Massage Envy

[jasond]

Hi earth goat,

Sorry to hear about your hard time at Massage Envy. If I may offer a solution perhaps you could work fewer hours at Massage Envy. Say fifteen hours instead of 20. Ect, cut down then the clients that really want to see you will start going to your private practice. And before you know it you have weaned yourself off of the devil sweatshop.

Jason

[Spock]

From earthgoat's post, Massage Envy reminds me of when I was working as a waitress. Same kind of stuff they pull, the disrespect and working conditions. I remember feeling like I broke out of a dead end, draining, stressful business with no future when I got my massage license and left the wait staff.

So, what earthgoat posted hits home to me.

[jyoti]

I can not wait until my business builds! I want to start an anti Massage Envy website so consumers can know the Sweatshop like conditions. Sorry to be negative, but it is the truth.

Hi EG

I'm really sorry that you're having such an awful experience. I joined several message boards for MTs much like this one before I finished school and heard all kinds of horror stories about different work places & venues, and that is exactly what fueled me to open my own practice the day I got my temp license and NOT work for anyone else. (The owner of the massage school I went to eventually convinced me to work at the school clinic on a IC/renter combo arrangement, but I never did more than 4 half-days per week there and now I'm down to 1 day a week, which may be disappearing soon, due to proposed changes in the contracts.)

If I can offer some unsolicited advice I would say go ahead and quit ME altogether, if you can. The reason I say that? I used to work Wed thru Sat at the school's clinic, in a similar position to yours (though not quite as bad). My plan was to work there until I got my private practice built, too. Various circumstances forced me to gradually drop one day at a time, each time before I had clients built up for that day. It wasn't UNTIL I dropped those days that the clients called, though. After I dropped those days at the clinic and was available at my private practice, THEN the clients started calling--and very soon after I stopped that weekday at the clinic. Now I'm just down to 1 day a week. So, if you're in a position to simply walk away (or at least decrease your schedule), try it, and you may very well find that people may miraculously find you. And if you're not in a financial position to do so, maybe you might want to try dropping a day or two per week anyway--it's great motivation in building your practice

You can do it! You are definitely worth it. The people who own and manage ME have never been therapists before and have NO CLUE what it's like. They could visit this board and read what we have to say, or they could GET a massage, all they want--and they'd still never have a clue. You don't know till you DO it, and they haven't. Thus, what right do they have to control you? None, unless you let them. So don't. There are plenty of other places out there to work who will compensate you more fairly for YOUR skills, YOUR time, YOUR creativity, YOUR license, and allow you more of a life outside of work, wherewhich you can build your own clientele with more energy and dignity than ME will allow you to retain.

We're all behind you. Go for it!
Hugs,
~Jyoti

[smilee]

I had worked @ massage envy since it had open here & quit(3months) like many others who have.. I felt betrayed by them for not telling the "truth" I have been on interviews & have had some experiences just like m.e. as to what these employers want from me & "I will be an employee" & they will charge clients whatever & I will get an hourly wage..but bring in your own linens, etc.. I have felt so discouraged & depressed @ times thinking.. did I make the wrong choice?? But when I come here & read you all brighten my day & I know why I chose this career.. Just being a newbie & working there was not a good choice for me & for anyone else.. thank you.
smilee

[crystal_compass]

My concern regarding ME is that many first time massage clients who have never experienced massage will go to ME - get a substandard massage and then think that is what massage is all about and never go for another.

Speaking from experience my curiosity was killing me so my husband and I went to experience massage at ME. I like to go experience work in other locations to do market research and to continually get bodywork from many different bodyworkers.

I left feeling sorry for the therapist that worked on me. He told me how he had seen 22 clients in one day on a Saturday and how he was exhausted. He definitely had intuitive touch but his heart and soul just wasn't in it...no wonder - the well was dry.

My husband...well...lets just say it was not a good experience...lots of oil applied to his beard on his face as the first opening stroke...

I know these therapists are not getting the joy out of their work. There is no way they can be. That is just sad to me. Further more if this had been my first experience receiving massage I would never have another.

My two cents...

[shortstuff62983]

I have to say I am one of the Therapists that work at ME. It sucks!!!!! I have been there way too long. I think it is kind of funny that we arent the only ones that were told that we would make like $27. All the Therapists that were hired by my owners were told that. Oh and the whole minimum wage thing if we have down time also depends on the owners. I dont know if this is legal or not but the only time we get paid minimum wage is when it over weights our massage time. I know other ME pay them minimum wage on there down time. The manangement doesnt care neither does the Owners. We are the little work ants working for them while the Owners get all the money. I feel sorry for the clients because they half the time do not have the best experience because of the session is only 50 minutes and we try to care I do if I want to give a few extra minutes I try to. I have been there 2 years and I am about to venture out on my own. I have already started and wanted to get more home clients so if anyone has advice I would love and appreciate it. Whoever had the bad experience at ME I am so sorry that she shorted you. I have when therapist do that. I know if it was me I would be furious.

