Alumnus Highlight: Success in Rural Manitoba
The worst feeling in the world can be when we find out that we are not able to graduate with our class and instead come back in the fall to complete the class we didn't quite pass. We can feel as though we have failed ourselves, our family and all those who made sacrifices for us to make the commitment to become a massage therapist. But the truth is that failing one subject (or even three) doesn't make us a failure.
A friend once told me that FAIL only means, "First Attempt in Learning." And in fact those first attempts can spur us on to achieve greater results next time and ultimately accept the tough challenge of reaching our goals.
Tracy Dumont, owner of Oak Island Massage Therapy, located at 2&3-449 Main Street in Ile des Chenes, Manitoba, has been incredibly successful of achieving her business dreams. Her graduating year was 2008 but needed to come back in the fall of 2008 to complete one class before achieving her Diploma of Remedial Massage Therapy on February 25, 2009. Tracy says, "I believe the review made me a better massage therapist."
When Tracy first wanted to become a massage therapist, her aim was to help people feel better both mentally and physically. Today, she holds on to those same reasons as to why she continues to practice massage therapy. She credits her confidence in business to Randy Ellingson, Owner of Wellington College and business class teacher. "Having Randy teach Intro to Business gave me all the accounting basics I needed to know [and] his business and massage therapy expertise in general was a great help," she explains.
She also recognizes that the instructors at Wellington College gave her what she needed to feel confident in starting Oak Island Massage Therapy.
"From Sheila's passion and motivational talks to the way Randy made anatomy seem so easy when I'd go ask him to explain something that I didn't grasp.
Janie's clinic management class was where I started brainstorming ideas for opening my own business.
And to this day, I still hear Monica and Dale's voices in my head when I come across different scenarios in my clinic and what i can do to help my clients.
Also having Virginia as my student clinic supervisor and all her experience and knowledge that she passed onto me.
Thank you."
Tracy will be celebrating ten years in 2018 of business with Oak Island Massage Therapy in Iles des Chenes. She focuses on therapeutic treatment, however over the years she has heard from clients that they continue to see her and refer others to her clinic because she intertwines relaxation massage with effective therapeutic techniques. "They feel like they get the best of both worlds," she explains.