Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynn Sisk.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I never planned on becoming a massage therapist. I started my career as an EMT in Texas, and while I loved helping people, the stress of emergency medicine eventually began to take its toll. One of my own massage therapists was also an EMT, and after I confided in him about how stressful I was finding the job, he encouraged me to consider massage therapy.
I took his advice, went to massage school, and graduated in 2012. Almost immediately, it felt like I had found what I was meant to do. Once I started working with people, everything seemed to come naturally. My EMT background gave me a strong foundation in anatomy, problem-solving and caring for people, and massage brought all of those things together in a way that felt right.
I started my own practice in a room in my house in Texas and eventually expanded into a small building just steps from my home. I was happily building my career when life took another unexpected turn.
My son had gone into cardiac arrest when he was 19, and over the years his heart continued to deteriorate. After graduating from trade school in Florida, he moved to Kansas City, and several years after his original cardiac arrest, at 27, he needed a heart transplant.
For nearly three months, I drove back and forth between Texas and Kansas City while he waited for a heart, trying to be there for him while also keeping my Texas practice going. Eventually, my husband found work that allowed me to stay in Kansas City with my son. We originally thought we’d return to Texas once he was doing well, but life had other plans. Our family began putting down roots here, and we realized we’d actually been wanting a change from Texas anyway.
The hardest part for me was realizing that I couldn’t simply bring my practice with me. I had to start over. I spent about three months at Massage Envy before renting my own office, and I’ve now been in my current office for nearly seven years.
Medical massage became my specialty almost naturally. It was what my clients kept telling me I was particularly good at, so I followed that path. What I love most about what I do is my clients. I love the diversity of people I get to work with—all ages and walks of life, each with their own story and their own reason for needing massage. I love the challenge of figuring out what their bodies need, I love continuing to learn, and I love the independence of being my own boss.
When I look back, I don’t think it’s strange that my life ended up here. Life is full of crossroads and unexpected journeys. I just happened to take a few turns I never saw coming, and they brought me to a career and a community I wouldn’t trade.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Moving to Kansas City meant starting over in every sense. I had built a very successful massage practice in Texas, had an established clientele, and knew exactly where I stood. Then I moved to a new city and had to wonder if I could build something that would even come close to what I’d had in Texas.
There was a lot of uncertainty in the beginning. I had to find clients, establish myself, learn a new market, and figure out whether people here would respond to the way I practiced.
I spent about three months working at Massage Envy while I got my footing, and honestly, that experience was probably one of the most valuable parts of starting over—not necessarily because I enjoyed it, but because it showed me exactly what I didn’t want my own practice to be. It reinforced how much I valued being independent and having the freedom to practice massage the way I believe it should be practiced.
Fortunately, once I started building my own clientele, things began to fall into place. I’ve been incredibly lucky with my clients. I really haven’t had many professional struggles because the people I’ve worked with have been wonderful, and they’ve allowed me to grow right alongside them.
Overall, the road hasn’t been smooth, but the uncertainty was probably the hardest part. Looking back, I’m proud that I took the chance to start over. It taught me that I could rebuild something I’d worked years to create—and make it my own.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in medical massage, but my clients would probably describe me as a problem solver. New clients are often referred to me by another client and will walk in saying, “So-and-so said you could fix me.” And when an established client comes in with a new complaint, they’ll sometimes say, “I knew you could help.” That always makes me smile.
I love the challenge of figuring out what is going on with someone’s body and how I can help. I don’t want to simply give someone the same massage every time. Every person and every problem is different, and I really listen to what my clients are telling me. One of the things I hear most often is that they feel heard, and I think that’s an important part of what sets me apart.
My continuing education is actually guided by my clients. When someone comes to me with a problem that I want to understand better, I’ll often take a class specifically related to that issue. I love learning, but I especially love learning something that I can turn around and use to help someone.
I’m proud of all of it—the knowledge I’ve built, the practice I’ve created, the fact that I’ve successfully rebuilt my business after moving to a completely new city, and especially the relationships I’ve developed with my clients. I’ve built my practice largely through word of mouth, and I don’t take that trust for granted.
If someone asked me why they should choose me, I’d say: because I listen, I think, and I keep learning. I don’t assume that because you have a particular diagnosis or pain in a particular place that I already know what you need. I look at the whole picture and try to figure it out. I don’t promise that I can fix everything, but I promise that I’ll listen, take you seriously, and do my best to understand how I can help. And if I don’t know enough about something, I’ll learn more.
I think that’s ultimately what I’m most proud of. My clients trust me enough to come back when something new comes up, and they trust me enough to send the people they care about to me. To me, that’s the best compliment I could receive.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is my family’s well-being. I have grandkids now, so there are even more people to worry about—which I do. A lot. But seriously, knowing that the people I love are safe, healthy and happy is what matters most to me.
I’ve never really considered myself a “people person,” which is probably funny considering what I do for a living. But I have a lot of empathy, and sometimes I think I have more than I know what to do with. It can be a gift and a curse, because I tend to feel things deeply and care very much about what other people are going through.
Independence is also extremely important to me. Being my own boss isn’t just about enjoying my work or making my own decisions. It means I can be there for my family when they need me, sometimes at the drop of a hat, without having to ask someone else’s permission or work around someone else’s schedule. That freedom is incredibly valuable to me.
Ultimately, whether I’m with family, a client, a friend, or even someone I’ve just met, I want people to leave my presence feeling cared for and like they matter. I think that’s one of the most important things we can give another person.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Lynnsiskmassagetherapy.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/199w5uh9ND/
