I Sat on a Wellness Panel and it was Awesome

I had the great pleasure of speaking with an inspiring group of women in business at the AWSCPA at the Deloitte on the 50th floor at Rockefeller Center, (which has breathless views, btw!). The AWSCPA is a national network connecting and supporting women CPAs through their careers using innovative training, mentorship, and focused relationships. It was wonderful to talk to this group of women about their health, implementing wellness in the workplace, as well as the challenges of a work/life balance. The meeting was inspired by Ariana Huffington's recent exit from the Huffington Post and her book Thrive. We listened to their concerns, answered questions, and I even demonstrated a couple of easy stretches that they can do at their desk (glute and piriformis!). 

Rachel Beider, Alicia Baughn, and Carin Crook on the Wellness Panel 

Start Now

Photo by Ariana Prestes for Unsplash

Start giving your gift *now*.

Not when you have more money. Not when you're more famous. Not when you have a "platform." Not when you have the perfect job. Not when you have a degree in it. Not when you lose the weight or look hot. Not when you've "healed." Not when you've taken the next workshop or training. Not when you've quit that thing you're addicted to for good. Not when your parents finally understand you, accept you unconditionally, and approve of your self-expression fully. Not when you've "discovered your purpose."

Start giving your gift now.

Not when you've "discovered your gift."

You already know what it is.

If it is connecting people, then start connecting people, now.

If it is loving people unconditionally, then start loving people unconditionally, now.

If it is cooking for people, then start cooking for people, now.

If it is sharing your insights via writing, then start sharing your insights, now.

If it is entertaining people with your singing, or your humor, or your acting, then start entertaining people, now. In your kitchen. In your friends' kitchens.

If it is helping people get through difficult times, then start helping people through difficult times, now.

If it is getting people more grounded in their bodies, then get people more grounded in their bodies, now.

If it is making people feel worthy, accepted, and loved, then make them feel worthy, accepted, and loved. At work. On the street. In the park.

The idea that you can start giving your gift "when something" is an illusion. The "when something" you are dreaming about will come, if it comes, when you start giving your gift. Now.

And it it doesn't come, that's fine too. Because you'll be giving your gift. And that is the greatest gift.

And if you really do need something in return, I'll just say, usually, great things, surprising things, come when you start giving your gift with no expectation of return.

So just start giving it. And be open to being surprised. Not surprised at how fast your previous daydreams come to fruition (though they might.)

But rather, surprised at how held you are, how appreciated you are, how supported you are, and how good it feels, all in ways you never expected, with people you never expected, once you start giving your gift freely and unapologetically, with no expectation of return.

Tag, you're it.

Your gift, that is.

You are your gift.

By Author: Michael Ellsberg

Addressing Fear

Photo by Ashley Bean for Unsplash

“What we fear doing most, is what we most need to do.”

— Timothy Ferriss

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by what you need to accomplish? Is there something in particular that you've been putting off, because you're afraid? I know when I'm particularly scared of doing something, or am afraid that I don't know how, I will often start to procrastinate. What was once a small task on the "need to do" list is a big scary thing that I try not to think about, except for in occasional bouts of panic. Tim Ferriss, author of the 4Hr Work Week, writes that the things we are most afraid of are what we need to address the most - and I know that when I start to feel that dread creeping in about a particular task, I must put that task on the top of my To Do list. We often spend far more time worrying about doing something than actually doing it! 

If you're generally scared to take a step forward in your career or for your business, write down exactly what is scaring you. Then follow up by writing down the very worst case scenario of what could happen. Lastly, write down all the ways that you would recover and get back to feeling ok if the worst case scenario happened. What you'll start to learn is just how resilient and resourceful you are. This can be a truly great exercise both professionally and personally. What scares you the most in building your practice? 

New Practice: Massage Greenpoint

I've been terribly excited to see massage clients and consulting clients at my newest studio, in Greenpoint Brooklyn, called Massage Greenpoint. We've been open just 7 weeks now, and have already treated 200 massage therapy clients. I've been using the very methods that I speak to my clients about, in regards to getting new faces in the door, and retaining the clients we have. Here's a quick tour of my new space - it boasts 8 treatment rooms, a welcoming reception, and an eco-friendly sustainable build-out. 

Treatment Room at Massage Greenpoint

Massage Greenpoint Reception

Your Future Self is On Your Side

Image by Haley Phelps for Unsplash

I took a meditation class at the Shambhala Center in NYC, and was thrilled to hear a lecture from a talented teacher. She spoke about how easy it is to get stuck in thinking that we can't accomplish something because when we look back in our history, we haven't done it yet. Maybe we haven't tried, maybe we've tried and failed, maybe we've been too scared to start, but for whatever reason we are bound up in our personal history of inexperience, and the thought that we simply can't do something, or are scared. She suggested, if you're going to get caught up in your past, you may as well get bound up with your future as well.

