Local Business Spotlight - Glow Birth & Body
Meet Sara Lyon, owner of Glow Birth & Body who aims to transform their clients’ pregnancy journeys into an intimate experience through nurturing bodywork and highly sought-after birth support. As their family of massage therapists, birth educators and doulas has grown, they’ve been welcomed into the homes and lives of over 10,000 women - each bringing her own needs, differences, and perspectives to the massage table. Their commitment to holistic well-being goes far beyond the scope of massage therapy. They’re focused on creating lasting relationships with their clients through exceptional education, referrals and service. Glow Birth & Body was created by women, with women, for women - to redefine your pregnancy experience with love. Read on to learn more!
Give us a small backstory of how your business started.
I’ve worked in the spa industry since high school and have a degree in the sociology of women’s health from the University of Michigan - from those two vantage points, I saw a gap in care that that was longing to be filled: clinical-grade massage therapy for pregnancy and postpartum but make it luxe. As a birth educator, doula and perinatal massage therapist, I was uniquely positioned to use my spa management experience in combination with my clinical skills to build a unique practice that caters to women at any age and stage of life. While we’re known for our prenatal technique, only 50% of our clients are pregnant! The rest are a variety of ages and may or may not have kids.
What are some of your favorite moments of running your business?
Training our already talented therapists gives me a career high every single time. When a massage therapist strengthens their prenatal skillset, it means better care for more people and that’s Glow's primary mission.
What is one thing that many people may not know about you or your business?
We don’t take tips! We have a no-tipping policy because we pay our staff a living wage instead of passing the burden onto our clients. When therapists have financial security, they are able to be more grounded and creative in their treatments. My job as a business owner is to provide foundational care for our team so that they can authentically care for our clients. Instead, we partner with Chicago Birthworks Collective to empower their expert programming. We encourage clients to donate to the Collective via PayPal so more folks have access to their life-saving services.
Do you have any hobbies that you do outside of running your business?
Writing - I love the exploration of words to bring a concept to life. My second book comes out in June and I’m so excited to see it in the wild!
What are some businesses you love in Lakeview or Roscoe Village?
Vosges Haut Chocolate’s boutique in their headquarters is like Disneyland for choc-o-files - they literally call it The Chocolate Temple; Kickin’ has the cutest maternity clothes; everyone should check out Partum Health, a local company that helps families prepare for birth, postpartum and early parenthood.
What are the best ways people can support your business right now?
Buy a gift certificate for someone you appreciate, someone who needs an hour or two of totally unadulterated time to just BE. And if you love your experience at Glow, share the love with your neighbors through word-of-mouth referrals or a Google review!
