Thai massage in a rented treatment room

Local residents, people with desk jobs or sporting aches, and returning clients who book regular sessions.

Price per session, with packages or memberships for regulars. Your main costs are room rent and booking tools, so steady bookings matter.

• Trained in Thai massage technique
• Client care and consultation
• Basic marketing and bookkeeping

• Check provincial rules on who can practise or use the title 'massage therapist'
• Check municipal licensing, as some cities regulate massage premises with specific bylaws
• Commercial general liability and professional insurance, and what the landlord requires
• Rent is due even in slow months, so avoid long leases at first
• Register for GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and check whether your services qualify for any exemption

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on room rental terms, equipment, insurance and your marketing. Renting by the hour or day can help keep early costs down. These figures are estimates only.

Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $9,000, depending on how many hours you work, your rates and how many clients return for regular sessions. Rent is due even in slow months, so plan for that.

Check provincial rules on who can practise or use the title 'massage therapist', and municipal licensing or bylaws for massage premises. Also check insurance requirements, including what your landlord asks for, and GST/HST registration and any exemptions.