Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria.
Hi Maria, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always been in healthcare. I was a CNA for 17 years, working in nursing homes, the emergency department, rehabilitation centers. I worked the past 10 years working as a phlebotomist. When I was 20, I didn’t know what I wanted to go to college for. I went to my local community college thinking I was going to sign up to be a medical assistant and surprised myself when I enrolled in massage therapy. I wasn’t even sure what it was, but I did it.
So I worked as a CNA and massage therapist for many years. In 2009 my mother was sick and died from cancer, I took a break from massage to take care of her and raise my 4 younger siblings. After a few years I realized I really missed massage, so I made it my passion. I left the medical field in 2021 and focused on massage. I wasn’t happy working for someone else and decided to peruse my dream of opening my own massage business. I opened Maria Cardona Therapeutic Massage in downtown Aiken. A year later I had the opportunity to move and buy Massage-ology from a friend. I was able to have a larger space and include more practitioners. Currently there are 2 massage therapists, and aesthetician, yoga and a psychotherapist. It’s been wonderful.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been pretty smooth. Thankfully we have great clients and they help spread the word about us and the business. We’re so very grateful. The challenging parts are advertising and marketing. It can be costly and a little frustrating when we don’t get clientele from that. So we really do rely on word of mouth. But pretty much, it’s been a fantastic journey.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I want people to see we care about the whole body, mind and soul. We are still healthcare. Not in the traditional sense. But we care about your health. With all of us working together, we can help people really feel their best.
As for us, the massage therapists. We specialize in therapeutic massage. We use firm to deep tissue and incorporate cupping, bamboo, and inferred light.
I’m proud of this great space I’ve created with amazing practitioners who care about our clients wellbeing.
We offer great skin care, therapy, yoga and massage.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory is traveling a lot with my family
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mariacardonatherapeuticmassage.com/
- Instagram: Marias_massageaiken
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Massageologyaike
- Other: https://massageologyaiken.glossgenius.com/
