I’ve been receiving feedback on MASSAGE Magazine’s coverage of massage franchises, so I thought I would provide you with some background on why we’ve published what we have on this topic.
Basically, some readers feel that we have provided franchises with too much positive coverage recently.
We have run several articles in the past few issues that look at franchises—but that view is, cumulatively, of a variety of angles.
“The Truth About Massage Franchises,” which ran in our February issue, was a Guest Editorial written by someone in management at the largest massage franchise. It was, as you may have surmised, pro-franchise.
“Corporate Massage Therapists, Speak Out! was also a Guest Editorial, this time in our March issue. That editorial advocated for the formation of unions, among other things, to counteract the effects corporations are having on massage-therapy employment. As you might have guessed, that editorial was not franchise-friendly.
“Massage Franchises: Low Prices and Convenience Bring Consumers to Massage,” a feature article written by yours truly for our April issue, provided a comparison of the leading national franchises, and to indicate that for some therapists, franchise work might provide a viable way to work part time or get started in massage. I think that by clearly stating the wages offered to massage therapists, readers will have more information with which to make a decision.
Finally, our May issue’s Expert Advice column will answer this question: “Three massage-therapy franchises just moved into my area. How can I compete with their lower prices and longer hours?”
For many therapists, the wages paid by franchises aren’t acceptable—but the reality is that franchises provide millions of massages every year. Clients really are visiting massage franchises, and for some therapists franchises might be a good place to start a massage career or augment an existing practice.
Franchises are here to stay, so we will continue to report on them, good and bad. We have to assume that readers are astute enough to assimilate the information we present, and then make an educated decision.
Until next time!