It’s a numbers game!

Stats, everybody loves stats. I keep a good record of client intake and business growth since we first opened and the numbers I just crunched are very pleasing indeed. Over the past 4 months we are averaging seeing an extra 30 people per month than the previous 4 years. Obviously this has been made possible by securing Jodie as my 2nd therapist and having the second room. If things keep increasing at this rate I may have to bite the bullet and build another room! For the time being I will be looking for another therapist to help me out towards the end of the year and into the future when Jodie is off racing. If any of you are trained and hold your diploma in massage therapy or you know someone who may be interested please tell them to contact me for a chat.

This week I am almost full. A cancellation on Thursday means I can fit someone in tomorrow @ 10:30.

Jodie has the following free but be quick as they will fill fast.

Wed 2:45

Friday 12:15, 1:30 & 2:45.

What do I hate about team sport?

It a funny thing team sport. We all have those teams that we love to hate but where do you draw the line when it comes to fair play from players and spectators? Some spectators are just putrid. I’m not sure about you but no matter how much I may dislike an opposition team, I never like to see people injured. Unfortunately, today was one of those days that made me angry. I’m a trainer for Clarence which is a well known fact and it is also a well known fact that the Clarence/Glenorchy rivalry is probably the biggest in the State wide league. Now generally when these two teams meet you know you are going to end up with blood or injuries, it’s almost a given. They play hard and both teams love to beat the other. Today we had too many casualties. The worst was stretchering a 19yo off the ground. Now he’s probably going to be fine, a little bruised maybe but hopefully all is well. He went to hospital in an ambulance and we will know more in the coming days. So what made me angry about this? It wasn’t the play, I didn’t see the incident so I have no say on that. No it was the revolting comments coming from the members area of opposition supporters telling the guy who hit this young man to ‘take out a few more’. Right as we were bringing him off the ground in excruciating pain! What makes a person say that sort of thing? Who in their right mind thinks that that is ok? It’s not ok! Inciting violence into sport is never ok from players or spectators. From what I have heard this poor kid was lined up in the field of play but that will be determined by the MVP. I really hope it’s not the case. I am writing this today because I want people to stop. Stop and think before words come out of your mouth. It is sport, it is not an old style  boxing match where the aim is to kill or be killed. It is what we want our kids to grow up and do to have healthy balanced lives. What do the little kids having a kick below the members think when they hear this sort or stuff all the while watching someone be stretchered off the ground? I plead with any of you who attend sport of any kind and hear this sort of behaviour, stand up. Stand up and let people know that it’s not ok! Having a dig at someone in jest is all part of the game, inciting violence is not. Lets stand together and stop this sort of behaviour from spectators and let our kids know that violence anywhere is never ok.

Nikki

When do you know you made the right choice?

