Member Spotlight: Jessie Zarling

Today's Bodywork Buddy Member Spotlight is Jessie Zarling from Sussex, Wisconsin. Jessie owns Relaxing Relief Massage.

Q: What inspired you to be a massage therapist? 

A: I've kind of been doing massage since I was about 9 years old. When I was a kid, my Dad would get a lot of back pain and I would rub his back with this pain relieving gel he had. Somehow I was able to relieve some of the pain he was having. Not exactly the way I would work now, but I think I had a natural knack for it. I also remember giving my cousins massages at my Grandparents' house on my Grandpa's recliner. I have no idea how I started doing it, but I did it all the time, because I wanted to. Going through middle and high school, I thought I wanted to go into PT, but then realized I wanted to go more manual therapy and less exercises. Massage just seemed to be the right path for me.

Q: How long have you been doing massage?

A: I graduated school in November of 2009, so almost 6 years. Self-employed for almost two.

Q: What is your favorite thing about being an MT?

A: I love working with my regulars, and seeing the continual progress we get from session to session. Working for myself is a close second ;)

Q: What do you feel is the most challenging issue for massage therapists?

A: I think the most challenging thing is the way the general public sees massage. There are a lot of people who see the truth and benefits, which is fantastic, but there's still a long way to go for the rest.

Q: What advice would you give to other MT’s to help build their business?

A: I'm still building myself, but taking care of my clients and getting their word-of-mouth has probably been the best thing for me. Don't cheapen yourself by advertising with daily deal sites. In my experience from past jobs, the clients that those attract are mostly deal-jumpers and people not willing to pay your regular prices. Have patience. Rome wasn't built in a day.