By Laura Baverman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

BLUE ASH - When Lori Howell walked into the Cincinnati School of Medical Massage on her first day of class five years ago, she knew she wanted to own her own massage business.

Ted Creedon massages client Katherine Helton at the Cincinnati School of Medical Massage (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

Howell, now 43, was looking for a career more satisfying than the cleaning service she ran - a career that would allow flexibility so she could spend more time with her son, who is 5 years old.

She found both of those things when she decided to become a self-employed massage therapist.

"I'd always thought that it would be a great career. When I looked into it, I simply loved the control that I would have over my own schedule," she said.

Twenty-eight percent of Americans have had a massage in the past five years. That's up from 17 percent in 1997.

The growth in massage has occurred in part because the benefits of massage are being accepted more widely.

For example, a 2002 survey commissioned by the American Massage Therapy Association showed that of those patients who spoke with a doctor about massage therapy, 76 percent said the conversation was favorable and 19 percent said it was neutral.

The survey, which had a margin of error of 3 percentage points, also showed that 64 percent of Americans believed that massage was beneficial.

'A hot profession'

Because of this shift in attitudes, massage therapy is growing in popularity as a job.

"It's such a hot profession right now because you're working with people who really like what you're doing," said Pete Elfers, director of the school.

According to Elfers, the largest influx of new students to his school range in age from 23 to 30. Most of them were burned out at their previous jobs or thought they were underappreciated at work.

"Massage gives them a variety of different settings and different people to work with," he said.

Patricia Terrell, a licensed massage therapist and teacher at SHI Integrative Medical Massage School in Lebanon, attributes her decision to become a therapist to "God's kick in the butt."

Terrell received a master's degree in business and worked in finance and marketing until she was deployed for active duty in the Army. When she returned, she took a job in data processing at Nutone while she looked for a new career.

"I had to have a job where I felt like my heart was in it, and I couldn't find anything in the business world that my heart was in," she said.

She enrolled at SHI in 1991, and within three years, she was in business for herself.

The business of massage

Terrell got into the business as it exploded in popularity.

The massage therapy association had 7,776 members in 1987 and about 12,000 in the late 1990s. now it has almost 47,000. The number of therapists in the United States - including students - is between 260,000 and 290,000 compared to a range of 120,000 to 160,000 in 1996.

Many massage therapists are self-employed and run their own businesses.

In Ohio, potential massage therapists must complete 600 hours of training through an 18-month program and pass a state board exam and a national certification exam before they can receive their license to practice massage.

There is no state licensure for massage therapists in Kentucky.

Massage schools teach students the anatomy and physiology of the body and the ways to lessen pain through massage. But they also train their students how to run a business.

Elfers said many of his students come to the school because they are entrepreneurs and are looking to start their own business.

"If you're not a self-starter, you shouldn't be in business for yourself," he tells them.

He outlines three steps to a successful business: Determine your overhead, set a price and the number of clients needed to reach the overhead and determine how many massages you have to give per week to make a profit.

The ability to balance a budget is also crucial, he said.

Terrell said her biggest challenges in starting her business were marketing and setting up a method of bookkeeping that was in compliance with the IRS.

Most massage schools recommend that students consult an accountant before going into business for themselves.

While many massage therapists have goals of working on their own, few of them are able to do so and make a good profit, Denise Logsdon, vice president of the therapists' association, said.

Logsdon estimated her yearly income at $80,000 per year, but on average, massage therapists earn $17,000 per year. "People come out with this really great talent with their hands, but they don't know how to sell it," she said.

The road to success

Creedon realized from day one that he would have to market himself in order to get clients. Male therapists are rare and sometimes less desired, he said. In his graduating class from the Cincinnati School of Medical Massage in the fall of 2000, 80 percent were female.

He attributed good customer service to his success as a therapist. When he graduated, he was hired to direct the student clinic. Any leftover massage clients coming into the clinic, he could take as his own.

"I take it one client at a time and do the best I can with that person," he said. "If I'm good, they're coming in two months afterward to get a tune-up."

From working at the clinic and doing massages on his own, Creedon's income has reached $32,000 a year, more than he made at any previous job.

Howell, who practices at the Royal Family Fitness Center in Milford and at an office on Powhatan Road in Milford, said that despite the challenges of starting her own business, she has been rewarded on a personal level by her career.

"I know I've experienced tremendous personal growth in the giving aspect of my profession. It is very fulfilling to be a giver in a society where we always seem to be collecting and taking," she said.

Email lbaverman@enquirer.com.

Facts about massage therapy

Twenty-five percent of Americans expect to get a massage in the next year.

People aged 18 to 35 make up the largest percentages of those getting massages. Twenty four percent of ages 24-35 and 21 percent of ages 18-24 have had a massage in the last 12 months.

Nationally, the average cost for a one-hour massage in a therapist's office is $48. In a client's location, the average is $61.

Americans spend $4 billion-$6 billion on massage per year.

10,000 day spas offering massage open in the United States every year.

Americans get massages for the following reasons: 23 percent for relaxation or stress reduction, 53 percent for health reasons and 15 percent to pamper themselves.

Tristate massage schools

The Cincinnati School of Medical Massage in Blue Ash graduates 200 students every year. About 85 percent to 90 percent are working in the field. The cost of the school is $7,700 for 18 months of training.

SHI Integrative Medical Massage School in Lebanon graduates about 90 to 100 students each year, with a success rate of 88 percent on the Ohio state board exam for first-time test takers. The cost of the school is $6,600 for 18 months of training.