Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lauren Cooper. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lauren, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.
Denver Athletic Massage was started back in June of 2021. The pandemic was in full swing. I was working at Target during the day and offering mobile massage sessions in the evening. Just trying to make ends meet. I started seeing ads on my Facebook for a mentoring program specifically for massage therapists who are getting into business for themselves. I had no idea how to run a business let alone create policies and enforce them. But oddly enough getting into business for myself felt like my only option to survive at the time. I didn’t have much money at all to pay for this program. I used what little was left in my savings, credit cards, and even pulled a new line of credit to pay for the remainder. Eight weeks later I graduated with a website, logo, brand, and the motivation I needed to quit Target and mobile massage. It was slow at first. Some days I had no one booked. Others I had maybe two. My first office was small. A 9×10 office in Denver just below the Denver Zoo. I gathered the courage everyday to hand out at least 10 of my business cards to local businesses. Introduce myself with confidence and talk boldly about what I do. I would post everyday to get traction with social media. Some days I wanted to quit. Every dollar I made seemed to be going immediately to bills and debt. As someone who is a true introvert at heart I worked hard to network to get out of my own way to be successful. I eventually joined a networking group that ended up being a great tool for launching my business forward. This group was a direct referral group. Meaning I had no competition for client referrals because I was the only massage therapist they were recommending. Other than helping launch my business forward this networking group also helped me gain more confidence in business. I was surrounded by people who had been in business for years so I took advantage of their knowledge and advice.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Lauren Cooper. I became a licensed massage therapist back in 2018. I originally attended school in Utah at Myotherapy College of Utah. My interest in massage began while I was working as a receptionist at another massage school back in 2015. I got to sit in on classes as an extra body, experiencing the world of massage. I was fascinated with how people would walk in disgruntled, in pain, or even melancholy and walk out of a massage session feeling completely different. They’d be smiling, standing taller, and just happier. I wanted to be part of that. I wanted to help people get better. In 2017 I enrolled in school. After graduating I worked for a few spas. Trying out different specialties. I found myself using a combo of modalities to tailor sessions to my clients needs. When I got into business labeling what I do as “therapeutic massage” seemed to fit as a description. In my sessions I use trigger point release, cupping, postural assessment, , passive stretching, and deep tissue work to restore proper function in my clients. I work with clients who are more athletic or are trying to become more active. That can be beginners to pros. Ages 18+ are welcomed. Colorado is full of active people. That’s no secret. However there are a lot of people who aren’t nearly as active as they should be. Or aren’t necessarily in the gym six days a week but they aren’t couch potatoes either. All three of these categories were experiencing pain that would discourage them from going on or holding back to reassess limitations. So many injuries or incidences that could be avoided. Thus was born my focus. Injury recovery and prevention in athletes of all stages! With the emphasis that anyone can be an athlete. I mean look at the Olympics. I help educate my clients on their muscular anatomy and physiology to better understand how they can achieve their fitness goals while avoiding injury. Even if they do get injured I do my best to piece them back together or refer them to one of my trusted referral partners. What sets me apart is I am seeing the big picture of their situation. If muscle A is hurting it’s most likely because muscle B and C over here are also having an issue. I listen carefully and ask detailed questions to better understand what my clients are needing. I am constantly brushing up on my education and knowledge on human anatomy and physiology. Aside from being a professional in my field, I also take time to relate to my clients as people. I learn more than their names to develop trust and comfortability with me. You’d be amazed how much this helps people heal. Often spas are focused on packing a massage therapists schedules to make as much money as they can. This leaves a massage therapist very little time to do the assessment portion before a massage begins. Or even post session to hear feedback from the client. So in my practice I purposefully leave 15 minutes between sessions so there is time for communication. No need to rush the client or myself. I also offer the full duration I advertise. If you book a 90-minute massage, you get a full 90-minutes on the table as long as you are on time. It’s such gip to pay for 90-minutes but only get 75 or 80-minutes. It screams, “I am totally just after your money!”