1. Strategy
Who it serves, how it makes money, and the first 90 days.
1.1 Executive summary
This business brings qualified remedial massage directly to older adults and people with limited mobility in their homes, removing the barrier of travel entirely. Demand is strong as Australia's population ages and clinic-based services remain inaccessible to many.
1.2 One-line pitch
Professional remedial massage delivered to your door, built for people who can't easily travel to a clinic.
1.3 Target market
Adults aged 65 and over, plus younger people with chronic pain, disability, or post-surgical recovery challenges, living in suburban areas. They want skilled hands-on treatment but cannot drive or sit in a waiting room. Many rely on family to arrange appointments.
1.4 Revenue model
Charge per in-home session at a flat rate for a 60-minute remedial massage as the primary stream. Add a discounted fortnightly repeat-booking package from month 4 to lock in reliable recurring revenue.
Headline price: $130
1.5 What you expect to sell
| What you sell | One sale is | Price | Starts | Most possible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-home 60-minute remedial massage session | session | $130 | From launch | 25 a week |
| Fortnightly repeat-booking package | package | $220 | Month 4 | 12 a month |
| What you sell | Month 3, conservative | Month 3, expected | Month 12, conservative | Month 12, expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-home 60-minute remedial massage session (sessions per week) | 5 | 9 | 14 | 20 |
| Fortnightly repeat-booking package (packages per month) | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
These are the founder's own assumptions. Every revenue figure in the Finance section is calculated from these counts and prices.
1.6 Competitive advantage
Eight years of aged care work means handling frail, mobility-limited clients safely and respectfully is already second nature — clinic-trained therapists without that background often struggle with exactly this client group.
1.7 Key competitors
Competitor descriptions are general. Check them against current public information.
Suburban remedial massage clinics requiring clients to drive, park, and navigate stairs — they lose every client who cannot travel independently, which is your entire market.
General mobile massage services marketed at stressed professionals and sports recovery — they use deep-pressure sports techniques and have no specific experience with older or mobility-limited bodies.
Aged care facility in-house therapists employed by residential facilities — they serve residents only, leaving the far larger community-dwelling older adult population entirely unserved.
1.8 Budget allocation
Breakdown
| Category | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment and supplies | Portable massage table, bolsters, carry bag, and quality linens | $1,800 |
| Vehicle setup | Boot organiser, fuel reserve for first eight weeks of home visits | $800 |
| Registration and professional memberships | Annual professional association membership and business registration fees | $600 |
| Marketing materials | Printed service sheets, business cards, and basic single-page website | $500 |
| Software and booking tools | Six months of a low-cost online booking and invoicing tool | $300 |
| Reserve / contingency | Emergency buffer — do not spend unless necessary | $2,000 |
Total budget: $6,000
1.9 90-day priorities
Licences, permits and registrations depend on your business and location. Check what applies to you with ABLIS at ablis.business.gov.au.
Week 1-2: Create a one-page printed service sheet — price, session length, booking number — and deliver it to five home care coordinators in your target postcodes.
Week 3-6: Book and complete your first ten paid sessions, asking each client directly for one referral to a friend or family member with similar needs.
Week 7-12: Contact every client from your first ten sessions to offer a fortnightly standing appointment at a small discount, aiming to lock in four recurring bookings.
1.10 Recommended launch markets
Postcodes within a 15-kilometre radius of your home address — tight geography cuts travel time, protecting your hourly rate. First action: map every aged care day centre and home care coordinator within that radius.
Home care package coordinators who manage services for older adults living independently — they refer clients to allied health providers regularly. First action: visit three coordinators in person in week two with a one-page service sheet.
Facebook groups for carers of elderly parents in your target suburbs — family members book on behalf of parents and share recommendations. First action: post an honest introductory message in two local carer groups in week three.
1.11 Key risks
Slow client build in month one leaves income near zero — pre-sell five sessions to friends, family or former colleagues before your official start date.
