Today we’d like to introduce you to Regina Close.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Massage therapy was something I was always drawn to. Right after high school, I toured a few massage schools but ultimately decided to pursue a degree in business management first. After earning my associate’s degree, I moved to Florida to be closer to my now-husband and began working as an event coordinator and restaurant manager in Tampa.
While I enjoyed parts of that role, the pace and stress eventually took a toll. That was when I revisited the idea of becoming a massage therapist. I needed a career that felt more aligned with what I wanted: meaningful work, a calmer environment, and interactions with people who were genuinely grateful for the service being provided. I graduated from Cortiva Institute in Pinellas Park, Florida, and shortly after, we moved back to Missouri.
Back home, I began working as an independent contractor in Washington, MO. Over the next ten years, my schedule steadily filled, and I found myself coming in early, staying late, and working days off to accommodate more clients. While that was rewarding, it wasn’t sustainable. At the same time, I watched many incredibly talented therapists leave the industry due to challenges on the business side. Not because they didn’t love the work, but because they didn’t have the training or desire to learn and understand the business side of things. They ultimately wanted to come in, do what they loved the most: work with clients and go home to their family.
That experience shaped my purpose. I wanted to create a place where therapists could focus on what they do best, while being supported by a strong, ethical business foundation. I was also intentional about building a team-centered culture where it’s celebrated, not discouraged, for clients to see more than one provider when it serves their best interest. Collaboration, not competition, has always been central to our model.
Over the past eight years as Washington Green Spa & Wellness, we’ve grown into a multi-service wellness business and have been able to offer benefits that are still uncommon in much of our industry outside of large corporations, including paid time off, health insurance, complimentary monthly services, and ongoing hands-on education. In 2023, we launched our Massage Apprentice Program to help support and retain new therapists entering the field, and we’re preparing to welcome another round of apprentices in 2026.
Most recently, in August, I made the decision to return to school to become a licensed esthetician. I’ll be graduating in late spring of 2026. Continuing my education feels like a natural extension of my commitment to understanding every facet of the services we offer and leading from experience, not just oversight.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not always been a smooth road. Like most small businesses, growth came with its fair share of challenges. There were seasons of financial uncertainty, staffing struggles, learning curves around systems and leadership, and moments where we had to make difficult decisions that didn’t always feel comfortable in the moment but was for the best overall.
What carried us through was a willingness to adapt and to stay rooted in why we started in the first place. Every challenge forced us to strengthen our systems, clarify our standards, and lead with more intention. Looking back, those hard seasons were essential in shaping the business we have today.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Washington Green Spa & Wellness?
Washington Green Spa & Wellness is a multi-service wellness spa rooted in personalized care, sustainability, and community. We offer massage therapy, advanced skincare, sound therapy, halotherapy, and thoughtfully curated wellness services designed to support both physical and mental well-being. While our service menu has expanded over the years, our focus has always remained the same: creating a space where clients feel seen, supported, and genuinely cared for.
What we’re most known for is our client experience.
We prioritize thoughtful consultations, consistency, and ease and we intentionally use eco-friendly, organic, and responsibly sourced products whenever possible. We’re also known for offering services that go beyond relaxation alone, including pain management, prenatal care, lymphatic support, and restorative therapies that meet clients where they are in life.
What truly sets us apart is our team-centered model. We’ve built a culture where collaboration is encouraged, not competition, and where clients are supported by a collective of skilled providers rather than tied to a single individual. That structure allows us to care for clients more sustainably while also protecting the longevity and well-being of our therapists; something I’m deeply proud of.
What I want readers to know most is that our brand is intentionally built. Every service, partnership, and offering is chosen with care for the client, for the provider, and for the community we serve. We’re not trying to be everything to everyone; we’re here to do meaningful work, provide exceptional care, and create a wellness experience that people can truly rely on.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are many ways people can work with, collaborate with, or support us. The most direct way is by becoming a client and experiencing our services firsthand. We also offer memberships and service series for those who value consistent self-care and want to build wellness into their routine.
We love collaborating with like-minded businesses, wellness practitioners, and community organizations who share our values around sustainability, education, and whole-person care. Whether that looks like co-hosted events, educational workshops, referral partnerships, or community initiatives, we’re always open to meaningful, mutually supportive collaborations.
Supporting us can also be as simple as spreading the word: referring friends and family, engaging with our content, leaving reviews, and showing up to our events. As a small, community-rooted business, that kind of support makes a real impact and helps us continue to grow in a thoughtful, sustainable way.
At the heart of it, we value relationships. Whether someone engages with us as a client, collaborator, or supporter, we believe the best work happens when it’s built on trust, shared values, and a genuine desire to support well-being.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.washingtongreenspa.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/washingtongreenspa
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/washingtongreenspa
Image Credits
Photogenics on Location
