Today we’d like to introduce you to Tabatha Leach
Tabatha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to do something with my life that would have a positive impact on people. Over the years, I tried many different paths out to find the right fit. So, it took me a little while to find massage therapy but once I did, it changed the whole direction of my life and has led me to where I am now.
I stumbled into my first career. At its height, I managed a chain pharmacy. On its surface, it was helping people. There were aspects of the work I really enjoyed. Getting to help customers and growing a sense of community with them and my co-workers. Unfortunately, with the corporatized nature of the chain, it felt to me like their numbers seemed more important than people and quality of service. Pharmacies are an important part of the healthcare system and dispense lifesaving medications, but it felt like the balance of the system was completely off. After a while it left me feeling unfulfilled and eager to find something new.
Taking what I had learned from my previous experiences, I knew I wanted to stay in the realm of healthcare, but I also wanted it to be a field where I could create more of a personalized experience for each person. I wanted to feel like I was making more of a direct positive impact. One day, while brainstorming options, my partner says, “What about massage?” In that moment, I felt a spark of interest. I decided to tour a massage school, and that’s when I knew I had found something special.
I attended Central Florida School of Massage Therapy. Within the first week, I knew I wanted to eventually open my own space. In school, I fell in love with the science and art of massage. There is beauty in the human anatomy and its functions. I began seeing health and wellness from a more holistic perspective. I wanted to learn everything I could, any technique, to help ease stress, decrease pain, and create an overall sense of well-being for the people I would soon massage.
I became a Licensed Massage Therapist in 2016 (MA 83365), and I was eager to start the next chapter in my life. I wanted to open my business right away, but I knew it would be best if I gained some experience first. So, as a lot of new massage therapists do, I began my career at a local massage franchise. I also spent time taking several continuing education courses. Once I felt confident in my abilities, I shifted gears.
I started my own business in 2019. It started with just one or two massages per week. At that time, I would travel to each client’s home. I was still trying to figure out a rhythm when the COVID pandemic hit. And along with a lot of other businesses at the time, it halted to a stop. At first, I was worried that it would end the momentum I had gained. But I was fortunate. When massage therapists were allowed to go back to work, people slowly started trickling in and then all at once, I was busy traveling all over the Orlando area. I knew it was time to find a space of my own.
It took almost a year to find the right space that is within a new small business owners’ budget. I ended up splitting a room with another massage therapist. It was a cute little room on the second floor of a jujitsu business. I was so grateful for the space, but it wasn’t long lived. Within a year I had to look for a new location.
I was determined to find the perfect space, not just for me but for my clients. I wanted the space to reflect a sense of peace and tranquility. I wanted to be around other practitioners that center a person’s well-being and harbor a healing community. I wanted my clients to walk in and feel their stress melt away. I wanted their massage experience to transcend the everyday worries, aches, and pains. After a long search I finally found the right location. So, in July of 2023 Transcend Massage (MM 44412) was officially formed and has been at Zen Space Wellness Studios in Oviedo ever since.
I have been a massage therapist for over eight years and I still love what I do. I feel so much more fulfilled. I have a thriving small business that challenges and excites me. I get to help my clients live more pain-free lives. I have formed these amazing bonds with fellow practitioners. I am fortunate to have found this path in life. I don’t know where it will take me next, but I have found myself in massage and I am so grateful.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
What part of life doesn’t have struggles? Creating your own business, from scratch, has no shortage of them. However, the thing that trips me up more than anything else is the internal struggle. I lacked confidence in myself and I was afraid to fail. Taking that initial leap of faith is scary. It started with, “is it too late to change my career?”. Then when I jumped that hurdle it was, “will I be able to do well in school?” After that “what if I’m not good at massage?”, “what if my business fails?” and so on. Over the years, as I jumped each hurdle, my perspective slowly shifted. I began to have faith in myself and started to view “failure” as a learning opportunity. You can be afraid and do it anyway. If you make a mistake and go down the wrong road, guess what, it might take you a little longer to reach your destination, but that’s what makes the journey interesting.
As you know, we’re big fans of Transcend Massage LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At Transcend Massage, I want my clients to get the most benefit of their time by creating a customized massage session that focuses on their areas of concern. The use of multiple modalities, years of experience, science-led medicine, and intuition come into play when creating a personalized treatment plan.
What you will find at Transcend Massage is someone who really cares about you and your experience. It is a safe space for every body. And every person should be walking away from their session feeling better than when they came in.
I have found value in so many kinds of massage techniques, so I’ve never committed to one specialty. I’m trained in a wide array of modalities; deep tissue, trigger point, PNF stretching, cupping, manual lymphatic drainage, prenatal massage, and more. I am always looking for new techniques to add to my repertoire. I never know when I will find something game changing that will improve my patient’s lives.
Transcend Massage has all kinds of massage service offerings. Relaxing to therapeutic. Himalayan or basalt hot stones can be added to enhance the experience. Or if you need more of a specialized offering like, prenatal massage, lymphatic drainage, or an assisted stretching session, those are available as well.
So, if anyone is looking for a dynamic massage therapist that creates a personalized experience for everyone. A massage therapist that provides pain relief or the ultimate relaxation experience. Here I am!
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
You would think that, as a massage therapist, I would have appreciated receiving a massage earlier in my life. But it wasn’t until my mid-twenties that I had my first massage and even then, I didn’t appreciate its value. It wasn’t until I went to school that I began to truly understand all that massage can do. Before school, I probably had two massages in my whole life. Once I was in school, I had a massage practically every day. I had no idea how much tension I had until I was being worked on. I was able to experience firsthand the tension relaxing, my flexibility increasing, and my anxiety fading with regular bodywork. Now that I know better, I make sure to get my massages more regularly so that I can stay ahead of the tension. Of course, I’d go back to getting a massage every day if I could.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/transcendmassage
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/transcend_massagetherapy
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/transcendmassage
- Other: https://transcendmassagellc.booksy.com
Image Credits
Tabatha Leach, Stephanie Mooney
