We recently connected with Marcia Hazlett and have shared our conversation below.

Marcia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?

Starting my first brick and mortar massage location was quite exciting and intimidating. The success or failure of my business lay completely on myself. I was not in a financial position to be able to commit to a set rent amount, so I had to be creative. Many people think business is only run one way, but that is very far from the truth. I found someone who believed in me and my vision, and we compromised on a solution that would benefit us both. Marketing your business is so vital and it can be expensive, so I used my different skill sets! I would offer free massages to those who were in positions that could lead to many referrals, such as coaches and business owners. I printed my own business cards, created my own coupons and gave a special initial price to encourage patrons to try my business. Once I had established a regular client base, I was able to change my marketing strategies. As opportunities to grow my business have come around, before jumping in too deep I have considered the risks vs rewards and have always followed my intuition. My best advice to those wanting to start their own practice is to remember that you will be signing up for two jobs. You will be the worker and the owner, and those can both be full time work. Be sure to establish practices for yourself that prioritize your physical and mental health from the beginning.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I LOVE my job! I became a licensed massage therapist over 17 years ago and never envisioned that this opportunity would lead me here. From the beginning of my career I specialized in Deep Tissue massage and liked the medical aspect of this style. I wanted to be able to help my clients feel better for longer than the hour they were on my table. Over the years as I continued to learn more techniques and gain experience, I began to lean towards using Trigger Point Therapy and Active Muscle Release Techniques as my go to modalities. I have been able to bring comfort to my clients, so goal achieved. Right? Well not quite. While I was happy that my clients felt better, they would still come back to me with repetitive problems. I was relaxing their muscles, so why weren’t they maintaining the relief I wanted them to have? Continuing my education through courses, connecting with other professionals within the health and wellness fields, as well as diving into my own journey to feel the best I can in my own body has brought me more experience and perspectives to talk with my clients about. So often our bodies can be hurting from stress, lack of movement, poor sleeping habits, inadequate nutrition, limited mobility work, and more. I realized that while I could help my clients reset, what they do every day is what can make the biggest difference. Educating each person on my table is now one of my top priorities. Most of us have a very limited knowledge of the body and how it works. I have always found that the more I understand WHY I should be doing something for myself, the more likely I am to do it. Nowadays, a massage session with me not only is an hour or ninety minutes of deeper muscle work, but we also spend that time talking about lifestyle, nutrition, fitness and muscle recovery routines, work/life stress management and sleep.

As the owner of The Muscle Center, a wellness center, it is important to me that our team not only practices what they preach, but also have the resources and support to do so. We are now a team of licensed massage therapists, healing touch practitioners, skincare experts, and certified yoga instructors specializing in a variety of practices. We also partner with amazing health and wellness professionals such as physical therapists, nutrition coaches, Pilates and functional fitness certified coaches.
In June of 2023 we embarked on our first annual Whole Lotta Health Expo. The primary goal of our first expo was to bring awareness to the variety of what health can mean. Our expo offered fitness classes to try, including yoga, Zumba, and even a self-defense class. We had an all-star lineup of speakers such as a Urogynecologist, Cardiologist, and Joint specialist. Our vendors brought an array of products and services, such as a mammogram bus, empowering women through photography, skincare, mental health specialists, plus so much more!! Plus, this was all FREE to the public.
The 2024 Whole Lotta Health Expo will be that and so much more. Be sure to follow our socials to stay up to date on the expo and with what might be coming next from The Muscle Center.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

One of the best investments in myself and my business was to start working with a certified life coach. Owning a business can be overwhelming and having a team relying on your running that business successfully can sit heavily on your shoulders. While working with my life coach I have learned better ways of breaking down goals, adjusting my prioritization when needed, and maintaining a life/work balance. My life coach is an accountability person for me who encourages me to pour into myself so that I can avoid burnout, stay motivated, and not feel so overwhelmed from the daily tasks of running a business.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

This is not the type of field to go into just because of the money you can make or the experiences you can have. This is a career that connects you to other people. Your clients are in a vulnerable position when they come to see you, and it is important to remember what an honor it is that they are entrusting you to care for them. Each time a client is on my table it is my mission to be sure they feel heard, seen and valued. Making my clients feel comfortable and maintaining their trust in me as a professional is my priority, and has led to a long and successful career. I am proud to say that I have many clients that have been with me for the entirety of my career as a massage therapist.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.YourMuscleCenter.com
• Instagram: the_muscle_center
• Facebook: The Muscle Center