We were lucky to catch up with Rebekah Abrahim recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Rebekah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry? Any stories or anecdotes that illustrate why this matters?

Managing a spa is unlike managing other businesses. No business degree can prepare a manager to understand the particulars of spa life. The first obstacle is that the spa industry is 100% dependent on human labor. If profit is put above an employee’s physical and mental health they will soon be faced with an injured or burned out worker. An injured massage therapist could mean angry customers, due to cancelled appointments, and thousands of dollars of lost revenue. High turnover rate at a business will stunt the growth of sales. How does an employer manage massage therapists without understanding massage? A massage therapist can work for themselves as easily as they can work for someone else. If they work for themselves they can keep all of the profits. A manager must make the workplace worthwhile by paying their therapist well, providing benefits, and not micromanage. Massage therapists are known to be sensitive and intuitive. An owner must manage that with care while still running a successful business.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Despite having several degrees, I realized a trade would also be useful. I was afraid my lack of work experience would make me less employable. So, I went to massage school thinking I could use that skill to help me pay for my PhD and make a quick buck between jobs. I quickly realized I wanted massage therapy to be my career. With massage I could make a difference in people’s bodies and lives with my bare hands. I started out with a mobile massage business. I wanted to bring the entire spa experience to individuals in the homes of busy individuals who wanted self care outside of business hours. Hence, SPA-cienda, a spa in your home/hacienda. Within two weeks of opening, a wonderful friend gave me her centrally located office space in Clairemont where I can see clients for a more affordable price. I lovingly call it my SPA-tienda. My goal is to conveniently bring excellent care to busy individuals who don’t have much time to take care of themselves. I am open late to accommodate the parents who can’t leave the house after putting their children to sleep; or the business professional who just had dinner and wants to stay comfortable in their own home. Most massage therapists have less than seven years experience. That is the average career span of a LMT (licensed massage therapist). I am proud to say I have worked thirteen years, and with that I am a part of an exclusive group that provides first rate massages thanks to the experience those years have given me.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I used to charge significantly less for mobile massage. I told myself I was helping people and I shouldn’t put a price on that. I figured it was a blessing that I was making more than minimum wage. Since then I have learned to charge people what I’m worth. There are only so many massages my body will be able to give, and I must honor myself and not be ashamed of my professional value.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word-of-mouth. I no longer pay for advertising. My first client was a friend of a former co-worker. They referred their husband and sister to me. I have three clients who made an appointment with me because they wanted to take advantage of my introductory discount but everyone else is my client because they knew another client. l believe in the power of massage and I love my job. I think this shows, and it’s infectious.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://spacienda.massagetherapy.com/
• Instagram: https://pocketsuite.io/link/spaciendallc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpaciendaLLC/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/spacienda-san-diego
• Other: https://pocketsuite.io/link/spaciendallc

Image Credits
Steve Cooper II Katie Verboom