This entrepreneur went from college dropout to successful business owner. Learn how expanding her business gave her more control over her time.
Julie Marciniak, licensed massage and bodywork therapist (LMBT) and owner of North Pointe Body Therapies, was just three semesters away from finishing her biology degree when she decided to drop out of college and search for a path that actually excited her. Then, while bartending to make ends meet, she saw an ad for massage school.
It ignited a spark, and she dove head first into a new career.
Twenty-five years later, Marciniak is a far cry from where she began. “I started as a solo massage therapist with the desire to help people, set my own hours and make a decent living doing it,” she explains. Today, she owns two companies, an office condo and has taken on four employees.
After putting herself through school and getting some experience under her belt, Marciniak opened North Pointe Body Therapies. But, she had no interest in running a standard massage studio. Marciniak elaborates on her vision, saying, “North Pointe Body Therapies provides licensed massage and bodywork and continuing education classes for massage therapists. We differentiate ourselves by providing Ashiatsu barefoot massages, where we use our feet in addition to our hands to give a massage.”
Bringing a lesser-available massage style to Durham, North Carolina, as well as educational courses proved successful for this entrepreneur. However, her original goal was to have more control over her time. And unfortunately, running her business as a sole provider made time management an unreachable goal.
So, she adjusted.
“My first 20 years in business, I swore I would never hire employees. Never say never! Recognizing that I lacked the necessary skills to successfully employ multiple therapists, I promoted my front desk employee to office manager. She hires, fires, handles employee schedules and runs day-to-day operations.” In addition to bringing on therapists, Marciniak also outsourced her financial tasks, hiring a bookkeeper and an accountant.
This change gave Marciniak exactly what she was looking for when she began her journey decades prior—more personal time and the ability to focus on the aspects of her business she enjoys.
Now, with more control over her daily schedule and a thriving business, she’s living her passion. “Helping clients find relief from debilitating chronic pain gives me purpose and inspires me to constantly learn more about the body. Competent massage therapists who effectively treat pain are difficult to find. I want to help as many clients as I can and train/mentor other massage therapists to do the same,” she says.
She credits a large portion of her success to her decision to bring in help, explaining, “‘Stay in your lane’ is what my husband says.” For other entrepreneurs out there, she urges them to embrace giving up a little control by hiring employees, saying, “Having the right team, processes and structure is crucial to having a successful business. Hard work is not enough.”
Interested in learning more about Marciniak’s business? In the Durham area and want to take a break for a relaxing massage? Check out her website at www.northpointebodytherapies.com or follow her on Instagram.
