Growing up as a beauty queen, where the rigors of the ramp and the demands of pageantry life took their toll on her aching body, Gladys Engelbrecht knows all too well the benefits of a good massage.
Now 39, the Maun native’s modeling days are long behind her; however, her mission in massage is just getting started!
With no formal training to begin with, unaware she was making the first moves towards a new profession, Engelbrecht started giving out massages during her free time while working in bush camps and safari lodges in the delta.
Eventually feeling she had outgrown life in the bush, Engelbrecht began hunting for work in town, hoping to land employment as a receptionist; fate, however, had something else in mind for her!
“One day, while looking for a job to escape the bush, I came across a spa in Maun. The lady offered to train me to become a therapist instead of a reception job I was actually looking for. That was my change. I went in and did a year of training in beauty and massages and worked to pay her off. My whole plan has always been to be my own boss. After two years I bought myself one massage table, stock and used the cottage back home in Maun to start the business,” she recalls with vivid clarity.
Confident in her new path in life, Engelbrecht opened Chinkies Massage Therapy in January 2020.
The timing proved disastrous!
Two months late, Covid-19 hit, bringing the world to a standstill, as lockdowns and death put life on hold.
By October, with the pandemic finally easing its deadly grip on humanity, Engelbrecht was ready to resume her operation, starting with a weekend outing in Ghanzi to do a job for a previous client.
Not one to waste time, spotting an oasis of opportunity deep in the desert, within a week Engelbrecht had relocated to Ghanzi, where she worked successfully for the next three years.
“I wanted to build my brand in an area where the services weren’t that common. I believe I did well because I went around introducing my services to lodges, guest houses, clinics and schools. I got clients outside Ghanzi as well because of word of mouth and social media. I’m a big fan of marketing so I sponsored page status on WhatsApp and worked well with schools, Sunday soccer teams and promoters where I offered influencers treats who in return offered to market my business.”
Ready for a new challenge and a bigger marker, in December 2023, Engelbrecht swapped the desert stars for the bright lights of the big city, setting up Chinkies Massage Therapy in Mogodtishane.
“I was welcomed by the same people who I met in Ghanzi and they too recommended me to their friends. My pressure makes me different from other spas in the city. Where I come from, I massaged tired tourists who have been travelling for weeks and farmers who toil tirelessly in the fields. There are so many fancy spas in Gaborone but I know I stand out because of my hospitality and the kind of pressure I offer. All my massages are offered with hot stone and I do stretching – Thai massages on the mattress and massage table,” explains the passionate masseuse, who specializes in deep tissue therapy, cupping, dry heel treatment and facials.
She also offers her services door-to-door, an option that is especially popular with senior citizens.
Prices start from P150, for hand, foot soak scrub and massage, while P400 gets you a full body massage.
Depending on the product used, facials cost as little as P250, while ‘enzyme chemicals foot treatment’ is priced at P400 and include back and foot massages as well as a pedicure.
Reflecting on her progress to date as well as her plans for the future, the business owner says, “Starting business during Covid-19 time was hard but I’m proud of myself that I made it then and if given the opportunity now I would nail it here in Gaborone. For now I’m still getting my feet and trying to build more clientele. Finding a perfect space has been my biggest challenge because I wanted a homely environment where clients would feel save and relaxed.”
Although her massages are the perfect tonic for those looking to treat tired limbs, Engelbrecht’s main customer base consists of: the elderly, those working in tiring environments, experiencing body pains or recovering from an accident.
“My massages are ‘painful nice’ but very worth it. I have clients who are on monthly subscription who come in regularly as they depend on it. I offer training as well and the same girls would work for me till they wish to go solo. So far I have trained three in Ghanzi who all came to Gaborone,” said Engelbrecht, who is working on registering a beauty and massage school to empower anybody who wants to generate income.