. People want to be treated like people. They want to feel heard and to be taken serious. Especially in such a vulnerable environment. With being a licensed massage therapist it’s also my duty to also educate my clients on how to respect the massage community. The biggest part being our title. I and most other massage therapists prefer to be called a licensed massage therapist or massage therapist. The word “masseuse” is no longer preferred. Yes, it is part of the history. Yes there are current massage therapists who say they don’t care. But here in the modern era “masseuse” refers to someone who offers sex work. Which is offensive and demeaning to the efforts we make as a community to irradiate illegal sex work. We go to school, pay a significant amount of money, and put in many hours to be seen as professionals in what we do. It’s so appreciated when clients and society receives this well. I am proud to be a massage therapist. I am proud to say that everyday I get to help someone’s life be a little easier. That my office is a safe and comfortable space for many. Denver Athletic Massage is my baby and I am so excited to see where the road takes us.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Right off the bat, the time I decided to start my business wasn’t exactly the most ideal time. The Covid-19 pandemic shook the whole world. During 2021 we saw the pandemic peak. No one trusted anyone or anything. Prices on everything skyrocketed. Social distancing, disinfecting, and masks were required everywhere. I was asking the public to trust in me. Trust that it was safe to get massage work done. I had my own fears and worries that I couldn’t allow to get the best of me. I truly had to set all that emotional distress aside to pay the bills. I would come home after working hard all day. Busy networking and with clients to just sit down and cry. It was hard in the beginning. It’s where people want to quite the most. Believe me I did. But working with my clients truly brought me so much joy. Seeing how much of an impact my work had on my clients continued to push me forward to not give up. I started making more aggressive goals that I had to hold myself accountable for. I used to set a goal for a certain amount of clients seen a week. I would write on a piece of paper 1-12 in reverse. Each day I would write the names of the clients I had. Watching that count down was great motivation. A distraction from the stress of wanting to throw the towel in. Even the weeks I didn’t reach my goal I wouldn’t berate myself. I’d just say, “That’s ok, I can try again next week”. Understanding that I am still a human being living during a global pandemic with so much out of my control helped ground me. Kept me focused on the end goal.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
What I found to be the most helpful in me succeeding would have to be joining the mentor program. I loved learning all that I did in school. But I knew nothing about business post graduation. In fact I know the majority of freshly graduated massage therapists and even established massage therapists know little to nothing about running their own business. It is so much more than an office with business cards and an instagram/Facebook. The mentor program I joined really opened my eyes to the fact that business is about having the confidence to work with the public in a way that most do not understand. From how I designed my website, logo, set my overhead, named my business to how I enforced my policies with clients that are in the wrong. This is where many independent massage businesses fail. You have this vision of helping so many people heal with what you offer that you neglect the more difficult parts of being a business owner. Answering emails, texts, and returning calls when you’re beat from a long work day. Working ON the business instead of just IN the business by getting out there to network. Saying no to that weekend trip with friends because you already have clients scheduled. Climbing out of your comfort zone everyday because if you don’t make money, it’s no one else’s fault but yours. It’s hard work to run a business successfully. The mentor program geared me up to be taken seriously while networking with way more established business owners. It has been the biggest joy for me to see the fruits of those early on sacrifices. Pushing myself to take that chance by spending the little money we had to learn how business actually works. I now run a successful 5-star massage business with some of the most awesome clients. All this hard work had inspired my husband to start his own business which is also rating as 5-star. I couldn’t feel more grateful and proud of myself for making that first step back in 2021. I strongly recommend mentoring to any new entrepreneur to seek a form of accredited mentorship if you can before getting started. It gives you a huge advantage.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.denverathleticmassage.com
- Instagram: @DenverAthleticMassage
- Facebook: Denver Athletic Massage
Image Credits
Headshot by Rebecca Sloan Blanton
Extra photos by Breezy Ritter