We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Vanessa Mangan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Vanessa below.

Vanessa , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear stories from your time in school/training/etc.

The first two weeks was the turning point for me. As I studied anatomy and physiology I realized massage field wasn’t as foo foo as I thought, i quickly realized I really liked it and after class one day I went and drop out of college, which I was suppose to start in the fall for business school.

Hands on practice help me see I was stronger than I thought for a small petite 17yr old. I landed another student out of classes for two days after her practice session with me left her so sore she couldn’t walk or move. I didn’t know I had the strength to do that so I had to practice controlling my strength and power and know where and when to use and distribute. And that’s how I became a deep tissue muscle manipulator therapist.

Most don’t know but while training in school we were blind folded during hands on practice to master the art of navigating the body without the sense of sight, to enhance our sensory of touch in our hands and fingers. It was a lesson that stuck with me, even after 23 yrs I still close my eyes on occasion and let my finger tips and toes find the tension without have to stare at the body part. It’s how I entertain myself during long sessions without the client truly understanding what I’m doing.

Vanessa , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Well my name is Vanessa Mangan, I started my career for the love of body’s while still a teenager! I fell into the spa industry by ambitions of entrepreneurial endeavors of one day owning my own spa facility. My ambition was mighty, I wanted to acquire every profession that I was gonna hire. I felt that if someone was gonna work for me and represent my company that I myself also should be knowledgeable in the field. I set out to get my cosmetology, esthetics, massage and nail tech license and certifications along with a degree in Business administration, talk about ambitious, but I got as far as massage and esthetics license after realizing in my first two weeks of massage school (in 2002) that I was about to embark in a love affair relationship with that field and that nothing else mattered. Making the decision to drop out of business school. And til this day I don’t regret it one bit.

I’d say I had a lot of discipline and hunger for knowledge. As I love learning and mastering the craft. My biggest flex is creating my own style of Ashiatsu blending it with my love of the arts and performance. And allowing my creativity and wellness embark unto waters less traveled. Because like water I’m fluid and all over the place!

The only problems I’m able to solve that set me apart, is that I genuinely care and love those that allow me to flourish creatively on my table! If pain relief is what you’re looking for…. I got you! If a good conversation with laughs and some endorphin release from muscle manipulation is what you seek… I got you! If just to lay down on a heated table with good hands and feet engaging with your tired soul and some amazing music in the background…then I got you. It’s all about the element of getting you to a place of wellness thru mind body and soul connection with a hint of laughs, familiarity and security of being in a safe place.

I’m most proud of creating for myself the life I’ve always wanted that has nothing to do with monetary gain and all to do with knowing you make a difference day in and day out year after year, I’ll never retire voluntarily, I love the craft too much and it loves me. The work keeps me young! But the fact that I work doing something I love and passionate to the core about well then I’ve reached the pinnacle of success.

My tribe will find me, they always do, the ones that love quality, depths, laughter, hugs, empathy, compassion, and pure talent with a hint of knowledge and wellness, yassss. Those are mine to nurture, I am theirs and they are mine. Because I’m a provider of the people and for the people, my art belongs to them!!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I’m from New York!!! I use to hear a lot of people say “if you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere”. Well I tested the theory, and well I don’t think it has to do with being from NY, I think resilience has a lot to do with hunger and how bad you want better, how much you tell yourself you deserve a piece of the pie too.

I’ve never had it easy, even in my native land of Honduras, it was tough. It’s how we choose to look at the glass- I choose half full! I’ll choose right over wrong, I’ll choose morals over selling out, even if it gets me late to the end game, I know I’ll arrive with my dignity in tact, head held up high, and a cheesy smile that only God has the strength to keep it stretched out ear to ear. I push forward even when I know I can’t because “this too shall pass”

I’d say the biggest impact that destroyed my psychosis was being raped at the age of 21 while trying to save myself for marriage, if that doesn’t destroy a girl’s inaugural into womanhood I don’t know what can. I built the foundation of my business on a lot of pain, confusion, tears, fears, critics, self doubt all while wearing a bubbly personality and captivating smile! I faked it til I made it, and guess what … I made it! Took me some 9 yrs in silence, to finally be able to begin that healing process.

I look back sometimes and I hug that girl juggling life the best way she only knew how to and I whisper to her “this too shall pass”

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My domestic case pushed me out of New York and into as far as I could get to for survival which altered my life completely (2017). So the mindset was survival and push came to shove and well I survived! Losing a lot of people along the way.

COVID shifted my LA practice (2020) the place where I was subletting shut down and business wise I had to sink or swim and I had to do it fast to not loose the clientele I had managed to build the first 3 yrs of being in LA. So a tragedy came disguised as an unknown blessing. And I did the one thing I did not want to do which was have another established office as I still had my NY office which still had a large overhead. Yet here we still are. Pushing forward the only way we know how! One body at a time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.theconciergespa.com
• Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/theconciergespala