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

Demesha, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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.

I’ve always had the dream to start my own business/Spa. So it started when I graduated from Massage school in 2005. I started doing out calls I had some friends that were working i the hotels downtown and they would let people know that they had a massage therapist on call if they needed an appointment. So, i would go to peoples rooms doing out calls and it was going pretty good, for it to be around the time that Massage Therapist had this bad name put on us because of prostitution. Luckily, I did not have any encounters like that while I was doing out call. I had to stop after I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, I just wasn’t able to carry that heavy table around anymore. So, I waited until she was about 3 to go back to school so I can always have a back up plan if my dreams never worked out like I had planned on them to. I went back for business administration and a concentration in Health Care Management, by the time I had almost finished I had got pregnant with my son, and so I did finish school and walk the stage, that was very important to e at that moment That I show my daughter that whatever challenges are thrown at you can face anything as long as you have the faith in yourself and faith in your God, While, I was in the midst of that I was working two part time jobs I was an Assistant Director at a before and aftercare program and started working at Massage Envy so that I could get more experience under my belt, take Continuing Education classes at a discount rate, and try to learn more about possibly owning a Spa of my own. I learned a lot within the 12yrs I worked with them.

It was during Covid and a current relationship that I was on my way out of that sparked that interest back up in me that I could really do this on my own. I could really have my own business, I started putting things in order and researching things that I needed to have in order for me to open up my business. I thought I could do both just until my business picked up, I quickly learned differently. I picked up a two more jobs I was helping their dad for a little while with his cleaning company and then I started working for this other cleaning company cleaning banks. I then quit helping their dad and because I had started to have more clients during the day and he had a day building that it was getting harder to clean and try to run my fresh new business. So, that’s when I picked up cleaning the banks because it was better pay and I actually knew when I was getting paid and I could work at night. The last job I had was working at Vanderbilt on the weekends doing temperature checks for COVID and that got to be too much because my kids had started up softball and baseball and I needed to be there for them so I left that as well.

I left the school in 2010/2011 started working for Massage envy full time eventually picked up the cleaning jobs and then Vanderbilt. All while during those jobs I was still running my business but, It felt like i had one foot in and one foot out which I think that’s why It wasn’t growing like it should have been.

After Massage Envy opened back up I was having second thoughts of going back because, one my kids were still at home doing online schooling and I needed help with them, My son was going to kindergarten
Then once I was back working I just didn’t know if I was supposed to be there, like it didn’t feel right me going back knowing that I had been working on my own business and it just seemed like things had changed like the my owner didn’t value me as a person, and as a black female. They most definitely made it harder for me to make my money all of sudden I don’t really get holiday pay, sick pay, and paid vacation days anymore and I knew why. It was because we had a new GM and it just seemed like she didn’t care and just lacked the understanding of how important it was have happy employees.

I had already started my business and it was doing okay, and I made a few mistakes that I learned from, which I know its going to make me a stronger person, business owner and to this day I’m still learning. Some of the challenges that I have face and are still facing is trying distribute my time evenly all the way across the board with Family, work and my personal life, and sometimes Finances.

So, when I left Massage Envy I took a couple of weeks maybe almost a month to get my business some what together where I can run it and still do things for my kids so like take them to school and pick them up be at home at a decent time so we can do eating at home, homework and just being able to be a mother to them. Bills had to still be paid and my shop wasn’t where I needed it to be and I am currently still working on that. So i took another job at another massage place so I could have a some what regular pay check so that I can provide for my kids, so I could be closer to my place of business, their schools and home. Which meant I had to take a pay cut, and its been a little harder cause their dad has left the house and now that meant I’m in this by myself so, everything is really falling on me. I’m getting better at my time and learning how to get back to being organized, saying No to things if I can’t do them and that’s for everybody around me including my clients. I am slowly taking control of my Finances because everything that I want for myself, family and business revolves around that part, LIKE that is the KEY to my freedom and once I have that all together then The second part of my life has began. I want a house a again for my kids and our future. I’m learning how to be a good partner again, I’m dating a great guy so far and I’m looking forward to the future of that part of my life as well.

