takeaway: Competition can conjure a sense of uneasiness, but looking at it in a different way can help you come out of the situation with a renewed sense of self and motivation to grow. 

“There’s no such thing as competition” is a thing I’ve heard colleagues and massage instructors say. And it’s a true sentiment in that viewing another business as competition is a mindset issue.
At the same time, we’ve all felt that unhappy clench in the stomach when a new massage business sign goes up down the street. Or worse, right next door. The idea of losing current business or potential new clients to another bodywork business is jarring. It can trigger all kinds of fears about our financial future, skills, and worth.
Denying that other businesses exist and that our target markets may overlap is not entirely helpful, but there are ways to look at the situation and come out with a renewed sense of self and motivation to grow.

Ground Yourself in Reality

You’re a good massage therapist—create some tangible reminders of that. What are the reasons your clients see you? What nice things have clients said about your work, and what positive results do they share when they come in for subsequent appointments? If you need to, write this down, revisit your reviews and testimonials, and get inspired. Once you’ve set that initial clench aside, get objective about the situation.

Make Friends (or at Least Cordial Colleagues)

Consider this other business: Is it another small one-person operation or a large spa or franchise? When we’re talking about another small bodywork business, there is a lot of space for a happy professional relationship and cross-referrals.
When a new business moves in, be a one-person welcoming committee. Call and ask if there’s a good time to visit and see the place. Bring a plant. And when opening the conversation, lead with a desire to help and refer. “What kinds of clients should I be referring to you?” is a great opener, and be prepared to talk about your own target client.
Emphasizing the differences between your businesses and the potential for collaboration and cross-referrals can take the tension out of the relationship and eliminate that competitive clench.  
If another business has been around for a while, you can lead in the same way: “We’ve been sharing this neighborhood for a while; I figured it’s time we connect properly.”
Not everyone wants to make friends, and plenty of business owners operate from a sense of fear. So, if your attempts to be friendly and welcoming are not reciprocated, go on about your life and don’t spend any more time or effort on it. Concentrate on promoting what makes your business special and connecting with the right kinds of clients for you.

Bring Goliath Down to Size

When a large business or franchise opens near you, that’s a whole new opportunity for exploration. It helps to think through what people like and don’t like about a larger bodywork business.
Why do people visit a massage franchise or national chain? Why do they go back? What do they like about it? The easiest way to find out (without stalking and cold-calling people) is to look at reviews. A quick look at a business’s Yelp or Google reviews will give you a sense of what they do well and what they need to improve.
There will always be clients who want the most affordable massage just once or on a very regular basis and are satisfied with the service at a franchise. Those folks are going to be hard to win over. But there are folks who aren’t being served and are looking for someone like you. They may fit into one or more of these categories:
• People who need the highly skilled TMJ/rotator cuff/prenatal massage you provide
• People who want the ease of online scheduling but the comfort of keeping the same therapist for a long time
• People who want to know you won’t cancel on them at the last minute
• People who don’t like to be pressured into buying a membership
• People who would like their massage to be a full 60 or 90 minutes
• People who want the flexibility of being able to get as many or as few massages as they’d like
• People who want a therapist receptive to their needs
• People who can choose the music played during their session
• People who like you because you’re great
Addressing these issues on your website or blog can help you attract the right clients for your practice (not the clients who would just as soon desert you for another business’s Groupon deal).
Consumer choice is healthy, and different people have different needs. While it may be tempting to see other massage therapists as “competition,” it can also be helpful to think of them as colleagues who are interested in the same thing you are: serving the clients you are uniquely suited to serve.