Do you think its a good idea?

[*Adia*]

If I were to start up my own business, dealing with massage therapy and herbs...a place slightly out of town where you could go for a weekend and stay there, receive treatment, cooked meals and such, would you attend? Do you find it something that would make it as a business, and offer what the public might want?

Yes, its a good idea and I would be looking to go there and so would the public.

No, it isn't a good idea, and I wouldn't go there and neither would the public.

[*Adia*]

LOL This is my first poll, so ignore the little bit of gibberish at the bottom of that. I wasn't quite sure what to do. :ack:
Thanks a billion for answer this. THis is actually something I'm looking to do for a living. All two cents are soooooo appreciated!
Thanks guys! :thumbsup:
Adia

[WynnJera]

I would go ~ a nice get away from the everyday ~ you might even wanna get metaphysical retreats to come to your place ~ love the idea ~ BB ~ WynnJera ~

[Lavender]

There's a couple of places here on the West Coast that offers something similar. I think that it's a great idea would be a wonderful profession. If you're interested in checking out what others are offering, I think Hollyhock has a website. Another place near here is Haven by the Sea. They offer a range of retreats. There's another one that's a herbal learning retreat but I can't remember the name of it. There's retreats for different things like yoga & reiki & such.

[Drisel]

If I could find the time to come out from Manitoba I would be there in a second. :) It sounds like a wonderful idea!

[mato]

I would have to know more about it before making a commitment either way, but I think there is demand out there for such a place, perhaps you can include a large natural area for retreat and meditation, then I would be there every new moon. Again need more info, what style of place are you thinking? Size? Religious? Spiritual? Or purely physical? It all depends, if it is too religious I wont be there, too many bb's and mm's drives me crazy.

[*Adia*]

you guys are really working my head!
there's so much I want to offer. I know I want to have massage therapy, and herbal therapy....and now I'm thinking of even more...Having a big yard full of beautiful plants that will make anyone feel at home, so you can meditate...or do anything under the moon sounds like a WONDERFUL idea Mato :sunny: I'm definitely going to have to think more about this.
Adia

[*Adia*]

something I forgot..
I know that I'd be looking for a bigger, so everyone can fit!, house a little out in the country. I can also say that it wouldn't be very religious. I wouldn't push anything on my guests. They can come, relax, get spiritually cleansed..and leave feeling refreshed, and ready for anything.

[Lavender]

One thing to think about is how big you want your groups to be. If they're too big, it's hard for strangers to get to know each other. I know these retreats are pretty popular here. Your's sounds so nice but too far for me! :)

[Niamh]

If I had the money, I'd be there! I love that kind of thing. Sometimes family members get me gift certificates for facials, massage, etc. It's wonderful.

I think it's a wonderful idea, and I know you must be doing a ton of research! Good Luck!

[*Adia*]

I know that I wouldn't have too many people. Definitely groups smaller than 10. Maybe around....5-8? That sound good?
Something else I'd definitely have problems with is charging people for it. Depending on how much I put into it...yikes. its a problem area..I can see it coming. lol
any thoughts?

[Chibi-Fallon]

I voted that I wouldn't go but the public would probably be interested. I'm 14 so I don't need that kinda stuff yet. It sounds fun and interesting tho. If I were older and had money for it I would. I'm sure it would be a cool thing for my mom, she's always making me rub her back (I've actually gotten pretty good at it). So I'd buy gift certificates and stuff for her. :)
I think most people who go to spas are okay with the whole meditation and all that good stuff. So you could probably do that without to many religious issues (I can’t think of any religion that forbids you from meditation).
You could have a theme too! You could have like one room that looked like a jungle and had like a misty thing like the jungle and lots of tall plants. Dude! That'd be so cool. And you could have tropical island room, and outback or something. That'd be cool!
You could have different animals focused on in each room then people could choose a favorite animal and get massaged or whatever in there. That’d be fun. I have so many ideas it's insane. It's to bad I never get anything done. 8O

[Rubi Waters]

OOOHH yes yes yes yes !!!! I would definitely go somewhere like that .it sounds wonderful

[Sequoia]

If I had the money, time, and had any clue where Ontario was and how to get there from here. . . I'd be there in a flash!!! ^__^ sounds great!!!!

[mato]

Ok than so about 5-8 ppl in a large country house for what an afternoon? What is the time frame for these things?

