Former PSCO who set up her own workplace massage business has launched a franchise

Helen Richards, who previously worked for the police, set up The Little Calm Company in 2017 after her husband Ron, who was also a police officer, suffered from a heart attack.

Described as the ‘unofficial office masseuse’, she launched the business to help provide her services to people in offices across the south.

She said: ‘So many of my colleagues complained about their aches and pains. Poor posture, sitting in front of computers for hours, and an increase in workload contributed to low morale, high sickness rates and a lack of wellbeing.

Massage has always come naturally to me and after giving some quick five-minute massages to colleagues, and seeing how it gave people that “boost”, I decided I was on to something.

‘I gained my massage diploma and since then I have been mastering the best way to reduce stress in the workplace.’

With no previous massage training she left her job and started out with no clients. 

The mum-of-two has now built up 65 clients over 18 months throughout Portsmouth, Southampton, Reading, London and more.

She has now launched a franchise model which will allow her to train up to 110 people to run their own franchise across the UK.

She said: ‘I wanted to spread the wellbeing. It’s something that every workplace should have.’

Anyone from any professional background can get involved as Helen will provide them with full training, including massage, social media and marketing training.

She will use a postcode model, so that people can buy a postcode to take over from her in providing massage services to her existing clients in certain areas, so that Helen can remain more Portsmouth-based.

She is hoping to have her first four franchisees trained up and ready-to-go by Christmas.

Helen previously won an award for her services, being named Start-Up of the Year by Shaping Portsmouth at its recent annual conference. 

For more information about Helen’s services or to get involved with a franchise go to thelittlecalmcompany.com