Real life vs what they tell people in school

[Suki]

I was just curious how everybody feels about how massage schools prepared us for real life marketing and business issues. I have a feeling that a lot of times massage schools, in order to lure in more students, paint a rather rosy picture of our profession and people are in for a shock when they graduate.

We have 3 massage schools in the area that graduate 2-3 classes every year (each). So the market is very saturated.

I have heard a radio ad for the "most prestigious" of the 3 schools that said something like that.

Mary, laid off at 52 and ready for a career change, went to X School of Massage. Now she is happily working out of her home, massaging friends and neigbors. She is happy and making a good living.

Good for Mary!

I recently talked to a new graduate who was frustarted about lack of business and she made a comment that this was probably b/c she had "no family in this area". When I asked her why it mattered she said that they were told in school that they would start by massaging friends and family and then those people will refer their friends and everything will be just great.

I mentor massage students and I feel that what I tell them about the amount work I had to put into my business, falls on deaf ears b/c they were told something else in school. They are also not told that there should be a certain amount of $$$ invested into marketing' If I had known when I was a student I would've planned differently. Like Mary in the ad, I was laid off my job and I learned quickly that I had to get off my bum and go and drum up some business before my severance expired. I would've been on welfare if I counted on "massaging friends and family". I joined BNI (that worked out beautifully for me), set up a web site, gave out flyers, partnered with a next door gym, gave massage presentations to Mary Kay ladies...you name it!

Our business class was a joke (I went to a different school). I believe it was 2 weekends (4 days). 1 day was cancelled b/c of a snowstorm. For the remainder they had commissioned a recent graduate (she graduated 2 months before us) who never had her own business. I got nothing out of the class.

It's the same story even for those therapists who want to work at a spa or a chiro. We were told that we have to "demand" no less than 50% commission. Guess what, when you have a limited number of employers in the area and 200 people graduating every year, the tables are turned. Employers have their pick. Some places in town pay $10-17/hr (and we don't even have Massage Envy here yet!)

Massage schools are churning out therapists and when they enter the real world they quickly become disappointed b/c their expectations were different.

Do you have the same impression?

Sorry about the rant! It just affected me personally. I had rented one of my rooms to a recent graduate (Great person, good therapist, I like her very much) who just told me that she is moving out of the area b/c she has no business. Zero. I have tried working with her and giving her ideas and even leads how she can find clients but she seems crushed and not willing to do anything. :evil:

 

[Yay Nicholas is here!]

Though neither of us have been to massage school, from the 200+ therapists we have interviewed and hired in the past 6 years, we have seen a very sad state of business education nationwide.

There are certain to be exceptions, but there seems to be a severe lack of the most knowledge about being self employed or what it takes to run a business. Too often, like the ad you heard, massage school is touted as a way to be independent AND fairly well off.

It usually starts with instructors talking to prospectives about how they work for themselves and make $X per hour for massage. The student then does some quick - but totally erroneous math - of 40 x $X and thinks they will be rolling in the dough, and signs right up. No one bothers to point out the basic fallacy in this math.

They also get the impression earning anything less than 40 x $X means you are being taken advaneforum.xxxe of, because that is what your education is "worth". This leads to a bias against working for others - not a great job skill. I love the idea of a fresh graduate demanding anything. We have had therapist turn down a job offer because they thought the % was unfair -- even though the $ per massage were more than they were currently making at a "higher %" job. Certainly can't blame massage business education for lack of basic math skills, but it does seem to create this mania of focusing on %.

So taking a job is a necessary evil, not a means in itself which leads to dissatisfaction with the job. You realize you wont have 40x like you thought you were if you left the job So you end up with quick end to a massage career. Even AMTA finds that most MTs last about 2 years in a FT capacity -- it can't all be due to ME overworking therapists! $5 - 8,000 tuition for a 2 year career, probably making what you were in your previous job -- the math just does not work, but it is against the interest of most schools to point that out.

Being self-employed is hard -- I don't care what profession you are in. Mentoring is one way to help with the reality check, but if you are painting a picture different than what the instructors tell them...

What we be quite telling would be for Massage Schools to report their "placement" rate. What % of graduates are employed -- self or otherwise - FT in the industry within 6 months of graduation? Within 12 months of graduation...

 

[Alondraa]

What we be quite telling would be for Massage Schools to report their "placement" rate. What % of graduates are employed -- self or otherwise - FT in the industry within 6 months of graduation? Within 12 months of graduation...

The school that I went to made this information available either on their old website, or it was brought up in the interview with admissions before signing up (I can't remember which.) I don't see it on their new website (though that's not to say it isn't there SOMEWHERE) but I do know that 6 mo after graduation I did receive the follow up phone call asking about my job status - had I passed the NCTMB, received my license yet, was I employed (PT/FT/how many hrs hands on) and what was my hourly rate. I'm sure I could get the updated information, but it would take me a few days (e-mails, weekend and all).

