"Working alongside over 100 RMTs over the last 23 yrs has been the most fulfilling part of my career. My mission is to make the industry better for those working within it, so that they can provide exceptional care for their patients, without compromising their own well-being"Bio:Melissa began her career in massage therapy in 2000. Starting out in a small space at a local community centre (where she was also a lifeguard and taught fitness classes), she opened her first little 2 room clinic in 2004. It was the skills she learned through motherhood, such as resilience, creative problem solving, resourcefulness and multi-tasking that inspired her to take the plunge into business ownership. Fast forward to all kinds of adventures while raising 2 lovely daughters, such as moving to a larger clinic, and opening a new clinic in Almonte (2011) and continuing to expand and grow her flagship Kanata North clinic.In October 2017, after wearing so many hats for so many years, she decided it was time to retire her massage therapy license so that she could devote her energy to what has become her passion; advancing the massage therapy industry and supporting her exceptional team grow in their careers. This change brought some wonderful opportunities. In September 2018, relax. Greenbank (at Hunt Club) opened (2 days before a tornado that shut us down for a week), then in October, Melissa expanded to 4 clinics with the purchase of relax. Ottawa (Kent St). She enjoyed a great year before the pandemic threw the biggest curveball. This challenge gave rise to new ideas and iterations, which provided the lifeboat to forge ahead. Since then, she has added another location in historic Perth, Ontario, also launched "relax.U", a place for RMTs to learn, teach, collaborate and grow. She has also opened 2 locations under the "relax.luxe" banner at the Westin Ottawa Health Club (2021) and the Fairmont Chateau Laurier (2023). When not at one of the relax. clinics, Melissa can be found 60ft underwater (scuba diving), exploring countries closer to the equator, waterskiing on Christie Lake, lifting heavy weights, playing ball hockey, listening to podcasts, attending a networking event or teaching the occasional business course."To refrain from imitation is the best revenge" Marcus Aurelius