There's no shortage of things to do here in the Scenic City. Rock City, Ruby Falls, hiking, climbing - you name it, Chattanooga's got it. But Rebecca Dennison, founder and CEO of MASAJ, said there's one thing lacking for travelers who venture to the Scenic City for some fun and adventure: a convenient way to keep their bodies healthy and loose after a long day of activity while away from home.
She is trying to change that.
MASAJ offers "wellness on the go." The mobile massage company provides in-room massages to local hotel guests.
MASAJ employs 10 professionally licensed massage therapists, an acupuncturist and a cosmetologist, who offer one- to two-hour chair and table massages, acupuncture, waxing, and hair and nail services.
Prices are comparable to other massage companies, but with far more convenience, Dennison said.
Dennison wants to emphasize that a massage isn't just a once-a-year pampering session. Rather, she describes it as a health and wellness necessity.
"There's a plethora of benefits to massage," she said. "Relieving aches and pains, releasing stress, improving posture and circulation I don't think that there's any aspect that massage isn't good for."
Athletes who come to Chattanooga to compete in events such as Ironman or any of the other countless annual races and competitions often ask for massage accommodations at their hotels, but the only hotel in the city with a spa is The Chattanoogan, said Dennison.
Weary travelers craving relaxation can benefit from these services as well, she added.
MASAJ is available to anyone in any downtown hotel - a service area the company is looking to expand.
Now in its eighth month of business, MASAJ is slowly branching outside of the downtown Chattanooga area, but needs to get the word out about its services and hire more massage therapists in order to broaden the practice, Dennison said.
Dennison moved to Chattanooga four years ago from New Jersey, where she worked as a 911 dispatcher. Once in Chattanooga, she knew she wanted to start up her own business, she just didn't know what exactly she wanted it to be.
She then attended Miller-Motte College and became a certified massage therapist. Dennison said she found her calling in the profession and knew it was the path she wanted to pursue.
"I still wanted to help people but I didn't want the high stress [of the dispatcher job]," she said.
To learn more, visit themasaj.com.
Email Carley Olejniczak at colejniczak@timesfreepress.com.