May 17, 2017

Meet John Balfour of Institute of Harmonic Massage in Wylie

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to John Balfour.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I retired after 40 years in the corporate world involved in sales, marketing, and promotion. My wife Deborah is a licensed massage therapist, licensed massage therapy instructor, and a CE provider for the state of Texas. She has practiced this trade for almost 18 years and has also taught many successful students in the area.

We decided to start a massage therapy spa in the beautiful town of Wylie that would use our combined talents to become a wellness center in addition to a therapeutic massage spa.

Today we have a chiropractor on our staff and also offer Reiki, Reflexology, and Yoga in addition to our many different types of therapeutic massages.

We also offer corporate chair massages and workshops on health issues and how to deal with them. We are always looking for ways to improve our repertoire and services.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Starting a small business takes a lot of study and time as there are many things that need to be addressed. It hasn’t always been easy but one has to persevere and realize the benefits outweigh the initial trials and tribulations.

One of the more time consuming issues was getting into compliance with the federal and state governments to insure the health and wellbeing of our customers. There are endless forms that have to be completed and submitted as an ongoing progress.

The marketing aspect presented a challenge as we were brand new right out of the box and no one knew we had opened for business. It is a slow building process and the watchword here is patience.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
We really do have a wonderful spa that exudes peace and contentment in a very low paced manner. From the moment that you enter our waiting room you realize that we aren’t a fast paced chain, but rather a locally owned business here to help you get in better touch with your body.

We never require contracts or commitments, however, we do offer amazing 3 and 6 visit specials that you can share with your family or friends.

Adding new techniques and features to our services keeps our customers well informed because we want to be more than just a spa. We want to be your wellness center and spa.

What were you like growing up?
I was always a practical joker and looked towards the fun side of life. Flying has always been my passion as my dad, uncle, and two cousins were airline pilots. I have a private pilot’s license but was never able to pursue an airline job as the military pilots were always more qualified.

I have always lived by this philosophy: “never stop or quit…take one more step forward.”

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