Travel time between appointments erodes your effective hourly rate — book appointments in geographic clusters on set days, never crossing suburb zones mid-day.
A no-show or late cancellation policy does not exist yet, costing real revenue — write and communicate a 24-hour cancellation policy before taking your first booking.
1.12 Test the idea
In-home 60-minute remedial massage session: you assume about 9 sales a week by month 3, at $130 for one session. Test it before you spend: ask people who fit your target market whether they would pay $130 for one session. You assume you can deliver up to 25 a week. Test it with a short trial run before you commit to that many.
Fortnightly repeat-booking package: you assume $220 for one package. Test it before you spend: ask people who fit your target market whether they would pay $220 for one package.
2. Product
The website plan: the pages needed and what each should say.
2.1 Homepage hero copy
Professional remedial massage — delivered to your door. Designed for older adults and people who find travelling to a clinic difficult. Qualified, experienced, and coming to you.
Primary CTA: Book a Home Visit
Recommended platform: Squarespace
2.2 Website pages
| Name | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Home | Immediately reassure older adults and mobility-limited clients that professional massage comes to them — no travel, no stairs, no waiting room. Capture booking intent on arrival. Squarespace suits this founder's $6,000 budget: low monthly cost, built-in booking integration, and no developer needed. |
| Services & Pricing | Clearly present the 60-minute in-home remedial massage at $130 and the fortnightly repeat-booking package, so clients and family members can decide and book without needing to call. |
| About | Build trust by showcasing eight years of aged care experience, qualifications, and professional membership, directly addressing the concerns of cautious older clients and the family members booking on their behalf. |
| Contact & Booking | Convert every visitor into a booked appointment or enquiry with a simple online booking tool, phone number, and service area postcode list — removing every possible friction point. |
2.3 Copy brief per page
Home
Hero headline and subheading stating the service comes to the client's home, naming older adults and mobility-limited people directly.
Three-icon trust strip: qualified remedial therapist, eight years aged care experience, 24-hour cancellation policy in place.
Short 'How it works' section: three steps — book online or by phone, therapist arrives at your door, treatment in your own comfortable space.
Single testimonial or introductory reassurance quote from the founder addressing family members who arrange appointments on a parent's behalf.
Services & Pricing
Service card for the 60-minute in-home remedial massage at $130, listing what is included: full assessment, treatment, and therapist brings all equipment.
Service card for the fortnightly repeat-booking package at $220, noting availability from month four and the benefit of a locked-in regular slot.
Short paragraph explaining the service area — suburban postcodes within 15 kilometres — so visitors self-qualify before booking.
Prominent 'Book a Home Visit' button repeated at the top and bottom of the page to capture decision-ready visitors immediately.
About
Founder introduction naming eight years of aged care work as the specific background that makes handling frail and mobility-limited clients safe and respectful.
Qualifications and professional association membership listed plainly — reassures both clients and home care coordinators reviewing the service.
One short paragraph addressing what makes this service different from clinic-based therapists and general mobile massage services marketed to athletes or professionals.
Photo of the founder with equipment ready for a home visit — humanises the service and reduces anxiety for first-time clients inviting someone into their home.
Contact & Booking
Embedded online booking tool as the primary element on the page, allowing clients or family members to select a date and time without a phone call.
Phone number displayed in large text for clients who are not comfortable booking online — acknowledge both options explicitly.
Postcode service area list so visitors immediately confirm their suburb is covered before attempting to book.
Brief note on the 24-hour cancellation policy — sets expectations clearly and signals that the business is professionally run.
3. Marketing
How to reach the first customers: channels, messages, and a launch campaign.
3.1 Positioning statement
Professional remedial massage at home, built around eight years of aged care experience — a mobile service built from day one around frail and mobility-limited clients.
3.2 Key messages
Professional remedial massage delivered to your door — no travel, no stairs, no waiting room. Book a Home Visit today.
Eight years in aged care means frail and mobility-limited clients are treated with the skill and care they deserve, in their own home.
