Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alexus Edmond. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alexus, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Prior to becoming a massage therapist, I studied undergrad at Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC. I was blessed to receive both academic and athletic scholarships. During undergrad, I was a full time student-athlete while also working a part-time job. With vigorous training and very little sleep, eventually I began to experience burnout and became mentally exhausted. I knew I had reached my peak. I began to seek aid from the athletic trainers and asked for treatment like massage therapy. Unfortunately, they could not assist me nor provide resources in this area and as a result, I grew disappointed in their lack of support for their athletes. Senior year, post Covid-19, I decided to begin my journey in Massage Therapy. My experience in undergrad encouraged me to seek additional therapies and healing properties for the body. That was a pivotal moment for me.

Alexus, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Alexus Knowles and I am the founder of Spa National.

Spa National is an eco luxe haven, driven to manifest and support the artistry of holistic healing. Our passion for wellness, community and sustainable design encourages clients to exist in the realm of relaxation and reconnection.

Since I was a little girl, I had strong proclivity with helping my family and friends in any way I could. I enjoyed witnessing the smiles on their faces when I entered the room because deep down, I knew I was someone they could count on. As I come into my adult years, I begin to provide holistic support that caters to a person’s physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.

I am a Licensed Massage Therapist and have been practicing massage therapy since graduating from a 600 hour massage training program at Aveda Institute in 2022. As someone who is still new to the industry, I understand the various needs of each individual and take full responsibility for customizing treatment plans that address each athlete’s needs and treatment goals.

I came into the Spa and Wellness Industry with the intention to increase the well-being of others. I appreciate the art of healing. As a therapeutic expert, I am responsible for leading a person’s human performance to success and ensure outstanding client experiences. I take it as an honor to provide support that looks at the whole person, not just the physical aspect.

As a high-energy massage therapist, I am most passionate about health & wellness and increasing the well-being of others. I specialize in several modalities including a relaxation massage, trigger point massage, deep tissue massage, sports massage, reflexology and myofascial release. I have the skill set to use massage and manual techniques to help the athletes recover faster coupled with my background of being an athlete. I know the importance of massage & bodyworks and how its benefits enhance the overall performance of an individual athletic performance.

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

Prior to becoming a massage therapist, I studied undergrad at Claflin University, and HBCU in Orangeburg, SC. I was blessed to receive both academic and athletic scholarships. During undergrad, I was a full time student-athlete while also working a part-time job. With vigorous training and very little sleep, eventually I began to experience burnout and became mentally exhausted. I knew I had reached my peak. I began to seek aid from the athletic trainers and asked for treatment like massage therapy. Unfortunately, they could not assist me nor provide resources in this area and as a result, I grew disappointed in their lack of support for their athletes.

Prior to signing as a D2 athlete, I was sold on the idea that athletes are treated with upmost respect and that we have every resource pertaining to the overall health of athletic performance at our fingertips. While some do, others are overlooked. I felt neglected and was forced to take matters into my own hands. Now, I’m a graduating senior, I decided to begin my journey in Massage Therapy. My experience in undergrad encouraged me to seek additional therapies and healing properties for the body. That was a pivotal moment for me.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

There is this stigma that college students are broke and research has proven that. With all that being considered, depending on the individual results in a different outcome. I was fortunate enough to have two side hustles. re-twisting and styling dreadlocks and selling fruity drinks.

What birth the idea to start these side hustles was my 10 year experience of re-twisting and styling my own locs. I would receive a lot of compliments which eventually lead my peers in having the desire to get their locs done by me. In the beginning, I’d always decline due to my duty as being a full-time student athlete and not stressing to them that my daily schedule would not permit anything extra. Then Covid-19 hit the US, and all collegiate sports were ceased. I took this as a sign to make extra money.

During that time, I created a brand called “Tropical Twist”, where we specialized in dreadlocks and fruity drinks and the rest was history.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.spanational.online
• Instagram: Spanational
• Facebook: Alexus Knowles
• Linkedin: Alexus Edmond-Knowles

Image Credits
https://www.instagram.com/spanational/