Key Point

• As the boss of your own business, what do you want as your own employee?

Toward the end of a year, I often encourage reflection and planning changes for the next year to keep our business evolving along with our own needs (see “Annual Reflection Can Improve Your Business,” Massage & Bodywork, November/December 2023, page 82). It makes sense to review our work schedule, income, and changes in our personal life that could warrant adjustments within the business. 

This year, I’m changing my perspective to think through potential changes in my business. As business owners, we think of ourselves as doing all the things—we serve as massage therapist, bookkeeper, cleaning staff, receptionist. But when thinking about evolving and improving your business, it can be helpful to think of yourself as filling two roles separately: employer and employee.

I want to be the best boss I’ve ever had. I also want to be the happiest employee I’ve ever been. I’m figuring this out by thinking through what makes an employer really great. 

Regular Paycheck

Getting paid a fair and predictable wage on a regular basis is vital to making a happy employee. In addition to getting paid, I want a boss that sets aside the proper amount to pay taxes, has a retirement plan I can contribute to, and allows for paid vacation time and sick time. As my own boss, I can manage this by getting realistic about my business finances, following a schedule and a system for paying myself, and setting aside funds in a way that reflects my priorities. 

Administrative Jenga

A great employer makes sure the rent and utilities are paid and there’s plenty of clean linens and your preferred massage oil in the cupboard. 

Setting up checklists and having a reminder system for tasks that need to be done over and over in a business can feel tedious. But knowing that it makes for a happy employee (you, having everything you need to do the favorite part of your job!) takes the edge off this annoying good-boss task.

Flexible Guardrails

This one is a little less tangible and a little trickier to describe. An employer can’t let you take all the paid vacation time you want. The business would not make enough profit and then you’d be out of a job. Likewise, a traditional employer would not be cool with you walking in the door five minutes after your first client of the day. 

But an employer with an eye on what’s good for the business and what’s good for the employee finds balance. A good boss will allow a realistic amount of vacation time because it’s important for a healthy, happy employee. A smart business owner and employer will make it a policy to be at work 30 minutes before your first client to adequately set up and be prepared for their arrival. As your own boss, you have the authority (and responsibility) to constantly evaluate that balance in every aspect of your business. 

Smart Support

A great boss will nudge you out of your comfort zone and encourage you to expand your hands-on and communication skills and maybe help you through dealing with a challenging client. That same great boss will make sure a disrespectful or abusive client doesn’t make it to your schedule again. You can take care of yourself in this same manner by creating solid scripts to fire a client, strong intakes to book only the best clients for you, and finding peer mentors to support and nudge you through challenges.  

The Big Picture 

A solid business is led by an employer who has a plan, a vision of where the business is going over the next 1, 5, or 10 years. There should be big goals: I want to work with pro athletes! And small, measurable goals: I want to regularly have 50 appointments per month and pay myself $3,500 monthly.

Employees have the luxury of not thinking about the business in this way. But as your own boss, it’s important to put in the work. Create a plan, even if it’s a rough plan to start, and list the small and big steps necessary to get where you want to go. Decide how and when you can act on those steps and adjust accordingly. 

You’re the Boss of You

So many of us become self-employed because we want and need the flexibility it affords. But nothing truly prepares you for running a small business. We cannot possibly be aware of the structure and discipline also needed to run a sustainable business. It’s often trial by fire. The work of being a boss is often challenging, but the payoff of being a happy worker in your own business is priceless.