BWS: What inspired you to establish East Village Spa in 2008, and how has your vision evolved over the years?
Cassie: I opened East Village Spa in 2008 after working at a chiropractic clinic and a medical spa and having my own practice. Frankly, I couldn’t find a place where I wanted to work that treated massage therapy as a career with good pay and benefits, so I decided to try to create what I wanted for myself. I was 28 years old, had no idea what I was doing, and was sure this wouldn’t last more than 5 or so years. I didn’t have a solid vision or niche, I didn’t have a genuine business plan, and I was winging it. We ended up needing to move to a bigger space within 5 years, and I certainly didn’t expect the spa to need to move another time (The very last time! I’m too old to do that again) two years ago into a 6000 square foot space with 15 treatment rooms, a nail salon, and over 30 team members.
When I started, I had an idea of what a spa was supposed to be and how a spa owner was supposed to act (ahem, far classier than I really am!) It wasn’t natural for me and created tension because, in hindsight, I was putting on a performance, and eventually, I couldn’t maintain that. I realized that we didn’t have to be the stereotype of a spa. I didn’t need to apologize for not having all the amenities of a resort spa or feel like I was constantly falling short.
I then realized that there were lots of potential clients who were uncomfortable with what they thought a stereotypical spa was like. Once I came to terms with the idea that if we were trying to be the spa I “thought” people wanted and became the spa, I knew felt natural for me, I realized that I could reach out to the people who weren’t visiting spas. That’s when it all fell into place. I had to accept that in business, you will not be the right fit for every customer or employee, which is okay. The folks who love our spa REALLY love it because it is genuine, comfortable, and what they were seeking.
BWS: What significant challenges have you faced in building the spa, and what milestones are you most proud of achieving?
Cassie: The biggest challenges I’ve dealt with have been real estate issues, leases, and being in buildings I don’t own. There are always issues outside your control, whether that’s a surprise roof replacement that disrupts your services for months, issues with neighboring businesses, maintenance challenges or uncertainties if your building is sold. There are anxieties about “what happens if the city tears up the streets around my spa? Will customers still visit? What if the building going up next door takes up all the parking?” Over the years, as the spa grew, finding a physical location to accommodate our needs became very difficult. This is the most significant source of anxiety for me as I look to the long-term future.
BWS: What qualities do you prioritize when recruiting team members, and how has your approach evolved over time?
Cassie: In 17 years of owning a business and nearly 20 as a massage therapist, I’ve noticed that flexibility is the single most important skill for a successful team member and massage therapist.
You might see a new guest booked for a hot stone massage and have everything prepped and ready, but upon doing their intake, realize that what they need and want is an orthopedic style massage, done in side-lying to accommodate a positioning need after a recent surgery. Can you adapt quickly, communicate why you are adapting, and remain cheerful about the changes? Inflexible therapists either do not do a thorough enough intake to know they need to suggest a change, or they are flustered by the change and this comes across in their work.
You may have closely held beliefs about massage therapy, health, and wellness, you name it. When flexible people are presented with new information that challenges their beliefs, they listen, review the evidence, and decide whether their viewpoint should evolve. Inflexible people get caught in the “that’s not what I was taught” cycle, which limits their growth as professionals. For example, perhaps you had an instructor or employer tell you that massage in the first trimester is dangerous. When presented with evidence to the contrary, flexible people will dive into the large body of research showing that massage therapy is safe AND beneficial throughout a healthy pregnancy. They’ll then update their policies and welcome all expectant guests, armed with evidence to support this evolution in their practice. Inflexible therapists will seek out one or two poorly executed studies to support their original belief, refusing to consider the alternatives.
BWS: As a Body Wisdom Massage School alumna, what advantages have you observed in employing fellow graduates (13 out of 18 therapists) at your spa?
Cassie: The most significant benefit to employing Body Wisdom graduates is that they experience a much larger pool of viewpoints from many instructors and get the opportunity to work with so many more classmates than at any school I’m aware of in Iowa. So many programs expose students to just 1-2 instructors, which limits their exposure to many techniques, philosophies, and ideas in this very broad profession. People who attend a program with a small core group of students only get feedback and practice from a few people, and those few fellow students significantly impact their skill development. At Body Wisdom, because of the way students can build their customized program around blocks of classes, they work with very diverse peers, including folks with severe health complications, pregnant classmates, even experienced LMTs taking continuing education. There is just no way to replicate that in a small program.
At Body Wisdom, many instructors differ in their beliefs about massage therapy and their preferred techniques and come from different backgrounds. This is a good thing. Students should be encouraged to explore ideas and try different techniques. Massage is not a “one size fits all,” and the more ideas you’re exposed to, even if you don’t agree with some of them, the better of a therapist you’ll be.
BWS: How do you cultivate a positive and collaborative culture among your staff, and what role does inclusivity play in this?
Cassie: Sometimes, I must remind folks who get offended or angry with co-workers to “assume positive intent.” Whenever you have a team of people, there will be friction, but in general, people are not out to get anyone, and our team really does care about their co-workers and the spa. We are human, and keeping your personal challenges or history out of work is impossible. A positive and collaborative work culture is like a relationship. It takes work, and there will be disagreements. It requires honesty, humility, and a willingness to have hard conversations, especially when assembling a team of folks with different experiences and expectations. If people hold grudges or aren’t willing to have honest discussions honestly about frustrations or perceptions, they aren’t going to be successful in any collaborative workplace; ours is no exception.
I have had employees visit me about something I did, or that they perceived I did that, they found upsetting or insensitive. Nobody wants to be told they’ve upset someone, but I see this as a gift. If an employee cares enough to initiate an awkward conversation with their supervisor so she can improve, that’s a big deal, and I don’t take it lightly.
Along those lines, we have had employees who were excellent massage therapists and popular with clients but made unkind or discriminatory remarks about their guests and co-workers. These folks are quickly dismissed, even if it means we’re short-staffed for a while.
BWS: Thank you so much, Cassie, for sitting down with us today to discuss the evolution of East Village Spa. We wish you continued success with your amazing group of therapists in your wildly successful enterprise!!
NOTE: At Body Wisdom, we highly recommend Cassie’s East Village Spa as a place of employment for Body Wisdom Students. We know you’ll be treated right and have much fun in this business!!
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