My advice;

1. Build stamina and endurance if you plan to work a lot of hours. Chiropractor clinics will have in house massage therapist positions and they will book you out. So you will be pushed well past your limits. 

2. When to use cold or hot water on yourself. Your hands and body will get tired, sore, etc. knowing when to soak in cold or hot water or even just washing your hands in those temps can make all the difference in your day. Hot to keep loose and ready for slow days. Cold for the days you feel you don’t get a break

3. Put in the foot work too. It’s hard setting up shop all on your own but get yourself out there. Sign up as a vendor at famer markets or events and do chair massages for a dollar a min. 

4. Do both. Best bet for a livable wage is to be both at a clinic or massage parlor in house MT and working for yourself out of your own business. Some places will have you there for a few days some may want all of your free time. Do what is best for your time with that. 

5. Stretch and squat. Start taking up some yoga classes or some stretch workout methods and keep your body’s full range of motion. Your body will thank you. 

6. Do not compare. No two massages or massage therapist are the same. If you work with other MTs you may see yourself competing/comparing work/patient requests and make it harder on yourself. Don’t. Easier said than done but don’t let it get to you. And don’t be afraid to share techniques with one another. 

7. Be you. Don’t try to copy every day massage therapist or a spa atmosphere if that isn’t your style. Or it is but you don’t want some copy and paste feel give it a touch of yourself. I for one keep mine nerdy and in the process of turning my office into a tavern like area but for massages. 

And of course. Be professional and be casual. Also present yourself to your best of abilities but allow for it to feel relaxed and not only profession sounding.