Massage: A Career at Your Fingertips [Paperback]

Martin Ashley JD LMT (Author)

Book Description

Series: Massage: A Career at Your Fingertips | Publication Date: September 28, 2005

How to open and market a massage practice, retain clients, and handle the financial and legal aspects of the business are just a few of the topics covered in this comprehensive guide to a career in massage therapy. Addressing the practical day-to-day as well as the formal components of running a business, this guide provides candid, grounded advice from 50 massage practitioners. Beginning with an overview of the profession, this handbook offers a thorough orientation to the business with specific advice on ethics, professional associations, governmental regulations, licensing laws and zoning requirements, insurance coverage, and sources for equipment and training. How to professionally handle clients who seek sexual massage or are survivors of abuse, the challenges unique to male massage professionals, and the politics of massage are also addressed.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A good overview of the profession . . . engaging and thorough . . . . The resource directory alone is worth the price." -- Massage

"A well-written book which describes the various career options in the massage field." -- Career Opportunity News

"Useful for both new and experienced practitioners." -- NAPRA --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Martin Ashley, JD, LMT, is a practicing attorney and massage therapist. He lives in Somers, New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Enterprise Publishing; Fifth edition edition (September 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964466252
• ISBN-13: 978-0964466258
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #248,834 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth waitin' for a new edition., December 9, 2000

By 

R. Sparks "middle_path" (Norman, Oklahoma United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Massage: A Career at Your Fingertips (Paperback)

Much like a computer manual, this is a book that could be rewritten twice a year and still stay 3 months behind. As much as the Massage Therapy community and profession change on an almost daily basis, it would be almost impossible to mass produce any kind of book (short of a magazine) and keep it cutting edge.

The book DOES still have plenty of things to make it well worth the price, and it's all in one volume. There is only one mag that has proven itself to be worth reading and it (MASSAGE) will cover about 3/4 of the info contained herein in about a year.

The chapter on MONEY MANAGEMENT gives the same excellent advice that my Grandfather gave me 20 years ago when it comes to smart investments of time and money. It's certainly as useful today as it was then. If you're planning on going it alone in the business, I strongly suggest you at least borrow a friend's copy and read that chapter.

There is also a great chapter on marketing on a budget. There are those that say that a good Massage Therapist doesn't need to advertise, and in-as-much as many Therapists work alone, they are correct. I have 12 Therapists in 2 offices, 3 clinics and 3 hospitals. . . I do a small amount of marketing simply to educate the general public (and the medical community) on what's available; this book made that an easy thing. We also advertise our seminars (we do about a dozen free infant massage classes and roughly the same number of stress management courses a year) and this chapter helped me save some money there.

There is also some plain, common sense kinda' stuff that you just need to hear from more than one person before you believe it. I won't ruin the book by spilling it here, but there really is a lot of good material in this tome! If you don't know someone with this book, buy it or wait for the next edition to come out- It's really due!

There's a reason that this book (slightly outdated as it may be) is regularly used in Massage schools across the country.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An all-encompassing business plan in one book., November 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Massage: A Career at Your Fingertips (Paperback)

I used this book to find the best school and plot my entire career plan. Everything is here...from deciding which career path to take to marketing methods to insurance billing. Many helpful resources are listed to follow up on as well. There's even a streetwise section on how to ward off unwanted sexual advances that sometimes plague professional therapists. If you're an entrepreneur with a nurturing heart, this is the book for you!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a solid book for those either getting started or considering, March 12, 2002

By 

Heath - See all my reviews

This review is from: Massage: A Career at Your Fingertips (Paperback)

I'm about ready to finish up my licensure, and this book has given me some great insight into what to expect and on how to avoid what would have been common mistakes. Only for the beginner though. I think more experienced practicioners would either already know most of what is in this book or could find what they don't know elsewhere. On the whole, a Great introduction to the massage profession.