We recently connected with Desiree Gonzalez and have shared our conversation below.
Desiree, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.
Starting my own massage therapy practice has been a roller coaster of emotions but amazingly satisfying to watch grow. No matter the hardships or tough times I experience. My clients, friends and family have helped keep me going.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As a little girl I always loved the idea of self care and spa activities. I would take my mom and oldest cousins make up off at night using my mom’s Mary Kay products. She taught me her whole routine. I would also massage their back. I loved taking care of them this way. When I was 12 y/o my grandma had to have a limb removed because of a disease named Gangrene on her foot. She would feel phantom pains and would ask me to massage her. One day after massaging her the night before I asked her how she felt and she said “Tienes Manitas De Angelito porque ya no me duele” you have little angel hands because it doesn’t hurt anymore. After this I knew I wanted to use my hands to help others. My main goal at Manitas is to provide a safe, loving space for anyone dealing with anxiety, PTSD or depression. To be able to clear and silence the mind for an hour or two. Dealing with ADHD, anxiety and depression myself I understand and see the benefits from taking care of my mind, body and soul as a whole to help me manage the stress and challenges life throws at us. Owning my own massage therapy business has allowed me to function and feel comfortable in my own mind and body. I strive to leave my clients feeling this way from the moment they walk through the door to the last step they take to their car. I believe if all humans were made aware and understood that they are not alone and we created a stronger sense of self awareness the world could be a better place. When we start to feel good we start to do good. We all make the world go around and we’re all in this life together. The best thing we can do is make it easier and more comfortable for each other. Everyone deserves to be our best selves. For our friends, family, colleagues, community, future etc…
Can you open up about how you managed the initial funding?
After receiving financial aid for Technical classes I was provided with a massage table and a pair of sheets at school. After completing the training and courses I applied for my very first credit card from my bank. I was approved for $1,000. I used this to purchase a hot towel cabi and facial steamer. In my industry you only had to have a license and insurance to practice from home. I set up an extra bedroom at my mom’s house and slowly started to buy decorations and other things I liked to make my massages better.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
In 2022 after watching my business goals come to life before my eyes. Before knowing if what I dreamed for was really possible I was forced to move from the office I was renting. It felt like my world had come crashing down. I was blind sided by three people I loved dearly all at the same time. It felt like one thing after another. I didn’t expect for anyone I thought I could trust to be so cruel to me and not care about my clients or my business enough to give me at least a couple days to get set up in another place. I also found I was being charged a big sum of rent from the same person I thought was my friend. This taught me to always make sure I know the details correctly before renting any spaces to work. With a full schedule an employee at the time and people counting on us for their massages I had no choice but to return to my moms old house. It was devastating for me because it felt like I had back tracked instead of moving forward how I planned. The house was abandoned at this time and it wasn’t an ideal location. Suffering from heartache and loss I had no choice but to keep going and working. I’m blessed to have an amazing, sweet and understanding clientele who gave me the inspiration and motivation to just keep working how I work. Slowly things started to get better. My mom encouraged me to take the step into my first brick and mortar shop right after. It turned out to be a small set back for a bigger store 💜✨
Contact Info:
- Website: https://manitasmassage.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/manitas_massagetherapy?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Other: https://www.vagaro.com/manitasmassage
Image Credits
Denise Avila Instagram: @photosbydenisea