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

Carrie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My parents are the foundation that I started from and the continuing encouragement still today. I watched both my parents work hard to provide for our family as a child. When started my first job in a Veterinary clinic I would have to wake up early on the weekends to get to work. As any young teenager, there were many times I had no desire to get up and attend to my chosen responsibilities, my parents demonstrated in their lives the importance of keeping my word and working toward what I desired. After years of working my first career, I knew I wanted a change and to pursue one of my dreams to become a massage therapist. My mom supported my decision allowing me to move back into her home and be there for long days, giving me words of encouragement, making sure I had food to nourish my body, and even allowing her house to be filled with pictures of muscles on the walls so I could always be studying. Upon finishing massage school I chose to uproot what I knew and move to Florida. Through hesitation of not being near each other, my mom helped me load my car one Thanksgiving morning and take the drive. Starting a new spa was a scary experience, I spent many hours on the phone with both my dad and mom discussing my fears, success, and failures. When I was young I saw my parents as infallible, as a teenage I saw them as people who could not know the struggles I had, as an adult I am overjoyed to be able to have them to see the life’s they lived to make them both the strong people who stand by may side today. They have been there on my best days to celebrate and my lowest to offer a hand up, brush off the sorrows and face the future with my head held high.

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?

I started in the workforce when I was young, starting work at a veterinarian’s office to clean animal cages. I can still remember opening my first check and having the ability to have a bit of independence. I grew with the changing seasons in life doing various jobs over time, learning from co-workers and bosses. I was exploring what I wanted to see my future to look like and was considering massage therapy, at that time it was not as well known as a modality to help with the overall health of the body. Leaving that dream I pursued a career in the field working with adults and children with mental and physical disabilities. It was where I needed to be to grow my confidence as a person and learn more skills. After 18 years in the field I knew it was time for a change, I left my current career and set off for a new adventure. I attended massage school in Rochester NY. Upon finishing school I what other places had to offer and packed my car with my massage table and some clothes and with the help of friends ventured to Florida. I started my work experience in larger massage chains. It was an important step in learning and growing my skills. Seven years into starting massage I wanted my work to be more personalized then I was able to work with my clients and Expressions Massage was born.
My goal at Expressions Massage was to create a relaxing and comfortable space where clients felt that they were valued in the business, that is where our motto was formed “Expressed Serenity Through Massage”. We opened offering massages and facials that were full-time service, not taking away from time to talk with our clients to find a massage or facial service that would best suit them. We have continued that into our practice today, ensuring that each person who comes into the spa is valued and has the opportunity to express their need and not feel rushed in or out during their time. My heart lights up on days when I hear clients walk through the door and comment that it smells great here, from the essential oil blends we use, and that they feel comfortable and enjoy the small extras we provide. When you open a business you pour your heart and soul into it, hearing the words and happiness of others makes every sacrifice worth it.
We have added new services through the years as we have grown and increased our education. We offer hot stone, cupping, a warm oil scalp massage, and red light therapy during services. We continue to expand and grow and will soon be adding permanent makeup applications to our offered services.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The biggest hurdle that I have had to overcome in starting a new business in the field where I work is the transition from an employee to an owner and the understanding that I can not do it all, and will need help along the way. I have been a massage therapist for seven years before starting my own business. I was comfortable with my knowledge of massage and what it took for the daily routine involved with it. I have worked in leadership responsibilities in different careers that have helped develop skills necessary to running a business, but I don’t think anything could have prepared me for being the person solely in charge. When I started the spa working with clients and massages was what I knew and had to work hard to step away from that role and develop new skills in what it takes daily to run your own business. I continue to learn the skills, to try each day to learn new skills and knowledge of owning my own business. I am surrounded by amazing people who help me work on the latter. My friends and family who know me well know all too well that I am a stubborn and extremely independent person at times at fault. They have been there with me through this process to remind me I am not alone in this and that I have help to make all the parts work correctly. I would like to say that I have been unable to learn this trait but it is a work in progress.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Expressions Massage started small, renting a room by myself and creating my brand of what I wanted to see. Two years into that experience I wanted to create something bigger, something that other massage therapists could be part of a grow with me. I had very little funding to start my business at the time and started talking with people about how to make this dream a reality. There was someone who believed in my dreams and took a chance at the start of my adventure. They asked what I felt I needed to start a stand-alone. I drove home in tears that day. Who was I that this person believed in my dream and how when I needed it most did the angel investor come into my life? They were able to assist me with some capital to start, I put together in my head what I thought I needed to start the adventure, and with that what I had to work with I started. If I could go back and talk to my past self one thing I would advise is what I thought I needed was not nearly enough. You run into expenses that you never ventured would occur, and life gives you curve balls.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.expressionsmassage.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expressions_massage
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/expressionsmassage