Who The Spa Serves

0:30

The name of my business is Abracadabra Massage Wellness, and what was the second part of the question? What type of people you serve. What type of people I serve. Oh my goodness, that's such a good question, and it's like the question that you get asked the most frequently when you're trying to find your right audience- Mm-hmm or your right client, you know? Yeah. And I like to think that we can serve almost any type of person. It's when you're dealing with wellness or- Mm-hmm a spa environment, I mean, everybody needs that to some degree in some way. So really people that are looking to relax or come back to center find grounding. I like to think of my business as, like, a refuge for people. So it just depends on where a person is at. You know, some people just need a minute to relax or to check out, and then other people want to really, like, work on a specific issue or a problem, and that's a little different, so we serve a, a broad audience of people at different levels of their needs. Mm-hmm. So, there you go. Everyone, you know? Awesome. Awesome.

Personal Healing As The Origin Story

1:36

And then could you take us back through your journey? What inspired you to open your business, and kind of what was your journey into the healing arts? Well, there's several different streams, I suppose, that bring, have brought me into my business. One main one was my own health journey or my own, need to find healing, having different, um, issues and problems, um, physical issues, um, mental problems, emotional problems. You know, pretty severe stuff going on in my early life that led me to looking for healing and to get better. And I wound up taking a more holistic route mostly through circumstance and also just being drawn to more holistic, natural means of healing. It also was my childhood being brought up. My-- I think I h- when you and I spoke, I had said, you know, my father was very much into, like, psychology, and he introduced me first to different types of divination. He was really into the I Ching and into Jungian psychology and astrology, and he actually owned his own business. He had a janitorial business, and he would use astrology to pair his employees. Like, if he was gonna send two people out on a- Oh, wow to do something, he would look at their charts to make sure they were compatible. So he used astrology, and I would say he was an amateur astrologer. He certainly wasn't deeply educated in it. Self-taught would be my guess. And then I had friends growing up whose parents were very much into the more, like, alternative, kind of a hippie lifestyle. Which my parents were not like that. So I had it coming from both sides. I had lots of friends growing up that had parents that were, you know, making their own herbal remedies and into body work, massage, things like that. So that influenced me early on in my interests. Yeah. W- what was that experience like for you having you know, being surrounded by that, growing up? With my dad it was great. Because I took an interest in those things, too, wanting to, explore the self, understand myself. And it's a way to, like, deeply get to know people, too, looking at doing divination of some sort, like I Ching, or he had these cards. I can't remember what they were called, but you would, you would lay... It was-- They were all colors, and you would lay the colors out, and you would choose which color was most appealing to you. You would lay them out in the sequence of, like, what I like best and what I don't like, and then you could go look in this book, and it would sort of tell you where you were at emotionally or, like, what was going on with you. So I was always really into that kind of, like, deep reflection, inner reflection, and then also, like, doing it with friends and family. And then with my friends' parents, it was just, like, a completely different world for me because I would say my upbringing, the house, everything about our lifestyle was fairly, you know, stereotypically normal or- Mm regular. It wasn't, um, like a bohemian, you know- Uh, it was different. It was very different than my friends', on the other hand. The food was always so healthy and not that we didn't eat healthy food when I was growing up, but it was just a little more basic. Mm-hmm. Whereas my friends' parents would be having these elaborate meals that were made from scratch, and they were always influenced from, like, different cultures around the world. And there was art everywhere and, um, just so much... It was just very different. It was, like, hugely inspiring but also, like, this adventure, you know, 'cause it's so different than your own upbringing, you know? Yeah. Yeah.