So, what on earth does this mean? She offered this for an example: you wouldn't start attending college without envisioning yourself as a graduate. You wouldn't begin a diet without picturing yourself as a healthier person. When you're starting something new, imagine your future successful self, reaching back through time, to encourage your current self, and pull you forward towards those open arms. If you're going to be scared by your past self, you may as well be cheered on by your future self.

I like imagining my future successful self - who she looks like, what she's doing, what she's accomplished. I like that she's on my side, pulling me forward towards the future.

How To Start or Grow your Private Practice

I was thrilled to present my two hour course on how to Start or Grow your Private Practice at the Swedish Institute in NYC. I addressed a room of about 50 entrepreneurs, who were massage therapists, acupuncturists, personal trainers, yoga teachers, pilates instructors, and nutritional counselors. We talked about finding ideal clients, understanding the needs of your target market, building a brand that celebrates your core values and uniqueness, valuing your services appropriately, speaking about what you offer, building solid referrals, SEO and social media, the importance of consistency, staying organized, using marketing materials, and SO much more!

As this was my first attempt at teaching a course, I was quite nervous, but what I didn't anticipate is how much I enjoyed speaking with people! The class was so involved and asking great questions, and I saw a lot of people nodding and taking tons of notes. I really loved my experience, and hope that I made a difference and inspired a few people. I've been getting some fabulous feedback and can't wait to do it again!

Required Reading: The Ultimate Business Book List

Photo by Toa Heftiba for Unsplash

Over the years I have refined a list of business books that have been extraordinarily helpful to me and many others. My required reading list is as follows:

The 4-Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferriss. I LOVE this book because it helped me to streamline and automate many processes, as well as delegate tasks so that I would be able to scale my business up. This book also helps me to hold myself accountable for what I want in life, what I'm afraid of, and how to go after what I'm looking for.

Book Yourself Solid, by Michael Port. This is a must read for anyone in the service profession who feels uncomfortable with traditional marketing. Port is a genius at explaining how to position yourself and brand your services appropriately.

The E-Myth Revisited, by Michael Gerber. This book explores why most small businesses fail within the first year, and what you can do about it.

Get Content, Get Customers, by Joe Pulizzi. A helpful and extremely convincing book on the importance of generating original content within your business.

The Personal MBA, by Josh Kaufman. As someone who didn't go to business school and felt that I was missing out, I was thrilled to see this book which breaks down a lot of the basic concepts that you learn in business school. Its an excellent reference and resource of a lot of the books you'd need to read if you attended a business school.

Re-work, by Jason Fried and David Hansson. This book talks a lot about recovering from something that's no longer serving you, getting back up and pivoting into what is.

The Power of Eye Contact, by Michael Ellsberg. This book is a wild card, as its not a traditional business book, and yet the power of eye contact is extremely important when making connections with people - whether with business or in your personal life. A fascinating and fun read.

What are some of your favorite business books? I'd love to hear from you!

14,000 Unique Clients!!

Pretty stoked to announce that Massage Williamsburg, (which was once my small private practice that I've expanded) has just seen over 14,000 unique clients since opening! We have been serving our community since 2008, and could not be more pleased with this milestone! 

Exciting News! My massage practice is expanding to Greenpoint!

I'm so thrilled to announce the expansion of Massage Williamsburg to Massage Greenpoint, in (you guessed it..) Greenpoint! The studio will be opening it's doors soon on Greenpoint Avenue between Franklin and West. I can't wait to show you the lovely exposed brick, lofted ceilings, and beautiful peaceful treatment rooms!

As with any business that I start, I like to create a combination of space to be used for my massage practice, as well as to foster community and support within the space. I will be opening up a few rooms to local practitioners, to create a Coworking Space for Healers within my center. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you know of anyone looking for a beautiful space to practice in. 

With Love and So Much Gratitude!

Rachel Beider

Inspiring Client Meeting: Massage Student

I had a fantastic meeting this morning with a very enthusiastic Swedish Institute student, studying massage therapy. She was desperately excited to learn how to start a private practice. I love working with students and recent graduates, because at the start of their career, they have so much excitement and enthusiasm, and it's infectious and inspiring to be around that sort of energy. Over the course of our conversation, we got further into what really excites her, and worked together to identify who her ideal clients are. She's super stoked to work with dancers, in particular, but doesn't know where to begin. We started to brainstorm together about where her ideal clients are, and I pointed her in the direction of SCHOOLS. What's wonderful about being a student and soon-to-be graduate, is that she's immersed in students. I encouraged her towards looking for dance students - especially schools like Juilliard, Fordham, and LaGuardia. If she can identify, reach out in a friendly way, and connect with even one dance student, it get's her foot in the door to start working on others via referrals. I suggest with anyone getting excited to start a business, especially while just out of school, to offer your services for free or at a discount, in the beginning. Think of it as good practice, which you need, as well as an investment in that person and their potential referrals. Also, if you're currently a student, this is the best time to start working on your social media presence and start putting it out there via Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media, which is essentially free advertising, and an opportunity to interact with and connect with others.