Oooo Plants! What kind and what setting, potted or grounded? Movible or stationary? Is it going to be seasonal late spring- early fall? Or year round?
Is there going to be an accompanying store/classes/workshop/whatever? Would you be specializing in any particular clientell? Like are you going for the average person or the pagan group (cause posting this here suggests pagan but I dont want to jump to conclusions)? Family or a Mom and Dad thing or singles thing? The possibilities and requirements vary accordingly... Elemental or other (steam, pool, mud, aroma, and spiritual stuff?)

What about growth and employees? Small buisness capabilities? Expansion in the future? Growth plan?

[WynnJera]

Mato ~ Wehre are you ~ Maybe you can be her silent partner with allthose Q's I am sure she will have it all convered ~ If I lived closer to you ~ I would be in for sure ~ Help out even ~Sorry I am in Alberta ~ Maybe I will come there for a get away from Jay ~ BB ~ WynnJera ~

[Flaire-FireStar]

If I ever moved back to Ontario, I would so go there. :) (Sounds like a great idea!!) I would be more in the meditation thing, rather than the massages (don't like them... I think they hurt my muscles rather than helping them :lol: 8O)



If I had the money, time, and had any clue where Ontario was and how to get there from here. . . I'd be there in a flash!!! ^__^ sounds great!!!!

(I love this question) Get a plane to Toronto.. (Ontario is just north of the great lakes *has gone swimming there a time or two*) and then probably drive to the retreat..

Adia, where in Ontario would it be? Northern, southern (near here or there?) :D

[flar7]

I would recommend having some more help on hand, a staff of 4
to 5 would be about right. Larger place but simple to keep
expenses down. You will need more customers than 5 at a time
unless its a daily thing, or else you would have to charge a lot to
cover your overhead. Seasons is another thing, you probably
have some fierce and long winters. That can be good or bad,
good if you are open for local people, but bad for out of towners.

[Doctor Oakroot]

Sort of depends on your costs and target market...

Business like this that succeed have one or both of two things going for them...

1. you already own the land outright so you can ingnore the real estate costs in your profit/loss calculation, and/or

2. you market to a "new age" (vs. pagan/wiccan) audience. (New agers expect to pay through the nose for stuff, but pagans/wiccans expect stuff to be free, or almost free).

[Danustouch]

While I think that might be a slight over generalization, Doctor, I can understand where you're coming from. I've only ONCE met a RICH Wiccan. But I know plenty of Yuppies with New Age leanings. What's up with that? LOL.

[*Adia*]

Wow...on one hand you guys are great for giving me ideas, but on the other you're really drilling a lot out of me! LOL not that its a bad thing or not...so i"ll try to answer all questions!

I was thinking about more people to a group....maybe ...I don't know. 10-15. maybe some place around there.
It would be an all year thing, and I'd definitely need a staff to help me out. THis wouldn't be for just pagans. It would be open to everyone. I'd make it...a weekend thing..or a couple of nights. Specializing in different age groups and activities each time I take on a new group of people. Have yoga....and other classes. I'd want to include tiems for just pregnant women....and then other times have just seniors over...and then moms to get away from the kids. That kind of thing.
Making sure they leave refreshed.

i'm not too sure what else to include. ....so keep on posting and maybe i'll figure it out! lol
Adia

[slovene_gds]

absolutely. i wish there WAS something that around where i live....i think id live there.........MAKE IT A HOTEL!

[Ganga]

Sounds absolutely wonderful, Adia! I hope you'll have a sauna there! I hope you'll be serving vegetarian food, too... perhaps you can hire me & my hubby ;) We're excellent vegetarian cooks:D Actually, my husband's uncle runs a centre a bit like that in central India.

[WynnJera]

slovene_gds said " i think id live there.........MAKE IT A HOTEL! "

I was thinking more along the ,ines of a Metaphysical bed and Breakfast ....

[flar7]

that would be cool too...:p

[Ball-Bhreac Ròn]

*sigh and smiles dopily* aaaaaaaaaaaah, this would be my idea of heaven....But first I'd have to find one easily accessable (ie by foot or immediate bus etc) round here (a small town in the middle of countryside) that's cheap (I don't have a job) and takes under-18s.......aw, I wish there was one now....

[Wyrdsister]

I voted "yes, I'd attend" because I live in Ontario and I'd hopefully be able to afford attending. Keep us posted, okay? :D

Wyrdsister

[Aylwyn]

I think that sounds really nice. I wouldn't be able to attend though, because my spouse has severely sensitive skin and I wouldn't want to go without her.:)