April 11, 2022
BBW MEMBER INTERVIEW: Monique Illona, Massage Professional
What is your name?
Monique Illona.
What is your occupation?
I am a Massage Professional.
What is your business name?
How long have you been a Boston Business Women’s Member?
Less than 1 year.
What is your instagram handle?
What is your linked in URL?
Were you born and raised in Boston? If not, what brought you here?
I was born and raised in England. I moved to the U.S. in the early 80’s and went to art school in NY. Grad school brought me to Cambridge, MA and I opened my massage business in Brighton in 1991 and my husband and I, and my business moved to the north shore in 2004.
Tell us more about your job or company and what led you to your career?
Hand in Hand Massage is a one-woman award-winning, 5-star TripAdvisor business that was established in 1991. I was drawn to this profession as a deep means of facilitating an ease of being, an awareness and release of stress, anxiety and tension, and creating a bridge to a sense of wholeness and health.
What would your clients say about you and your company?
One of recent clients sums this up well. She says, ''I feel free, I feel ''seen'', I feel understood both verbally and non-verbally. I felt you were entirely tuned in to my needs.''
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
The only way through is directly through, over, under or around. Be creative, be fluid, be determined, be easy, don’t give up and you’ll get there.
What is your favorite book?
The next book I write: HairStories.
What is your secret weapon? An app, a tool, a organization method, anything?! (Can be a personal or professional life tool)
My focus, drive, sense of determination.
What is your most recent WIN? How are you slaying it in your career or business?
I’m slaying it with my brand new website and beautiful new office and the clients I have attracted who are just awesome!
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Rest assured in the knowledge that you will always follow your dreams, live your dreams and make your dreams a reality.
How do you enjoy your free time?
My loves are my husband, my art, traveling, being in nature, meditating…
What is something that not many people know about you?
My mother was French, my father Czeck/Ukrainian (long story!) and my two brothers were born in Australia while I was born and grew up in England!
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