Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle DiGaetano.
Hi Michelle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Oswego, NY. A small city in upstate New York. It was a great place to grow up as a child and I lived there some of my adult life. But when you live in a small city you can be very closed off to the real world. That can be both good and bad. I felt there was more out there to see so I moved to Atlanta in 1999. Needless to say, the snowy and cold long winters made the decision to move south easier.
Shortly after I arrived, I secured a job as an administrative assistant for a large general contracting company in the area. After five years, I lost my job unexpectedly. I spent the next several weeks very stressed and unsure what I would do next. Because I was under so much stress I decided to use a gift certificate I was given for a massage. Up until then, I had never even had a massage. After that session, I felt so much relief. I felt like the world was taken off my shoulders. It didn’t change my situation, but I realized how much of an impact massage can have on your well-being. It was like a lightbulb switch. I said that’s it…. I want to do that for other people. As soon as I got home from that massage, I started researching schools and within 1 1/2 months of losing my job was enrolled in a massage therapy program.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I had many challenges along the way. I had to learn a lot about so many aspects of running a business. But, by 2020, I had built a thriving corporate chair massage and mobile massage business in the Atlanta area.
When the pandemic hit, I lost all my business when companies closed their offices and had all their employees working remotely. Considering 85% of my clientele were businesses, I didn’t know if I could get through the pandemic and have the energy to rebuild what I had. What drove me was knowing that what I was doing was necessary and needed in today’s stressful world. In the last quarter of 2021, things started to slowly come back when trade shows, conventions, and other events were being held and employees were returning to the workplace. Although it was on a smaller scale, I decided to keep going and work at getting the business back. Now in last quarter of 2022, my business is almost back to where it was prior to the pandemic. And earlier this year, I expanded services to 3 other cities including Tampa, Orlando and Chattanooga.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
After graduating from the massage therapy program in 2004, I worked at chiropractic clinics, athletic clubs, as a contractor for other companies, as well as working 2 years at The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel in Atlanta. I decided to leave that job because I wanted to start my own mobile massage business focusing on corporate wellness and providing chair massage in the workplace. I had done some of this type of work for other companies in the past and knew there was a need for this service and that it had a significant impact on reducing stress in the workplace.
I established my business, Turn 2 Massage, in 2010. I didn’t have any website/SEO/marketing experience so I spent long days over several months watching Youtube so I could learn how to do most of these things myself.
In 2010 I also began working with film and television productions in the Atlanta area providing mobile massage services as well as chair massage on set for cast and crew. Production staff and crew work very long days and their schedules can be exhausting. Our massage services help them relax and re-energize.
I currently have several amazing massage therapists that work for my company along many repeat corporate clients that include chair massage in their wellness programs. They schedule either weekly, monthly or quarterly massages for their employees.
We also offer onsite massage services for a variety of events and occasions including:
Employee Appreciation Day
Trade Shows and Conventions
Health Fairs and Wellness Events
Conferences and Training Seminars
Film & Television Productions
Sporting Events and other Special Event Services.
In addition to our corporate massage services we also offer corporate yoga onsite. I practice yoga in my personal time and felt offering yoga classes along with chair massage would be a great combination for companies to include in their wellness programs. Chair yoga is a popular choice in the workplace and we also offer 60 minute mat classes as well. Our yoga services are available in the Atlanta area.
For more information on our services or to receive a customized quote, please visit our website: https://turn2massage.com and click ‘request a quote’.
What makes you happy?
Professionally, knowing the impact massage has on peoples’ well-being makes me happy. I feel very rewarded knowing that we can completely change someone’s stressful workday with massage.
Personally, being in nature makes me happy. Whether it’s in the mountains hiking or at the beach looking at the water.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://turn2massage.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turn2massage
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turn2massage
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/turn2massage
