Transcript:
Hello, everyone! My name is Holly Lassak. I’m a franchisee for Massage Envy, with three locations in the Coachella Valley.
I’m in this business, Massage Envy, because I worked in Corporate America for almost 30 years. While I enjoyed my work and learned a lot, every day I woke up thinking, What am I doing here that’s helping people? The answer was: nothing. I wasn’t helping anybody, making a difference in my community, or impacting the world.
So, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do. That’s when I found Massage Envy. I joined because I wanted to do something meaningful for people. I believe we’ve been able to achieve that. Over the past 17 years, we’ve helped countless individuals feel better and be their very best.
Today, I want to talk about something important: every successful business needs partnerships with people who help it thrive. One of the best partnerships I’ve developed has been with Milan Institute. It’s been incredibly valuable to me for many reasons, but I’ll highlight two.
First, Milan produces great students. Their students are well-educated, highly skilled, and do an excellent job—whether they’re studying massage therapy or esthetics.
Second, Milan has helped me solve a business challenge. When I approached them about a problem, they worked with me to create a solution. Together, we developed a program where students waiting for their licenses could still gain experience. These students worked in stretching, a service that doesn’t require a massage therapist’s license.
This arrangement allowed the students to stay active in their field of choice, rather than waiting idly for their licenses to arrive. They earned money, gained experience, and had the chance to see if Massage Envy was a place they’d like to work long-term.
In the past year or two, we’ve brought in 40 to 45 students from Milan, which has boosted my business tremendously. I love my relationship with Milan because they listen, they collaborate, and they produce excellent professionals.
