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Learn the fundamentals of business management and explore the practical skills needed to start, organize, and operate a successful massage therapy practice. This 6-hour continuing education course introduces massage therapists to business planning, legal structures, organization, cost management, competition, networking, communication, marketing, and business development.
Whether you are considering starting a massage therapy practice or already own and operate a business, this course provides practical information to help you better understand the business side of massage therapy. You will learn how to develop business goals, organize your practice, evaluate business decisions, and use marketing and networking strategies to support your professional growth.
In this course, you will learn:
Legal structures and important considerations when starting a business
Business planning for both new and established practices
Goal setting and organizing business operations
Strategies for managing costs and improving business efficiency
Ways to evaluate and respond to competition
Networking and professional communication skills
Marketing strategies and basic marketing analysis
Practical approaches to developing and managing a massage therapy business
Why take this course?
Managing a massage therapy practice requires more than providing quality services. Understanding business planning, organization, marketing, networking, and cost management can help massage therapists make informed decisions and build a stronger foundation for their practice.
Whether you are preparing to open your first practice or looking for ways to improve an established business, this course provides practical information and business concepts that can help you approach practice management with greater confidence.
Describe common legal structures and important considerations when establishing a massage therapy business.
Explain the purpose and key components of a business plan.
Identify strategies for setting business goals and organizing practice operations.
Describe methods for managing costs and improving business efficiency.
Identify ways to evaluate competition and make informed business decisions.
Explain the importance of networking and effective professional communication.
Describe basic marketing strategies and methods for evaluating marketing efforts.
Recognize business management practices that can support the development and ongoing operation of a massage therapy practice.
Text: Business Management textbook by Stephan Shipe, 72 pages
Course instruction guide
30-question multiple choice final exam
Course evaluation
Certificate of Achievement upon completion
Unlimited phone support for course-related questions
The Center for Massage Therapy Continuing Education, LLC is an Approved Provider through the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB); Approved Provider number 409296-00.
Our continuing education courses are also accepted by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP), and most state boards.
For more information on individual state requirements and approvals, please visit our Approvals page and click on your state.
I liked that the course was thorough and had extra information to download that helps when starting a business and what that organization might look like. - Cheyenne W.
Easy read and packed full of great information that could be used in business and personal situations. - Julie Spencer
I liked this course because it gave me new incentive as far as the business side of my practice goes. - Kelsey Bennett
Tons of relevant information on how to run a business! - Camille Torres, LMT
I liked how it included information on marketing and goal setting. - Samantha Peters, LMT
Information was clearly laid out and I was able to use it in my massage practice. - M. Waters, LMT
When establishing goals what type of time period should you choose?
A. Depends on the goal
B. The longer the better
C. The shorter the better
D. Always 1 year
What are variable monthly expenses?
A. Monthly expenses that occur every month at different times
B. Monthly expenses that occur every month with a fixed amount
C. Monthly expenses that occur every month with different amounts
D. Monthly expenses that occur every month at fixed times
Which of the following is not a section of a business plan?
A. Marketing plan
B. Financial plan
C. Management plan
D. Operational plan
Course Author
About the Instructor
Stephen Shipe, Ph.D, CFA
Stephan Shipe is a finance professor at Wake Forest University. He has a Ph.D. in Finance from Florida State University, a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of North Florida and is a CFA Charter holder. In addition to teaching at Wake Forest University, he has taught in the business schools of Florida State University and the University of New Hampshire and has started and managed multiple businesses. Stephan has combined his experience teaching, his extensive business knowledge, and his industry experience to form a collection of business based continuing education courses available to massage therapists.
