by Don Dillon, R.M.T.

A discussion I paid attention to on Facebook illuminated a common complaint among massage practitioners: They think they are paying too much rent.

One worker felt unfairly treated working at a franchise and receiving just 40 percent of the proceeds. A sympathetic, yet indignant, colleague chimed in that receiving even 55 percent was not enough compensation. Despite other contributors assuring the first person he wasn’t so bad off, one could perceive his communication as purveying a sense of helplessness and of being taken advantage.

“You ARE worth more,” the sympathetic practitioner espoused, while the first lamented that he couldn’t understand why franchises or spas (or rehab clinics, for that matter) are “just in it to make as much money as they can.”

Being an enthusiastic student of trends in the massage industry, I notice a chronic and common complaint that massage practitioners feel exploited for their hard work. They seem to feel that although not an owner in the business, they should share amply in the profits—after all, they’re providing the service, right? Yet there are two vital pieces of information missing from the perspective of both these therapists. These two critical elements, properly considered, ensure a business is vital, can continue to operate and provide employment positions to practitioners. Without consideration, the business will sink like a leaky boat. These two elements are cost and risk. Let’s examine these in detail.

What does it cost to run a spa, franchise or rehab center? The business owner must finance the lease, renovations, utilities, promotion, equipment and furniture, administrative staff, taxes (business income, property, etc.), linen, lubricants, signage and marketing materials, office and cleaning staff. (Note: In a larger facility, these costs run thousands of dollars each month). Therapists arguing percentage points seem oblivious to the fact that the business must cover its operating expenses and profit margins. Businesses must profit to build contingency in emergencies, capital for expansion and as a reward for risking assets to start the business.

What risks are involved? Business owners take risks to open a business. Long-term lease promises are made and considerable investments of time, energy, money and people are siphoned into the business before a dollar of profit is earned. Statistics show four out of five businesses fail within five years. Consider the position of a business owner who has lost all these resources to a failed business. Would you take that risk without being paid for it? If you’re a business owner, you should be paid for taking that risk and creating opportunity for practitioners who don’t have business savvy or investment dollars to open a business themselves.

Let’s make an important distinction. The more (educated) risk you take, the greater your potential earnings. If you have a base-level education, everything is provided for you when you show up for work and you share no financial risk for the business’s success or failure, you’re going to earn minimal wages. No matter how hard you work, you are not shouldering the risk the owner is, and so your reward will not be as great. Low risk equals low earnings; it’s true in the stock market and it’s true in the massage industry.

What spas, franchises and rehab clinics have done is seize the opportunity and popularity of massage therapy, recognize the lack of business savvy and organization in practitioners, and understand the

needs of the marketplace for affordable, quality care available in high traffic areas. One massage franchise corporation was recently bought by a financing company; savvy investors know a marketplace opportunity when they see it! Massage is a multi-billion dollar industry, and despite the protests of practitioners who feel exploited, spas and rehab clinics will continue to effectively serve the marketplace.

Is there something that can be done about this? Perhaps. First of all, let’s consider that franchises, spas and rehab clinics employ thousands of practitioners that would be starving otherwise. Practitioners, by large, do not have investment capital or business savvy to make a go of it on their own. These businesses provide an essential service to those with a passion for massage but pittance for sustaining a business.

Second, let’s get a reality check on the position of massage in the world. In North America, our highest education is community college or private vocational, with various levels of education declining from there. Health disciplines with greater public credibility and access to health-care funding—such as physicians, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists—have degree-level programs and ample evidence-based practice. Degree-level education and evidence-based practices are key to opening doors for funding and access.

Without a college education—or masterful sales, athletic or entertainment skills—you can expect to make a minimum wage of $7.25 in the U.Si  to $9.50 in my province of Ontarioii, Canada. With a college diploma, you may expect $18 to $21 per houriii and with higher education possibly more. Physiotherapists with a master’s degree requirement in Ontario earn $30 to $38.49 an houriv. Massage therapy is classified under “Other Technical Occupations in Therapy and Assessment” and lists a wage average of $18.94 per hourv. This figure is slightly higher in the U.S.vi

The truth is, our hapless practitioner does not deserve more, and various Canadian and U.S. statistics on massage practitioners back up what most experience: incomes are typically between $10,000 and $30,000 year gross. Yes, there are exceptions where therapists make more, but they’re applying different models. Study those models if you want to get different results than you’re getting now.

The main problem often is not that rent is too high, but that practitioners are not trained in how to command their own incomes. Through proper incentive/reward structures, practitioners can have the benefits of working for a spa or rehab center and still make a good income. My advice is to act as if you’re self employed. Bring value to the business by increasing your skill set, get out and promote the business and sell retail offerings of the business. With the risk largely shouldered by the business, you can leverage your talents and make an excellent income.

Don Dillon, R.M.T., is the author of Better Business Agreements: A Guide for Massage Therapists and the self-study workbook Charting Skills for Massage Therapists. More than 60 of his articles have appeared in industry publications including Massage Therapy Canada, Massage Therapy Today, AMTA Journal, MASSAGE Magazine (online), Massage Today, AMTWP Connections, Massage Therapist (Australia) and various massage school and professional association newsletters. He has received the Ontario Massage Therapist Association (OMTA) President’s Award of Merit, two Hand of Thanks awards and the Ken Rezsnyak award for his work on behalf of the massage therapy profession. He is one of the founding members of Massage Therapy Radio, and has presented in six provinces to massage-therapy schools and associations. His website, www.MTCoach.com, provides a variety of resources for massage therapists.

Sources

(i) www.dol.gov/esa/whd/Flsa/

(ii) www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/news/2007/07-63b3.html

(iii) www.epi.org/economic_snapshots/entry/webfeatures_snapshots_20080514/

(iv) www.workingincanada.gc.ca/report-eng.do?noc=3142&province=35&area=6261&expandAll=true#wicbreadcrumb

(v) www.workingincanada.gc.ca/report-eng.do?noc=3235&sMode=area&provId=6A&province=35&area=6261&nextButton=Continuer&template=portal

(vi) www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes319011.htm

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