From what I remember (don't quote me - it's been a few years ) the graduation rate for the school was somewhere in the 90% range, with around 60% employment of some form at 6 months, with the average wage somewhere around $30-35hr. I believe they also provided a % pass rate on the first try for the NCTMB exam, which was impressively high.

I agree - this information should be presented up front and made easily available to potential students. Especially in the case of one college in the area that's dipped into massage a few years ago, and from speaking to a few of their graduates, roughly 1-3 people PER CLASS of 15-20 manage to pass the NCTM exam on the first time (the school quit signing people up for the bodywork section of the exam since the pass rates were so low.) One graduate I know graduated on the honor roll, yet had to take the exam twice.

 

[Alvie]

My school did an adequate job in preparing us for the real world. I actually found that my classmates did an even better job in that regards. My class was mostly comprised of women over 40. They all new that the market was saturated and that it will be a tough few years in building up their practices. They talked about it often.

At the time I was in school I was not planning on pursuing massage as my career. I was making around 40k + in my career and just thought of massage as something I would do on the side. Little did I know that my mind would change and by the time I graduated I was ready to quit my job and do massage only. All I have to say is that I am grateful to my hubby who pays all the bills while I SLOWLY build up my massage practice. I wouldn't have the luxury of quitting my job if it wasn't for him. We are childfree, debt free, and don't really have too many expenses. If I were in different shoes I don't know how I would go about it all.

 

[shesxchaotic]

The massage school I went to was horrible in it's teaching of the business of massage. There were, I think, maybe 4 of us (out of a class of 65) that were over the age of 25. The school definitely played to them, exaggerating the dollars they would make upon graduation ( I believe the number was $70,000/yr).

We had a pretty good business book, but can count on one hand the number of times we were given any kind of assignment (reading or otherwise) using it. One of the tips we were given by the instructor on increasing business was to go and sit on a bus and hand out your cards.....people would beg for appointments if you took the time to explain the virtues of massage. Yeah, right.

The funny thing......the instructors who were teaching, or trying to teach about business and self employment.......had never been selfemployed or had their own business. After graduation, most of them became instructors or teaching assistants or worked at the front desk.

As far as I know, today, 6 years after graduation, only 3 of us are still doing massage.

I have more books on business on my shelves than books on massage. It doesn't matter if you are the best therapist in the world if no one know it.

 

[Pompal 09.]

For about six months, I taught at a local trade school and left because I became disappointed in their corporate program.

In the business class that I taught, there were several students whose faces dropped when told the reality of running a business and/or working for someone. They had all been told of the wealth and the money they could make and were visibly and vocally upset when informed about licensing fees and tax payments. One of my disappointments in that particular school was to think their recruiters (sp) had mislead them in order to obtain enrollment and I'm sure that it happens in many schools around the country.

I think it is very important for schools to include the business aspect of massage. At least enough so when they graduate they aren't surprised and shocked into reality and unprepared for a professional work environment. Then at least if they are aware of the truth, maybe they won't waste their time or money pursuing the wrong career path.

The school I graduated had a business course that was taught by the owner of the school, who had also run a massage business. The things we learned were very relevant to my massage career and I know that part of my success today is due to that class.

 

[Pompal 09.]

IMO, it's not the schools' job to teach business; it's their job to teach massage.

But if they are selling massage school as the path to independence - both financial and a self-based career - then they are not giving you the education you need to achieve the goal they are selling. That is misleading if not deceptive.

 

[twilight fan team edward]

My school did a horrible job teaching business management. Now I'm not saying there should be a full fledged course on it, but maybe some basics would have been nice. A clear course on licensing, taxes, paperwork etc. A touch on marketing perhaps. Even a strong recommendation for a business course.

Our business class was a joke, it was 100 free ways to advertise. Um, I think he got through 5. Good ideas, that might work through some. It was a whole of 4 hours business class... not enough. (Run by the admin guy, who was never a massage therapist!)

We did have some teachers do impromptu lessons on real work business, and we found out about licensing and such, however it wasn't enough for one, who went out started advertising with her business cards and only had the NCBTMB number and not the state license number which wasn't even applied for yet!

The school did portray an unrealistic view on how much you could earn, the admin person used to sell cars if that tells you anything. A little bit of truth in advertising would have been nice.

Fortunately I had a pretty good idea of what was going on and what to really expect.

 

[Jordan]

The school Iwent to here in san diego Mueller did have a stand alone business marketing class. I would say it was adequate and I got some things out of it. The best advice I could give some one while they pursue their passion is: 'Don't quit your day job' It might take a couple of years to get your business off the ground. And a massage business is something you have to feed :shock: for a while.

that being said I work part time in the business and my wife works full time and I can't think of a more satisfying career than bodywork.

