At the beginning of the new year, U.S. stocks plummeted, interest rates rose, government revenue plummeted, and people’s living standards declined… All signs indicate that 2023 is likely to be a more difficult year, even more serious than the first year of the epidemic.

So, as ordinary people, especially Chinese masseurs who are on the front line of the service industry, how should we deal with the challenges of the new year? How can we avoid this crisis to the greatest extent?    

In today’s article, I will help you make necessary preparations from three major aspects!

Hello everyone, I am Teacher Xu from Yibei Education.

Since the beginning of the year, U.S. stocks have plummeted by 20%, and Bitcoin has fallen 70% from its high; coupled with falling house prices, high inflation, slower wage increases, and rising interest rates… All these signals indicate that in 2023, we are likely to encounter a deep economic crisis.

Whether we are willing to admit it or not, our lives may become more difficult, and the situation may even be worse than the first year of the epidemic. We have survived the epidemic for three years, so how can we face a worse situation? How can we survive this crisis safely?

Don’t worry, today I will explain to you from three major aspects: How Chinese masseurs and Chinese owners of massage shops in the United States should be fully prepared to calmly get through this crisis; and even seize opportunities from this crisis to become a better self and have better development!

If you prefer to watch the video version: Please click the jump

Before we explain how to deal with it, we must first understand what we are about to face:

First, this will be a major global crisis and no one can stay out of it.

The work and life of each of us will be affected, so we must be mentally prepared and not take chances.

Generally speaking, when the environment is not good, the unemployment rate will soar, wages will drop significantly, and people will naturally have less money to spend. For the massage industry, it is foreseeable that our customer flow will also be greatly affected. So at this stage, don’t expand blindly or make any new big moves.

So we can only sit and wait for death? No!

The more economic depression we face, the more people are under pressure and the more they need comfort and relief. The massage industry is facing such a demand gap. We can take this opportunity to improve the service environment, service quality, and massage techniques. Starting with old customers, we can steadily improve our business capabilities, build a good reputation in the community, and stand out!

More importantly, never make wrong judgments and decisions due to pressure and temporary depression, which will aggravate your losses.

Second, under pressure, we will hear a lot of negative information.

When the overall environment is not good, there will be more voices that are pessimistic about the industry.

In the next year, you will hear many people telling you that
the massage industry is no longer viable,
that so many shops have closed down,
and that so many masseurs have lost their jobs, that you can
no longer make money doing massage.
They will also encourage you to change jobs and switch to other industries.

…

In fact, these are all generalizations and blinding thoughts. At times like this, we should think rationally, see the overall situation clearly, and make rational judgments.

This is also a great opportunity for the industry to make money. Those who can calm down, stick to their own ideas, and polish them patiently can go further and do better. Those who “believe everything they hear” and have no judgment of their own will not only fail to make money, but may also waste time and energy in a circle, and “draw water from a bamboo basket to get nothing”.

For masseurs, such a “storm” is a good opportunity to take time to study, take exams, and wait for the “storm” to pass. For shop owners who open their own shops, this is also a good opportunity to review and stand out. So, how to choose is entirely up to you.

Third, opportunities are hidden in crises

It is foreseeable that the larger massage parlors will bear greater risks and pressures in this global economic crisis. On the other hand, for mom-and-pop shops, smaller massage parlors, and even masseurs who intend to open their own shops, this crisis contains opportunities.

Just like buying stocks, when the entire market falls, stock prices fall, and holders continue to sell, it is actually a good opportunity to buy. However, there are not many such “good opportunities”, and whether you can seize them depends entirely on your personal determination and courage.

Of course, the premise of rational judgment is to have enough information and the ability to think rationally. We will share the latest industry dynamics, discuss trends and solutions in subsequent articles. You are also welcome to share your predictions and opinions with us in the comment section.

So, after we have a clear understanding of the situation we are facing, let’s talk about how to deal with it and the points that need special attention:

1. Safety     

The shooting of a Chinese masseuse in Flushing last year is still lingering in our minds. In the context of a bad environment, safety has become the biggest consideration and concern in the new year.

In addition to the racial discrimination that Chinese Americans generally suffer in the United States, the massage industry is often misunderstood by the outside world and viewed through tinted glasses. Therefore, protecting ourselves has become the most important thing in the Great Depression.

During economic recession, we are more likely to encounter customers who are deliberately causing trouble. Some customers will deliberately find faults and threaten you to complain in order to avoid paying or take advantage of you. Have you ever encountered this situation at work? If so, please share your experience in the comments section!

At this time, we must be more cautious in what we say and do. We must try our best to comply with legal regulations and industry standards. We must follow the necessary procedures and the necessary written documents must be signed by the customer (such as informed consent forms). We should not answer questions that we do not understand casually. We should try our best not to leave any excuses for the bad guys.

In addition, we must sternly reject those customers who look at masseurs with tinted glasses, defend our dignity, and allow the entire industry to develop more healthily. We cannot feel that it is none of our business when we encounter masseurs who do “yellow hands” in private. The outside world’s impression and view of the entire industry has an impact on each of us masseurs. Only when we unite can we be better respected and protected.

2. Legality

With the economic recession and the sharp decline in government revenue, it will become more and more common to check licenses and issue tickets to increase government revenue. Therefore, legality and legitimacy become particularly important.

Whether it is the business license of a massage parlor or the massage license of a masseur; whether it is personal/company tax returns or the building use permit of the business premises, none of them can be taken lightly, let alone have a fluke mentality.

Today is different from the past. The more times like this, the higher the chance of being investigated. And the investigation will definitely become stricter and the fines will become higher. The overall environment is not good, and it is not worth taking such a big risk.

How to avoid legal and tax risks when opening a massage parlor or working as a masseur in the United States? (Must read for Chinese masseurs)

3. Insurance

In addition to legality and legitimacy, insurance is also very important.

The economy is in recession and the environment is not good. It is inevitable that you will encounter some evil people who want to “make a small fortune”. If you encounter medical complaints or medical disputes, whether it is the masseur himself or the massage shop, if there is no insurance, it is easy to lose everything.

Therefore, the worse the environment is, the more important it is to buy good insurance. Don’t “save a little money and spend a lot of money” and regret it when something goes wrong.

If you can do the above three points well, you can avoid most risks. Or at least, if you do these well, when you really encounter a crisis, you will be able to deal with it better than those who are not prepared!

The overall environment is bad, so we should be more prepared, make the right choices, unite and overcome difficulties together, don’t you agree? In the new year, I hope that Elbe can accompany you through this global crisis, discover opportunities in the crisis and stand out!

We will share more information related to the massage industry and knowledge about the federal massage exam to help Chinese students with no English foundation pass the federal massage exam more easily.

If you are still worried about the US federal massage exam MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination), why not take our 7-day free trial course: click to register now . You have the final say on whether the course is good or not!

If you have other questions related to the massage industry and the federal massage exam MBLEx, you can directly add my WeChat ybmblex or call (702) 892-7688 for consultation. We will answer your questions!

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