Philadelphia Manager Uses Her Degree To Turn Her Passion Into A Career
Cara Street, is the manager of Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa in Millville, New Jersey. Hand & Stone is a 160-plus unit massage and facial spa chain with a mission to bring massage and facial services to the masses. She started her career while attending college - allowing her to have both a work and school learning experience. Massage therapists are usually required to have a post-secondary education program of 500 or more hours of study and experience, These standards usually vary by state. Most states require massage therapists to have a license or certification, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment of massage therapists is projected to grow 23 percent from 2012 until 2022, which is much faster than most occupations.
What is your educational background?
"I graduated from Wilmington University, with a degree in business management."
What is your background in management?
"Before Hand & Stone, I was in management for another spa in the Philadelphia area. When I began school at Wilmington, I found Hand & Stone as they were just getting ready to open the Millville location. With my background and career goals, it was a perfect fit for me to apply for a management position with them."
How has your education fueled your management success?
"I really enjoyed the fact that I was in school while I was managing. It allowed me to get hands-on experience to supplement the lessons I was learning every day. It also allowed me to get feedback on different techniques to try both in class and at the spa."
What advice would you give someone who is pursuing a career in business management?
"My advice to anyone who is getting into management would be to make sure you find an industry that you are passionate about. For me, health and wellness is something I enjoy, so it makes every day that much better."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