So, I think my advice would be to write your goals/visions out first and section them off in categories on the importance of your life and business like break them all the way down to your the colors of the walls in your business also figure out if you are going to need funding for your business like if you have the funds to do your business then that’s great but if you don’t then how are you going to do that. You have to decide if you need loans which is cool but, that would be another bill that you may or may not want, and there is funding grants for small businesses that I had no clue about that you can apply for which I would recommend after you pay for your business so do your research on that too. Think about the time frames that you want to try to have everything completed and done and set that up for each category. I fill like that right be the part that I messed up on and I say that because, I started my family before I had my foundation laid correctly but, I promise you I wouldn’t do it no other way. So, figure out your plan write it out so you can see it everyday or if you can put it somewhere so. that you can look at it everyday so you can cross or mark everything off every time you complete something. Give yourself grace if you miss a deadline because life will happen and sometimes we can’t control it and then that’s when you make your lemonade baby to get yourself back on track and keep on going. Make sure you have an outlet as well, so like some type of gym, or exercising that you can let all the extra stuff that you got on your mind and just blah out. If you can create a support team or have that one person that you can go to to give you the support that you need to keep you grounded and lifted. Take care of yourself, like do your regular self care routines so that you feel good about what you are trying to accomplish you have to celebrate your small and big wins. My absolute last part of advice would be to Pray and believe in yourself.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My Name is Demesha Batey I am a Licensed Massage Therapist since 2005 I started off doing Out Calls and only working on family and friends after I got my license for about 2yrs then started working for Massage Envy in 2010 worked for them for 12yrs and then during COVID is when I opened my own business. I am also a Body Sculptor tech as well

I got into the industry a few months after I graduated I didn’t know what I wanted to do so I had a friend that was already going to school for massage, sat in o a couple of her classes and I was big on self care already even though that looked different for me at that time I didn’t know that it was so much more to it as began my journey going to class I thought it was all about how you looked but, never knew it was about how your body felt inside out too. So, once I started to learn that I quickly made my choice to go forward to be in school to learn the ends and outs of Massage.
I learned so many modalities while i was in school and when I graduated I got my license and just decided that I was going to try the modalities at the time that I thought people would benefit the most from which is Sports, Swedish, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, Sugar Scrubs, Hot Stone, cupping, percussion, stretching, and, CBD.

I use grape seed oil, regular Vitamin E oil, CBD products for pain management. I wear gloves now because I use so many products through out the day I can not afford to have any eczema flare ups so that helps me protect myself from mixing those different chemicals on my hands.

I am also a Body Sculptor I use a 9 in 1 machine that I can use to shape the body naturally using laser technology and infrared lighting to help melt fat cells to tighten, lift and tone the skin and body. The products that I use for this machine is regular body oil or Vitamin E or C oil that helps give the skin a glow it also works great with the service that I am providing for the client. I also have an enhancement machine that I use for butt lifts, I have wood tools that I use for Wood Therapy and lastly the Infrared Sauna blanket that helps you detox your whole body by sweating out the impurities that your body may have came into contact with on a daily basis. Getting that service will help u loose some inches and boost your immune system.

I feel like the thing that sets me apart from other businesses that offer some of the same services that I have is that it is me that is doing everything, my customer service and how I get to know my clients and making sure that I cater to what they are looking for. I think also what sets me apart is that I am add more services that I can do in my shop with my clients. My goal for my clients is to work with my client not just for them but, actually work with them because I feel like we are a team

The thing/things that I’m most proud of is me being a single parent and trying to juggle life as a whole. The life that I’m creating for us will allow me to be around when my kids need me the most for games, if they get sick, then my schedule would allow me to be flexible and still be able to be at my shop.

What I want to tell my potential clients is that I want to work together to achieve their goals, I want to make sure my clients are educated about what’s going on with their bodies so they will know exactly what muscles we are working on. I also want to show/give them things that they can use at home to make their services that they have gotten last until its almost time for them to come back. I also want them to get to the point to where they need the services monthly depending on what type of services they are getting and what are our goals for each client. I say that because, every client is different and we have to figure out what’s going to work and what’s not. So, the goal with every client is to make a plan that we can execute so they can get the most out of every session. At the end of the day I am for my clients and not gone sell or do anything that is not going to benefit them and the rest will come because I’m putting them first and I truly care about my clients.

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

When it comes to funding my Business I started off in 2020 with getting my unemployment checks during COVID. I started buying the basic things that I would need for my business like supplies my LLC and EIN and DUNs number. So, how I started funding my business was with my unemployment money and then started using the money that I was making from running my business, as well as using money that I was making from my job when I working at Massage Envy, and now I still do that and I’m trying to learn a better ways to fund my business by using credit and Grants which will allow me to add more services to my shop. Once I figure out those ways to fund my business the next thing I would like to do so that people like me that want to start a small business don’t have to always start with their own money and can have their business for how ever long they want it and set it up for the longevity.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think what helped me with my reputation within my market Is word of mouth and this fitness/wellness app has helped a lot. Word of mouth can go along way I started with people that I knew already, then gave them money off if they sent me a referral and they dropped their name then that’s when they would get the money off their next session. Then when I started my business this company reached out to me and asked me did I want to be a part of their team. I said yes and it’s a great way to build up your clientele when your first starting out. I also did the old fashion way with flyers and business cards which I still do because you never know who you will reach that way as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: lifelinewerks.wixsite.com/lifelinewerks-1
• Instagram: @lifelinewerk.d
• Facebook: Life Line Werks
• Yelp: Life Line Werks
• Other: google

Image Credits
Demesha Batey Zen’Niiyah Little