We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Roman recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sarah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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?
When New York was preparing for the world to reopen in July of 2020, I knew I would have to start looking for work again. Before the pandemic, I was a full-time (30 hours/week) massage therapist at the Plaza Hotel. Like most licensed massage therapists, I also had a flow of private clients that I would see after work or on weekends. Not only am I a therapist but I am also a wife and mother. This kind of schedule left me unable to spend as much time as I wanted with the family because of how thin I had spread myself to help make ends meet.
Fast forward to July of 2020, I knew I did NOT want to go back to hotel work as my main gig. As scary and stressful as the lockdown was, I loved spending all the extra time with my family; I didn’t want to give this up. After a meltdown about my future as a licensed massage therapist, my husband suggested that maybe it was the right time for me to start up my own company. At that point, I had a handful of loyal private clients that were eager to schedule an appointment. I had had experience in managing a spa in East Harlem for a few years so I learned firsthand what the back end of running a business would entail. I also had and am grateful to still have Candace, from The Money Mindset Clinic mentoring me in what I would need to do on the legal end of business and strategizing. While keeping the bottom line since I started my massage career back in 2011, to remind myself of the natural passion I have for helping, healing and educating others. And thus, on July 3rd, 2020 Unwind Spas LLC was officially filed with the state.
The biggest challenge in all this for me was understanding my legal responsibilities and finding therapists I could trust. I had taken a small business course in massage school back in 2010, so I had an idea but nothing concrete. I spent a lot of time researching and talking to other small business owners. For anyone who is starting a business, I believe it is absolutely necessary to have a mentor in all stages. Not only can they teach you what they know works but you can also learn a great deal from their mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, it is what you do with these mistakes that matter for the longevity and success of the business.
I would also add to any professional who might be considering starting their own practice, to be 100% honest with yourself. Dreams and reality are two very different concepts, but you have to be realistic with the execution of making your dreams into your reality. I knew when I was getting back to work, that the volume of my private clients wouldn’t be enough for my part of bills and responsibilities. As much as I wanted to keep 100% of my focus on Unwind Spas, I couldn’t. So, I secured a part-time gig in small chain of luxury residential buildings in Manhattan that would commission enough money to take care of my home responsibilities. When I did find some free time, I was able to put all my focus into Unwind Spas. With consistency, patience and flexibility I’ve been able to grow my company and provide a platform for other licensed massage therapists in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
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?
“As a native New Yorker raised in Spanish Harlem & The Bronx, Sarah had always found joy in helping others. It wouldn’t be until her middle school years that she would be exposed to massage therapy and its healing properties. Her grandma who underwent numerous surgeries for many different health issues had one particular surgery that left her unable to walk; she had to strengthen and reprogram her legs. For weeks, a physical therapist would come to the house and work with her for an hour twice a week until she regained enough strength and stability. It wasn’t an easy process but definitely rewarding for both her grandma and the physical therapist. The exercises and stretching would leave her grandma miserable. However, her whole mood would lighten when it was time for her massage. It was then she knew she wanted a part in that happiness and progression towards a better-functioning body.
Fast forward to her high school years she dived into the world of training to become a professional dancer. It was here that she was able to witness how strong yet fragile our bodies really are. With teachers housing injuries and herself with a hamstring injury she saw how important having the proper knowledge, guidance to healing and prevention really was. In her senior year of high school, she completed an internship at Mt. Sinai Hospital. Specifically, she was stationed in the hip and knee rehab working alongside physical & massage therapist. Being present in the internship she witnessed both therapist aid in healing but massage therapist had the most hands-on time to bring relief to the client without using pharmaceuticals.
After high school she went to Manhattanville College and began working towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. However, it would be at The Swedish Institute of Health Sciences where she would concentrate on Massage Therapy. It was one of the most rigorous yet rewarding experiences she had completed thus far in her lifetime. Learning both Western & Eastern techniques she was able to acknowledge how she would want to help those who are experiencing different levels of pain. She finished the program at The Swedish Institute of Health Sciences in August of 2010 and obtained her New York State License in February 2011.
Immediately she began working at Asphalt Green on the Upper East Side while simultaneously working at Tones Day Spa located in the Bronx and Manhattan Medical Health Care. Not only was her love and experience with massage growing but her family was growing as well. As a soon-to-be mom she knew she had to focus her calling so she could balance family and work life. Having the opportunity to experience different types of environments where she would work alongside personal trainers, estheticians, nail techs, doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturist and physical therapist allowed her to narrow down her focus. She felt her strongest calling in the spa world but bought her experience from the gyms and medical facilities into each session.
She sunk her roots at The Guerlain Spa at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It would be here that she would expand her knowledge on body treatments and skin care products. Even though some of the treatments were pre-choreographed she was always able to personalize each treatment using her knowledge of Shiatsu and Cupping; utilizing acupressure points to further help each client. After the Waldorf Astoria was bought and shut down for renovation, she was transferred to The Guerlain Spa at The Plaza Hotel. It would be her time here that she would begin to create her own private clientele outside of the hotel; the beginnings of Unwind Spas LLC. She would also branch out into other spas at The Carlyle Hotel, The Greenwich Hotel, Oasis Day Spa & Tranquility Spa. She would spend her time building up her private practice and at the hotels until the Coronavirus Pandemic shut everything down.
