.
In some ways, however, I have never really left dentistry. Licensing and testing, laundry, scheduling, cleaning, documentation, client privacy, and allowing enough time between appointments all feel familiar. My UCHA mentor has taught me about continuing education, taxes, client retention, and many little responsibilities I had never considered.
What feels completely different is the warm, intentional, slower pace I want to bring to massage therapy. That is the atmosphere I experience at school, and it is the feeling I hope to bring to Quiet Prairie.
There have been weeks with heavy homework and busy work schedules, but I have managed those seasons before. My classmates and instructors help keep me grounded. We are often reminded to trust the process and remember that learning is not always linear. I am becoming more comfortable with being a student and learning as I go.
Starting a Massage Therapy Business One Decision at a Time
I am learning that starting a massage therapy business involves much more than buying a table and learning massage techniques. Intake forms, documentation, linens, sanitation, scheduling, pricing, communication, and professional boundaries all contribute to the client’s experience.
Linens and towels are a big deal to me. I have become a linen snob on a student budget. Sheets that fold and drape nicely are a must. They need to be good quality, and I prefer them to feel soft.
Designing my business cards was fun, although I ordered them in a hurry and missed two mistakes on my first box. I wanted to be sure people knew I was a student massage therapist, but proofreading slipped past me. Oh well. I am learning to laugh at myself.
Building my website and blog has also been enjoyable. Because I previously took online classes about websites and blogging, it has been fun to use that experience in a meaningful way.
The first version of everything will not be perfect. I am learning to choose progress over perfection. Some days, I feel as though I have made twenty decisions without crossing a single item off my list.
Creating a Room That Feels Like Quiet Prairie
Creating the massage room has been one of the most enjoyable parts of building Quiet Prairie because I can finally see pieces of my vision board coming to life. Aside from working with my clients, preparing the room has been my favorite part of the process.
We are warned in school not to go crazy buying room décor and supplies before our businesses are established. To keep myself under control, I allow myself one small purchase for the room each month.
The room began with white walls, neutral carpet, and teal-green curtains. I immediately liked the two long horizontal windows with wide sills facing east and north. They were begging for plants.
The plants may seem like a small detail, but they bring life into the room and make it feel more like the peaceful, natural space I imagined. They also bring me joy as I care for them. Dr. Mary and Ruth have allowed me to place more plants around the office, and I plan to move some of the larger plants from my deck into the building for winter. The office has plenty of natural light, so I intend to put it to good use.
I know massage rooms are often dark, but I did not want to work in complete darkness. How can therapists clearly observe their clients’ muscles and movement when they cannot see? I want to use all my senses while working with someone.
I purchased long cream curtains that filter the light and darken the room without making it difficult to see. Ruth’s husband hung them for me, and I appreciate his help. Their length also makes the room look taller. The plants are hidden when the curtains are closed, but that is okay. Eventually, a few may trail around the windows.
I chose sage green, cream, natural wood, and soft brown to reflect the prairie at its prettiest. The prairie does not usually have the lush green found in other ecosystems, but there is beauty there if you take the time to notice it.
I am gradually adding pieces to the room. So far, I have purchased a soft cream rug, seasonal pillows and décor, and faux prairie grass for the corners. I am still saving for an electric massage table and a comfortable client chair. I want clients to feel as though they have entered a warm, safe, prairie-inspired spa space.
I cannot create the entire room at once, but I can make each choice thoughtfully.
The Business Side Is Part of Client Care
I believe in using a thorough intake form. That may be a habit from dentistry, but it is also an important part of massage therapy. There are health conditions and medications I need to know about before working with a client. Without complete information, a therapist could unknowingly use an inappropriate technique or pressure.
Documentation and privacy matter. I record what I do during a session, along with any pain or tension the client reports and where it is located. I also note what I may want to address at the next appointment. Before a returning client arrives, I review my previous charting so I can provide continuity of care.
Protecting personal health information is a professional responsibility, and my years in dentistry made me comfortable with careful documentation and confidentiality.
I have also always been particular about cleanliness. Clean linens and a properly cleaned massage room are the minimum I expect for my clients. I appreciate my instructors’ high standards of sanitation.
Scheduling, professional boundaries, respecting my clients’ privacy and time, and staying organized enough to be calm and present at the massage table are all skills I bring with me from dentistry.
Most people will never see the forms, planning, laundry, record keeping, or decisions behind their massage. However, those details are also part of caring for the client.
Building While I Am Still a Student
When I started school, I cleared my life of most “extras.” I knew balancing school, hands-on weekends, work, family, internship hours, and business preparation would require sacrifices.
For now, I have given up television, scrapbooking weekends, reading books unrelated to school, shopping, and some time with friends. Most of the time, I am okay with that. I still have moments when I miss those things, but I know I will be able to enjoy them again.
I am grateful that UCHA encourages us to begin planning our businesses before graduation. This preparation means I can have systems in place and be ready to move forward when I receive my license. It has also been fun brainstorming with my classmates about our future practices.
I have made small mistakes, of course. My business cards are one slightly embarrassing example. I missed two errors that I should have caught. That is what happens when I try to do too many things at once.
I have learned to laugh at myself. Quiet Prairie will continue evolving, mistakes and all.
What I Hope Quiet Prairie Will Become
I do not know exactly what Quiet Prairie will look like five years from now, but I know how I want people to feel when they walk through the door.
I want clients to feel relieved that they have arrived at a place where they can relax, let go, and receive care for their everyday tension and discomfort. When they leave, I hope they feel restored and able to move a little more easily through life. Most importantly, I want everyone who comes to me to feel welcome.
In the future, I would like to pursue training in specialized services such as Structural Integration and lymphatic drainage. I am also open to learning other modalities that may support my clients’ quality of life.
I like to imagine a full-time practice that might eventually include additional massage therapists and carefully chosen wellness products. The entire vision is not clear yet, but I am content to take a few steps at a time as God lights my path.
One Thoughtful Decision at a Time
As I write this, I realize how much I still have to figure out. I am content being a student and learning from each class, client, and mentor conversation.
I know Quiet Prairie will continue changing as I learn. I am grateful to share the process with you as the business becomes real little by little.
Quiet Prairie is not being built all at once. It is taking shape one class, one lesson, one form, and one carefully prepared room at a time.
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