Exploring Life & Business with Bethany Butler of Opulence Men’s Massage & Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bethany Butler.

Hi Bethany, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.  
Looking for a change, I wanted to pursue something that would energize me as I helped to energized and rejuvenate others. What came from that exploration was the power of touch and how it had always been a part of my life without me even realizing it. Always ready to give an encouraging hug, it was only natural that I was drawn to massage therapy. 

For me, massage therapy is a healing of the body as well as the mind. And when both are in sync, you have the ability to live in abundance on all levels. 

Honoring the memory of my husband, it is my desire to create a masculine atmosphere where men can experience the benefits of massage therapy, as well as instill a feeling of abundance and wellness within them. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been challenges along the way, a few that come to mind immediately are graduating right before Covid pandemic, having to make a mindset shift from employee to entrepreneur, and navigating social media/marketing. 

I resigned from my corporate position as Accountant to pursue massage therapy. The plan was to start working in the industry soon after graduation. I graduated in February 2020, by March 2020, businesses were closed. I would have to wait to take my national exam and to find employment. In the meantime, I was still employed part-time as an accountant; however not knowing when or if I would be able to transition into my new career was disheartening. I began to wonder if I had made the right decision and would I be able to support myself as a massage therapist. However, as I was questioning myself, I kept moving forward, studying for my national exam, practicing my skill on anyone I could, that was brave enough to let me touch them during the pandemic. I started brainstorming names for my business, really doing anything to keep me focused on my goal of starting Opulence Men’s Massage & Wellness. 

Two of my biggest challenges have been mindset shift and navigating social media/marketing. 

As an employee, I was responsible for only my specific duties. As entrepreneur, I’m responsible for everything; I’m the CEO, CFO, Provider of the Service, Accountant, Secretary, Customer Service, and whatever other position not filled. AND still a mother, grandmother, and caregiver to family. whew chile, OK. I had to find balance, not overthink and realize I have to prioritize on any given day who/what I need to show up as. I have had to learn to say “NO” a lot! Most importantly, I have had to learn to move forward at my own pace and not compare myself to others. BE authentic to my purpose and proceed in a way that feels authentic and good for me. 

Social Media…UGGH….it’s still a struggle. Until I decided to start my business, I was not on any social media platforms. Learning to connect with people on social media would be easy for most people. I’m not a fan of sharing aspects of my life with people I don’t know, and that is what makes social media social. Also, as a result of becoming more familiar social media the more I began to realize I know very little about marketing. I very gradually adjusting to the new way of doing business, learning as I go. Definitely realizing if I am not talking about what I do and why I do it, connecting to others that desire my services, I ultimately may not have a business. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Opulence Men’s Massage & Wellness provides therapeutic massage to men at all wellness levels. The goal is to incorporate an overall holistic approach to self-care; while providing an amazing service in a relaxing environment, opening dialog to other aspects of wellness 

When I decided to start my business, I wanted to create a space that honored my husband’s memory, the health/life challenges he faced. (Heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, depression, recovering alcoholic). Be the voice to/for other men that taking care of themselves first is very important. 

Most men (primarily African American men) don’t traditionally take care of themselves without the help of a spouse or significant other. Men will work, make sure everyone else in the family is taken care of, and put themselves last. Opulence allows me to share my experiences with the men that patronage my business and encourage them to take care of themselves spiritually, financially, mentally, emotionally, and physically. (5 pillars of health I believe are important) Men need to understand that to be truly healthy; they must encompass health to some degree on the 5 pillars. Opulence allows me to provide a voice to some men that may not have someone encouraging them to be their best self. Opulence allows me to be a referral source to men that may need additional help. Opulence is a safe space for men to speak about their concerns without judgment. Opulence provides a space for men to come, relax, recharge, and go back out into the world better prepared to handle the challenges they may be facing. 

I offer a range of services from deep tissue, Swedish, bodywork, manual lymphatic drainage, athletic stretch/table Thai. As well as additional add-on services; hot stone, salt stone, cupping, percussion therapy, hot towels, steam service. 

I specialize in providing a combination of deep tissue, Swedish, bodywork & Thai to custom tailor the massage based on the client’s needs. 

What sets me apart from other therapist is that my business caters to specifically to men. Providing men an exclusive space just for them. 

I am most proud brand name, “Opulence,” it means Abundance, great wealth, luxuriousness. I desire every man to know they are capable of living an abundant life, and they get to choose what that life will look like. 

My brand encompasses my purpose; I desire to see a healing of black men, to let them know they are very much needed in our family structures and communities, and change the narrative of what society is saying about black men. They ARE fathers, husbands, brothers, business owners, teachers, community leaders, whatever they choose to be but most importantly, purposeful. They have emotions, feelings and want to be heard and seen for who they really are. I don’t have any specific training or years of professional studies to sustain my beliefs, but I do have 20+ years of experience with my very own Black man, that I watched evolve into the best version of himself and whom I loved dearly. 

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Make sure when looking for a mentor that the person aligns with who you are as a person and can add value to your vision. There are a lot of great mentors, and one can feel empowered by listening and following them only to find out that really isn’t YOUR person to get you to the next level. 

I pray a lot and go with my instinct about people. I have come to realize that someone can inspire me in the moment but to think about who I am as a person, ask questions to see if there is an alignment with whom I’m considering to work with. Does my work/personality style complement the other person? Do they complement me? 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.opulencemassage.com
• Instagram: @opulencemensmassage
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/OpulenceMensMassage

Image Credits
Jamar Caldwell