Should You Work For a Massage Franchise?
I worked for Massage Envy twice in my career, both after moving to new locations and starting over to re-build clientele on my own sounded like too much work for me at the time. My experiences at both locations were really great! Both owners were involved and cared about their employees. I was able to build up my clientele quickly and with a schedule that fit my growing family’s needs.
Although, it’s interesting bringing it up or talking about it because, everyone has such an opinion about Massage Envy (or any other massage franchise out there). You never know what type of response you’ll get! I’m sure we’ve all hear crazy stories from other Massage Therapist or clients, but regardless, it is an option for you as a Massage Therapist so let’s dive into the Pros vs. Cons.
Pros:
You are an Employee and not an Independent Contractor.
There are many benefits available to you as an Employee, including tax withholdings, as well as, State and Federal Employment Laws the Employer must abide by.
Benefits & Perks:
*Available Based on Franchise, Location and/or Employment Status
Flexible Schedule – *Support the Work-Life Balance (This was the biggest WIN for me personally!)
Bonus Structure – *Paid Bonuses for New Member Sign-ups, Massage Enhancements, Upgrading Service Time and/or Client Referrals
Referral Program – *Up to $1,000 Massage Therapist Referral
Wellness Program – *Free Monthly Service and/or Employee Discounts
Full-Time Status Benefits: Extra Perks
*Paid Time Off
*Health / Vision / Dental Insurance Plans
*Retirement plan or Stock Options
*Disability and/or Life Insurance
*401k matching
*Tuition reimbursement
*Employee assistance program
*Flexible spending account
Other Pros…
Not feeling like a ‘lone wolf’ in the Massage world –
There is a sense of community when you work around other Massage Therapists. Having support from the company, business owner and fellow employees gives you a safe place to practice what you love to do.
Simplify your work –
I’d hate to say it…but, working as an employee at a massage franchise makes it very easy to do your massage work. And what I mean by that is, they take care of all the business side of things – everything back-office / front-office so you can focus on proving the best massage service to your clients each and every session!
They want you to succeed and grow your clientele within their establishment. They are there to support in any way they can!
50 Minute or 80 Minute Sessions –
The appointment is booked as a 60 or 90 minute session, but hands-on time is 50 or 80 minutes, which means are doing LESS massage work every session. This 10 minute buffer gives you time (theoretically) to go through client in-take, re-book the client at end of session and change the linens for the next client.
Cons:
The BIGGEST complaint is the PAY (or lack of it)…
Because you are an employee the pay rate is not nearly the same as if you were to own your own business, obviously! The massage franchise is the entity who holds full liability, owns & operates, and pays for all of the marketing. Client acquisition is one of the largest costs associated with most business and it is no different for massage franchises. After factoring in all the associated expenses for running and operating that business model, unfortunately, there isn’t much left for the therapist.
When I first worked for Massage Envy my base pay was $17 and the second time I started at $24 per service hour (not including bonuses and gratuity). Considering most locations are currently around $80 for a 60 minute (intro rate), it’s comes out to a 70/30 rate split…which isn’t the best in the industry when it comes to a massage rate split.
50 Minute or 80 Minute Sessions –
I labeled this as a Pro and a Con because where this saves your hands, it doesn’t save on time in-between clients. If you run over or take too long to get to the next client, that’s on you to make up the time somewhere.
The Other Employees –
It’s a mixed bag of employees who work there, learning to tolerate all types of personalities can be challenging at times. Sometimes, a bit too much drama and separating what you hear in the break room to being mentally prepared for your next session can be taxing. I have always considered massage to be an art form and with that it opens the door for many different types of personalities who gravity towards this career path.
Final Thoughts…
Make the BEST choice for you! Knowing your options and making the decision based on where you are currently at your in massage career or where you want to be. I’ve know many Massage Therapists who make it a stepping stone in their careers, but on the other hand, there’s many others who have made working for a massage franchise their career.
Candice McCaleb LMT 