Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Smith.
Hi Brittany, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am a former athlete and recovery has always been important to me. My softball coach would tell the team how important it is to stretch, rest, and reset. My goal when I began was to encourage body recovery whether it was from sports or daily activities.
Being a massage therapist has always been on my mind. I started my massage journey in 2019, attending Georgia Career Institute in Murfreesboro, TN. Graduated at the end of 2020, passed my test in February 2021, and received my license in April 2021. I was still trying to find which direction I wanted to go, but I knew it would be recovery (mainly sports) or structural bodywork. I also knew that I did not want to work in a spa considering the type of services I wanted to offer.
I decided to quit my job in August of 2021 and proceeded to be a full-time massage therapist. I began to take continuing education classes and that gave me opportunities to work with athletes, football players that are training for the NFL combine or Pro day, and also plastic surgery clients. I was going to Florida for the combine season, however, through networking I travel weekly to Triple F in Knoxville during the combine season to assist in their recovery.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have faced a few struggles during my journey. Building a clientele from scratch is hard.
Nobody has never heard of me and I am having to build a rapport with people who have never heard of me. I was such an introvert that I wasn’t networking outside of the people who was already coming to see me. I had to create a new identity and show people this is Brittany. I had to create the person I wanted others to see and trust me enough to meet their needs.
When the business started slowing down, I started to doubt myself. I even questioned if I was supposed to be on this massage journey. That’s when I had to get in tune with myself and God. The more I operated in that space of doubt, the more I didn’t see things going my way.
While being a full time entrepreneur, I am a full time mother. The struggles presented themselves to find that balance for both. That was the most difficult part but I had to tell myself that no matter how rough it got that God led me here and this is not the end.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about breath new massage and recovery?
I am a massage/bodywork specialist. I specialize in bodywork and manual lymphatic drainage. I tailor each session to the client’s needs. Increasing range of motion, releasing the tension, needing a recovery treatment, or just wanting to be stretched, I can do that.
I want to have an end goal and treatment plan in place so we can achieve the goal, together. It can take one session or 3, but I always want my clients to feel better when they leave than how they came. My spirit becomes overly buoyant when I see my clients making process knowing at one point, I had zero.
I am a very caring massage therapist. I take pride in my work and love seeing my client’s reactions when their mobility is much easier at the end of the sessions. Seeing the joy and “life” come back into a client after a session is what keeps me going. Healing is a process and every process is different. I love creating a space where my clients can do just that, heal. Everything I do is genuine and with good intentions.
What sets me apart is I will tell a client what I believe should be done treatment-wise. Whether we start slow or dive in, I am still there to support whichever decision they choose. To feel better and move better is always a part of the goal.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is riding with my dad to Philadelphia in his 18-wheeler with my brother.
We were able to see more of what the world had to offer outside of the city where we lived. As a child, everything seems big and exciting. I was able to see Philadelphia lit up at night with my two favorite guys….AMAZING!! Pure joy and excitement.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.breathenewmassage.com
- Instagram: Breathe_new_massages
- Facebook: Breathe New Massage and Recovery
Image Credits
Xavier Smith
