Meet Daton Williams | LMT (Licensed Massage Therapist)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Daton Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Daton, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Prior to becoming a licensed massage therapist, I worked in law enforcement for over 15 years, but policing was never my passion. I have always been interested in health and wellness, mindfulness, meditation, exercise, and other alternative forms of medicinal treatments and stress relief. In fact when I was in law enforcement I became a general instructor with a focus on health and wellness at the police academy, and I was instrumental in bringing mindfulness and meditation to my former department, so massage therapy was a natural fit.

Massage therapy is so much deeper than feeling relaxed for an hour. I found that many of my massage techniques were providing real relief to people that had chronic ailments. It became evident that my true calling in life was to educate my clients on of all of the benefits of massage, such as improved circulation, stimulation of the lymphatic system, increase joint mobility and flexibility, stress reduction, improved recovery from soft tissue injuries, bolstering the body’s immune system, and reducing the effects of chronic diseases that disproportionately impact black people such as hypertension, diabetes, inflammation, and chronic stress.

I felt a bit constrained working for the chain massage practice, so I decided to start my own practice where I could really service my community on my own terms. There was a desperate need for quality massages services on the southside of Atlanta. We are a black owned business, and our mission statement is to keep wellness in our community at an affordable price.
|Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I built my business off of hustle, grit, and sheer determination. I left a stable career in law enforcement after 15 years, so failure was not an option. That said, it’s a long distance between having an idea, even a good idea, and actually seeing it come to fruition. I faced some of the same obstacles and challenges of any start up business, particularly a small, minority business. I had no real capital and not much of a following, so I had to come up with creative and cost-effective ways to market and promote my business when I first started out. I came up with the name Rejuvenation of Atlanta Body and Foot Spa in my living room with my family. I wanted something bigger than just me working as massage therapist. I had a name, but I didn’t any clients, or a location.

I literally started my business working out of the Greenbriar Discount Mall offering free chair massages and working solely off tips. Then I brought in another massage therapist and we began going to different gyms and local events around the city offering free chair massages and promoting our mobile services. Eventually I was able to secure a commercial location off Campbellton Road, but I didn’t have a real advertising or marketing budget. I traded in my personal SUV and brought a van and wrapped it in my logo with all of my contact information on it. Initially this was my sole form of transportation, so everywhere I went I was literally a driving billboard. Then I utilized social media, particularly Instagram, to promote my business. I started uploading content almost daily, my followers began to increase exponentially, and my business just grew from there. Once I created a logo, I began to offer merchandise to further promote the Rejuvenation name, and my business has continued to thrive. I have been really blessed, even during the pandemic when the city went on lockdown, I wondered if the clients would come back when we re-opened, but thankfully they did. I think that is a testament to the services we provide. You can have all the marketing and promotion in the world to get people in the door, but quality, care, and consistency are what keeps them coming.

Since that time, Rejuvenation of Atlanta Body and Foot Spa has grown and we now have Rejuvenation of Atlanta Spa Suites where we offer other entrepreneurs a place to grow and promote their services including a chiropractor, a hair stylist, a sister lock installer, and a full detox room. Rejuvenation of Atlanta has a 5-star rating on Google, and we have quickly become the go to massage therapy practice on the southside for post operative massages, lymphatic drainage, and body sculpting. Our apparel line offers affordable post operative garments, waist trainers, and various stages of fajas and body shapers. Rejuvenation of Atlanta is only getting started. I envision a full-service spa and wellness center which will be a premier facility not just on the southside, but in the City of Atlanta. Continue to support black business and we will continue to provide quality, affordable services to our community.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m originally from Chicago, Illinois, but Atlanta has been home for many years. There are so many scenic and historical spaces in the city. I love being outdoors, so green spaces like Piedmont Park and the walking and bike trails on the Atlanta Beltline would be high on the list of places to visit. I also don’t feel like a trip to Atlanta is complete without learning about Atlanta’s History. The Center for Civil and Human Rights, the childhood home of Martin Luther King Jr. , and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum would be definite stops during the visit. Ponce City Market is another great place to hang out, and we would finish offthe tour with a great dinner at Low Country Steak, a black owned steakhouse.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My ex-girlfriend and good friend Leah Davis Madden is the person who first introduced me to massage therapy. She surprised me with a couples massage in 2012. Initially I was a bit hesitant about going, but little did I know that experience would ultimately change the course of my professional life. Not only did I enjoy the massage itself immensely, but I struck up a conversation with my massage therapist. That one conversation inspired me to immediately research local massage therapy schools, and less than two weeks later I was enrolled as a part time student at the Atlanta School of Massage.

Website: www.rejuvenation-of-atlanta-body-foot-spa.business.site

Instagram: @rejuvenation_of_atlanta_spa