Meet Erica Hawes: Licensed Massage Therapist/ Body Worker.

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

Hi Erica, we’d love to hear more about your end-goal, professionally.
What Is my end goal and Where do I want to be professionally by the the end your my career. Well I’ve been a Licensed Massage Therapists for 12 years: from an employee at Varies High End Spa to been a contractor with Established Businesses to Currently being a Self-Employed of Owning my Business GAMassageSpa. Therefore I have been doing Great with my GaMassageSpa Business from (thanks in part of work experiences in the Bodywork industry) , but my plans are to expand my GaMassageSpa business to employ an all Female Licensed Massage Therapists to travel to Clients no matter where they are located i.e.: Resident Home, Offices, Work Space, and Hotel chains and more. I am planning on implementing Spa Buses that travels to clients locations and welcome clients onto the Bus for their Massage Therapy needs and they don’t even have leave their drivway . My Goal for GAMassageSpa is to have 2 Spa Buses and have 2 Female therapists in each by the next 5 years. Now Thats My Short term Goal. (fingers crossed)

My long Term Goal is: `By the end of my career I would like to be retired from Performing Massages entirely and Just make my Income by Employing other therapists by providing the clientele. GAMassageSpa be on the Map for having of 2-5 Successful Health and Wellness Spa Buses with Excellent Certified Female Therapists, that travels throughout GA. I also see Myself finally Making Massage Therapy Videos on YouTube under GAMassageSpa, rather they are informative content and/or Entertaining Content or a combination of both, they are coming Soon ( So Please Be Out the Look out! ) to Show and tell others my experience because they may be interested in what I have to say.

What should our readers know about your business?
After graduating from massage therapy school, taking and passing my state board exam, I obtained my massage therapy license in 2010. I did not go to college as I had planned. I decided to open up a small massage therapy office (GA MASSAGE SPA by ERICA) in Augusta, Georgia to build my clientele. I was located next to a Chiropractors office. I was also doing outbound massage therapy services which includes the Atlanta, Augusta and Savannah GA area. After a little over a year, I closed my office, moved to Savannah, GA to reach more Clientele because Business was not booming. In the Beginning was extremely difficult due to already established company’s. But I was optimistic and join networking groups, posting up flyers, handing out cards, volunteering my free time for Charities for children or an Organizations Free Of Charge Chair Massages but Gratuity was always welcomed. With patience and continued to go determination to get business, and Going Out and meeting people and establishing relationships. While that was happening I had to keep a steady paycheck by doing contract work with companies in Savannah while sustaining my Mobile Business with Free massages for a few hours to Finally getting a Payed Booked Massage spa for A Bridal Party. Thats when it finally took off. And I never looked back.
Massage Therapy is considered a complementary alternative medicine and is very lucrative. My Business GAMassageSpa travel throughout the state of Georgia to rendoer my services. What sets me apart from other Mobile Massage is that GAMassageSpa specialize in most aspects of massage therapy for health and wellness in collaboration with Other businesses, events, health fairs, medical and sports events. Lymphatic massage is my specialty as of 2020 when the pandemic hit. It has become one of the most therapeutic massages in demand due to its medical necessity is Post -Op ie Bbl, Lipo, and tummy tuck etc. I receive a tremendous amount of gratitude and respect for helping people in pain. I enjoy my profession as a massage therapist and my Business GAMassageSpa will continue to bestow my therapeutic relief of pain and promote wellness to clients with them Not leaving their home. I have plans to further my massage therapy endeavors, and its Simple, I will be adding in the Near Future… Easy ….”Travel Massage Buses that set up as A massage room and people can just walk from their driveway to a SPA BUS. Enough Said. I Speak In to the Universe.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Okay sorry to Disappoint but I Live In August,GA, and I Will take My Best Friend to Atlanta and Literally Go Places Suggested On TikTok Because there are Places that I would like to Visit and had no knowledge the Existence until I seen it TikTok. such as at Roswell Mill Waterfall,Tybee Island, Tallulahgorge State Park and Places to Eat RoSouth Cuisine and etc. My Plans are Simple Road trip Air BNB and more.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes I love you that you Guys have a Shoutout Series!!! I definitely have So Many People that needs recognition but Unfortunately I can’t Sit here and name every Single Family member and/or Friends but you Know who you are and I appreciate the Support you have given me over the Years Sooo Thank-you x1000!!! . I’m limiting myself to 2 people because they definitely was there in the Nitty Gitty of it all. The first person is My Mommy, Love this Woman because not only did she believe in my Business from the Start Like Struggle Beginning, she helped me from the ground up from before I had my Own Capital raised. She was the first person to Invest in my Business, went to Massage School with me and graduated together. By studying together I passed on my 1st attempt. (Tests are Hard!). My Mother Miss Carla is Such a Wonderful mom because she is definitely a Power House and Kept my Book Keeping and yes she admitted she wasn’t too shabby at doing it all the while working a part-time job. She still is My Biggest Supporter and now she has her Own Massage business its small and just starting out but Im proud of her. Check her out on Facebook at Carla Hawes LMT.

My Business Partner Ren Collins, she has been a stable for my business during my time of Business Crisis in such a short period of time. Met Ms.Collins in 2018 when we were both contracted at Day Spa In Augusta,GA After that we came together in forces and changed up GAMassageSpa and I utilized her Massage talents and was completely (shooked Baby) taken aback when someone else let her go and I hurried up and snatched her up and was impressed by her Fresh Perspective and innovative Ideas and creativity. But nothing is worth noting her Amazing Healing Hands they’re very soothing for her to be a relative New Therapist. Can You Say Gifted Hands. Now I can say She can bush up on her Anatomy Skills but ALL in ALL she’s an absolute Must Have in the Massage Therapy Field. And Since Im giving her a Shout Out Lets Talk About her Hidden Gems !!! that she’s Bashful to even Speak out about is Her Musical Gifts; Singer, Read/Write Music, Play a few Instruments , and she can Yoodle, Actress (amateur ) but she’s just a Power House! In the Massage therapy field Therapists have other hidden talents and/or hobbies that make them more than just a therapists.

Website: GAMassageSpa.com

Instagram: @gamassagebyerica

Linkedin: Erica L Hawes LMT

Facebook: GAMassage Mobile Massage

Yelp: GamassageSpa

Youtube: Erica Hawes

Image Credits
Erica -Owner Ren -Contractor Carla- my Mother Contractor