Why Massage Became The Foundation

5:18

Awesome. And then so your own search for answers and healing became part of the work you do now for others. How did that personal journey evolve into Abracadabra Massage and Wellness? It's been quite the journey. I had a friend that wanted me to go to massage school. It, it really started with massage in a sense- Mm-hmm in terms of me learning how to help others. I always felt like having a massage license would allow me to access people in a way. It kind of gives you a platform or a foundation to lay hands on people- Mm-hmm to, to help people, to have them come in to see you. So massage was very foundational and I've always responded really well to body work. And I would say aside from massage, the biggest modality that I use in my own healing journey was acupuncture, and we do offer acupuncture at my place. We are currently looking for an acupuncturist, but we have always had an acupuncturist on staff, so that's a big part of what I like to provide for people and also what I've used in my own journey. But massage has really allowed me To kind of like, it's like the sounding board for everything else. Yeah. Yeah. So being able to lay hands on people is pretty huge. And then it's been such an evolution. I mean, being an entrepreneur, you know, I guess it depends on where you're starting from. But I've had lots of other jobs while I was offering massage, and Abracadabra has always existed. As soon as I had my massage license, I had a business. It was called Abracadabra. We did mobile services predominantly. We would go to people's homes, and out where I live in Rappahannock County, it's very rural, so it's like you c- you go, going to people's houses is an easy thing to pitch. Uh, we would be in inns and bed and breakfasts as well. But I always had other jobs. I worked for an all-natural skincare company for a little while. Um, I did landscape gardening, uh, and massage was kind of like on the side. Mm-hmm. Abracadabra was my side gig. And then in all of this time, I also went to herb school. I studied herbs really intensively for probably about a decade. So that was simultaneously like growing and I wasn't really sure if that was part of Abracadabra or not, but it has become pretty clear that it is. Mm-hmm. Um, so yeah, it, it's been this, uh... So obviously herbs was a big part of my healing- as well, so that is something that I wanted to learn more about, you know, not only to heal myself, but to help other people. So it's been, it's been herbs, body work, and then, you know, the more spiritual side of things. Yeah. Which kind of goes back to the stuff with my father.

Keeping Many Offerings Under One Roof

8:03

Yeah. And then how has that vision evolved or changed since you've started your business? Well, it's evolved in a lot of different ways. I think sometimes too, again, going back to that entrepreneurial e- having-- I have, like, multiple f- facets- Mm-hmm to my business or to the things that I like to do, and they all definitely fall under the umbrella of, like, um, a healing art or, uh, a service. I- it's like, are they separate or are they all together in one? Yeah. Is been one of the most challenging things. But in, in terms of the evolving business, it's like having the apothecary exist, building an apothecary, incorporating herbal offerings into the menu of services, hiring staff, growing a staff of people. Like, that's a whole other, subject of having to manage people, finding good help, the people that match, you know your mission or, you know, that fit into the, the culture of your business. Mm-hmm. There's just so many different things that, that, that feed into that in terms of the way things have evolved. But so I've been challenged by the different parts of my business wanting to become their own entities. Mm-hmm. Do you keep it under one or do you branch off and have two separate things from this? Mm-hmm. Like the, you have a brick-and-mortar spa, then you have, like a, a, a business that focuses on teaching, and then a business that focuses on herbs and herbal medicine and creating herbal products. But they all sort of stay under the umbrella of Abracadabra for now anyway. Yeah. They do have their own identities, but it's, they're-- Anyway, it's, I think it's a pretty common challenge that comes up- Yeah for us. Yeah. To have multiple things- Yeah, to have multiple things- all under the same roof and they feed each other. Yeah. But, you know, what do you do? Yeah.

