Premier Massage Therapy - Body Works Wellness Studio
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Leslie Menkhoff, Owner of Body Works Wellness Studio, located in Perrysburg, OH, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Body Works Wellness is a focused massage therapy practice helping athletes and active individuals of all ages that need more than relaxation. We specialize in clinical, deep tissue, and sports massage and offer complementary services like cupping, sports taping, compression therapy, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, and infrared sauna therapy. We are not a spa, and though we love to create a relaxing environment for our clientele, we pride ourselves in helping people maintain and improve their everyday functioning so they can live a better life!
Tell us about yourself
I started in the wellness industry as a therapist in 2012. I was working and managing a spa. The experience was great, but I realized after a while that the clients needing more in-depth therapy were the ones that kept coming into my sessions. I enjoyed the stories of how they were able to move better or regained feeling in their fingers after I worked on them. I was thrilled to hear how I helped people with sciatic issues be able to walk and sit and stand comfortably. The stories of migraine sufferers finally being able to function every day were the ones that kept me excited about what I was doing. By the end of 2013, I realized that the spa world wasn't for me. I enjoyed the therapy world, and I wanted more of it, and I set out on my own to create a specialized practice doing just that. The "thank yous" and the sporadic texts of how my therapy had improved the quality of someone's life when they thought they would be wheelchair-bound or when they were able to complete the marathon they always wanted or how they recovered from their surgery faster and are back at life are what drive me to keep going. It's why I strive to bring on other therapists and train them to do what I can do and what makes me want to mentor other therapists to be able to receive that same feedback and help as many people in the community as we can.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I love business. I have an educational background in it, and when I started my own business, I was just hoping I would be able to pay myself. I figured all that out. I've started bringing on others to help them help others. I know that no matter what global health crisis or curve ball throws my way, my business will sustain itself until I decide it's going somewhere. However, I think the biggest thing I'm proud of is that I have other business owners seeking my advice and guidance on how to improve their businesses. They like to pick my brain, and fellow business owners that have questions about business know they can ask me because I either know or I can guide them to someone that knows the answer for them. The respect I have within the community as a therapist and also as a business owner is what I take the most pride in.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things as a business owner is not giving up. When you start your business and then with the ebbs and flows of life, there are always opportunities to say, "it would be easier to close down" or "maybe I should get a part-time job." The hardest part is seeing it through. Working harder because of the challenges and always being up to the task. Not giving up but rather standing up when you feel like you failed.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Learn what you know and what you need an expert to guide you at. Know when to get an accountant or seek the advice of legal counsel. You don't know what you don't know until you realize you didn't know
and sometimes that's too late. - Know your market. Who is your client? What is it that you specialize in? I see too many people that are trying to do too much and too many people that want to be a jack of all trades, making them a master of none. Don't waste your time marketing to the wrong crowd or in the wrong way. Know who else comes in contact with your clients and build a relationship with them so you can refer and help each other. Do what you do, do it well, and leave the rest to someone else.
- Don't be afraid of competition. Those same people that want to do everything are living in a world where they don't think there is enough to go around, so they need it all. Specialize, and you won't be like all the rest, and you won't need to fear their existence.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I love business, and I see myself growing future. It's rewarding. It's scary. It's amazing. It isn't easy, but it is so worth it! Live each day, try your hardest, know that failure is one step closer to success, and don't be afraid to stand up and try again.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://bodyworkswellnessstudio.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bodyworkswellnessstudio
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodyworkswellnessohio/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslielmoore/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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