How Blue Skies Web Designs was born
Even when I was in massage school myself, I always knew I wanted to be of service to other practitioners.
I applied for a massage school advisor position just three weeks after I graduated from my program at East West College of the Healing Arts!
(Luckily, I didn’t get it, because I truly didn’t have enough real-world massage experience back then.)
Over the years, my desire to support other practitioners has led me down several different pathways:
Massage instructor at Central Oregon Community College, where I co-facilitated both Massage 101 classes and the student clinic
Thai Massage instructor at Arizona School of Integrative Studies
Private mentorship with massage therapists in Bend, Oregon and Flagstaff, Arizona
Co-founder of Northern Arizona Wellness Collective, a continuing education center
LMT Support Services through my business, Blue Skies Massage Therapy
But what does this have to do with web design?!
Well, not much, really, except for one thing:
As I worked with other practitioners, I consistently saw over & over again how hard this profession was, and how much support we all need to prevent burnout and create long-lasting career fulfillment.
With one noticeable point:
I was absolutely OBSESSED with the web design, marketing and business management side of the massage profession.
It all started in 2016, when I built my first website for my business.
Back then, my business was called, “Vanessa Rae Massage Therapy,” with the tagline, “It’s okay to drool.” I still miss my drool-related content.
But I digress.
Growing your own massage practice while working full-time at other locations is not for the faint of heart. It takes serious dedication, a lot of patience and the ability to juggle a lot of things on any given day.
Not to mention, lots of epsom salt baths and strong self-care routines.
When not tirelessly giving massage at a spa while I hustled to grow my own practice, I would spend hours, days, weeks, in an absolute flow state, tweaking every little detail of my website relentlessly. #hustlelife
Time would slip away; I’d forget to drink water or even stand!
Turns out I really, really love building websites for massage therapists. :)
A few years later, I decided to start helping friends and colleagues with their websites, some of which, honestly, were not that great (and no, you’ll never find them)!
I read marketing books and continued to hone my craft, forever editing my Wix site while building a SquareSpace site for a massage education center.
I couldn’t help myself: I’d spend hours meticulously pouring over every single detail of the website, wanting to get every word and every image just right.
It was clear.
Web design for wellness practitioners was my passion.
I kept thinking, “Gosh, I love building websites, I love helping people, would anybody ever pay me to make a website for them?!”
A dream was born.
So in October 2024, I decided to take the leap: I signed up for Paige Brunton’s SquareSpace Business course, and my entire life changed forever!
I’ve learned so much since then about how to not only build a beautiful website, but a powerful one that will generate clicks, show up on searches and bring in revenue for clients.
Recently, reading Donald Miller’s Story Brand brought newfound insights into marketing strategies for how businesses can get really clear on messaging.
It has profoundly impacted my own business and I highly recommend it if you want to clarify your own marketing.
I’m still passionate about bodywork and helping others feel better in their bodies and spirits.
However, my true passion is helping others who help others so they can help others (WHOA, that’s deep).
No matter which wellness profession you pour your heart & soul into, I want to see you thrive.
Find out more about my services HERE, or simply stay connected through my (occasional) newsletter.
My goal is to see you succeed, with a smile as contagious as Gracie’s. :)