Hiring Lessons And Service Consistency

9:45

Awesome. And then with working or with having a team working with you, how do you keep the service consistent amongst the team? Yeah. So that's a real challenge, especially in, let's say massage is a good example. Mm-hmm. Because everyone, I think massage therapists, it's an art, you know, it's a creative art, and so you're learning different modalities and you may know, like specifically, okay, this is the basic protocol for, you know, myofascial release or- Mm-hmm cranial sacral therapy or, you know, uh, deep tissue techniques of a certain variety. But everyone-- one of the things that I love about my business or what I try to instill is something that I feel is true for me. It's like, it's your art, you know, it's your art and it's essentially just that the person is being true to that art within themselves and is, is cultivating. You know, they have to really like doing massage- Mm-hmm or like doing whatever the modality is that they're offering. And if they feel passionate about it and they like it, the odds of them being able to develop a s- a skilled, set of, of a way of doing it is really high. So I like having an eclectic group of people. I don't want us to all give the same service. So there is an element of people working for me attracting their own clientele, and that happens where we have clients that are specifically very dedicated to one person. But then we also have a group of clients that like, to move around a little bit and recognize the benefit of one practitioner versus another, versus another, and sometimes they want something more calming or nurturing or more of a relaxation experience, and other times they wanna get beat up or something, right? So, you know, and you can kind of like work your way around with us, and I think we all work together well as a team. But yeah, it can be-- It's challenging. You have to... I mean, I certainly have learned from making lots of mistakes in terms of hiring people and not just kind of being like, "Oh, it's gonna be fine," and then- Mm it's like not fine. Oh, man. You know? Yeah. And then you learn- Yeah you know, that you need to have certain things in place and obviously, you know, getting a, a massage or getting a service from the person that you're hiring is kinda key. Mm. You know? And that's like such common sense. Okay. Is that something that you do when you do bring people onto the team, is that you- Well, you're supposed to do. I mean, any environment I've been in, that's what you do. Yeah. You know, you, But I think when you're, when you're running a business and you're busy, you know, it's really easy to just be like, "Oh, well so-and-so referred them." Maybe there's a couple of things that seem like synchronistic about it, and you think it's gonna be fine, and it's like, no. Mm. And then you look back and you're like- Yeah "I should've-- Why didn't I get a massage from that person?" Oh, man. You know? Like it's this- Yeah common sense, so finding the help you need, fi- having systems in place is really important, which I now have a lot of uh, again, all through error. Yeah. Yeah. Learning how to have systems and then having help, like finding, if you can have managerial help, administrative help is huge. Mm-hmm. Yeah. That's been kind of life-changing. Yeah. Yeah. Awesome.

Personalizing Care Through Real Listening

12:56

And then with offering different services, how do you personalize the experience for different clients that come in? I think we do a really good job of talking with our clients, talking with people about what it is that they're looking for, and really listening, and adding in what I just said about having good administrative help. Now there's like an extra layer in that a lot of times where- the spa coordinator will be interfacing with a person and really trying to help them figure out which, uh, service or which group of services best suits their needs. And then when they come in, they have additional, you know, one-on-one consultation with one of us, whomever it is that they're coming to see as a practitioner. And then because we work together, we're all able to, support a person working as a team. So that, that makes a big difference. I think one of the biggest- problems in, maybe in any arena, but especially in health, wellness, integrative medicine environments, is people, even in, in the more progressive environments, people aren't listening. You know? It's, it's hard to sit down with somebody and feel... Like, I don't know if you've ever experienced that, but where you sit down and you're like, "Okay, this person isn't really, like, listening to me." Yeah. They're listening, but they're not- And understanding they're not really listening. Yeah. You know? Or, and that has always been very frustrating to me, so I try really hard to listen and instill that in everyone that's on the team. Like, w- we really wanna make sure that we're listening to people, and, like, if we can't help them, that we tell them that we can't- Mm-hmm and refer them to someone who we think can or, you know, invite them in and, and then, you know, service them in whatever way they need. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's so important, the recognition to be able to, or the ability to recognize when you're not able to serve someone the way- Mm-hmm that they're looking for. Yeah. No, it's not easy to say, especially if you're trying to, you know, if you're like, "Oh, we need money. We need a customer," you know? It's like, well, this might not be a good fit, you know? Right. And being able to say that is a, is a big deal. Yes.

