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

Heather , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Along with taking care of clients, taking care of our team is one of the most important things we can do as leaders. Looking back on your journey, did you have a boss that was really great? Maybe you can tell us about that boss and what made them a wonderful person to work for?

I became an LMT in 1997 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. In 1998, in addition to operating a full time massage therapy practice, I started working on luxury charter yachts as an independent massage therapist. This took me around the world and allowed me to work with some very interesting, prolific and high-profile clients. I became very busy with this and then formed a company, Charter Spa Services, which placed other LMT’s onboard luxury charter yachts internationally. One of the yacht management companies I regularly worked for contacted me when one of their VIP clients needed a masseuse onboard their yacht. I was living in France at the time and flew to Spain, did the massage interview and was hired on the spot to work with Philanthropist, Fashion Designer and Style and Feminist Icon, Diane Von Furstenberg (affectionately know. as DVF). I of course knew who DVF was, since the young age of about 10 years old so was thrilled to meet her. I have now been working with her for 14 years, traveling the world with her and her husband, media mogul Barry Diller on their 93meter sailing yacht. Needless to say, she has an amazing family, along with some very high-profile friends, colleagues and associates. She has been an absolute inspiration as you can imagine. She is all about introducing women and helping women succeed and has introduced me to many of her friends (especially those in Seattle), has advised me as a business mentor and has helped me both personally and professionally to excel both in my business and in my person life. I love her dearly.

In fact, I am with her right now and I am blessed to have her in my life. She is motherly and protective, cautious and risky, endearing and passionate and has always been there for me, as I am for her. She has helped me with words of advice, and has discussed caution and risks to take when I opened my massage clinic in Seattle. I am honored to be trusted and respected by her and her family, guests and friends.

Heather , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was a National Champion Swimmer (100 meter butterfly) when I was in High School and graduated from a very small town school in central Florida in 1983. I moved to Hollywood, CA (on the first flight out at 5:30am :) the very next day! I spent 3 years in LA working in the music industry at Capitol Records. This was during the time of the advent of music videos (film work, not videos) and I was very interested in working in this field. Long before the internet or cell phones, I went to my local library and found an ad for a film production company in Nashville, TN who was hiring and looking for a receptionist for their large film production studio.

I applied, got the job and moved to Nashville, working for them for about 2 years, until I was head-hunted to work at another production company. I spent another 8 years working for this smaller company, first off as their receptionist / office manager, then worked my way up to Production Assistant, Producer and then finally, Director’s Representative and Executive Producer of music videos, commercials and documentaries.

I eventually suffered an illness after working 80 hour weeks and I started receiving massages as part of my treatment. I quite working for about 6 months to sit on the beach and recover. This quiet introspective time and the incredible benefits I received from weekly massages led me to want to go to school and become a massage therapist. I was in Fort Lauderdale for my initial training and this is where I started my massage practice, and I became aware of the luxury yachting industry. I worked at a spa and then at a medical massage clinic to learn and grow and eventually went out on my own, and also into the yachting industry (as a side job that would pay me to travel).

To this day, going back to school and becoming a massage therapist is the best thing I have ever done in my life. I like to say “I went from stress production, to stress reduction”!

My practice in FTL grew and I became busier in the yachting industry. At home my practice was very busy, and on yachts I was massaging movie stars, royalty, business leaders, the movers-and-shakers of the world. I loved it and wanted more! I became so busy with this that I started my own company to service the yachting industry, Charter Spa Services.

Over a 15 year period, I grew the business, eventually working with 8 LMTs located in various countries as well as continuing to work on yachts myself. I married and move to Australia, but lived in France in the summer and on the island of St. Maarten (in the Netherlands Antilles) to be local for the yachting industry. I eventually left Australia and lived in London, Nice, France and the US.

I eventually moved back to the U.S. to Seattle, my most favorite place in the continental U.S. and I absolutely love it! I live on the Puget Sound, see Orcas from my balcony, and am fortunate enough to travel the world and return to the most beautiful city in the country. I feel blessed and I really, really love it there!

I opened Hawthorne Massage and Self Care (HMSC) in beautiful West Seattle in Dec. of 2023, after the pandemic. We have a staff of independent massage therapists offering all types of massage and self care services. We specialize in prenatal and deep tissue massage among other modalities, with these two being the most requested services we are asked for.

I opened HMSC because I wanted to promote the idea of everyone starting a self-care program for themselves, of course including massage. Even if it’s just one day a month, to remind us all to take time for ourselves and to set aside at least one day for all your favorite self-care activities. I personally set aside at least 2 days per month where I do all the things I love to do and to pamper myself. I get a 2-hour massage, then I’ll get my nails done, and/or have a Facial, get my hair cut and colored, enjoy a healthy lunch at my favorite place or coffee with a friend, sit on the beach and watch the gulls, crows, pigeons and eagles play, and on my best days, I’ll sit quietly at the end of the day with my husband and soak in the beauty of our incredible sunsets in West Seattle. Heaven!!

I am also a big believer in supporting and being a part of my local community. HMSC sponsors many community events, and my favorite is the monthly West Seattle Art Walk. I love art and music and when I designed the interior I chose mid-century decor, furnishings, style and color for a calm, but fun and funky environment. I wanted to sponsor local artists so I designed it like an art gallery as well. Most all the art in the clinic was purchased or commissioned by local West Seattle artists and on display.

Art and Music are my other passions and well, needless to say, Seattle gives me a fantastic choice for creative and cultural options. I continue to travel the world with my mentor and friend, Fashion Designer, Icon, Philanthropist and Feminist, Diane Von Furstenberg on her 93meter sailing yacht, I still love to travel but I love even more, returning home to the beauty and tranquility of West Seattle, especially where I live on Alki Beach.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

After being in the music industry and then working as a producer in the film industry, I suffered an illness that made me stop and just rest. During this time of healing, I began to receive weekly massage sessions. These sessions helped me tremendously and they changed my life. They helped my healing process so much that I decided to go back to school and to become a massage therapist.

Leaving the film and music industries behind, at the “top of my game’ when I was only 30 years old was a very, very difficult decision. I went from making $80,000 per year (in my 20s) to making only $15,000 my first year as an LMT. However, I absolutely loved it and It didn’t take me long to develop my own client base. Within 6 months I was healthy again and I was getting busier and busier, with my salary climbing.

Becoming a massage therapist is the best decision I have ever made in my life. I am now on my 28th year and I still, absolutely love it! I love helping people and I love how it makes me feel. I am truly blessed that I found this career. Truly.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe the fact that I have been a licensed massage therapist in 2 States and 3 different countries, with 28 years of experience and that I have had extensive training in the US and in many other countries and in many modalities, has helped me earn my reputation as a well-respected massage therapist. My years of traveling and working within the yachting industry has also helped as well. In Seattle, most of my clients have learned about me and my clinic through referrals and “word of mouth” testimonials. I also think my involvement in our local community and in various industries and aspects of business have helped me build not only my personal client base, but also increased the level of trust for new clients coming into my clinic in West Seattle.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hawthornemassage.com
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/2yM1odfKj3
• Other: www.hawthornemassagesc.as.me

Image Credits

Photographs by Jamison A Johnson, Heather Hawthorne