Once things began to open up in July of 2020, she registered Unwind Spas LLC and has steadily grown her private practice. One of her goals is to solely grow Unwind Spas not just for herself but to provide opportunities for other licensed therapist. Her greatest goal is to heal and educate as many people as possible.”
-Bio from www.unwindspas.com
Fast forward to the present, I believe I’m most proud of 3 things in my career. The first consisting of working with a selective women-owned business network in Manhattan, I help provide a safe place for pregnant women during, before, and after their birthing journey. Not just through massage but education in muscle recovery and other modalities that would work well with the plan. I’ve had the pleasure of working on the women in the Manhattan studios, at home, and even made a few hospital calls. So not only do I get to help the mother, but I also get to provide a safe space for the newest member of their family.
The second is mentoring new therapists fresh out of school. I focus on body mechanics, different techniques, real-world advice and give an ear when they begin to have doubts. I feel schools provide an excellent education in the sciences and techniques. However, I don’t feel you come out of school ready for the real world. You do not have a lot of time to create thorough treatment plans for each client and teaching your body to complete 4-6 sessions a day can be overwhelming. This is where a lot of therapists cut their careers short and develop injuries. So reinforcing, “thinking on your feet,” and making good body mechanics a part of their muscle memory are my biggest goals for new therapists to master.
Thirdly would be the amount of free time I have to be present and make new memories with my kids and family. Working in the hotels, gyms, and medical offices I had to be present even if I wasn’t booked. In essence, I was expected to be present for 6 hours and some days I would have only 1 massage while others I had 5. On the days I had 1, I would much rather have spent those other 5 hours with my family. Our pay system is different than most jobs because we do not get paid hourly, it is usually a commission-based job (which is why tips are important). On the days when I only had 1 session, I didn’t make money because it went to the daycare fee. It was frustrating, disheartening, and simply not fair. This is why I prefer to only have the therapist that work with Unwind Spas to be present when they have a booking. We also book the client within the schedule of the therapist with a competitive commission rate. Most spas give 20% – 25% commission but at Unwind Spas we can provide 54% – 70% commission rate depending on the location and experience of the therapist.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I believe the biggest pivot in my life was back in 2019. I had just found out I was pregnant with my third child. Although she wasn’t planned, I was excited to see what the future would be like.
About 4 weeks after I found out, my mom had a stroke. Her stroke started in front of me, in my house. My husband and sister were able to take my mother to the hospital in time to save her. I don’t remember exactly how many days she was in the hospital but for her to leave, we had to have a plan for her at home. At the time, she was living alone. It was then she told the doctor I would be taking care of her.
So with that, my husband, 2 other children, dog and I moved to my mom’s apartment. We stood with her for about 6 months before we were able to move back to our own. It’s never simple to move back home as an adult but we made it work and my mom is doing great. The only way you can tell she had a stroke is when speaking, it can be hard for her to find ALL the words.
This experience taught me how important family/community is to success. Granted, success isn’t always measured by monetary value but rather by a goal. Goals are achievable with focus, dedication and sometimes uprooting. Journeys rarely follow the road we have in mind, so to remain focused but flexible is how I move with my company and I believe this has contributed to its success.
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
I think I would still choose to help people, but I am unsure if I would specifically choose massage therapy. As a kid, I was interested in dance, mortuary, and veterinary work until I witnessed my grandmother’s PT. I love animals, I love dancing and I love what I feel when I’m able to help others.
Death is a time when I feel we need the most comfort because it’s rarely planned and even then, it is hard to let go of the physical person. I also think it is an honor to help prepare a loved one for their final goodbye as much as it is an honor to help birth a child.
Working with animals was a big part of my education as a child. I was fortunate to attend a school in Manhattan that also had a program on a farm in Roxbury, NY. We would spend 3 weeks of the school year up there taking care of the farm and 3 weeks in the summer. Taking care of the farm required gardening, prepping but also caring for animals. There were chickens, pigs, sheep, and cows. Witnessing the cows give birth, bringing them in from the pasture, witnessing the sheep being shaved or the vets come and check in on a sick cow was intoxicating. However, speaking to people and doing online research, I quickly learned it wouldn’t be a profitable career choice which is important living in the city. Perhaps when my massage days start to dwindle I can volunteer at an animal shelter.
Becoming a professional dancer is a similar story but add the life span of a dancer. I started “late” with my classical training and sustained an injury that I danced through and shouldn’t have. Again, speaking with my teachers I realized I wouldn’t be able to dance on stages past the age of 30 and would have to resort to teaching. I do like teaching but expressing myself through dance is what made it so attractive. To think I’d have to teach, and not be able to provide the lifestyle I desired, deterred me from further pursuing. I still dance as a hobby at least once a week.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.unwindspas.com
- Instagram: @unwindspasnyc
- Youtube: @UnwindSpasNYC
Image Credits
Pictures in brown & black shirt & yellow shirt with chair shot by R.E.Roman
All other’s shot my me