Teaching Tarot And Reiki For Growth

14:59

And so as your business has evolved, education has become a bigger part of what you offer. Why is teaching and giving people tools to continue their own growth important to you? I, uh, I just love teaching. It's, it's just something that I fell into. It really started- It started with tarot, and I had a friend ask me: "Do you think you could teach a tarot class at my place, at my business?" And I said, "You know, I think I could." You know? And I, so I started teaching that, and then I had taken, uh, Reiki training, and part of master level training is the idea that you would go on to teach. You don't have to, but that's kind of often the point of a master level training is that you would teach it to other people. You have the ability to teach others the techniques. So I always knew when I was in Reiki training that I did wanna carry that. I knew I wanted to be a master, and I felt that part of the duty and responsibility of that was that you, you must teach. Now, again, I'll say not everybody who's a master teaches, and that's okay, but that's how I felt. It was like I had to d- that was, like, part of the agreement kind of is what I got out of it. So I was teaching tarot and Reiki, and then I just like teaching and because I get to keep learning. It's kind of selfish. I love learning, and I'm, I have lots of interests, and in order to continue deepening my understanding of those things and, like, cultivating a, a richer you know, ability to use them in consultation or whatever Like, you teach it. If there's something I'm really interested in but I wanna go deeper with it, I will often decide I'm gonna teach it, because then I have to study it to create curriculum that's... You know, I need to know it. And then when you're standing in front of people and interacting with them and sharing it with them, it's reinforcing it to you, and you're also getting feedback from people. And often with students, you learn so much from the things that a student might say- Mm or observe as y- as you're going over something, especially with tarot because it's all symbolic and, you know, based in imagery for the most part. So if someone who knows nothing about it is looking at an image and says, "Well, I see this," and it might, like, blow your mind, you know, because you know it and you're very studied on it, and you've gotten to know it personally, and maybe you've read a ton of books. But here's this person who's, knows nothing, and they give you this, like, incredible insight, you know? Mm-hmm. So I just, yeah, teaching for me is I wanna help people better understand themselves. I wanna give people tools to navigate life and then I wanna keep learning. Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. And then what was Reiki training like for you? Was, was teaching, was that a passion of yours from the beginning, or was it something that developed- It- as it went on? It kind of f- I feel like it kind of, and I, I could be forgetting something. That's always possible. But I feel like it kind of fell in my lap with that invitation to teach tarot. That was when I really started to, to teach. I'm trying to think if I had taught a Reiki class yet. I may have taught one Reiki class at that point, but honestly, I don't think I had become a Reiki master yet. I think I was- Mm teaching tarot and then went on to take level two and three of Reiki. And when I was younger I did have dreams of It, you know, of doing healing work with people that was energy work. You know, I had, I, I had ideas, and it wasn't like I ma- like they came to me. I mean, you know, I was influenced by people in my life, the adults I was telling you about that were- Mm-hmm my parents or my friends' parents were into like crystals and, you know, homeopathic medicine- Mm-hmm and, you know, um, all, and I, those things appealed to me. So I always thought, "Oh, I wanna lay, I wanna lay crystals on people," you know? I thought that seemed so cool, you know? And I think that naturally segued into like energy work, energy medicine. What is that? And then Reiki I think is the, is the most easily accessible sort of, you know, beginning... It's an easy place for people to step into learning about energy and how to use it f- obviously for good. And, uh, yeah, so Reiki's been great. I mean, it's a, it's a way of life. It's, um, uh, it's a path of, Uh, it's like a s- a spiritual path that has certain, I don't say rules, but- Mm-hmm precepts that you follow- Mm-hmm you know, to be es- essentially to be a good human,

