We were lucky to catch up with Laura Stendel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Laura thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

There have been several defining moments that changed the trajectory of my career. The one thing they all have in common is:

I defied the odds by standing up for myself against the societal norms pressed upon women in business.

At times, I had to play by the rules but often had to posture myself toward executives I was working for and with. Other times, I openly bucked the rules and it worked in my favor. I think the main factor in being able to know when to follow versus break the rules is listening to my feminine intuition that drives me to always be moving and helping others.

In regard to the question though, defining moments that stand out to me include:

Before I even graduated, I was hired at a five star resort in Las Vegas. I applied for a job that I wanted so badly, even though it required two years of experience I didn’t yet have. Instead of letting that stop me, I showed up to the interview and told them I had flown to Vegas with the last dime to my name and I was going to audition for the experience. I also told them, “you’re going to want to hire me though” very tongue and cheek but guess what? They offered me the job! I think it was because of tenacity, but also because I was a strong student. I surprised many people who thought I’d already been working several years in the industry.

Once I realized massage was really hard on the body, I decided to apply to a spa management position at a country club. Despite being told I was “too green,” because of my age by the general manager, I landed the job as the spa manager again thanks to that insatiable tenacity of mine. Unsurprisingly, the agist general manager was fired a year later. This was a huge stepping stone for my next move.

By the age of 28, I found myself as the owner of a mobile casino massage business in Vegas. In my first year, I took our revenue from $300,000 a year to $900,000. This was such a huge increase, I was flagged and audited by the IRS. However, I was so organized that the entire audit only took 4 hours and by the end of it, the IRS agent bought product off of me and said I wouldn’t be flagged again for at least 10 years. She was very impressed with how I ran my business and I was thrilled to have earned her respect.

At that same business, the day I lost my grandmother — the first person I’d ever lost in life — I had to show up to a casino executive meeting where hundreds of thousands of dollars were at stake. I had to put my emotions aside and armor up for this once in a lifetime business opportunity. Eventually I did win that contract which played a pivotal role in being able to sell the business down the road. Which reminds me—selling the business was another defining moment.

When I was ready to sell the casino massage business, I sought advice from a business broker who told me I’d barely get back what I’d invested in the business due to the nature of my non-exclusive casino contracts, if I was lucky. That didn’t feel right, and really made me second guess myself and my operation. However I decided to ignore his advice and try anyway. Nine months later, I sold the business for four times what I’d invested, which allowed me time freedom for a few years to be a mom, and, leave Vegas for good. I then moved to my dream home in Tennessee and love my new life here.

All these defining moments showed me what I was made of and gave me the courage to open my own holistic wellness center in Franklin, Tennessee in the Fall of 2024. I consider this just another defining moment as I continue to follow my dreams.

To say these things all together, out loud, kind of blows my mind. But really, when I think about who I am as a person, I’m just friendly, I like humans, I know what I want, and I’m not afraid to tell people what I think would be good for them and myself—everyone can use self care and encouragement, so I feel good about what I’m selling.

Laura, 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’m Laura Stendel, a Master Licensed Massage Therapist with over 20 years experience and I’m the proud owner of Intuitive Bodywork TN located in Franklin, TN. I grew up in Southern California and I’m proud of where I came from.

In my early days, after undergraduate study, I was on a trajectory to go to law school, but I decided I just couldn’t do it. It didn’t light me up. I also decided that the anxiety levels that came with this career choice weren’t healthy. So I went to school for massage therapy instead, where the rest is history. I love massage because you never have the same day twice, there’s always something new and interesting to learn, I love results, and I love to fix people and make their day better. Massage is my art form and I never have a bad day at work. I don’t think I could have said the same had I become an attorney.

I opened Intuitive Bodywork TN in 2022. Then, it was one room where I quickly built my clientele and after two years, the opportunity to expand presented itself so I jumped on it. Now, we’ve expanded to multiple massage therapists, Reiki, trauma-informed coaching, yin yoga classes, sound baths, book studies, and retail.

We also partner with locally women-owned local businesses to round out offerings at the spa. For example, we provide fresh, healthy charcuterie boards to clients, which are provided by The Grazeful Bento. We have a partnership with a Chiropractic team where they send us their clients and we send them ours. We are also working on a new partnership with a mental health rehabilitation center in our city.

I’m really proud of the fact that I had the courage to expand Intuitive Bodywork TN into a holistic wellness center that is known for being a safe space for people to be themselves while being cared for.

Plus, so many more things are possible! I am always thinking about “what’s next?”

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Within three years, I went from zero clients to 500 on the roster.

The number one reason I was able to do this is because I tapped into a niche market.

I’m not just a massage therapist, I’m also a human advocate and activist at times. The clientele I’m attracting, solely through word of mouth and referrals, are similar to me in that regard.

They don’t just want a massage therapist. They want someone who has the same ideals as them and who can create a safe space for those ideals. What I mean by that is, people like to be able to share what they’ve been through as they let go of their stress, knowing they won’t be judged.

Additionally, when I first started as a business owner, I wasn’t afraid to give things away for free, throwing in upgrades, or recommend products that I knew would be helpful. I still provide many complimentary products and services to this day and make sure pricing is really competitive.

In order to provide this, “extra sugar,” as I like to call it, that feels personal to them, I have to get to know my clients on a deeper level, build relationships, and genuinely care. A reputation flows from that, and effective word of mouth marketing relies on a great reputation.

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

At a bare minimum, you must be excellent in your craft. Part of that is believing in yourself and knowing that you are good at what you do! Confidence is not a substitute for doing the work, but it is part of it.

Then, to stand out, you must tap into the uniqueness of who you are and what you can offer. To me, that means relying on your intuition. That’s what makes me unique, and I bet that makes you unique too.

For example, my intuition helped me create an aromatherapy-based scalp massage that I’m known for and that you can’t get anywhere else. I also invented my own prenatal massage technique. Don’t be afraid to invent new techniques, products, or services to meet your clients where they are.

I’m even constantly reminding my clients to trust their intuition too! We have (relaxing) neon signs in every massage room that say things like: “Trust your intuition,” and “Let your intuition guide you.” These are messages I strongly believe in.

Ultimately, I’ve always highly valued generosity, being flexible, and meeting people where they are. These are the cornerstones of my reputation in the spa and health and wellness industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.intuitivebodyworktn.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intuitivebodyworktn/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intuitivebodyworktn
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@intuitivebodywork
  Google Profile: https://g.co/kgs/pgKCVks

Image Credits

Headshot by April Wolff.