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

Hi Bailey, thanks for joining us today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

I think taking vacations is so important to the success of a business. For me, traveling and having the ability to take time for myself was one of the driving factors of becoming self-employed. I was able to travel for six weeks this spring, for pleasure and to obtain my Yoga Teacher Training certification. Leading up to my trip, I spent months mentally and finanically preparing myself and my business so that I could travel and be worry free. Communication and careful planning are the backbones of ensuring success and having the ability to travel and take vacations. I see vacations as a way to recalibrate and recharge in order to ensure success in my business.

Bailey, 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?

I grew up a dancer and athlete and always had a love of movement, kinesiology, and fitness. From a young age I was introduced to chiropractic and various types of physical rehabilitation and always found it fascinating what the body was capable of. I continued dancing in college and majored in health and fitness management; however, after a few months in the field I realized the job market wasn’t something I was passionate about. I landed on massage therapy because I loved the idea of helping others and fostering meaningful relationships, the potential of working in sports, and most importantly-being my own boss.

After obtaining my license in January 2020, I immediately hit the ground running at a local massage studio, a D1 swimming program, and private travel clients. Then Covid hit, and my passion was tested. In the months following the Covid shutdowns, I hopped around to jobs at various chiropractors, hospitals, and small clinics. My eye was still always on working in sports and having my own practice, and in September 2021, I was brought on to a team of massage therapists that worked with University of Pittsburgh athletics. I started to really see the big picture and potential of what I was capable of. The following summer I began working training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and in September 2022 I opened my own private practice. I was officially completely self-employed.

Since then, I have worked with two professional sports teams, thirteen D1 athletic teams, and hundreds of incredible clients. Outside of athletics, I have a wide range of clients that vary from weekend warriors, stay at home parents, business owners, artists and musicians, CEOs and everywhere in between. My focus is on helping them to feel their best physically and mentally to ensure their success outside of my practice. I truly believe massage therapy can be so much more than just 90 minutes of relaxation every so often. My regular clients see changes both physically and mentally. I value the time I get to spend working on each client and that’s what makes my job the absolute best and what pushes me to keep going and growing.

Seeing through this career is my biggest accomplishment; but to be perfectly honest I never saw another option. It was never easy. I struggled my entire life wondering what it was I was going to do and how I was going to be able to make a difference. It can be very difficult to dream up a life based off essentially nothing. Meaning, I didn’t know anyone else who was doing this. I simply kept going and kept dreaming in order to see it through. Settling for a day-to-day life that didn’t involve excitement and variation was never going to work for me, and I know a younger version of myself would be so proud of what we’ve already accomplished.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Referrals!! There are plenty of massage therapy businesses in my city, and standing out can be difficult when you are one person in an office building working against a chain or larger business with multiple offerings. I have gotten my most loyal clients as referrals from other clients and even other massage therapists.

Have you ever had to pivot?

A year and a half into my career (September 2021), I had full intentions of moving across the country in the spring of 2022. I obtained at license in that state, was continuously looking at housing, etc. This was the same time I joined a group of sports massage therapists and began working with University of Pittsburgh athletics. This was a newer group, and I wasn’t sure what all it entailed at the end of the season. In the beginning of 2022, I was offered to not only stay on board and keep growing with the team, but expand to work with professional teams as well.

I knew I would not be given this type of opportunity in a new city, so I chose to stay and grow in Pittsburgh.

It was extremely difficult to give up a dream I had of living in a new state that I had loved for so long, but ultimately the experiences that I’ve gotten from that decision are unlike any I could have had. There will always be opportunities to grow and leave, but staying allowed me to grow in ways that were unmatched.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://alphawaveswellness.glossgenius.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bayc_lmt
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baileyccampbell
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@alphawaveswellness?si=x3XRigFE1bkAw1bM

Image Credits

Bailey Campbell