Building A Retreat Around Letting Go

19:41

awesome. And then can you tell me more about your four-day retreat coming up this fall? Oh, yes. The Crossing the Threshold. Yes. Uh, my friend Karen Loving and I are doing a retreat at Seven Oaks in Madison, Virginia, and we actually had a retreat there this past, I would say the end of winter. It was almost spring. So this is the second retreat we've done together, and what we're focusing on is letting go. But obviously fall, so themes of fall, letting go, acceptance, transitions. I'll be doing sound healing. We're gonna do some tarot-related exercises around the themes of, of transition and letting go. And it really, fall it does naturally support examining themes around death, so we are gonna touch on that some. Karen does the Alexander Technique and really a whole fusion of different things, but her work is more, uh, somatic, so she does the, uh, the, the body awareness piece, and she'll do some meditation. And then we're also gonna have a fire ceremony and a tea meditation. It's really also created in a way that there's a lot of spaciousness, so there's plenty of time to rest. Like we don't... i've been to retreats where it's like boom. Mm-hmm. And it's like, whoa. Like I just need a minute. Yeah. Like I'm already out in the world at that pace. I wanna, you know, just have a minute to relax. So we really try to facilitate a lot of spaciousness. Mm-hmm. And it's in a beautiful natural setting. There's a whole other experience, I think, that people get to have communing with nature at, at that particular retreat center. It's, it's incredibly gorgeous, and it has a rich history of people really very deliberately tending and caring for the land there. Mm-hmm. And you can really feel it when you're there. Plus it will just be beautiful. The leaves will be changing. Yeah. And you know how the mountains of Virginia in the fall is just like- Super exciting yeah, so idyllic. So yeah. Yeah. What inspired you to create that experience? Oh, wow. So it's kind of like some of the other things I've already described. Things just kind of happen, you know? And, uh, I think Karen and I have known each other for, A few years, maybe five years. And she's a veteran in the industry. I have a lot of respect for people that were like massage therapists in the '80s, the '70s and '80s. I'm like, "Wow, you guys were doing this before it was acceptable and popular," you know? Uh, so I really have a lot of respect for her, especially being, you know, 30, 40-ish years in, in the world of body work and helping people with their bodies. But we knew each other already, and we had just had a conversation about like, I think maybe she said, "Oh, I wanna do a retreat." And I said, "Oh, I, I'm thinking about trying to get into retreats." And and that's when we did the first one together. So the, the first one we did was very sound-oriented. It was a little more entering into the springtime and there was a lot of astrology influencing what, what we were doing, at least for what I was bringing to the table. Um, so it was a lot of, uh, uh, uh, attention paid to the shifting that was getting ready to happen, 'cause there was some major shifts in general, collectively, personally for all of us- Mm-hmm uh, right as spring was getting ready to take place. But yeah, she and I were just kinda like, "Let's do it." And we had such a great experience with the first retreat together. It was, like, really magical and wonderful, and, uh, so we thought, "Let's do it again." Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. And then retreats can create a different environment than, um, just a typical wellness appointment. What can happen when people have several days to slow down, reflect, and really just be present with themselves? I think real, you know-- for one, r- uh, like real deep rest can happen, you know, where we really get a minute to kinda nourish ourselves and, and leave the retreat feeling replenished or, you know, renewed, refreshed. But it's also, I think, an opportunity if people are looking for it, at least this is what I observed in the last retreat that we did together. Real change, you know, can happen when you set aside a few days to just focus on yourself and get out of your usual, you know, your normal routine, you know, and just do, you know, reflective type exercises. I think people can really start to break free from patterns that maybe they're ready to release or, get inspired in ways that they're searching for. I mean, so many things can happen. Or, like, even just to get some real rest can be, like, life-changing, you know? So if you wanna just chill for a few days and, like, take it easy, that, you know, that even can be enough, I think. Yeah, absolutely, especially now when, um, I feel like we're-- A lot of people get stuck in the hustle mentality where- Oh, yeah it's just like work, and they don't dedicate enough time to just rest. Yeah. I mean, I'm guilty of it. Yeah, absolutely.

