Business for a Better World: PalmLeaf Massage Wellness
PalmLeaf Massage Wellness
(Formerly PalmLeaf Massage Clinic)
355 W. Dundee Road, Suite 200 and Suite 105, Buffalo Grove
(847) 961-4800
PalmLeafMassage.com
Industry: Healthcare and Wellness
Annual revenue: $495,000
Number of employees: 15
An interview with Ramon Mascarenas, founder, CMTPT, LMT
Q: Describe your company.
A: PalmLeaf Massage Wellness (formerly PalmLeaf Massage Clinic) specializes in providing services to alleviate chronic pain. Our team provides therapeutic and clinical massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic care, ensuring that our patients receive personalized care and effective treatment. We are dedicated to helping individuals find relief from their chronic pain and improve their overall well-being.
Since our establishment in 2013, we have had the privilege of serving 6,956 unique patients. From humble beginnings with just one massage therapist, Ramon Mascarenas, we have grown into a team of 15 dedicated professionals.
What makes us different is we understand pain patterns of the body. Myofascial trigger-point therapy (myo meaning muscle, fascial meaning connective tissue) is a bodywork technique that involves the application of pressure to tender muscle tissue in order to relieve pain and dysfunction in other parts of the body. It targets the source of the pain and releases it.
This practice is based on Dr. Janette Travell, physician for President Kennedy, and Dr. David Simons, physician in the Air Force space program. Myofascia trigger-point therapy finds the source and releases it. Myofascial trigger-point therapy is good for conditions such as frozen shoulder, low back pains, carpal tunnel, tennis elbow or golf elbow, and IT bands to name a few.
We have received more than 1,200 5-Star reviews from Google, Yelp and Massagebook with a 98% overall rating. This shows our dedication to high-quality service and validates our commitment to exceeding expectations.
Q: Do you plan to hire any additional staff or make any significant capital investments in your company in the next year?
A: We recently had a grand opening in November 2022, expanding our space which added acupuncture and chiropractic care services. As we continue to grow, we aim to expand our team of support staff and therapists.
Q: What will your company's main challenges be in the next year?
A: Our objective for the upcoming year is to enhance the visibility of our clinic, as our location is not easily noticeable from the main road. We are a hidden gem nestled in Buffalo Grove. The majority of individuals discover us through word-of-mouth recommendations, referrals from within the medical community, and online platforms.
Q: What's the hottest trend in your industry?
A: Fascia, the connective tissue that connects and envelops our muscles and organs, is being extensively researched. Understanding fascia enhances our capabilities to alleviate chronic pain.
Q: Does climate change affect how your company does business?
A: As climate change impacts all of us, it increases stress in a variety of ways. It has the potential to worsen stress levels, leading to discomfort and bodily pain. It can also intensify pain associated with preexisting health conditions and ailments.
Q: What does your company do to reduce the effects of climate change?
A: We prioritize using degradable plastic and paper cups. We also properly manage waste and recycle.
Q: Is your company minority-owned? Woman-owned? If so, what are the challenges of being a minority- or woman-owned company?
A: As a minority-owned business, we are grateful that our patients come to us based on our quality of service and customer care.
Q: What does your company do regarding DE&I (diversity, equity & inclusion)?
A: We prioritize building a diverse team with professionals from different backgrounds. Our team has members from various countries and communities. We made accommodations for blind and deaf therapists. We believe in assessing individuals based on their skills and knowledge.
Seeing discrimination against male massage therapists in the industry is truly disheartening. We understand that for some patients, having a female therapist is a preference that should be taken into consideration however, when seeking medical help for chronic issues, the focus should always be on receiving the best possible care, regardless of the gender of the therapist.
Q: Does your company donate time or money to any philanthropic causes? If so, what causes?
A: We donate every year to the "Children Shelter of Cebu" - A Christian child caring agency in Cebu City, Philippines. They offer shelter, good food, medical care and hope to orphaned, abandoned and surrendered children.
We also donate to Kingswood Methodist Church and Palatine food pantries.
Q: What do you do to make your business a good place to work for your employees?
A: We are compassionate helping patients and in return its important for our employees to self-care as well. So we allow free trades so that all our therapists are being taken care of their well-being.
A positive work environment is what I always believed in. We treat our staff like family, fostering a supportive atmosphere. The way we treat our employees sets the tone lfor our interactions with patients.
Q: Do you have a business mantra?
A: Never stop helping. Never stop caring. Never stop learning.
Q: What is one interesting fact about your company that most people may not know?
A: I am truly grateful that my wife is not only my co-owner in the company but also provides unwavering moral support. In fact, she is my boss in every personal sense. As they say, happy wife, happy life and business. I genuinely value her presence and contribution to our shared success.
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PalmLeaf Massage Wellness
(Formerly PalmLeaf Massage Clinic)
355 W. Dundee Road, Suite 200 and Suite 105, Buffalo Grove
(847) 961.4800
PalmLeafMassage.com
Industry: Healthcare and Wellness
Annual revenue: $495,000
Number of employees: 15