We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melissa Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melissa below.
Melissa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a time you helped a customer really get an amazing result through their work with you.
Being one that has been in the massage therapy industry for nearly 2 decades, I have many clients’ success stories. There’s one that I’ll never forget. That particular client was at her wicks end due to the pressures of life. When she walked in, I could sense and see the heaviness that she was carrying. Her continence, confidence, and spirit were very low. After the 90 minutes massage, she said that she felt like a new person. She experienced healing, breakthrough, and freedom from depression. She expressed that she would be able to give back to the children what she experienced. She went on to say that she would teach, show, and help them to walk in wholeness and know their self-worth. I’m forever grateful for her transformation through that massage.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Melissa Jones, and I’m the owner of Embrace the Fire Massage, an author, speaker, deacon at my church, wife, and mother of 1 child. I stumbled upon the massage therapy field while I was working in a hair salon. I was a licensed cosmetologist but was mainly a shampoo person while I built my clientele. Everyone loved my shampoos because I would massage their head. One day a client said to me that she believed that I should look into to going to school for massage therapy. Not long after I moved away from my hometown and took her advice and I never looked back.
I help men and women to relax and bring them to a place of peace in this chaotic world. I assist in healing, deliverance, and restoration of virtue that has been lost. What sets me apart in this industry is that I use it not only as a profession but also a ministry. I use my hands as tools of prayer and intercession.
The bulk of my clientele are Christian but all are welcome. In this field of work, there are a few spiritual practices that goes against Christian belief which results in them not partaking in the practice of getting massages. That’s where I fill in the gap. I provide a safe place for leaders in the church sectors such as pastors, prophets, apostles, evangelist, and teachers to pretty much be themselves outside of those roles without judgement. They need an outlet too. Whatever is said in confidentiality while they are on the table stays there.
More ministers of massage are needed. I’m at the ending phase of completing my course/workshop to train other Christian massage therapist how to minister through massage. My plan is to have it finished in the very near future.
To some up, I’m compassionate, friendly, down to earth, funny, but also professional.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
This journey of being a massage therapist has had its ups and down. I started working as a body worker at a spa before I graduated. I worked there for about 7 months before I transferred to a yoga studio full time. I worked there for 3 years before I had to abruptly leave due to my beliefs being changed. This caused me to lose many clients because the owner locked me out of system before I could notify any of my clients about my departure. I went back to working a 9-5 job but I also worked part time at a hair salon for about a year. After much contemplation I took a leap of faith and rented a space working for myself. Everything was going well with business and boom I became pregnant. I was put on bedrest for 6 months of the pregnancy and I became a SAHM for a few years. My husband and I moved to another state. There, I started offering house calls all while being a SAHM. I later rented a space again in a salon but 1 year later I took a huge step of faith to get my own place again. I’m now proud to say that I have a space for not only me but a space in my suite that I rent out to someone else!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
I have some amazing clients that spread the word like wildfire. Most of my new clients are by word of mouth. For that reason, I’m thankful.
Contact Info:
- Website: melissajonesglobal.com
- Instagram: @etfmassage
- Facebook: embracethefiremassagebyMelissaJones
- Other: @melissajonesglobal on Tiktok
Image Credits
Photographer for some of the pics-Jeanita Castille