Meet Rebecca Tamm

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rebecca Tamm. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Rebecca , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

My purpose kind of found me. I was in my early 20’s back in the early 2000’s and had resigned myself to working in a cubicle for the rest of my life until a chance encounter with a brochure for a local massage school caught my attention. Never having any experience with massage (giving or receiving), something just told me to go check it out, and after touring the school I put in my notice at my job, cashed in my 401k to pay the tuition and set out on a path that would change my life.

Over the past 20 years my work has evolved drastically in terms of the services that I offer and I now specialize in Manual Lymphatic Drainage, scar tissue therapy and helping individuals with not only their physical pain, but emotional as well. Nothing makes me happier than seeing someone come through our doors being unable to move comfortably, or so bound up with their emotions they are on the verge of cracking and then being able to be a part of their transformation and healing.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I have owned and operated Michigan Massage and Wellness in Troy, Michigan since 2004. What started out as very humble beginnings out of a single treatment room has grown into a team of several talented therapists and a collaboration to bring the best treatments and services to the people of Metro Detroit.

Our services range from relaxation massage to sports/therapeutic massage, fascial stretching, manual lymphatic drainage, cupping, Ashiatsu, prenatal, concussion therapy, scar tissue therapy and more.

We are thrilled to be celebrating our 20th anniversary this year and we will be hosting an open house on Saturday, September 21, 2024 in partnership with Gilda’s Club of Metro Detroit in an effort to raise funds for their amazing organization as well as introduce ourselves to the community for anyone who hasn’t met us yet.

Our team of therapists work closely together to bring the best that we can to our clients. We are very fortunate to have a very loyal clientele, and they have followed us from our first location in Royal Oak to where we are now in Troy. I always joke that I want Michigan Massage and Wellness to be the Cheers of the massage world, where everybody knows your name 🙂 But nothing makes me happier than when a client comes through our doors and says “this feels like home”.

We strive to make everyone feel welcome, we accept all races, genders, sizes, ages and beliefs. My team and I practice honesty, integrity, communication and respect, not only amongst ourselves but with our clients. We want everyone to feel as though they belong and they have a place, and the reason why people keep coming back after twenty years is because we do our jobs and we do them well.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Be curious. The average career span of a massage therapist is 5 years. I am very fortunate to still be working full time in this field for over 20 years. Expand your knowledge base. Learn new things. There was a period of time in 2016 where I spent 18 month flying all over the country and learning so many different modalities. That was a bit excessive looking back, but I believe that every choice has gotten me to where I’m at today and my business looks nothing like I would have imagined it back then.

2. Be empathetic. Sometimes the people who end up on our tables just want to be heard. They apologize for spending the whole session talking (or complaining) but I always remind them that this is their time to be spent how they want it. We had a client that started seeing us after she was ‘fired’ from her previous massage therapy practice for talking too much! That’s ridiculous! Some clients don’t see many people throughout their days/weeks/months and we become a place of comfort and solace for them. Kindness and compassion will get you farther than you think in life.

3. Know when to ask for help. I have run every aspect of my business since I started it in 2004 and trying to grow and scale a business while still keeping a full client load as well as practice my own self care has taken its toll. Being able to have a team that I trust and know that support is there is priceless. My team knows my tendency to put too much on my plate and they are always here with a gentle reminder to slow down, or to offer help. Us business owners have a tendency to wear our obligations as a badge of honor, and I have spent years telling my clients “do as I say, not as I do” but I have had to enlist my own help in many areas of my life and that is the hardest thing to do sometimes, but being able to have a support system and team in place is critical to success.

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

We have a team of therapists that each possess their own unique skillset and have their specialties, but we have a special interest in patients who are preparing for (or recovering from) surgery who are looking for lymphatic drainage and scar tissue therapy, weekend warriors and athletes alike looking for more of a sports massage/therapeutic approach, the desk jockeys who are on too many conference calls and not moving their bodies enough, and anyone who is looking to take a more holistic approach to their self care and body maintenance.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.michiganmassageandwellness.com
• Instagram: @michiganmassageandwellness
• Facebook: @michiganmassageandwellness

Image Credits

Jessica Hance Photography