Family members: book a home visit for your parent in minutes online — experienced, qualified, and coming to them.
3.3 Target channels
| Channel | Why it fits | First action |
|---|---|---|
| Home care coordinator direct outreach | Coordinators manage allied health referrals for community-dwelling older adults — your exact audience — and a single coordinator can refer multiple clients monthly. | Visit three home care coordinators in your target postcodes this week with a printed one-page service sheet listing your price, session length, and booking number. |
| Local carer community groups on social networks | Adult children arranging services for elderly parents gather in local community groups on major social networks — they share trusted providers and book on a parent's behalf. | Write and post an honest two-paragraph introduction in two local carer or seniors community groups in your target suburbs this week, linking to your website's booking page. |
| Printed materials at aged care day centres | Older adults with limited mobility attend day centres in your service area — a printed flyer placed at reception reaches them and the staff who support their daily needs. | Drop five printed service sheets at aged care day centres and community health centres within your 15-kilometre radius before the end of this week. |
3.4 Content plan
A plain-language one-page printed service sheet: what the session includes, the $130 price, your service area postcodes, and a single large booking phone number — handed directly to home care coordinators.
A short, honest written post in local carer community groups describing what an in-home remedial massage session looks like for an older adult who cannot travel, ending with a direct link to Book a Home Visit.
A simple A5 flyer with your name, photo, service description, and website address — designed to sit on a day centre noticeboard or reception desk and be picked up by clients or their support workers.
3.5 Launch campaign
Name: Treatment Comes To You
Concept
A four-week local push targeting carers and coordinators simultaneously — printed materials in the field while honest personal posts in carer groups online drive people to Book a Home Visit, building the first five confirmed bookings before week four ends.
Timeline
4 weeks: weeks 1–2 distribute printed sheets and post in carer groups, week 3 follow up with coordinators by phone, week 4 convert enquiries into confirmed bookings.
What to measure
Five confirmed paid bookings secured by end of week four — one session covers the full marketing materials spend.
3.6 Budget allocation
Breakdown
| Category | Purpose | Amount | Paid from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing materials | Printed service sheets, business cards, and A5 flyers for coordinator and day centre distribution. | $500 | Marketing materials |
Total budget: $500
4. Finance
The numbers: projections, costs, and what is needed to break even.
All figures are before tax and before anything you take out of the business.
4.1 Financial summary
Start-up money goes into equipment, vehicle readiness, professional credentials, and printed materials. Monthly costs stay lean — a hosted website builder subscription and fuel are the recurring commitments. Sessions per week are what drives everything. The cost of consumables in every treatment — linens, supplies, fuel per visit — is the number to watch against each booking. This is a draft financial plan, not financial advice. Review every figure with a qualified accountant before acting on it.
4.2 Your key figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Total start-up spend | $6,000 |
| Budget left unspent | $0 |
| Cash still available after day one | $2,000 |
| Fixed costs each month, months 1–2 | $30 |
| Fixed costs each month, months 3–6 | $230 |
| Fixed costs each month, month 7 onwards | $280 |
| How long your cash lasts | 9.6 months |
| Sales needed each month to cover fixed costs | $299 |
All figures are recalculated from the approved inputs below. Volumes stated per week are converted at 52 weeks divided by 12, and per fortnight at 26 fortnights divided by 12. Prices are the amounts the founder receives per sale. Runway assumes no sales at all.
