We were lucky to catch up with Leilia Tuia recently and have shared our conversation below.
Leilia , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.
Yes there was! A defining moment for me was when I learned how to massage with my bare feet! When I learned how to use my lower body to help relieve pain, a light bulb came on and I realized that so many deep tissue massage therapists could benefit from this along with their clients. I am on a mission to teach it to my home state.
How it began? I remember coming across another massage therapist page on Instagram, and she was using her feet. I was so intrigued by it because I grew up doing “compressions” or the intro to touch of a massage session on my father when I was a little girl, and so I ended up actually following this practitioner for a good while just to observe. After filling my algorithm with other barefoot massage therapists, I decided to pull the trigger and enroll in my first ever continuing education class — Deepfeet Bar Therapy – Ashiatsu. My first basics class was in Denver, Colorado (Parker to be exact), and it was a BLAST!! It opened my eyes and mind to so much potential. And in that basics class it was then that I was informed about an Advanced class and a class for sideline, or those that cannot lay on their front or back side. Just levels of expert work for barefoot massage and it had me hooked for sure. One thing to keep in mind about Ashiatsu, is that my support system for safe and proper footwork involved 2 bars above my head for balance and being able to hold my weight off and on my client’s body.
Fast forward 2 years!! I have now learned the basic foot work, the Advanced foot work and the sideline footwork, all that is left is the Masters and Instructors portion — but of course, a slight detour….
Throughout my journey with Ashiatsu, I was also introduced to another style of barefoot massage called Sarga Bodywork. This particular company uses a beautiful silk sash that is bound to the table and then wraps around the massage therapist to do barefoot work. It is just as incredible as Ashiatsu and the bonus: no bar installation and allows me to take this mobile if I ever needed to. I will be taking my first course for Sarga in October 2023 in Utah.
I would definitely have to say that barefoot massage re-ingnited that massage fire in me to never stop. You see, massage therapy is such a complex and vast field to be a part of because there is a kind of relief for everyone, it is not one size fits all. At the same time, it challenges me to continue taking care of my body, learning about my body for the longevity of life and my career.
This is one of many defining moments of my career. This and going 100% self employed. When you love what you do, it shows.
Leilia , 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 got into the industry by a life changing event — divorce. I was actually working for my massage school as an administrative staff member when I was having a really down moment about my soon to be ex. I had this desperate thought while sitting at my desk and in front of my computer: “you need something healthy that you can throw yourself into for about a year to overcome this.” Not sure how I whipped my thoughts together like that so direct, but it happened. And while sitting there having this internal conversation with myself, this came to mind: why not just become a massage therapist? It was at that moment that I began to weigh the pros and cons. Seeing as I had little to add to the cons list, I decided to approach my department manager for approval which led to a campus and corporate approval as well and green light! 4 months later I was on my way to learn all I could about the anatomy of the body, how to help myself, others and to see where this would take me. Just receiving all of my tools (bolster, bottle, lotion, table cord) and books on the first day of class was super exciting.
I currently offer Deep Tissue massage, specializing in neck, shoulder and back pain. Meaning I help bring mobility, pain relief, restore proper blood flow for nutrients to circulate and stress relief back to those specific areas, and anything else that supports it (entire body). I think that what sets me apart from others is that I also do barefoot massage, Ashiatsu, which is a fantastic deep tissue technique. I must say that I have a very spa outlook, but use a clinical approach.
I am most proud of the fun I get to have with my work. Not a lot of people can say that. I really enjoy what I do (and it shows). I get to work with all walks of life and learn so much about each lifestyle that it keeps me engaged and challenges my approach to pain relief. It is never boring. I am also proud to not only have graduated from my massage school, but to be working in the actual field. If you would have told me that I would one day have my own successful massage practice, I would have been a little terrified, hahaha!! My business IS my pride and joy.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
I think that what is most helpful to the success in massage therapy, is loving what you do and the willingness to learn more to perfect it. Because it shows and it is felt. If you are only in it for the financial gain, you could burn out quickly. So really dialing into what you enjoy serving versus what you feel like you have to serve. When you do that, the next train of thought should be WHO do I go to for support with this or HOW do I find support for this? I have found that when you can achieve the WHO and the HOW, the next step and your solution is usually learning more and investing.
As an example, since opening my practice 5 years ago, I have taken 4 continuing education classes and 1 business class designed specifically for my work. I also have another CE class coming up in October 2023! Taking these classes did require a lot of patience in observing the legitimacy before I dove right in, but once done, it felt like I was jet setting, and more opportunities became available for me.
While doing all of these things will give you the tools to be successful, surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals helps to keep you resilient when you need honest insight, a reminder that you’re going to be okay or a strong connection to the growth of your business. It is in those conversations and the collaborations that can help to hone the weaknesses of you as a person. One thing I tried to apply somewhere in this context is that on a personal level I have struggled with but am much better at taking accountability for my business decisions overall comfortably (whose results can affect my personal life), how to communicate better and how to be a better listener. Crucial.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
For me, prior to all the wonderful continuing education classes and therapy, I found that the most effective strategy for me was providing free work at local events and/or discounts for about 2 years — just really dialing in on that rebooking mindset — the WHY you need this. I must state, that by the time I decided to open my practice, I was 7.5 years in the industry, so I felt confident in my hands, I just needed my clients to believe it.
The most effective strategy for growing clientele since my business class is knowing WHO you can help versus what you can do and having the right marketing materials that can help you stand out. From there, are so many incredible and endless resources spread across the internet with (local or international) ways to aspire higher. The blueprint is WHO.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cottonwoodheightsmassagetherapy.com
- Instagram: @cottonwoodheightsmassagethrapy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cottonwoodheightsmassagetherapy
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/leilia-tuia-8b576828a
Image Credits
Mele Vete with ilikuonephoto Leilia Tuia