Jaso

 

[Pompal 09.]

I went to a really, really good massage school where we had a nearly four month business curriculum! We learned all about how to file a business tax return, we had lots of different folks come in and talk to us about marketing, and it culminated with each of us having to write a business plan. All of our teachers were also actively practicing massage in the real world.

People who graduated from my school tend to do really well in this biz, because they prepared us really well.

 

[AsUwish]

IMO, it's not the schools' job to teach business; it's their job to teach massage.

But if they are selling massage school as the path to independence - both financial and a self-based career - then they are not giving you the education you need to achieve the goal they are selling. That is misleading if not deceptive.

I'm with Pete on this one. I'm not aware fo any trade school that really does the business side well - basically because a lot of them stress the idea that you work your way up in the business - you don't walk into a a 5star restaurant and become the chef, you start, maybe above kitchen hand, but not far. You don't leve plumbing school and set up your own business. Most people don't go and open their own heair salon straight out of school. Chef/plumbing/electrician/stylist all get told how much money they can make in their chosen trade by their school, but they expect to make it straight away, and I don't think it is the trade schools stressing they won't make it straight away - it's their friends and family saying it. Friends and family have no idea what a realistic MT salary is so they think whatever you say is possible is possible on day one. I had a conversation with someone's father about his daughter, the speech pathologist - he was saying she made $120 per hour - he couldn't understand that that what they charged was not what she earnt. He had no idea what a speech pathologist earnt and expected it be what they charged. I think the same thing happens with massage therapy.
People go off and do a webdesign course, get told they can churn out 1 website a day at $600 and then find out the skill is finding someone prepared to pay you $600 (or $6000). Almost all industry specific courses will result will have the same reality check after the students encounter the real world, it's friends and family that bring the realistic expectations in and for MT/webdesign/etc there aren't enough friends and family that have the info to do the reality check.

 

[e l i z a ?]

I am from Ohio, and I have to say that my massage school did not prepare me well for the business aspect of trade. I certainly agree that the school (at least mine) painted a very rosy picture, and did market themselves well, but I never really got a true idea of what life as a MT was truly like.

I agree that the school never claimed to teach business, only massage. I guess that is their way of making money. I have to admit, that while it was completely my choice to become a MT, I have felt very let-down and a bit disappointed in the way the profession has been mislead to many. The massage schools are turning out MT's like a factory, and many don't make it. It would be nice if the board that accredited the school in the first place would have required a certain level of business education. If they are doing this already, it's not very effective.

All in all, I too am frustrated with reality of what life as a MT is like. I love what I do, but cannot make enough money to support my family. I have started back to nursing school just so I will have a steady income within the next few years. In the meantime, it's a struggle.

 

[Vani Priya]

I hear the other new MTs on this because this is right where I'm at right now.

I chose to go to a smaller private school because I liked that it was more personal training, classes were smaller, and they were very concerned with us getting a feel for our individual styles which I feel is SO important considering so many of the larger schools seem to be churning out "cookie cutter" therapists. I feel grateful that I attended where I did.

However, I also feel that I didn't get a really good idea of what I was in for in the business area, and boy, could I use some guidance. I believe we had one scheduled marketing class and the rest of the tips about how to deal with smaller aspects of business were sort of addressed in the way of by example, like how we would work in clinic. Other than that, not much about the new legislations popping up, about how to get started, etc. I hear what Pete and the other person were saying, and it's true that it IS a massage school and not a business school, but if they aren't going to actually teach us the business parts there, why not at least give us some guidance about where we can go, or offer resources we can look into? It would help a lot to be up front about that.

It's doubly hard for me too because I am more about the holistic side of things ("OM-shooby-dooby" as one of my instructors used to joke, as she was this way as well), but when it comes to the business part, I'm at a loss.

 

[Victoria M]

For consideration

I believe the business side of M.T to be a very individual thing. It all depends on personal style and personal direction. Everyone has or should have something that is unique to market for themselves. For example, someone who likes to use a light touch could consider working on infants or expecting Mothers. If they feel that this is their direction then their marketing is aimed that way. Talk to new Mothers wherever they are.

Same if your focus is on sports people. You are standing where they are and your marketing is geared to interest sports people. It is very important that you know your chosen direction first. There are so many directions to choose from because our business is so wide and that should mean opportunities for everyone.

 

[justmeh1987]

The school I went to had a good business class, but the instructor was out on maternity leave when I took it, so it was put together willy-nilly by whoever on staff had any idea about business.