Turn the clock back 5 years, 10 even…ten years ago I was working in hardware in 7 day trading. I didn’t hate my job as such but I did hate the hours and the never ending circle of telling people I couldn’t go out and enjoy myself because I had work the next day. I could only dream of doing a massage course because I couldn’t get the weekends off to do it. 5-6 years ago I had left hardware and was working in paint. Again I didn’t hate my job but I didn’t think very much of the people who ran the company. It was a job that would find you busy up until about lunch time when all the tradies were coming in to get their supplies and leave the rest of the day for you to contemplate what you were actually doing with your life. It did however enable me to do the course I had wanted to do for years as there was minimal weekend trading. Just over 4 years ago I left that job to start my very own business. The thought of having all the money coming in the door going into my pocket was a very handsome thought indeed. The dream Vs reality doesn’t always turn out how you’d expected. It was tough going. I had 2 places I was paying overheads on, work and home. Renting on your own while trying to invest in a small business is not ideal. With rent alone on both places being around $400 per week, I had to do a lot of massages before I would break even. That was just rent, it didn’t include power, fuel, food and everything else which comes with every day living and a small business on top of it. Going back through my diaries of the early days there were weeks where I was only seeing 10-12 clients. I was the new kid on the block with no funding behind me to enable me to do any form of advertising. I hit the pavement with my business cards and a smile, I walked the streets of Moonah dropping cards and discount voucher into every business I came across. I ran into lots of people from my hardware days and started to generate a network. I lost count of the amount of vouchers I gave away trying to generate business. In the early days I was able to shut my doors if I needed to go and work an event without much worry. My client intake wasn’t huge so I just shut up and left. They were still there when I came back. Months turned into a year and I was struggling financially. A good friend of mine who is also in business and wanted to see me succeed gave me a small loan to get me through, and, not only that, let me pay it off whenever I could. That small gesture meant that I could keep my doors open and keep trying. I’m a pretty proud person so accepting that offer wasn’t the easiest thing for me to do but I knew it was make or break so I took it. Things started to get better. I reached out and gained employment at another massage centre to make sure I could make ends meet. It meant a bit of running around but it had to be done. I started to make really strong connections with people and even better, people liked my massage and started referring their friends, family, co workers. The business was building. However, there were still periods of time where I would have a quiet month and start to worry about finances and how I was going to get through. Let me tell you, when you are in small business you are always thinking about finances, you eat those thoughts for breakfast lunch and tea and while most people go to bed and sleep you lay there for hours with ides running through your head about how you can do better or for example like I did last night realised at 11:30pm that I had forgotten to pay the car rego! Luckily I remembered 2 days early and I wasn’t driving an unregistered car after all. I ended up moving into the business for 18 months to make sure I could continue to grow. I would happily say that living and working in the same building is possibly the worst existence I have endured, it wasn’t much fun at all but I had a roof over my head so all was good. Skip forward a couple of years to now. My client base is well over 500 with no signs of slowing down. I no longer go week to week worrying about how I’m going to pay the next bill that comes past my desk. I have been amazingly lucky throughout the last 4 years to meet some amazing people who are both clients and some now close friends. My best friend for example arrived on my table in the first year of working. Little did she know that I held total resentment towards her because she was such an awesome athlete. Of course she knows that now and it’s a bit of a joke but I am so glad she got referred to me that day because she actually helped me transform my life. I was also lucky enough to meet my partner through work. We had a mutual friend and met at a multi sport event and the relationship just grew from there. She has been such an amazing support to me over the past 3 years on so many levels and time and time again when I have felt like I wasn’t going to make it in business, just gave me that little bit of confidence I needed to get me through. She also put a roof over my head and allowed me to forget about household finances and just concentrate on the business. Today I sit here writing this with my calendar open in the background looking super full week after week. The move from Maxwell Street early in the year to Albert road would prove to be pivotal in the growth of the business. I don’t think I have ever seen so many cars in one day drive up and down a street, it’s amazingly busy and the position is perfect. The building was large enough for me to build the 2nd treatment room and lucky for me Jodie landed on my door step without me having to find her. It has worked out perfectly. The phone doesn’t stop ringing, footy season is coming to an end and we will swap our footballers for athletics clients. It’s been tough, sleepless nights, stressful days, but also it has been a wonderful journey meeting amazing people and watching as a dream slowly became reality. Next year I am planning to go to Vietnam, my first ever overseas trip. I will take the time off but our doors will remain open. And that my friends is how you know you made the right choice and you know the best part? I don’t have to apply for holidays, I don’t have to wait for permission. I will find a time that suits us, I will book and I will explore. Don’t be scared to chase a dream, it might be tough initially but hang in there and it will all work out in the end.

Booking this week

With 2 rooms now in full swing it has been much easier to get everyone in. Apart from a bad week where I had to turn 7 people away, we have managed to get most people back to their best when requested. This week is no exception and is already looking pretty full. We have the following available,

Nikki

Wed 11:45 & 2:45

Thurs 9:15 & 11:45

Jodie

Wed 12:15 & 1:30

Fri 12:30, 1:45 & 3pm

If you would like any of these times please give me a call and we will slot you in. The online booking system is coming, unfortunately we are just having a few issues with configuration but it will be here soon as promised.