[shortstuff62983]

I have to say I am one of the Therapists that work at ME. It sucks!!!!! I have been there way too long. I think it is kind of funny that we arent the only ones that were told that we would make like $27. All the Therapists that were hired by my owners were told that. Oh and the whole minimum wage thing if we have down time also depends on the owners. I dont know if this is legal or not but the only time we get paid minimum wage is when it over weights our massage time. I know other ME pay them minimum wage on there down time. The manangement doesnt care neither does the Owners. We are the little work ants working for them while the Owners get all the money. I feel sorry for the clients because they half the time do not have the best experience because of the session is only 50 minutes and we try to care I do if I want to give a few extra minutes I try to. I have been there 2 years and I am about to venture out on my own. I have already started and wanted to get more home clients so if anyone has advice I would love and appreciate it. Whoever had the bad experience at ME I am so sorry that she shorted you. I have when therapist do that. I know if it was me I would be furious.

[shortstuff62983]

Hey I work there and depending on what you sign you can not have contact with clients for 2 years. Im not sure how well people follow that but just to let you know.

Hi earth goat,

Sorry to hear about your hard time at Massage Envy. If I may offer a solution perhaps you could work fewer hours at Massage Envy. Say fifteen hours instead of 20. Ect, cut down then the clients that really want to see you will start going to your private practice. And before you know it you have weaned yourself off of the devil sweatshop.

Jason

[shortstuff62983]

The only problem cutting my hours back at this moment is I will lose my health insurance. We have to work 25 hours to have insurance that took over two years to get. I really need it.

Hey I work there and depending on what you sign you can not have contact with clients for 2 years. Im not sure how well people follow that but just to let you know.

Hi earth goat,

Sorry to hear about your hard time at Massage Envy. If I may offer a solution perhaps you could work fewer hours at Massage Envy. Say fifteen hours instead of 20. Ect, cut down then the clients that really want to see you will start going to your private practice. And before you know it you have weaned yourself off of the devil sweatshop.

Jason

[RelaxandRejuvenate]

The Devil's Sweatshop offers Health insurance if you work only 25 hours a week?

Lord Vadar needs to be made aware of this lapse in oppression immediately!

[jasond]

Lets just hope that the insurance includes physical therapy because your going to need it after working a countless back to back sessions

Jason

[Anastasia]

How good is your health insurance? Have you ever looked into buying your own policy?

[shortstuff62983]

Your schedule has to be 25 hours a week.

The Devil's Sweatshop offers Health insurance if you work only 25 hours a week?

Lord Vadar needs to be made aware of this lapse in oppression immediately!

[shortstuff62983]

The insurance is ok. Basically if I had to go to the dr. they would pay $60 of the dr. visit I would have to pay the rest. I have looked into getting my own and to be honest I could not afford to do that.

How good is your health insurance? Have you ever looked into buying your own policy?

[Anastasia]

I used to have COBRA thru my former employer and it was good insurance. However, it cost $300/mo (ouch). I had it for a few months then I realized that I go to the Dr only once a year for my annual check up so I didn't need all that good coverage. Now I have a high deductible policy on my own for $137/mo. Not great but it's OK and it covers some prescriptions. But I am sure it's different in different states/cities. I also have a HSA to go with it and I try to contirbute as much as I can to save $$$ on taxes.
Hopefully things get better for you! I was very scared when I lost my job and had to be on my own.

[shortstuff62983]

My health insurance is only like 40 a month. We just got health insurance so for 2 years I did not have it. I still have a dr. bill from when I got sick so I really cant lose it now. Im working on trying to get away from massage envy. I dont think I can take much more of it.

I used to have COBRA thru my former employer and it was good insurance. However, it cost $300/mo (ouch). I had it for a few months then I realized that I go to the Dr only once a year for my annual check up so I didn't need all that good coverage. Now I have a high deductible policy on my own for $137/mo. Not great but it's OK and it covers some prescriptions. But I am sure it's different in different states/cities. I also have a HSA to go with it and I try to contirbute as much as I can to save $$$ on taxes.
Hopefully things get better for you! I was very scared when I lost my job and had to be on my own.

[moose_goose]

I did Blue Cross/Blue Shield (or whatever they changed their name to) a couple years ago, and for a higher deductable (not the highest) it came to about $62 a month. Not too bad, but really only good if I got hit by a bus....

[G]

I basically just posted this same post on another forum, so I'm copy/pasting but here goes...

My two cents (or possibly more or less due to the rate of inflation and stuff)...

