An interview with 25 year local, woman owned business, Jackie Wilson of The Natural Touch

An interview with 25 year local, woman owned business, Jackie Wilson  of The Natural Touch located at 219 Capitol Street in Denham Springs.

April (Chamber President | CEO) - 
Hey, good morning. I am April here with the Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce. We are here with Jackie Wilson. Today. She has a great milestone; she is celebrating 25 years in business.  We really wanted to come out and talk to her about that. We are in one of the massage rooms. It is called the Louisiana room. And it is so soothing and a wonderful experience just sitting in here already. So, Jackie, tell me, how did you get started in this business? 
 
Jackie (Owner of The Natural Touch) - 
I worked for over 20 years as a chiropractic assistant, working with people who had pain and health issues. From that industry, I saw the need for more muscle work, along with what they were already doing. So, I got my massage license and began my massage business.
 
We are not a Spa.  Massage is the only thing that we do, and I make sure that our therapists are very well trained to do therapeutic massage and to be able to collaborate with people who have Pain. So, pain is a big thing.
 
April - 
Let us back up just for a second. So, tell me, first you set up your own business. What was your first setting, location?
 
Jackie - 
That was quite an experience because you know, just going out and saying “I'm going to start a business. “You know, it's on you. You have to get a place. You have to get financing and all the things that go with opening a business.
And so it was quite an ordeal, but I was very determined.  I bought this building. Failure was just not in my vocabulary.  I had a mortgage to pay to take care of this. 
 
I was working with a lot of patients who had come from the chiropractic office and began to build on that. Most of my referrals came from my clients.   Those were the best ones because they come in and they already know you have a good reputation.  We built from that.
 
Now we have six therapists in the office, and we work all kind of hours.   We keep the business open for time when clients need us such late hours and Saturdays.   We're open about 60 hours a week, and our therapists are wonderful. They are all trained to do more therapeutic massage as opposed to just relaxation massage. 
 
April - 
What has been one of the best experiences about having your own business? I mean, this is your hometown.
 
Jackie - 
It is great to live close to where you work and not have that commute every day.   We have so many clients who have been with us for many years that come in on a regular basis.   We make this part of their health maintenance and part of their healthcare. And so, the clients I guess you would say are what it's all about as far as I am concerned. 
 
April -
Any tips for women in business?
 
Jackie - 
Oh, hang in there. You know there are struggles. You know, we have hurricanes and we have floods. It takes its toll on us. But just hanging in there. And one day at a time. 
 
April - 
Lindsey, you want to help? Brag on her a little bit. 
 
Lindsey (Office Manager) - 
Well, I was thinking back in the early days when you all were talking about that she wore all the hats. She was the secretary, she was the massage therapist, she was the owner, she was the janitor, she was the financial person, all of it. She did it and built a very strong business.  
 
You were in business for 12 or 13 Years before I came in and all of nothing but referrals.  She had no advertising because she treated her clients so well that they just referred. 
 
April - 
25 years ago, this industry, massage, wasn’t the hot thing it is now. We were just talking about that in the other room. How important self-care is and where massage comes into that.   
 
Jackie - 
Right. There were no other massage businesses like this in this area.
 
April -
You are a pioneer, and I mean, seriously, it was something that people just didn't do or take advantage of or that kind of thing and you brought that here to Denham Springs.
 
Which is admirable, being a woman owned business. I understand that you've been involved in helping set ordinances and offer other expertise as a long-term business owner advising on things that have to do with business in our area.
 
Anything else you want to say about your business?   You started at the Capitol St. location. This is where you bought, and the flood pushed you out of here for a bit.  But you've been back here since 2020? 
 
Jackie - 
We grew so fast that we moved to a building that was larger. When we flooded over there, we moved back in at Capitol St, and then redid the building and felt like we were coming home.
 
Lindsey - 
She plays a big part in the students that are coming out of massage schools. 
 
Jackie -
We're very involved with medical training college. And then, Lindsey teaches business classes there.
 
Lindsey -
She's always involved whether it’s offering encouragement to new therapists and bringing them in and mentoring. That is what she is best at. She loves being in the massage room. And she is best at mentoring because she has so much knowledge to give.
 
April - 
Thank you to both of you. This is at the center of what we do, getting people in the room together so that they can share their experiences and knowledge.  We find even competing businesses are willing to help each other and find a way to collaborate, which helps them all. It is just a great community of the business leaders and business owners and people who are part of the chamber here in our area and wanting to see each other succeed.
Congratulations again on this impressive milestone.  We look forward to many more.