Pros
There is plenty of work at $15/hour as a therapist if you don't want to operate your own business. If you are skilled, clients tip well. The owners and managers at West Vancouver, WA sincerely wish to bring a family environment to this location.
Cons
Unfortunately, the corporate culture and the wishes of the local franchisee are mutually exclusive. This is a high-production, assembly-line operation where employees must be treated as units of manual labor, not as human beings who offer a valuable therapy. The goal is to sell contracts, not massage, so the client experience suffers. 10 minutes is not enough time to evaluate the client, create a treatment plan, and perform adequate self care between sessions. Unskilled, light-touch therapists are paid the same as highly skilled, deep-tissue therapists. Management pressures therapists to work to the point of exhaustion and injury, and no backup is available. There is constant conflict between front desk associates who are pressured to sell contracts and the therapists who want to provide good service. No employee benefits.
