The Challenge: Building a Massage Business from the Ground Up

Slavik came from humble beginnings. He was born and raised in Ukraine, only relocating to the United States within the last decade in order to build a thriving solo massage therapy practice in America. Sure, he brought his expertise as a massage therapist with him, but he soon came to face the reality of the challenges he'd have to overcome in order to truly succeed.

Although Slavik was an experienced massage therapist, his first hurdle was that he wouldn't be able to open his practice until getting his massage therapy license in his desired state.

Since he wanted to open up practices in two states, Illinois and Florida, he'd have to learn and complete the licensing requirements for both. Florida and Illinois are known for their rigorous licensing requirements, including showing proof of completing hundreds of hours of massage therapy education, multiple examinations, learning state-specific laws, background checks, and more.

Then, once licensed, he still had to open and grow his business with no existing relationships or network. Even for somebody not starting fresh in a new country, this can be a monumental challenge.

Running a successful massage business is not just about being a good therapist, but equal parts business owner, and marketing professional, as well. This juggling act can pose a significant challenge, especially to therapists hoping they just get by with their massage skills. Simply put, it isn’t enough to succeed.

Slavik understood this from the start and he knew he wanted a way to incorporate technology to make the business side more efficient. He knew exactly what he wanted—a solution to help reduce the learning curve of staying organized, getting clients, marketing his practice, and running an efficient business. On top of learning how to do all of these things effectively, his primary goals were to:

• Build brand awareness
• Establish a robust client base
• Explore opportunities for growth
• Expand into as many states as possible

Finding the Right Solution with MassageBook

Slavik actually discovered MassageBook during his years of study and knew he’d found something that would give him an edge while establishing himself in the U.S.

MassageBook is a platform designed specifically for massage therapists to help automate and simplify the business side of their practice. It comes complete with tools for massage therapists to book clients, establish their online presence, receive payments, and keep track of their finances, all in one platform.

Slavik was drawn in by MassageBook's user-friendly interface and powerful automation tools, especially since he didn't want to manage his business using multiple solutions. With everything he needed in one place, tailored to massage therapists, it was a natural choice for his position.

Key MassageBook Features That Helped Slavik Scale His Business

1. Attracting Clients with a Professional Online Presence

Nobody wants to build a website from scratch. Slavik knew he wanted to establish his credibility quickly, especially since he was new to the country and new to his respective locality.

He used MassageBook's professional profile to showcase his services and highlight his incredible skill when it came to deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. This helped him to get public exposure and to stand out from his competition. Since MassageBook is integrated with Google Maps, people in his local areas were able to find his business, allowing him to hit the ground running with new, nearby clients.

2. Easy-to-Book Appointments for Clients

The key to success these days is to make the experience for your clients as straightforward as possible. One of the primary features that Slavik appreciated about MassageBook is that it was founded on the premise of making client booking easy.

The platform comes with an online, 24/7 booking platform. All the client has to do is find their therapist, select a time slot, and book their appointment. They'll receive automated reminders, meaning that Slavik saved a tremendous amount of time by not having to manage appointments.

3. Easy Payment Processing and Business Operations

Discussing payments with clients who want to use different methods can be tricky to navigate. Slavik didn't have that problem. Why? He used MassageBook's built-in payment system to accept and track payments.

Not only does this allow him to generate online receipts, but he can also keep close tabs on how his finances are performing throughout the year.

4. Built-In Marketing and Promotions

Today, getting out in front of new potential clients requires more than hanging up a sign somewhere. Slavik's approach to marketing was to leverage all of MassageBook's marketing capabilities.

He used targeted emails, offered promotions, sent discounts, and tracked marketing metrics to adapt his strategy over time. He was able to see how certain campaigns performed over time and learned how to adjust his promotions to drive optimal bookings and retention.

5. Connecting with the Massage Community

Perhaps one of Slavik's favorite features was MassageBook's community. Through it, he was able to connect to like-minded massage therapists throughout the U.S. He built amazing connections, grew his network, attended events, and found the support that he needed, especially as an immigrant trying to succeed in his field.

Even now, he continues to keep in touch with his fellow therapists and uses it to stay informed on industry insights such as current trends, new findings, best practices, and other exciting input.

The Results: A Thriving, Scalable Massage Practice

Slavik quickly established, grew, and scaled his massage business, becoming a recognized, multi-state massage entrepreneur. He used MassageBook to:

• Expand his practice across state lines with an organized, efficient system
• Increase client bookings and retention thanks to automated tools
• Save hours per week that might have been spent on manual admin work
• Grow his professional presence and network

MassageBook was the right choice for Slavik because he knew he wanted to leverage technology to augment his skills as a massage therapist. Finding a solution that could meet him where he was and teach him how to get established and grow would give him more time and energy to devote to his practice.

"I'm grateful to offer work that truly benefits my clients. I hope my story inspires other professionals in our field, especially those just starting their journey in the U.S. With every client I help, I am reminded that I am on the right path—and grateful for the supportive professional community here."

What's Next? Continued Growth with MassageBook

Slavik's journey, however, is just beginning. He gets great joy from competing in massage competitions and just won first place in Wisconsin’s Massage Championships last year!

In addition to competing in even more future competitions, Slavik hopes to continue expanding his business into multiple states, growing his client base, and refining his services to offer his clients the best, highest-quality massage therapy experience.

With MassageBook by his side, Slavik is confident that his business will continue to thrive and scale efficiently.

He shared, “My hope is that by sharing my journey, from emigrating from Ukraine to becoming a licensed therapist and business owner in the U.S., I can inspire others who also have a passion for massage and a dream to succeed.”

Slavik continued, “Competing in massage competitions in different states has allowed me to meet so many interesting people and find what areas I want to focus on in helping people feel great and overcome physical limitations and injuries. In 2025, I was able to win the Florida Massage Championship and earned 3rd place at the GL-International Massage Championship 2025 in Turkey! I’m very proud of these achievements and grateful for all the support and inspiration from our amazing team. I think that sharing my story with other therapists and those studying or aspiring to become solo massage therapists will contribute to the larger professional massage community.”

Learn more about MassageBook