Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle Chambers.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Experiences in life and my personality made me want a career where I would be able to help others improve their quality of life somehow especially stressed individuals and survivors of traumas but to where I would still have some flexibility to do my own thing. So I went to MDC for massage therapy in 2005 graduated in 2006. During my schooling, I took every opportunity I could to volunteer at events providing massages to gain experience, exposure, and network. After I finished massage school, I started working at a well-known massage school as a receptionist and at a privately owned massage establishment where the owner took his time to help polish up some of my skills. Then, about a year later, I left both places and went on to work at the Fontainebleau in Lapis Spa where for seven years, I learned new techniques, made connections and evolved professionally. However, I wanted to do more and wanted to have more flexibility. So, I resigned from Lapis and started working occasionally at a boutique spa part-time while building my own practice. Fast forward some months and I went completely working on my own. In the last 5+years, I have built a mobile massage business built mainly on referrals and I travel to my private clients. I work with mainly families and business owners/entrepreneurs.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I don’t think any entrepreneur has had a 100% smooth road. To get where I am and where I’m going to, I have had to make sacrifices financially, physically, mentally and personally and step out my comfort zone multiple times. Balancing time between my personal life and business has not always been easy. I have learned over time (sometimes the hard way) to have clear boundaries and to enforce them so not run myself thin. Self-care, boundaries and systems are essential in entrepreneurship or you’ll end up burning out. I also have to pivot from time to time for instance when covid started, my mainstream of income was hit. I had to shutdown a few months but I did use that time to rest, reevaluate and get back to creating body products on the side which I love to do but had been so busy with my massage practice that had taken a back seat. So when there’s a challenge, look for opportunities to pivot and grow not to give up.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’d like to think my business name speaks for itself (Touched By Touch) but I improve people’s quality of life through positive touch and experiences with massage therapy. And with my products, they are mindfully created with one’s well-being in mind. I specialize in therapeutic massage and pediatric massage & touch therapy. I work with a few generations in some families. Especially those with athletic or autistic children or those who are maneuvering life with ADHD. My growth is what I’m most proud of and I’m grateful to each of my clients for making this possible. I just think me being me and being reliable, professional and continually growing sets me apart from others. I don’t get bored with what I do. It’s like an art and science to me.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I think risk taking is necessary in life at some point even if one is not an entrepreneur but whatever risks you take, think about the goal(s) and/or end result. I have taken many risks in my life personally and business-wise. But usually calculated and thought out, I’m not too impulsive most the time.
Contact Info:
- Email: touchedbytouch@gmail.com
- Website: www.touchedbytouch.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/touched_by_touch?utm_medium=copy_link
- Other: https://instagram.com/bodycareandnature?utm_medium=copy_link
