Opening up a massage school has requirements that are not difficult to meet.
Managing a massage school is a rewarding and lucrative experience. The massage market continues to grow at a steady rate, and individuals are continually seeking certification in massage therapies for professional and personal reasons. Opening a massage school varies from region to region, but the general requirements for this type of school remain the same.
Strong Funding
Like any other business, a massage school will require funding to get it started and operational for the first few quarters of business. Funding can be achieved via bank loans or from investors. Consult with an attorney and accountant to estimate your financial funding needs as well as the best vehicle for holding the school -- a partnership, corporation or a limited liability company. Remember that this funding must be enough to start and maintain your school until it begins to flourish on its own.
State Accreditation
Every state has different accreditation requirements for massage schools. The state may have its own regulatory board, or it may require that a massage school be accredited by a third party agency. Your facility will require an initial and yearly inspection, submission of paper work to the regulatory board and a proof of business license.Operating a massage school without the proper accreditation can result in closure of the school, heavy fines and even criminal convictions. Avoid this by checking with your state's regulatory department.
Regulation Requirements
A plan to fulfill the regulation requirements is necessary to license massage therapists in your state. In some cases, these plans must be submitted to either the state regulatory board or to the accreditation agency. These plans should show how the training hours, experience and other factors will be met by students attending the institution.
Trained Instructors
Your school will need properly trained and licensed instructors that meet the requirements to teach massage therapy in your state. Check with your state regulatory board and/or accreditation agency to see the specifics required of instructors. In some cases, you will need to fill out and submit instructor information to the state before opening the massage school, so look into this in advance.
Students
In the case of a massage school, your students are your clients. As such, you need to ensure an inflow of students that will maintain your business from going under. Potential areas to draw students include newspaper and magazine advertising, fliers around the city and word-of-mouth advertising. A marketing agency can offer solutions to help you gain additional students.