4.3 What you spend to start
| Cost | What this money does | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment and supplies | Spent once, then gone | $1,800 | Portable table, bolsters, carry bag, and quality linens for home visits. |
| Vehicle setup | Pays 2 months of fuel and vehicle running costs up front | $800 | Boot organiser plus fuel reserve covering the first eight weeks of home visits. |
| Registration and professional memberships | Spent once, then gone | $600 | Annual professional association membership and business registration fees. |
| Marketing materials | Spent once, then gone | $500 | Printed service sheets, business cards, and basic single-page website setup. |
| Software and booking tools | Pays 6 months of online booking and invoicing software up front | $300 | Six months of a low-cost online booking and invoicing tool paid up front. |
| Reserve / contingency | Kept as cash | $2,000 | Emergency buffer — held in cash, not to be spent unless necessary. |
| Spent on day one | The lines spent once, bought as goods or paid up front | $4,000 | — |
| Kept as cash | The lines kept as cash | $2,000 | — |
| Total | $6,000 | Against a budget of $6,000 |
4.4 What you pay every month
| Cost | Each month | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hosted website builder subscription | $30 | Monthly fee for a hosted website builder including booking page. |
| Online booking and invoicing software | $50 | Low-cost scheduling and invoicing tool used daily for client management. |
| Fuel and vehicle running costs | $200 | Ongoing fuel for home visit travel across a 15-kilometre suburban radius. |
| Total each month | $280 | Paid whether or not anything sells |
4.5 What you sell
| What you sell | One sale is | Price | Cost per sale | Left over | Starts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-home 60-minute remedial massage session | session | $130 | $8 | $122 | From launch |
| Fortnightly repeat-booking package | package | $220 | $16 | $204 | Month 4 |
In-home 60-minute remedial massage session — cost per sale covers: Fresh linen and massage medium per session; travel is costed as a fixed monthly line.
Fortnightly repeat-booking package — cost per sale covers: Two sessions of linen and massage medium per package; travel is costed as a fixed monthly line.
4.6 How much you expect to sell
| What you sell | Month 3, conservative | Month 3, expected | Month 12, conservative | Month 12, expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-home 60-minute remedial massage session (sessions per week) | 5 | 9 | 14 | 20 |
| Fortnightly repeat-booking package (packages per month) | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
4.7 What that means month to month
All figures are before tax and before anything you take out of the business.
| Scenario | Money in | Cost of sales | Left for fixed costs | Fixed costs that month | Left after fixed costs | Covers fixed costs? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month 3, conservative | $2,817 | $173 | $2,643 | $230 | $2,413 | Yes |
| Month 3, expected | $5,070 | $312 | $4,758 | $230 | $4,528 | Yes |
| Month 12, conservative | $8,767 | $549 | $8,217 | $280 | $7,937 | Yes |
| Month 12, expected | $13,027 | $821 | $12,205 | $280 | $11,925 | Yes |
Left for fixed costs is money in less the cost of making those sales. Fixed costs that month are lower while prepaid items last. Left after fixed costs is what remains once that month's fixed costs are paid.
4.8 What it takes to cover your costs
At the expected month-12 mix of sales, covering fixed running costs of $280 a month takes about $299 of revenue.
Every scenario covers that month's fixed costs. Month 3's fixed costs are lower while prepaid items last, so each scenario is measured against its own month.
The one thing that moves this most: Sessions booked per week: one extra session daily compounds quickly across a month.
4.9 What these numbers assume
Five pre-sold sessions to friends, family or former colleagues before launch keep month-one income from reaching zero.
Appointments are clustered by suburb so travel time does not eat into the effective hourly rate.
Conservative month-three figure of five sessions per week reflects early referral networks producing one steady client, not three.
The fortnightly package is offered from month four once enough repeat clients exist to fill those slots.
All work is performed solo; no staff costs are assumed at this stage of the business.
4.10 What to watch
Consumables and fuel costs creep upward as session volume grows, quietly compressing the margin on each booking if not tracked per session.
A cluster of late cancellations in a single week without an enforced policy can erase the week's income while fixed costs still fall due.
Invoices paid late by clients or families managing home care funding can create a cash-flow gap that the reserve must cover sooner than expected.
4.11 Check these before you spend
Your largest start-up cost is Equipment and supplies, at $1,800. Get a written quote before you pay it.
Your largest monthly cost is Fuel and vehicle running costs, at $200 a month. Check that figure before you commit to it.
Each session costs $8 to deliver. Check that against a supplier's price before your first sale.