We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cameron Byrd a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Cameron, thanks for joining 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.

After earning my Florida massage license, I knew I wanted to open my own practice. I liked the idea of having a place of my own and I knew working for someone else just wasn’t working well for me. I worked in a spa for 7 weeks and it was a terrible experience. Poorly ran, unkempt, cheap, low morale, etc. I knew if they could stay in business in spite of their issues, the market had a place for me to step in and do it right.

I found an office space to lease just a few days after quitting at the spa. I started the business on a credit card. I painted the whole place and furnished it. Start to finish it took two months of preparation with painting, cleaning, furnishing, and business licensing/inspection. A lot of work and no pay. I opened in August of 2019 and six weeks later had done enough work to cover my overhead. Eight months later, I could comfortably afford to pay myself and had a decent emergency fund in the business account.

You may have noticed the timing there. The COVID-19 Pandemic happened four months after opening and we did get shut down for a couple months. It was a tough time but I had put off taking a paycheck to prepare for that type of situation. Things don’t always go to plan and every business should have the ability to stay in operation when tough economic times come.

If you’re absolutely certain about opening a practice, get started right away and use time to your advantage. Each day you put it off, increases your start up time. There’s always a tough start up period. Open your doors, get moving, and your business will grow faster than you think. Before you know it, the uncomfortable start up phase will be a distant memory on the path to success.

A lot of people taking the step to entrepreneurship make business harder than it is. You need clients, a way to process payments, and a bank account. A license if it’s that kind of field. That’s it to start. Basically everything else you can learn or hire out along the way. Just get started!

There is no easy or fast way to success. . Certainly there are things that you can learn to help make the process move along more smoothly or make it not sting as bad but the truth is, experience is the best teacher and you just have to get out there and do it.

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?

Many of my childhood memories center around seeing the pain that my mother and aunt went through every day. They both suffered from scoliosis (or curvature of the spine), and despite thirty years of bimonthly massage and chiropractic work, they had very moments that were pain-free. I remember being a little kid and trying to help them by learning how to massage their backs and shoulders.
When I grew up, I made it my mission to find a type of bodywork that would give them—and anyone else in a similar situation—more than a couple weeks’ worth of relief. I knew there had to be a non-surgical option. When I discovered the art of results-based bodywork, I finally had that solution they needed. Now, my mom only gets bodywork done when I see her, which is about once every three months. I not only found the answers I was looking for, but I found a business that I knew I could feel passionate about because I had first-hand experience with what my clients need, and I could see their pain melt away in less than an hour.

Often I am the therapist of last resort. Many folks who come in to Massage Alchemist have already tried medications, injections, surgery, physical therapy, stretching, or all of the above. Yet they’re still in pain and desperate for help. When I tell them I have the solution for what’s hurting them, they’re skeptical.

An hour on the massage table can literally transform someone’s life. They can come into my office suffering from the worst pain of their lives and walk out feeling renewed again. The absolute best part of my career is helping these people do things they didn’t think they’d be able to do anymore. So many are running, biking, swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking, lifting, and working, all without pain. They’re performing at higher levels, healing faster, avoiding surgery, and even sleeping better. Could there be anything more rewarding than giving a person their life back?

For me, it’s always been about the personal connection. I want to get to know my clients, not just for that one moment of pain they have, but for life. I remember getting a call from an old neighbor of mine from Indiana. She and her family were on vacation in Florida and about to make the 1,000-mile drive home to Indiana. She had hurt her back, however, and literally couldn’t stand up straight because she was doubled over from the pain. The thought of making the long road trip in this excruciating state was unbearable to her. She had no idea I was a massage therapist, and was actually referred to me through Facebook. Her family drove over an hour to come see me before they headed north. Her son held her hand as he helped her walk in and although she was doubtful one session could make a difference, she decided to trust me.

Ninety minutes later, she walked out to the car and they drove home without any issues. I checked in with her six months later, and she said she hadn’t any lower back pain since that visit. I see this happen all the time in my practice, but this time was even more special because I hadn’t seen this woman since I was five years old, and here I was, once again, helping someone I had known all my life.

At Massage Alchemist, we practice results-based bodywork, which means our clients get better, period. There’s a reason our clients will drive by twenty other massage establishments just to come see us at Massage Alchemist. They know they won’t just be getting a massage—they’ll be getting a life-changing solution for everything that pains them. Getting results for a client who has spent years looking for help is hands-down the most rewarding part of what I do.

The only way to separate your business from the rest is by helping your client get what they want. If you can do this, you’ll have all the business you can handle. I have been blessed to watch my business grow, not just through the power of networking, but because word of mouth is a powerful advertising tool.

I’ve seen firsthand how word of mouth can transform my business. Through networking I met a lady representing her husband’s dentistry practice. She booked an appointment for him as a Christmas gift. After just one session with her husband, she started coming for treatment, too, because she saw how much I was able to help him with his aches and pains. Next, she referred her father to come in for some relief before his double hip replacement. He was so impressed with the results that he came to Massage Alchemist throughout his recovery. The chain of referrals kept continuing, with my client’s father referring his girlfriend to us for help with her intense migraines, and then we were invited to do chair massages as a thank you for the dental office staff. That one evening event brought us several of the practice’s staff members as new clients. We believe strongly that you get what you give, so we in turn refer our clients to their practice for dental work as well as go that dentist ourselves. It’s amazing how a single introduction can change the entire trajectory of your business—if your motives are pure and you’re focusing on helping other people get what they want and need.

I got into this business because I am committed to helping others in every way that I can. I believe in not just helping as many people as possible get back to doing what they love through bodywork, but also in educating my clients and other therapists so that they can see how focused, results-based bodywork can change lives.

If it hurts, we can help. Even if you’ve tried everything, including massage. Even if you have had years of pain, broken bones, or multiple surgeries. Bring us the tough stuff because we specialize in working with the people who have tried everything. From migraines to cancer recovery, endurance athletes to military veterans, if your body has taken abuse, look no further. Massage Alchemist is the answer you have been searching for.

Massage Alchemist is 100% veteran owned and operated.

Let’s talk M&A – we’d love to hear your about your experience with buying businesses.

Buying a business doesn’t have to be complicated. There are a lot of business owners out there who have an existing business that’s making money but perhaps isn’t living up to its full potential. If you know you have the skills to take it to the next level you may be able to purchase the whole business or earn a piece of the equity by proving your worth to the owner.

I purchased an education business using seller financing a few years back. The owner was close to retirement and I offered to take it over and digitize their current learning materials. In exchange I’d pay him $6,000 per year for five years. The business had two employees who came with it and was earning more than enough to cover the yearly payment to the owner. Essentially, I purchased the business with no money.

This may seem like a lucky break to many but these opportunities are out there. It’s very common for an entrepreneur to dream of passing the business down to one of their kids only to discover the kids aren’t interested in taking over. There are many other reasons people have to get out of a business of course. Just look for the right opportunity and don’t be afraid to ask!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Massage Alchemist is the longest running business I’ve owned and it is definitely the end product of a long line of false starts, hard times, bad partnerships, and outright failures.

I have had business partners lie and steal from me. COVID-19 came and went. Dealt with bad landlords. Struggled to get city approvals. Some obstacles were avoidable and some are just the cost of playing the game. Just keep moving forward.

It’s rare to see someone get lucky and hit out out of the park on their first try. Try not to compare yourself to others. Fail and fail often. Fail forward! It’s ok to try and then come up short. Just keep at it and keep working. It will come together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://massagealchemist.com/
• Instagram: @realmassagealchemist
• Facebook: realmassagealchemist
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC1hR1haiiO8WwB2L2eL-oXw