Spa-ma
There's been dramatic goings ons at the spa I work at. I keep out of it, especially since I'm only there part-time to maintain my experience as an aesthetician, but this time it's leaked over enough so that it affects me, but not in a horrible way -- it's just that I'm slightly busier, etc.
In California, massage therapy is regulated through each city -- so each city dictates the number of hours required for training, any certifications you must have, tests administered, etc. Since I am an aesthetician, I'm licensed through the State itself...and have nothing to do with massage, aside from facial massages and very basic shoulder and neck massages (which I AM trained in). There are treatments I can't do -- like deep tissue massage, hot stone massage, etc. -- because I am not trained the same way...and, to state the obvious, I'm not a massage therapist. The city the spa is located in, requires a 25-question test and a long, arduous process to receive your permit to work within the city limits.
Massage therapy regulations are each city's way of controlling any potential prostitution. Heh. Not all cities require a 25-question exam, but cities like Long Beach, for example, require a full background check, including a blood test and your fingerprints entered into the system.
Last week, an undercover cop came in and received a massage from one of our therapists -- all of whom have not been working with a valid permit through the city. The therapist was cited with a misdemeanor, and the spa was shut down for two hours in order to consult with attorneys, because the spa owner, B, was also cited and now, I think she faces a court date later on this month.
The only thing the spa has offered until today, when one of the therapists passed her exam, were the skin care treatments and nail salon services...which don't rake in half as much revenue as massage. The thing is, though, the skin care and the nails aren't what attracts the crowd -- the massage is, really. So because of the situation, my business hasn't been doing so well, either. I have regulars...but those only come once every month or two.
Another thing that's added to the mess is that the spa director, BB, quit (not to be confused with the original B). Apparently, when B asked BB to get herself licensed through the city, and to not take clients til the spa was "legit"...BB had a fit, citing the fact that she was exempt -- even though she's a massage therapist herself...and even though, as spa director, she should set an example and get herself licensed through the city. I guess the story is that she blew up at B, saying that she could've gone into nursing...she could've been something else...and on and on. She was in tears, too...and subsequently quit.
The weird thing is that I completely saw it coming because BB is fairly young -- all of 22 or so. It's a difficult thing to...cultivate that natural instinct to be a good manager, etc., and even though I've heard of plenty of people who have had the drive and the will to become good managers...I must say that in actuality, there are very few of them, and BB wasn't one of them. She has the drive but not the common business sense or savvy.
This changes the swing of things at the spa...I'm not sure exactly HOW, but I think I'm going to be a busy girl the next couple weeks or so while we get everything settled down, for sure.
In California, massage therapy is regulated through each city -- so each city dictates the number of hours required for training, any certifications you must have, tests administered, etc. Since I am an aesthetician, I'm licensed through the State itself...and have nothing to do with massage, aside from facial massages and very basic shoulder and neck massages (which I AM trained in). There are treatments I can't do -- like deep tissue massage, hot stone massage, etc. -- because I am not trained the same way...and, to state the obvious, I'm not a massage therapist. The city the spa is located in, requires a 25-question test and a long, arduous process to receive your permit to work within the city limits.
Massage therapy regulations are each city's way of controlling any potential prostitution. Heh. Not all cities require a 25-question exam, but cities like Long Beach, for example, require a full background check, including a blood test and your fingerprints entered into the system.
Last week, an undercover cop came in and received a massage from one of our therapists -- all of whom have not been working with a valid permit through the city. The therapist was cited with a misdemeanor, and the spa was shut down for two hours in order to consult with attorneys, because the spa owner, B, was also cited and now, I think she faces a court date later on this month.
The only thing the spa has offered until today, when one of the therapists passed her exam, were the skin care treatments and nail salon services...which don't rake in half as much revenue as massage. The thing is, though, the skin care and the nails aren't what attracts the crowd -- the massage is, really. So because of the situation, my business hasn't been doing so well, either. I have regulars...but those only come once every month or two.
Another thing that's added to the mess is that the spa director, BB, quit (not to be confused with the original B). Apparently, when B asked BB to get herself licensed through the city, and to not take clients til the spa was "legit"...BB had a fit, citing the fact that she was exempt -- even though she's a massage therapist herself...and even though, as spa director, she should set an example and get herself licensed through the city. I guess the story is that she blew up at B, saying that she could've gone into nursing...she could've been something else...and on and on. She was in tears, too...and subsequently quit.
The weird thing is that I completely saw it coming because BB is fairly young -- all of 22 or so. It's a difficult thing to...cultivate that natural instinct to be a good manager, etc., and even though I've heard of plenty of people who have had the drive and the will to become good managers...I must say that in actuality, there are very few of them, and BB wasn't one of them. She has the drive but not the common business sense or savvy.
This changes the swing of things at the spa...I'm not sure exactly HOW, but I think I'm going to be a busy girl the next couple weeks or so while we get everything settled down, for sure.