Friendly and Knowledgeable - Apana Massage Collective

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sue Hartling, Whit Truong, and Crystal Simser, owners of Apana Massage Collective, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are a group of like-minded registered massage therapists who have come together to form a collective shared space. We offer massage therapy in a variety of modalities with the goal of providing an inviting and relaxing atmosphere for patients who are interested in self-care and recovery.

Tell us about yourself

We are three female entrepreneurs that each have over ten years of experience as Registered Massage Therapists. We previously worked together for ten years, and each felt that we wanted a cooperative business structure. We created Apana Massage collective, and every aspect of the business is a partnership split equally between all 3 of us.

The things that get us motivated each day are wanting to help people in different stages of life, whether that be recovery from an acute injury, care of a chronic issue, or just relaxation and stress relief from everyday life.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The biggest accomplishment that we are very proud of is taking the risk to open a business close to the beginning of the pandemic. On June 1st, we will be celebrating our 2nd year anniversary.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The biggest challenge that we have come across as business owners has been figuring out how to increase our presence online. We are a happy small business, so we had to figure out what kind of SEO investment would work for us.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Take a look at and focus on who your customer base will be.
2. Our biggest challenge was understanding websites and the back end of online searches. It’s not our area of expertise at all, so we hired an SEO company to help us improve our presence online. You need that so you don’t end up on page 20 of a google search.
3. Make sure your space/ product represents you and what you stand for. We try to provide a peaceful space with a lot of plant life to help connect to nature and provide a chance to unwind in the busyness of downtown city life.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.apanamassagecollective.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apanamassagecollective

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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