Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/230373
visit abmp.com KC: True; and there are pros and cons to being the boss just like there are pros and cons to everything. There are aspects of the role our readers will love (yes, love, I promise) and others they won't enjoy as much. I think the first step to success, though, is to understand the scope of the CEO job, and then consider the duties and tasks that need to be done. The important thing is that all aspects of your practice get addressed—even if you choose to hire out for tasks you really don't want to do yourself. What do you think the key responsibilities are that go into being the CEO of a massage and bodywork practice? LS: I believe the most important tasks are gathering information, making decisions, and following through. These can apply to any leadership role, certainly, but I think they have real meaning for massage and bodywork professionals. Did you know there are 22 million self-employed individuals in the United States? That means there are 22 million CEOs (and laundry people, cleaning people…). About 1 percent of those are massage professionals. The majority of massage and bodywork practitioners are in charge of their own livelihood. Especially when first starting out, therapists need to understand the journey they are embarking on. And that can range from understanding the competitive environment to doing the math on renting a space to considering a partnership or working for another professional. Therapists I have talked to always tell me the table time is the easiest and most fulfilling part of their practice. That makes sense; it is what they have trained for, what drew them to the field in the first place, and what they (usually) are most comfortable doing. It's all the other stuff that can be challenging and can plague a therapist's ability to really develop a successful practice. I think it can be broken down like this. Kristin has been the CEO of her massage practice in Boulder, Colorado, for more than 12 years. To keep her massage room from looking like this (empty), she puts a lot of time into marketing and managing her practice. Did she enjoy some aspects of practice-building a lot more than others? Sure, but being able to work with clients on that table makes even the tough parts of the CEO job worth it. Know your business. You should be a walking encyclopedia about your practice, your profession, your community. Gather information to help you better understand your opportunities and challenges. This also means talking to, and learning from, others. It is your business, but all good CEOs have advisors that help them understand the issues surrounding them. It pays to be ABMP Certified: www.abmp.com/go/certifiedcentral 29