Creating An Apothecary And Product Line

24:40

And then you're continuing to develop the apothecary with your line of handcrafted herbal products. What inspired you to create the apothecary, and what role do you see it playing in the future of Abracadabra? I, uh- I was blessed to apprentice with an herbalist at an herb school in 2011. For, uh, 2011 and 2012, I was there and participated in a program that she offered. Her name is Teresa Boardwine, and she has a Green Comfort School of Herbal Medicine. It's very near where I live, so it was this extreme blessing. But I was taught under the model that she uses, and you're making your own medicine. You know, you're learning how to formulate for clients. So it's very personalized medicine. But in order to create formulas for, for your clients, you, you need an apothecary to pull from. Uh, so I was very passionate about, you know, sometimes wild harvesting herbal medicine and preparing it, uh, ex- into extracts, And also, getting different herbs and plants from friends that grew them, and then sometimes ordering them from reputable places. Often that's probably one of the main ways of getting the medicine. I wish I had this wonderful big herb garden, but I don't. But I have friends that do- and they usually are overloaded with plants and they're like, "Please come and get this," you know? Yeah. So, I just wound up cr- just being super creative and making a lot of herbal medicines and, and then had this whole apothecary and was like, "I must use these herbs." And that is how the apothecary was really born. And then we finally, in the last few years, were able to start actually not just doing the personalized formulations for individual clients, but creating, like, a line of products. And so Abracadabra has a line that's more body care oriented. It's body oils, perfume oils, um, salves things like that, candles, all kinds of fun things. And then I have a different, uh, again, going back to the whole sister business, multiple business. Uh-huh. I have another identity that is The Tattooed Herbalist, and that is where I have started to formulate, tinctures, uh, internal medicine that you can take different formulas for different ailments. And we're in the process of getting that all legitimized before launching into the online space to sell online, which is a whole big thing you have to-- There's a lot you have to do. Yeah. But we do offer those at the spa already. We're already making them and selling them at the spa. But yeah, so it's, it's been, that's been fun. That's like, what a nice highlight, and not uncommon that a spa has, its own line of products. Mm-hmm. That's not really that odd, you know? Yeah. It, it's really cool that we get to make them in-house though, yeah, that is awesome. Yeah. Was that part of your vision when you first started Abracadabra, or was that something that, came along? It definitely wasn't, I don't think, part of the vision. I, 2020 really was, was good for my business, but I didn't know I was trying to go more into the online space with teaching. That was kinda where my head was at. I was still gonna do Abracadabra and have an office and offer services, and I shared my office with an acupuncturist and, and one other, one or two other massage therapists on a very part-time basis. And then in, in 2020, I had the opportunity to rent the residential apartment upstairs from my office, and then we turned that into the spa, and then that's where my apothecary wound up. I moved it from my house into the upstairs space, and the business just, Abracadabra just boomed. Yeah. And I didn't anticipate that. I thought, "I'm gonna start teaching online." Mm-hmm. "I'm gonna enter into the online space as a teacher," which I still really haven't been able to do, so that's one of, also one of my main goals. Mm-hmm. But, um, yeah, it's been... It, Abracadabra, you know, I think most businesses, but it has a life of its own. Like, I'm on for, along for the ride at this point. I'm kind of like, "Okay, what are we doing? How many people work here?" It's, it's very, you know, it's great, but it can be... It's been a lot, yeah. Yeah.

COVID Growth And Rural Business Challenges

28:44

Can you tell me more about like the COVID time and how that affected your business? 'Cause I feel like it affected businesses in so many different ways. It was good for us, strangely enough. I think because we're located in a rural environment, that there were people who were retreating to find, you know, a safe space near us, and the people that were comfortable with the idea of coming into a space for services were coming in, you know. So even though we did have to shut down for a period of time w-we really, it really helped our business. It was weird, 'cause I know there were other businesses just like mine that had to close or completely downsize in a way. Uh, and that's what I was anticipating- Mm-hmm and was using my free time to try to create online stuff, programs, teaching online, 'cause I had already been teaching. I just needed to convert it into online format. But, um, it was good for us. I mean, the apartment that I was able to rent that w- just happened to be in the same building that allowed me to expand, that, you know, the, the gentleman that was living there before me had been there for several years. He was a teacher, and he had lost his job because of COVID- Mm-hmm and had to move. Yeah, so it was just h- it just happened to benefit from the way everything lined up, and then the apartment was difficult to rent because it was COVID. People were, you know... So it just happened that the space was empty and, you know, I was the only one that was really like, "I want it," you know? Yeah. And obviously the landlord already knew me and, and things like that. But it was good for us because we became, I think, kind of like a haven where it was safe to get a massage still or safe to come in because again, it's very rural where I am. So even though we were too, you know- scared and also trying to protect ourselves in, in many ways. I can't imagine what it would've been like to be in a more urban environment. Mm. You know? It was very different- Yeah out where I live, yeah. And then with being in a rural environment, what are some of the challenges and the opportunities that come with being in a rural area? So I'd say the biggest challenge is, is for my business is staffing, definitely. Because we're in the, uh, you know, I don't wanna say we're in the middle of nowhere- but, like, that's what I would probably typically say to someone. "We're in the middle of nowhere," you know? Uh, but in terms of, oddly enough, attracting clients has been not so much an issue. I, I'm not gonna say that, that we don't have some challenges around that, but really we-- If you drive out to where we are, the drive itself is an experience because it's just like if you decide, "I'm gonna go take a drive in the mountains," right? It's beautiful. Your whole nervous system resets just from the drive. Mm-hmm. Once you get out on the open road and you start to see the mountains, in front of you, it's just beautiful. Uh, so there's a natural calming and sort of, um, healing effect just to go out that way. So there's lots of people that will come out from different directions into the Sperryville area, and there's other things to do. So if you come out for a weekend, there's other things to do. There's all sorts of activities and things you can do in the mountains, even if, if it's just hiking or- Yeah you know, maybe you go to some art galleries or to some restaurants or a winery or all the different shops that we have. There's plenty of things to do. So we become part of the tourism piece, but then we also serve the local community that lives right near us, and then even what I would still call the local community that is in towns that are about, you know, 20 to 30 minutes in any given direction. Yeah. They'll come out, because people wanna come to the area and experience different businesses and what they're offering and nature. So in that way, it's been positive- Mm-hmm Having a healing arts business in one of the most healing places on Earth, you know, the mountains of, of Virginia it, it definitely supports the business and the vibes of the business. But then it's staffing that's tricky. Mm-hmm. Because people don't even know we exist, or they don't-- aren't able to make the commute. Although sometimes I'm like, "Well, if you commute toward the city, it's basically just commuting the same amount of distance but the other direction." The other way, yeah. "And you're going away from the stress," you know? So, but that's been the biggest challenge of having a rural business, I think. It's definitely finding people to work. Yeah.

