Information Guides: Small Business Resources: Massage Therapy

Starting and Managing A Massage Therapy Business: Online Resources

The following links are available for anyone to use whether you're affiliated with NWHSU or not. The links are for informational purposes only and the school does not endorse any products or services that may be advertised on the sites.

AMTA's Launching Your Massage Therapy Business
This blog post from AMTA asks three questions you should consider before opening your practice.
How To Start A Massage Therapy Business
This blog post covers other things you may want to consider before starting a practice.
Massage Magazine
Provides regular updates and breaking news on the massage industry and related health topics.
Massage Today
Massage Today provides meaningful and trustworthy information to the massage therapy profession.

This YouTube user shares his perspective on his experiences as a massage therapy business owner. Here is one of his videos but you can find more on his channel.

Starting and Managing A Massage Therapy Practice: Books

The Accidental Business Owner by Kelly Bowers
Call Number: 338.7 B69a
ISBN: 9781909141889
Publication Date: 2018-10-23
A practical and easily accessible guide for bodyworkers and movement teachers, including massage therapists and all other complementary therapists, to the setting up and running of a private practice in order to make it into a successful business.
Building a Healthy Business by Jan Saeger; Lewis Rudolph
Call Number: 615.822068 S24b 2010
ISBN: 9780073401911
Publication Date: 2009-01-20
Building a Healthy Busines gives students of any age the tools needed to start and grow a successful business.
Breaking Through as a Professional Massage Therapist by Greg Spindler
Call Number: 615.822068 S75b2
ISBN: 9780595479467
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Greg Spindler, LMT, CSET provides a unique approach for success in this industry; information that is rarely addressed in schools or other texts.
Marketing Massage by Monica Roseberry
Call Number: 615.822068 R79m
ISBN: 1562537466
Publication Date: 2001-11-15
Marketing Massage is designed for massage and bodywork students enrolled in a professional certification program. It is also an excellent resource for students and practitioners interested in building their practices, as well as for massage and bodywork associations for training and member support.
Get Clients Now! by C. J. Hayden
Call Number: 658.8 H41g
ISBN: 9780814479926
Publication Date: 1999-03-31
Contained within the covers of this deceptively simple paperback book is a complete marketing and sales system for professionals, consultants, and anyone who needs to market a service business.

Professional Organizations

American Massage Therapy Association
AMTA is the largest nonprofit, professional association serving massage therapists, massage students and massage schools.
National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork
The mission statement of the NCBTMB is to “define and advance the highest standards” in bodywork and massage. In the pursuit of this mission, the NCBTMB offers an NCBTMB Board Certification credential, along with maintaining a list of Assigned Schools and Approved Providers.
Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
Offers professional benefits such as liability insurance, free CE, discount partnerships and more.
American Medical Massage Association
The American Medical Massage Association was specifically created to represent the image, growth and protection of medical massage therapists. The AMMA seeks to promote Medical Massage Therapy as an allied health care profession, while encouraging unity within the massage profession. This goal is achieved through professional standards, education, and testing.
MassageNet Research Network
The mission of the MassageNet Research Network is to develop and maintain communication between professional massage therapists, students, educators, and researchers. What makes MassageNet unique is that we are a Practice-based Research Network (PBRN)
Massage Therapy Foundation
The Massage Therapy Foundation works to promote massage therapy as an evidence-based treatment modality, while aiming to make massage available to everyone. A PBRN, the MTF engages in the advancement of knowledge and education for licensed massage therapists by supporting education and research within the field.