Once Calais Tuddles got her hands on her dream, she couldn’t let go. And the results of her perseverance and determination paid off when she opened her own business, Soothing Hands Massage, in 2020.

Tuddles, a Detroit native who has called Belleville home for the last 17 years, worked at various massage businesses over the years. She worked hard, learned and gained valuable experience as she always kept her dream at the forefront.

“I’ve always loved the small-town Midwest feel of Belleville and have always wanted to operate my business out of this beautiful commercial property that looks like a comfy dwelling,” she said.

Tuddles has been a massage therapist for over 20 years and started her training right after high school, along with pursuing a degree in business administration. She started working in spas in Detroit and the surrounding suburban areas after she graduated from Irene’s Myomassology Institute in 2005.

“While working for spas instead of starting my own, I pushed my dreams aside to just get by,” she said. “I wondered why I waited so late to go after my dream but I learned a lot in the process and that is paying off now. Working for others taught me what kind of boss I would like to be and what kind of boss I do not want to be so I believe it was all in God’s timing.”

During this time, Tuddles had to overcome her own personal struggles that she said also helped her learn and grow as a person and “made me a better person."

In October 2020, she went from employee to employer and hasn’t looked back.

“I opened Soothing Hands Massage during the pandemic when salons were opening back up,” she said. “I was on my way into surgery when I noticed a ‘for lease’ sign in the window of the beautiful place on Main Street that I always dreamed of operating my business out of. As I was getting prepped for surgery, I decided to call the realtor.”

While still “healing and bandaged up,” Tuddles met with the realtor and the landlord of the building and signed on the dotted line. “While I was laying in the comfortable hospital bed I told myself that I need to go after my dreams while I can and have the resources to do so,” she said.

Soothing Hands Massage is a solo massage practice for self-care that specializes in deep tissue and anxiety-relieving soothing massage. Tuddles also is skilled in other modalities such as hot stone, aromatherapy and reflexology, all offered at Soothing Hands Massage.

“I want my place of business to be an oasis for those who need and seek self-care wellness,” she said. “Life gets busy and hard for all of us and we store stress in our bodies and it affects us mentally and physically so we need to make time for ourselves to do something that enriches us.”

Come into Soothing Hands Massage for your self-care massage. With the holidays coming up, pain relief and relaxation make a great gift. You can purchase gift certificates online at www.soothinghandsmassage.com, where you can also schedule an appointment.

“I’ll see you soon!” Tuddles said.