Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Kimberly Horne.
Dr. Horne, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Being an entrepreneur is exciting and liberating. Many people have ideas of starting their own businesses, but only a few will take the leap. It’s extremely difficult, but it has its benefits. I took a calculated risk on my passion and my obsession.
After spending four years researching business and women business owners, I was in the midst of writing my dissertation over female entrepreneurship and their self-efficacy, I felt frustrated that there weren’t enough women-owned businesses in the Dallas area, or better yet, my own city of Mesquite. After defending my doctoral research, I decided to live out my dissertation that I spent years researching and take my own calculated risk. Massage therapy was a hobby that I had practiced for nearly 20 years and it served me well as a part-time job whenever I wanted additional income. I took additional classes to learn different modalities and I even became a Massage Therapist Instructor for the State of Texas. Soon after, I wanted more, so I became a Medical Massage Practitioner and learned so much more relating to resolving conditions diagnosed and prescribed by physicians. This is where I found my passion and started to focus the practice more around pain management with clients. I desired to make a physical difference in people’s lives who were physically hurting, not so much for those just wanting to be relaxed for the sake of feeling good – we can do that too. Medicine doesn’t have all the answers. Our massage treatments range from people with persistent pain, lack of strength and reduced range of motion to post-operative care of those who’ve had plastic surgery seeking lymphatic drainage procedures for liposuction, tummy tucks, Brazilian butt lifts, and mommy-make overs, and liposuction.
I found that when I worked as a Massage Therapist, I was fulfilled with Sports Therapy. I saw the results of my work. Clients would tell me all the time that my hands were gifted because my techniques seemed to get them back in the game. Massage Therapy is a career with a huge amount of variety. I have chosen to focus on the pain management side of therapy. I have the opportunity to run my own private practice and work in my own environment, meet new people, and I’m in a space now where I get to have a real positive effect on someone’s life. It’s not Corporate America, but it’s very rewarding knowing that I get to craft a business and a brand out of something that I’m passionate about. I’ve really enjoyed tackling and overcoming all the different challenges that running my own business has presented. The more I have learned, the more I’ve wanted to know, and I’ve really enjoyed completing further training traveling the country, learning additional techniques and attending conferences; fully immersing myself into the industry of a med-spa and a salon for natural hair, specifically traditional locs and Sisterlocks. Today, I have expanded my private practice and added a salon and a med-spa for body contouring.
Massage is my passion and my obsession! Massage was my stress reliever from Corporate America. In Corporate, I worked as a Human Resource Information Systems Analyst and progressed to an HRIS Manager, In Corporate America, you’re needed until you aren’t needed anymore. My last position in Corporate was a role that was eliminated and I didn’t even think twice about being laid off this time as I knew that my gift was going to make room for me.
At the end of the day, being an entrepreneur forces me to become a better me. It forces me to learn, change, adapt, and innovate what I believe in. As an entrepreneur, it has allowed me to create my own definition of success. I no longer have to sit at a desk for an undetermined amount of time, turn in a specific number of projects and hit specific goals, or even make it into the Presidents Club in order to be recognized by others as successful. Now, I am my own boss, I decide how big or small my company gets; where I work, which events I work at and ultimately how successful I will be. I AM my brand.
Great, 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?
Time management was definitely a challenge, just trying to balance it all while working a full-time job in Corporate America. Self-doubt also got in the way at the beginning of starting the practice due to some old laws from 1976 were in place in the city where I was opening the practice. They still referred to Massage Therapists as Masseuses – this term was derogatory and outdated. I was persistent and didn’t give up. I ensured that they followed the correct terminology from the State Licensing Department.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about the Art of Touch Massage & Salon – what should we know?
The Art of Touch Massage and Salon in Mesquite is here to help. We specialize in medical massage, pain relief, and sports massage. We customize and tailor each session because each client is unique. We offer many different modalities of massage from Body Contouring, Chair, Swedish, Deep Tissue, Lymphatic Drainage, Trigger Point, Prenatal, Myofacial, and Deep Tissue techniques. Our goal is to provide a center with all the tools to create a true integration of mind, body, and spirit. We also have a Salon that gives maintenance to natural hair (no chemicals) – specifically Sisterlocks, Brotherlocks, and Interlocks.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My drive and determination are the essential qualities that attribute to my success. I drive myself with purpose and align myself with excellence. The self-confidence in trusting myself is unshakable. It’s as simple as that. I’m faithful, fearless, humble and great. This is who I am and who I’ve always been.
Contact Info:
- Address: 909 E. Davis Street Suite D
- Website: www.artoftouchmassageandsalon.com
- Phone: 469-917-7566
- Email: aotmassagetherapy@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artoftouchmassagetherapy/
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/qTKq/R0oTHUy3FX
- Other: https://goo.gl/ydQrF5
Image Credit:
Rod Fergerson, Carlton Horne Sr.
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