We recently connected with Vanessa Magdaleno and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Vanessa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.
I began working at a chain spa while in massage school. I was newly certified and hungry to get started. After that I moved on to a chiropractors office where I learned a ton and began perfecting my style.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m Vanessa the owner of Elevate Wellness in Tustin, CA. I began my journey into the massage therapy field almost 10 years ago and became self employed in 2016. I built up my business with a newborn, 4 year old and 5 year old. I began by renting a tiny room part time, to renting a bigger space a couple days a week. In 2019 I had finally made it and rented a suite of my own. When the pandemic hit I held on tight for the wild ride. In 2022 I found my very own office space in my area. The bigger space allowed me to expand my product offerings with a retail section as well as offer suites to other wellness and beauty experts. Opening up my own office has by far been my biggest accomplishment in business. Elevate is now able to offer rental space for other healers who see clients 1:1 as well small group classes. We now offer classes such as breathwork, yoga, cacao ceremonies and more! Elevate Wellness is all about holistic health and mind, body, soul.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Mindset blocks and limiting beliefs were #1 for me. A lot of times healers fall into wanting to discount their services so they can help as many people as possible. While there is space for helping people, we also have to make a living. I invested in a business coach to help me work through this. Learning that my expertise and skills are valuable and there are plenty of people willing to invest in themselves and their wellness.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I am currently pivoting to include branding photography. I saw an opportunity in the health and wellness field for branding photography and product photography. Being that I have built my own brand and have the knowledge of what it takes to build a brand and what kind of images the holistic field likes, I saw that I was perfect fit. I am not giving up massage therapy but rather building another branch to the business I already have.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.elevatemassageoc.com
- Instagram: www.elevatemassageoc
- Other: Brand Photography page www.instagram.com/brandstoriesby_Vanessa
Image Credits
Nicole Anderson Vanessa Magdaleno