Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Morillo
Hi Valerie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey into the world of barefoot massage was unexpected! After being a stay at home mom for 15 years and homeschooling my kids for 4 of those years, I found myself looking for something to do. I wanted to feel like I was contributing to society in a helpful and fulfilling way. I had attempted college several times, and finally realized that it wasn’t for me, but I still wanted to do something impactful.
Since my early 20’s I suffered from lower back pain due to a work-related injury. Like most people, I would get massage here and there for comfort and relaxation, but never considered it as an effective, holistic approach to my lower back problem, until I received my first Ashiatsu Massage session. That’s when I knew: this is how I want to help people. I want to be the person who offers relief from pain and a chance to pause and recharge in this fast-paced world. My space is for you to feel cared for—where you can just be instead of always being the one taking care of everyone else.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has absolutely NOT been a smooth road. I’m still learning lessons every single day! I’ve read lots of books, (start with Profit First!) Have gone to dozens of networking events, talked to so many people MUCH smarter than me, looked for guidance from local massage therapists to the small business administration. And I’m still making mistakes!
Some of the struggles along the way have been creating boundaries, learning about types of business insurance, finding the right location for this type of business, setting a schedule to allow for growth but to not induce burnout, problems with google maps (if you follow my tiktok you’ll get all the details on the issues I’ve had with google maps!) Since my office is located downtown, and I offer free parking for my clients, I’ve struggled with the company that handles the parking and the problems that come with being a small business downtown that you don’t really know are a problem until you’re in the thick of it!
But you know what??? I wouldn’t change it! I’ve been in business for 3 years, so I am still learning and growing and falling and getting back up. But I am living a possibility that I couldn’t have dreamed of. I’m creating my life the way I want to live it. And I’m doing that by making other people’s lives BETTER! What more can you ask for?
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
San Antonio Ashiatsu Massage went through so many names and rebrands before I finally found the one that felt right! With the help of a very creative, gifted, and talented artist/massage therapist, we were able to put together the perfect setting for my clients / guests.
While I am a licensed massage therapist, I specialize in a very unique style of massage known as Ashiatsu Massage. In Japanese, that loosely translates to “foot pressure.” This is a deep tissue, myofascial technique where I stand on the table and use my feet to perform the massage, and I lean in with my bodyweight to increase the pressure. Ashiatsu massage offers a transformative experience that combines the benefits of deep tissue work with the soothing elements of relaxation. What you get is relief from pain due to work, stress, or from going to hard at the gym. And the soothing relaxation effects helps calm the mind and bring down stress levels lowering cortisol and boosting serotonin and endorphins.
The amazing thing about Ashiatsu is that it is NOT limited to only the back of the body. With advanced training, such as the ones I’ve taken with both local barefoot massage schools, Deepfeet and Center for Barefoot Massage, I can work on the sides of your body, as well as the front, delivering careful, intuitive, effective bodywork every time.
My signature service is called the Neck and Shoulder Reset-it is a FAVORITE among people who carry their stress and tension in the neck and shoulders because we focus the entirety of the session on your upper body, melting away pain and tension with ease. I also offer services ranging from one hour up to THREE HOURS!!! Yes, you can be whisked away in bliss for three amazing hours!
What I’m most proud of is developing my skills as an Ashiatsu therapist to provide the best care for my clients. I offered every person who came in the opportunity to give Ashiatsu massage a try, and if they decided that they didn’t like it, I would switch back to manual massage for their session. Not one person ever requested to go back to manual massage. Eventually I became so confident in my ability to provide an effective Ashiatsu massage, that I take traditional hands-on massage off of my menu. I actually haven’t done a manual massage in almost TWO YEARS!
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
There are many groups and communities with experts in your field. My advice would be to reach out to the leaders in those communities to help connect you with mentors, and keep doing that until you find one that is right for you.
Pricing:
- 60 minutes $135
- 90 minutes 195
- 120 minutes $250
- 180 minutes $385
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sanantonioashiatsumassage.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanantonioashiatsumassage
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SanAntonioAshiatsuMassage