Nik

FILLING UP…

This week is looking pretty full for me, all I have left are the following,

Tuesday 9:15 or 2:45

Friday 10:30

Jodie has the following

Wed 1:45 & 3pm

Friday 12:30, 1:45, 3pm & 4:15

I get the feeling it’s going to be a busy week. Don’t be one of those 7  had to turn away last week and get your appointments booked early. After all, who wants to be out there is this terrible weather? Come on in where the towels are warm and the rooms are warmer.

THANK YOU!!!

Even though we are hitting capacity week after week we are also continually taking in new clients. I just looked over the last 3 months intake of new clients. Of the 27 who came to us, 13 of those were referred! Thank you all so much for your continued support. It makes me very happy that to this date I have never had to pay for advertising of the business. Apart from a Facebook post here and there our advertising expenses have been kept to a minimum. It does not go unnoticed, give yourselves a big hi 5 from me, I very much appreciate it guys, you are all awesome!

News and price increase.

Jodie was off racing at Hells Bells on the weekend, a 24hr multi sport race held at Golden Beach in QLD. I had forgotten what these adventure athletes looked like after an event but sitting in the front room having a chat with her yesterday reminded me that they come back from these races looking like they have had a fight with 10 feral cats scratching away at their legs! Her team came 2nd after an awesome race and had the lead for most of it but a nav error towards the final check points unfortunately caused them to be overtaken by the eventual winner. For a good idea of what they went through, click on this link and have a read. https://jodiewillett.blogspot.com.au/2017/08/hells-bells-2017-golden-beach-qld.html

We have our EFTPOS machine up and running finally! It is long overdue but is now working and saves me keeping track of things through direct debits etc. No need to panic anymore when you forget cash.

As of Monday we will be having a $5 price increase for all 1 & 1.5 hr massages. it’s unfortunate but with the rising costs of running a business we need to have these sometimes to make sure we can continue to keep our doors open and keep you at your best.

Last minute tweaking of our online booking system is happening as I type this and should be ready in the next few days.

Booking ahead is really important. I am fairly full almost 2 weeks in advance at the moment and indications are that we are only going to get busier. Having Jodie join the team has been awesome and taken the pressure off me however we are still turning people away so I will be seeking a 3rd therapist over the coming weeks. It seems that location is everything in business and my location is super! Jodie has a few races coming up where she will be away so I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to get in early and make sure you get that spot you are after. Please don’t hesitate to call me even if I post that we are full as cancellations do happen and we will refill them.

That’s about it for now. I hope you are all enjoying these stunningly beautiful days we are having and are willing on the summer months.

Nik

Available appointments next week

I have just filled my last spot for next week. Jodie has 3 available on Wednesday at 12:30, 1:45 & 3pm. Get in quick if you need a massage next week. People are getting smart and booking way in advance and it means we don’t always have free spots when you call up that week. I will always try and find a spot for an emergency but it is not always possible. It’s awesome that everyone is so on the ball and taking their health seriously. A healthy lifestyle isn’t just about diet and exercise, massage goes a long way to help create overall health and well being. Don’t wait until you are broken, get in early and prevent it as prevention is better than cure.

Nikki

It’s almost here….

I know I have been promising our online booking for a few weeks now but customizing these things take time. To me it’s all way over my head but luckily my computer guru is well on top of it all. We have just had a meeting and gone over the minor details so he can complete it. It will hopefully be live next week, fingers crossed. I had a call today to tell me that my EFTPOS terminal was being installed tomorrow! They tell me they have sent the correct one this time, we shall see.

It has been a much less stressful week this week. With everything completed I have even found time to hit the running track again, although I would call it more of a plod than a run, but I got out all the same.

Point to Pinnacle registration opened on the 1st and I will enter the team tomorrow. If you would like to join the Ellis Remedial team go here and register http://www.pointtopinnacle.com.au/

Tomorrow is massage day for me, woo! I hope my clients love massage day as much as me. The week is nearing the end and this weekend I am free of footy commitments so I might just have to have a lazy weekend for a change. Who is with me?

Jodie is off racing a 24hr race on the Sunshine coast so she won’t be taking it easy, but we wish her all the best and hope that she brings some of that lovely warmth back to Tassie when she returns.

To all you wonderful people, have a fantastic weekend and we hope to see your happy smiley faces real soon.

Nik