We had the good fortune of connecting with April Petasek and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi April, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My thought process behind starting my own business was why not? I’m talented and I’ve been doing massage for over 12 years. I know I’m great at what I do and my clients agree. So why wouldn’t I want to keep all of my earnings? I had been struggling in corporate massage. Typically resorts will only pay around 30-35 dollars per massage. Add in gratuity and it’s pretty normal to make around $65. Seems pretty great right to make $65 an hour. That’s what pulled me in. But the thing is, it’s not always consistent. Summer in Arizona especially is hard. I have much experience so why wouldn’t I want to charge $125 an hour and get to keep it? Plus tips. After 12 years it gets hard to only make a small percentage when you know the company is charging over $165 per hour. If people feel I’m worthy of paying that at a resort why wouldn’t I want to venture out on my own.
I also have a deep need to truly help people. On a deeper level. I wanted more out of my career than just helping people unwind on vacation. Relaxation is important and it’s my passion. But I also have vast knowledge on the human body, the muscles, then nervous system and how it all plays together. Educating people for their own benefit brings me joy. Much of what I have learned isn’t common knowledge. But I believe it should be.

The other part of owning my own business is I have many talents. Not just massage but reiki, cranial sacral, yoga, meditation, sound healing, yoga nidra, breathwork, nutrition and life coaching. I find it hard to work for someone else and utilize all of these talents. Typically businesses want to hire you for one job. But that gets exhausting and it’s more fun for me to be able to switch it up. In my own business I get to decide how and when I use all of my talents. Teaching classes or doing private events brings me great joy.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is a reflection of my heart and soul. Everything I do comes from the heart. It brings me so much joy to help women, to coach them one on one and see the change, the growth and shifts happen. It brings me joy to get to do sound healing or yoga classes for people who need to fill their cups. It brings me joy to bring people to that place of calm and stillness inside of them that they had forgotten was there. To create space and peace for people who are constantly on the go. This work matters. Helping people calm in our crazy world is beyond important. But seeing their faces after, noticing the shift in energy from start to finish-thats where it’s at. My heart is whole when others have a safe place to BE themselves. Exactly as they are. No judgment. No shame. I’m a safe place for those who have never had it. I hold space for expression of emotions whatever that is. What I needed when I was younger was someone to just be there. To notice; to see me and to listen. So that is exactly what I do for others now.

Starting a business always comes with its learning curves and challenges. I would say one of the hardest parts is just getting started. Especially when working a typical 9-5 job.
When I first started my business I was working in a spa as a massage therapist and then also taking clients on the side to help grow my clientele. There were weeks where I would work seven days and sometimes I would leave my 9 to 5 and take additional clients. I remember being so tired but I also remember the success and the accomplishment I felt the day that I was able to give my notice at my 9 to 5 and go completely on my own. That’s a feeling you can’t replace.

Learning to juggle all of the parts of the business was one of the greatest challenges. I was now not only the massage therapist; I was the front desk coordinator, the checkout girl, I did the laundry, I made the appointments, I took calls and e-mails at all times of the day, I was the yoga instructor, meditation instructor, the cleaning lady, the accountant, the sound healer and the life coach all rolled into one.
My dream is to make enough to hire people to do all of the other things. But in the meantime it builds character. Understanding all of the facets of the business is so incredibly important. It teaches, it brings growth but it will also bring understanding when it is time to hire out those positions. I have worked in so am by spas where the management is simply clueless as to what my job entails. They had no idea what it was like to do massage all day.
Understanding what it takes to answer phone and email messages all day, What it takes to do the laundry and clean up, what it takes to take payment and pay bills and all of those things help us empathize with the people in those positions. I would love to treat people well and pay them what they are worth for these positions instead of just expecting them to do their job for minimum pay. I want to be different than what I have seen from companies in the past.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite spots in the city are actually outside the city. I love gateway loop trailhead at the McDowell mountains. I also love the trails far out in Apache junction. My favorite part of Phoenix is that right in a big metropolis there are tons of hiking trails and mountains. Connecting with nature and being in the gorgeous landscape is my favorite part of this city. But also, shots of tequila and tacos at modern margarita would also be on the list.
A baseball game if it’s spring time and spring training is going on-just about every team comes down to practice and it’s a great way to get outside.
A football game at the cardinals stadium, but only if they’re playing the Green Bay packers.
The ak-chin pavilion would be next for some live music. The outdoor venu is perfect for warm Arizona nights.
We would take a trip to Sedona and soak up the amazing and energetic redrocks. We wouldn’t be leaving Sedona without a trip to Tamaliza- the best Mexican food in Arizona in my opinion. With both traditional Mexican and vegan/gluten free options- you can’t go wrong.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
If I had to dedicate my success to anyone I would love to thank my dear friend Casey Carpenter. Not only has she supported me and encouraged me from day one- she showed me what was possible. She was also in the spa world for over 20 years. Working for someone else and she was the first to venture out on her own. Her taking the leap and showing determination, confidence and trust really helped me see and understand what was possible for me. She went to every class I taught, she came to see me bi weekly for massage and overall was a great friend to talk to, vent to and ask questions. I believe she gave me the courage, tools and knowledge I needed to really start my own business.

Website: Livinggaiaconnection.com

Instagram: Livinggaiaconnection

Linkedin: April Petasek

Facebook: Living Gaia connection

Image Credits
Keely Lattanzio

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