We had to do a comprehensive business plan, and mine just happened to be for my real business, (yay, I only had to do it once!) but I was turned down for my business loan, which the whole plan was built around. Yeah, I have back up plans, and what would I do if.... but you guys are right, it's different here in the real world!!

one thing they mislead us on was taxes.... yikes!!

 

[Mrs. C]

Sounds like they misled you about the value of a business plan as well.

Banks look at your business plan to see if you have any idea of what you are trying to do, but no loan officer really knows if projecting 3 clients a day or 5 clients a day is realistic.

90% of what banks look at is the credit worthiness and assets of the borrower. If they can't get their principle back in the case of default - meaning take your house, car and sell off any investments - then the best business plan in the world is meaningless.

Even with over a dozen years in the spa industry, 2 MBAs worth of education and almost 300K of our own money to invest in our business, the bank still wanted us to put the up our house against the loan for the spa build out.

 

[????????]

I had a great education overall, but I was disappointed by the business portion of it. With some business degrees and years of experience under my belt, I found the three terms of business studies to be severely lacking.

The courses covered aspects of marketing, doing your books, realistic income projections, resumes, cover letters, etc. For someone planning to work for someone else, they were great. For someone planning to build and run their own business, not so good. The best parts by far dealt with professional practices, ethics and boundaries, billing, etc.

The courses were designed and primarily taught by practicing MTs that had successfully run their own businesses for years... but apparently they were still figuring out how to translate that expertise into the classroom. *sigh*

 

[crc]

The school I attended did an excellent job of educating us in the business realm. We had a business and marketing class the entire eight months we were in. If I remember correctly it was an two hour class twice a month.

We read Cherie M. Sohnen-Moe's "Business Mastery" book which is specifically geared towards "wellness professionals".

As well, we were required to write a Business Plan.

What I found though is that we did not discuss a lot of the details of what it would all look like if we did not go out on our own but instead practiced in a different setting such as day spa, resort spa, physicians office, chiro's office, etc.

I ended up at a day spa and made a few phone calls back to my school when negotiating perceneforum.xxxes.

I would recommend that book to anyone who wants some guidance in the business realm.

As well, in our business plan we were required to write where we would be taking business classes when we graduated. It was assumed we would continue on our quest to strengthen our business skills.

Even after all of that though I did feel a bit disillusioned in regards to the market saturation, the expectations of different day spas on how many clients one could treat in a day, etc.

So I really feel for those of us who were not given a firm foundation in business.

 

[mottthedog]

The school I attended did an excellent job of educating us in the business realm. We had a business and marketing class the entire eight months we were in. If I remember correctly it was an two hour class twice a month.

We read Cherie M. Sohnen-Moe's "Business Mastery" book which is specifically geared towards "wellness professionals".

As well, we were required to write a Business Plan.

What I found though is that we did not discuss a lot of the details of what it would all look like if we did not go out on our own but instead practiced in a different setting such as day spa, resort spa, physicians office, chiro's office, etc.

I ended up at a day spa and made a few phone calls back to my school when negotiating perceneforum.xxxes.

I would recommend that book to anyone who wants some guidance in the business realm.

As well, in our business plan we were required to write where we would be taking business classes when we graduated. It was assumed we would continue on our quest to strengthen our business skills.

Even after all of that though I did feel a bit disillusioned in regards to the market saturation, the expectations of different day spas on how many clients one could treat in a day, etc.

So I really feel for those of us who were not given a firm foundation in business.

We had similar training. About 12 weeks of 3 hours a week business/marketing. We had to display sample brochures and business cards, and develop a complete business plan THAT WE ACTUALLY PLANNED TO USE. We went through tax forms, hiring issues, merchandising. Guest speakers who were recent grads came in and talked about their experience. Many of my classmates liked to complain about this class, but after graduating they all started to admit how useful it had been!

As part of the mandatory pre-enrollment orientation, we saw a panel of graduates talk about the profession and we were free to ask them all sorts of questions.

Honestly I think they prepared us pretty well, though most of us were older than our 20s already so had a clue about the real world. Those college-age ones told me they got a lot out of the business class and the people skills classes as well.

I'm sorry to hear about so many schools that didn't prepare their students for the real world. I'm just starting to get established in the Phoenix area and I want to review my notes from business class, plus the excellent advice people are posting here. It's going to be harder because I'm a male, but I know I can succeed if I work at it. The way I see it, my success depends on the efforts of one person--me.

Good luck to everyone and happy new year!

 

[cheesecake]

Thanks for the tip on the book you mentioned, crystal. I'll take whatever suggestions I can get.

I don't really think it was the school's fault as much as like I said I'm very into the DOING end of the massage work and not so much into the BUSINESS end of things. Time to get cracking on that, I guess! Even if I can just figure out the whole thing with the taxes I'll be excited. LOL