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

Joe, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us 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.

​From Hedge Funds to Healing Hands: Why I Left a 20-Year Finance Career to Start a Massage Practice

I left a 20-year career in finance and management to pursue a career in massage. Most of my friends and associates were pretty sure of two things:
1) that massage would not be interesting enough to keep my attention, and/but
2) if it was, I would open a dozen practices in my first year.

I was a little more reserved, figuring I might open one or two. It turns out we were all wrong..

The first thing my friends underestimated was the intellectual complexity of massage therapy. I’d been a hedge fund manager with business interests in multiple countries. My life was spreadsheets, negotiations, and boardrooms. But by 2007, I was also completely burned out, and we were on the brink of a global financial crisis. My work life at that point? Frenetic is probably the most accurate word. I was constantly doing, but increasingly disconnected from meaning and from people.

Fast forward to six months after graduating from massage school. I joined six of my former finance peers for our monthly breakfast. I remember telling them, without hesitation, that spreadsheets were easy—and, in fact, quite boring—compared to the challenge of working with another human being. The nuances of the body, the nervous system, the energy in the room​; it was a completely different kind of intelligence. One that required presence, listening, and adaptability in every moment. Massage, it turns out, wasn’t just physically and emotionally engaging​, it was deeply intellectually fulfilling.

The second assumption we all got wrong was my supposed business dominance in this new field. I did start my own practice right out of massage school, and I was fully booked within a couple of months. But the idea that I’d open a dozen locations right away? That’s not how massage works, at least not if you want to do it well.

Unlike finance, massage doesn’t scale in a linear way. The work is intimate, high-touch, and deeply personal—literally and figuratively. You can’t just copy and paste a massage business and expect it to thrive. It took me five years to open my second practice, and even then, I knew I had to be intentional about who I hired, how I trained them, what kind of client experience we were offering—and just as importantly, what kind of employee experience I was offering.

Fast forward again to about five years after graduating, and I found three amazing massage therapists I wanted to go into business with. Officially, I would be their employer, but I’ve always operated with the belief that I work for them. The better I treat them—respect them, support them, and pay them—the better they’re able to show up for our clients. And the more our clients will experience massage in the way I believe it should be delivered: with care, integrity, and presence.

What I’ve learned is this: mastery in massage takes time. Building trust—with clients, with staff, and even with yourself as a practitioner—takes even longer. And none of it happens through shortcuts. The art, the business, and the practice of massage require patience, curiosity, and a level of human engagement that’s fundamentally different from most industries.

So, no—I didn’t open a dozen practices in my first year. ​However, today, I own multiple thriving massage businesses, teach continuing education to massage therapists around the world, and help other therapists build sustainable practices rooted in quality and integrity.

And I’m even more fascinated with the work than I was the day I started.

Joe, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

On paper, I am a Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Phenomenal Touch Practitioner®, Certified Compassion Fatigue Professional, Certified Trauma Specialist, Certified Ashiatsu DeepFeet® Bar Therapy Practitioner, Certified Sarga® Bodywork Practitioner, Certified Myofascial Cupping Practitioner, Certified in Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM), NCBTMB® Nationally Approved CE Provider, IMA Educational Ambassador, IMA Certified International Teacher, Certified Educator of Infant Massage, Certified Reiki Master & Teacher, Certified NFPT® Personal Trainer. In addition, I am a Member of the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame, a Judge for the World Massage Championship in Copenhagen, a Trainer of multiple National and World Massage Championship Medalists, a Multiple American Massage Championship medal winner (specifically Bronze in Western Freestyle Massage, Silver in Eastern Freestyle (Thai Massage), and Bronze for the Overall American Massage Champion of 2022). Which is one part of my story…

…but it has been a long journey getting here, and I still have a long journey ahead.

I went to massage school in 2005, but I originally got interested in massage more than a decade before that through my involvement in boxing, traditional martial arts, and Mixed Martial Arts. I was a professional Muay Thai kick boxer and MMA fighter for several years, and I fought in many different countries, including Thailand, the Philippines, Canada, and the United States. I was even fortunate enough to win and hold a Title Belt for a couple of years until I retired from the sport.

Obviously, your body takes quite a beating as a professional fighter, but what is not so obvious is that fighting also challenges your mind and soul to their limits. As a result, I sought out many different bodywork styles and relaxation practices during this period. And, as it turns out, your body, mind, and soul can take quite a beating in the finance industry as well, and I again found myself returning to massage, yoga, and breathwork for my self-care and peace of mind.

Through these experiences, my formal education, and years of practice, I have been able to combine the best techniques from different bodywork modalities and relaxation practices into my current massage practice, which provides for a unique, therapeutic, and unbelievably relaxing massage experience.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your firm or practice?

Last year, I decided to open my third massage practice—this one in downtown Seattle. I had budgeted, maybe a bit naively, to complete the buildout for around $70,000, and I was confident it would come in under $100,000. But I was wrong. The final cost exceeded $200,000.

I didn’t have that kind of capital on hand, and—like many small business owners quickly discover—it’s incredibly difficult to secure a loan mid-project, especially for a remodel or buildout. My only available financing options were high-interest, short-term loans that felt more like a trap than a solution.So, I did something I’d never done before. I emailed all of my clients, told them exactly where I was, and asked for help. I let them know what I was building, why it mattered, and how they could support it: by purchasing gift certificates or pre-paying for future massages.And they showed up. Big time.In just a few weeks, my clients purchased over $100,000 worth of gift certificates and packages.Without them, I honestly don’t know how I would have finished the buildout. It was humbling. It was overwhelming. And it reminded me why I do what I do: I’m not just building massage practices. I’m building a massage community.

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

One of my mantras regarding my massage practice and business is that I want to do things the way that I want to do things. I’m honestly more interested in making a difference than making a dollar, or at least a lot of dollars. So, first and foremost, I think it’s been my commitment to doing things well, not fast, and doing things because they are the right thing to do, not necessarily because they make sense on a financial statement. 

You can’t shortcut trust, and you definitely can’t scale a massage practice with integrity unless you stay deeply connected to both your clients and your team.

I didn’t try to grow by being the cheapest or the flashiest. I grew by consistently offering high-quality work, building meaningful relationships, and delivering an experience that genuinely improved people’s well-being; physically, emotionally, and energetically. I also made sure that my staff felt supported and valued, because they are my first priority. 

Another thing that helped was being transparent and human with my clients and staff. I treat my staff like professionals and equals. I share all aspects of my business with them, and when they’re ready to leave and start their own business, I do my best to help them get a great start. When I needed help funding the buildout of my third location, I didn’t put on a marketing spin—I just told the truth. I shared where I was at financially and asked my community for support. And they responded with generosity and encouragement. That experience taught me that people don’t just support what you do, they support your vision, your integrity, and your why.

So if I had to sum it up: I built my reputation by staying present, being honest, and committing to excellence, even when it slowed things down.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.massagereimagined.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/massagereimagined/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MassageReimagined/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Joelavinmassage
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/massage-reimagined-seattle