Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Dot. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dr. Dot , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of becoming a journalist and a photographer. But life had other plans for me — and it all started with my mother. Each night after work, she was exhausted. She’d ask me to walk on her back, massage her tired feet, and even bite her back because my little hands weren’t yet strong enough. I was just five years old.

As I grew up, I kept massaging — first my parents, then friends, and eventually boyfriends. My hands grew stronger over the years. By my teenage years, massage became a kind of secret superpower — a bartering tool that opened doors most people couldn’t dream of.

In 1983, I massaged my way into my very first concert — Def Leppard — in Hampton, Virginia. From there, word spread. I never paid for concerts. I gave massages instead. That “hobby” took me behind the scenes of hundreds of shows from 1983 to 1994. I still had my heart set on being a photographer and journalist, but massage was becoming something more.

Everything changed in 1994, when I massaged the Rolling Stones in Toronto. After I worked on the legendary Charlie Watts, he asked, “How much do I owe you, Dot?” I laughed and said, “Are you silly? You’re a Rolling Stone — I should be paying you!” I was (and still am) a huge fan.

But Charlie got serious. He looked me in the eye and said, “No one will take you seriously if you don’t charge for your talent.” He asked again, “How much do I owe you?” I didn’t even know what to say, so he handed me C$200 — and made arrangements for me to join the Stones’ European tour.

That moment was the turning point. My childhood hobby became a professional career. I went on to massage the Stones on three European tours while living in Germany (from 1989 to 2015).

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

After years of massaging bands for free — from Def Leppard to the Rolling Stones — I finally turned my passion into a profession thanks to a little push from Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts. I took his advice to heart, and what started as a hobby quickly transformed into a career.

I went to massage school in Germany, earned all of my certifications, and even trademarked my signature Bike Massage technique in the United States. From 1989 to 2015, I lived between Germany and America, constantly bouncing back and forth to keep up with the demand. I raised my now 36 year old daughter in Berlin as her father is German.

By 1999, I realized there was simply too much work for one pair of hands. So I began hiring other massage therapists — first one, then another, and another — to help cover the requests I couldn’t handle alone.

Today, that little side project has become a worldwide team of nearly 900 highly skilled therapists featured on my website. We cover the globe: Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, France, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Australia, New Zealand and all across the U.S.

But this isn’t a numbers game. For me, it’s always been about quality, not quantity. Every therapist on my team is vetted, tested, and must meet our high standards. If I can’t test them personally, I rely on trusted veteran team members — and sometimes even touring rock stars — to help evaluate candidates who want to join.

I’m now back in the U.S., based in New Jersey, still leading this amazing mobile bodywork movement I built from scratch. Plus I am a single Mom to an amazing 12 year old Son.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

One thing that surprises most people: I’ve never paid for advertising. Not once. My business was built entirely through word of mouth, and that’s still how it runs today.

From day one, I understood something most people overlook — quality is everything. If you give a great massage, people talk. They’ll share your number, refer you to their friends, managers, bandmates, coworkers. But the flip side is just as important: if you give a bad massage, they’ll talk about that too. So I tell every therapist on my team: give it your all, every time. People remember how you made them feel.

That word-of-mouth momentum led to something else I never expected — press. I’ve been featured in more magazines and media outlets than probably any other massage therapist in the world. Finland, Russia, Germany, France, all over Europe and America — they come to me. I don’t pitch myself. I’ve been on TV, in magazines, on radio shows. Journalists tell me they love my story — they say it’s unique, real, and unforgettable.

So between the loyalty of clients and the media’s fascination with my journey, I’ve never needed an ad campaign. Just word of mouth… and a whole lot of hard work.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I had a very unconventional childhood. We moved so often; sometimes once a year — the reality of growing up in a military family. On top of that, I came from an unsettled home life and learned early on how to adapt and survive. The only constance in my life were the concerts wherever we moved to. So music kept me happy and strong.
When I moved to Germany in 1989 with a one month old baby, I didn’t even speak the language at first — but I figured it out. I had no choice.

Life hasn’t been easy. I’ve had brain surgery — twice. I’m single mother since 2013. I’ve been through more hard knocks than I can count, but no matter what comes my way, I never give up.

That’s the most important thing, in my opinion: don’t quit. That old saying, “Winners never quit and quitters never win,” might sound cliché, but it has been my driving force. I stay focused. I live clean. I’m sober, I don’t smoke, and I try to be a positive example to everyone around me — especially my clients.

No matter what life throws at me, I stay healthy, grateful, and I keep going. And the most beautiful part of all this? My career never feels like work — because I love what I do. I’m passionate, I’m positive, and I wake up every day excited to do what I was born to do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.drdot.com
• Instagram: @drdots
• Facebook: Dr Dot Stein
• Linkedin: Dr. Dot Stein
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/drdotislovinlife
• Other: TikTok: @drdots

  https://linktr.ee/drdot

Image Credits

all images belong to me.