More Freedom Through Delegation And Online Teaching

33:11

Yeah. Interesting. And then looking at the direction Abracadabra is heading, what excites you the most about creating a wellness business that incorporates not just physical care, but education, community, personal growth, and transformation? Wow. What excites me the most? I think some of the freedom that it can bring for my own life, not to be selfish but I'm looking for more freedom in, in my creative endeavors, and I think that the busier or the, the more, Uh, grounded and, and flourishing that my business is, the more I can go off into teaching and working with clients one-on-one. And, um, it's hard. If you're, if you're running a business and handling the administrative side and you're also doing physical services, there's only so much energy one human being can have. So I've been working on delegating some of that so that I can have more freedom to expand into other spaces, which is like the, the online teaching and things like that. But I'm-- I love Abracadabra. I love what it is. I love what we've been able to build as a team. Certainly all of the most recent changes that I've had within the structure of my business has come from a team effort of trying to figure out what is it that isn't working not just for the client. We're very client-focused, but for the people that work for me, whether they're employees or independent contractors, it's like, "What do you need? What is it that you need?" You know, and then within reason, trying to make that work and still keep the business viable- Yeah which can be tricky. So we have really come up with a lot of different solutions for that, I feel, and been able to put those into place. But I've, I'm really wanting to work more in, um, you know, one-on-one with people, mentorship-type things I've done in the past. I, I'm hoping to cultivate that more and then, teach more. I, I do want to teach more. But I think that next jump for me is more being online more- Mm-hmm you know, which I, again, I haven't-- I'm getting there 'cause of- like I said, gotta have the space to do it, you know? Yeah. And, um, having the team structure in place now and, and the administrative help has been the biggest pieces to make that happen, I think. Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. And then, yeah, I feel like being online will help reach an even broader spectrum of people. Mm-hmm.

Where To Find Abracadabra And Kara

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Awesome. And then for anyone who wants to learn more about Abracadabra, your upcoming retreats, mentorship, or wellness services, where can they connect with you? So the easiest way to connect with me, it's so funny, I'm always like, "Text me," which is like well, you know. But really, I mean- Yeah we're, we're very communicative. Both my spa coordinator and I, we're, we like to be reachable. Which some people would say is a little crazy. But really the easiest thing to do would be to go to our website which is caracadabra.com. People are also welcome to, to text us email us. We're on Instagram. You know, we're pretty open to almost any Any avenue of communication, which some people might say that's a little crazy, but that's, you know, I don't know. That's how I- Yeah part of how I built my business is being extremely accessible, so. There you go. Awesome. And then as we wrap up, is there anything you'd like to add that we haven't touched on today? I don't think so. Yeah, I think we're good. Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Kara, for joining me on the "Alimond" show. I wish you the very best in all that comes your way in the future. Thank you.