I was in the doctor’s office waiting room yesterday morning waiting for my name to be called. I was there for a flu shot and dreading it. I’m a little nervous around needles. They make me faint if we’re not real careful.

Anyway, while I was waiting I leaned my head back and laid it on the back of the couch to try to ease the horrible ache between my shoulder blades. After a couple of minutes the gentleman across the way made a comment about falling asleep in public.

We struck up a conversation and I found out he was struggling to stay awake after an all-night shift at a local company. I felt bad for the man and continued talking with him longer than I ordinarily would because I know how miserable it is when I’m sleepy and just want to lay down.

Turns out he works with a very good friend of mine and we chatted as we waited. I went in for my appointment and while I was asking a few questions about the flu shot I was there for, he overheard one of the nurses say something about me being a massage therapist.

He was still waiting when I came back through the waiting area. He stopped me, asking about my massage therapy practice, and wondering if I “worked with gentlemen in my practice”. I could tell he was nervous that he might offend me by the way he asked it. When I assured him that I did work with gentlemen he relaxed and told me about some problems he was having with his neck and back. I dug a card out of my purse and told him to call me.

He hasn’t called yet, but that really isn’t the point of my post. The point is that I put myself out there a little further than I normally do and in return I made a personal connection and a business contact.

While I was still in school, the interpersonal nature of marketing a massage therapy business was a huge concern. I still worry about it and struggle with days where my introverted nature makes me want to go hide under my bed. I try to respect myself on those days and keep the chit chat of marketing to a minimum. But I do find that more often than not, when I put myself out there and talk with people, I end up feeling better when I leave than when I arrived.

I guess that’s a good thing. And it helps me remember that every business contact I make may not turn into a new client, but it is one more person who has heard my name and hopefully will remember and share that they had a pleasant conversation with me when they hear it again.

Over the last two weeks I’ve received two unexpected business-related expenses. While I was gone to Cincinnati for Ashi training my business was inspected by the State Board’s investigator. I got written up.

Apparently, the state has changed some of the laws dealing with massage establishments and the requirements for obtaining establishment licenses. Last year, when I opened Harvest Moon, the massage therapist I rent space from talked extensively with the State Board’s representative and she ended up buying an establishment license to cover all of us in the office.

I’m still trying to find the text of the new law, but it seems I will have to buy an establishment license from the state in order to comply and not be fined.

The second unexpected expense came in the form of a letter from the Property Tax Assessor of Morgan County. It seems that I must also declare any personal property used in the business. I delivered that paperwork to my accountant yesterday as I truly did not understand exactly what they were asking for and the last thing I need is to fill out tax paperwork wrong. There’s no telling how much that is going to cost between paying the accountant and assessment from the tax collectors office.

And I thought I was doing so good… I need some more clients. Anyone?