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.
I used to be a homeschooling mama. Once my kids decided they wanted to try public school, I knew it was time for me to do something for myself. That’s when I started massage school. Enter COVID and divorce after a 20 year marriage, and I knew that just working for someone else wasn’t going to cut it. I decided to take my life into my own hands. I knew early on that I wanted to work for myself, because I always felt limited in what I could do with clients when working for someone else. (Also, I hated being told when I could or couldn’t take a day off!)
After working for a chain for about a year, I discovered Ashiatsu Massage. It was love at first foot! hahaha. But when I told my supervisors that I wanted to specialize in Ashiatsu and asked if they’d be willing to offer it as a service, they said, “Sure, but you have to market it yourself.” That was when I knew that my time to work for myself was NOW. I leaned heavily on the small business administration for help on how to start and run a small business. I reached out to other therapists, invited them to lunch in exchange for the opportunity to pick their brains. I read books, listened to podcasts, took classes, and did everything I could to set my goal into motion: Become an independent, small business owner and work for myself doing something I loved.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It certainly has NOT been a smooth road. Every step of the way has been challenging. As human beings we are dealing with so much muchness every single day! While taking classes and going to seminars and doing everything I could find to learn to build a business, I was dealing with my children’s mental and emotional stressors, a house flood that left us living in a hotel for 10 months while the repairs were completed, a devastating car accident, the death of my mom, and so much more. There were many times that I thought that maybe I should just “BE NORMAL” and “Work a normal job like everyone else!” I even applied for desk jobs along the way because, “this is just too hard” and “who the heck do I think I am trying to start a business?! I’m just a poor, little girl from NJ!” But every time I did that, there was a quote that I always went back to, “choose your hard.” I already know what it’s like to work for someone else. Was that the kind of “hard” that I wanted? No! I have dreams and ambitions and I would regret it if I didn’t try. Everything was hard, from deciding the business name (I changed my business name three times before I landed on San Antonio Ashiatsu Massage) to creating the standard operating procedures and beyond. But because I front loaded so much of the work in the beginning, my business is set up to run smoothly and I’m now able to focus on the hardest part of business, MARKETING!” Hopefully one day I’ll figure that one out!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about San Antonio Ashiatsu Massage?
I specialize in deep tissue, barefoot massage. That’s what I’m known for! In some circles I’ve been dubbed “The backwalker.” I absolutely love it.
My goal is to expertly combine the benefits of deep tissue work with the soothing elements of relaxation. One of the things that sets me apart is that I was fortunate enough to take classes from both the Deepfeet organization as well as the Center for Barefoot massage, and take advanced continuing education classes yearly. And because of this, I feel like a have a really good grasp and a solid foundation on the what, how, and why of barefoot massage. I know how to use different parts of my foot for different purposes. For example, the heel of the foot is a much more comfortable version of what the elbow would do; it precisely targets an area but doesn’t cause the pain and discomfort that an elbow would. Slow and steady work is what created changes in the fascia. I could go on and on.
Something I’m most proud of, brand-wise, is that every client who comes into my studio feels heard, safe, and nurtured. In my over 145 5-star, Google reviews, you can see the same message repeated, “their needs were met. Their specific problem area was taken care of. They were met with care and attention.” You don’t come to San Antonio Ashiatsu Massage for a “cookie cutter” service. You come for a deeply personalized experience with an expertly trained practitioner.
One of my favorite services to provide is the Ashi-Thai stretching combo. This is where I seamlessly blend a modified version of Thai stretching into your Ashiatsu massage session and have sessions that last up to THREE hours! It’s absolute bliss!
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
It’s going to be hard. There are going to be challenges and setbacks, and you’re going to want to quit over and over again. Choose your hard! Remind yourself of WHY you want this. Take advantage of all of the free and low cost services available to you. Start with the Small Business Administration. Take a peer out to lunch in exchange for guidance/advice. Surround yourself with like minded people. Once you get to the point that you can pay for something to be done for you, (example: taxes) DO IT!! Lightening your load will allow you to work more efficiently and focus on what you’re good at.
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