I'm a newly graduated CMT who is struggling to get started because I was always more about the holistic side of things but when it came to the business end felt lost. You all have given me some major food for thought here. I live in NJ and they just announced that they were going to open an ME in our local area. I had heard some things about ME while I was still in school and to also me personally it sounded like the Supercuts versions of a massage clinic, sort of "thank you, please drive thru…NEXT!" so I was skeptical.

Then just recently I had been toying with the idea that maybe I was wrong and could give it a chance. However, now that I've heard a bit more I'm leaning toward my original position to work elsewhere, because for one thing it doesn't sound like it's in line with how I feel about massage in general. For instance, I chose to go to a smaller private school than one of the larger student 'mills' in our area or one of the technical/business schools because I felt I wanted a more serious, personal, and individualized education and that is also how I envision I would like my practice to be.

I think the concept of ME sounds cool in a way in that it is great that it opens up massage to more people, sort of spreading the word on a great way to help with one's wellness to people who might not have tried it, and makes it somewhat affordable to people who would otherwise consider it too much of a "luxury" (since when is wellness a luxury anyway?).

BUT…

I have heard a lot of things that I feel from what I've learned that would translate badly to the client, and let's face it that it's already sometimes a difficult business to be in due to the lack of seriousness many people take it for and also the seedy ends of the business.

Also I don't like the sound of most of the things I've heard about it, such as working full shifts with no pay, low pay, being lied to, etc. Another example: I looked at the ad on their website in they advertise "flexible schedules" being available, but in a posting for one of the jobs I found elsewhere, it says "must be able to work a flexible schedule." Those are two different things. I especially don't like the fact that they are saying that you need to be able to do "consecutive 50-min. massages". Where is the time for appropriate cleanup, set up, and not to mention a possible break between clients? That sounds like a recipe for poor and rushed service and therapists to get burnout and injury. And I could see why there is turnover, because that sounds like a very discouraging environment. I'm sure that there could be ME locations that actually do well for their employees, but how would a person know until AFTER they worked there for some time? Also, I know that business requires marketing, but from the sound of it there's a lot of sales work to get customers (they don't even call them clients?) to buy the packages. If I had wanted to be in sales, that is what I would have gone to school for and not to be a bodywork practitioner.

Thanks but no thanks now for me as far as thinking about working at Massage Envy goes. I'll figure out another way to work and get my practice started.

[unknownpleasures]

I only work there just because i just finished school and needed some experience and to start making some income.
I also work at a day spa and the pay is good for me. $34 an hour plus tips.
at massage envy i get paid $17 an hour plus tips. tips so far are pretty good
(15-20 bucks)

I work in a very nice city in orange county.
What i like is that im kinda busy the whole time im there.
I think they dont pay for the therapist breaks, when i talked to one worker there but i'll find out when i get my check.

I also dont like that it's only 50 mins for the client and then you have to rush to get your other client. some clients want a full body and also to pay attention to some certain areas but with 50 mins, i cant.

I plan on working there for like a year and hopefully build my clientele.
I also outcall which helps. I think i'll be making about 2500 a month or more with just 30hrs of massages a week.
ask me anything and i'll tell you about the massage envy if you want to know more.

[pueppi]

I met two MT's who work for Massage Envy over the past week during a seminar. Both seemed to be competent and the one I spoke with has been practicing for nigh on 20 years.

He stays with them, because he's busy "all the time", and knows what his pay check will be. He also stated he liked their ability to help pay his "withholding" (taxes) and that he gets bonused when he is the most requested therapist for the month. He also mentioned that he can request a day off as he wishes and also request time off during the day if he gets too tired.

I am not sold on everything he told me, as he works for two ME's and seven days a week - but he sold it like a trooper. And, if he really is happy there, I'd say they have an excellent therapist in him.

Just wanted to give a different viewpoint from clse to the horses mouth for what it's worth.

[jasond]

Wow Working seven days a week? What kind of model for Holistic health is that? What should the motto for Massage Envy be? "Work until you collapse helping others?"

Hey where do I sign up for a job like that

Jason

[pueppi]

Wow Working seven days a week? What kind of model for Holistic health is that? What should the motto for Massage Envy be? "Work until you collapse helping others?"

Hey where do I sign up for a job like that

Jason

I think I failed to mention, he does that at his own request, not theirs - and for two of their businesses (not just one).

Personally I am not a fan, but it seems to be working for him.

[RelaxandRejuvenate]

Wow Working seven days a week? What kind of model for Holistic health is that? What should the motto for Massage Envy be? "Work until you collapse helping others?"

The post clearly states the MT works at TWO MEs - his choice - and is quite happy with it.

How is this ME's fault or deserving of your scorn?

[softhearted515]

I doubt a company is going to cap how many hours someone works. The resort spa I worked at would let a therapist work 10 hours a day if they wanted too. The therapist has t look out for himself/herself.

[moogie]

If a therapist is an employee, I could see a company capping the number of hours worked (or massages performed) in order to avoid any work/comp injuries.

Angie