Beauty Boss: Jeff Bishop, VP of Operations at Soothe

Jeff Bishop.

Our latest Beauty Boss is Jeff Bishop, VP of Operations at Soothe—a leading on-demand service that makes it easy to book a high-quality massage in your home, hotel, or office within an hour. The company will send a certified massage therapist that has been background-checked to your door, and customers can choose from a variety of services, including couples massage, prenatal, a massage with two therapists, as well as chair and table massages.

Recently, Soothe announced the addition of CBD massage to its list of services, which are now available to customers in Southern California. Since its launch, Soothe has delivered close to one million massages worldwide, and is available in 70 markets across four countries—and continues to expand.

Soothe Launches Soothe Plus Membership Service and Soothe Stretch Program

The company also offers Soothe Plus, a yearly or monthly subscription service that offers dedicated clients a discount on Soothe services; as well as Soothe Stretch, which is offered under Soothe at Work—a corporate massage program that sends therapists to the workplace to stretch and massage employees on a subscription basis.

How to Incorporate Massage into Your Home and Office Routine

We chatted with Bishop, who shared more about his role at Soothe and what attracted him to the company, success secrets, favorite ways to relax, and more. 

When was Soothe founded and when did you join the company?

Soothe was founded in Los Angeles in 2013 in stealth mode and was launched in 2014. I joined the company a few days after our first round of funding (Series A) was completed in August of 2015.

What inspired the creation of Soothe?

Our founder, Merlin Kauffman, is very passionate about travel. He was frustrated that there was no good option to get a spa-quality massage after landing from an evening flight or which required no advanced reservation. On top of that, he learned by talking to massage therapists about their relatively low rate of compensation, and this resonated with him because his mother also works within the health and wellness industry, and he thought her work was always undervalued.

Creating Soothe helped him address these two real world issues: compensation and easy access to high-quality massage. Thanks to Soothe, now you can get a massage anywhere you want within about 60 minutes, and therapists earn approximately three times what they would earn in a traditional brick-and-mortar location.

Tell us more about your role with the company.

I have worn many hats as VP of Operations, but on a daily basis I work on general operations (legal, HR, trust and safety, therapist supply, internal communications, and PR). In the past, I have also worked on acquisition marketing, customer experience, product development, and as our company spokesperson.

What attracted you to Soothe and what do you like about working there?

Merlin was very persistent in reaching out to me as I had experience in a few other marketplace apps, and when we met he told me his story, which I found very compelling. Fun fact: I had absolutely zero experience with massage—I had never even had one. Before meeting Merlin in person, I tried Soothe and was 100% sold. Over four years later, I have learned so much about the health benefits of massage (particularly mental health benefits) and I’m obsessed with making sure that as many people as possible learn about how important it is to incorporate massage into your regular routine.

Future plans for the brand?

We are excited to launch in Germany towards the end of the year! It is our first foray into working in a country with a primary language other than English, so it will be very exciting. On top of that, we are extremely interested in CBD topicals combined with massage, and we are looking forward to turning that into some sort of product shortly.

Soothe Massage is a leading on-demand service that makes it easy to book a high-quality massage anytime, anywhere.

Who inspires you?

I’m inspired mainly by other entrepreneurs. New challenges come up every day at Soothe, and it’s exciting to try and figure out ways to combat them. One particular leader who is relevant in this space (marketplaces) is Brian Chesky at Airbnb. He has faced a lot of adversity, including legal complexity and voter referendums that have endangered his business model. I think he and his team have done an incredible job of working with communities, continuing to scale and incorporating “experiences” into their model.

At Soothe we are also passionate about experiences and we try and stay laser-focused on that as we scale. I also look up to Elon Musk of Tesla, Space X and PayPal, and Richard Branson of Virgin. Public servants who incorporate inclusivity and diversity into their platforms are also inspiring to me. Diversity is one of the keys to our recipe of success at Soothe, and I hope our next president and congressional leaders are of the same mindset.

Secret to success?

Organization! Always travel with a notepad to jot down notes or inspiration on, and keep an organized inbox and clearly laid-out calendar. I like time blocking, as it helps me accomplish my priorities without distraction. I also think working from home a few days a week is important, as it allows you to drown out any outside noise and focus clearly on your work. I also constantly work on eliminating clutter—it’s distracting and creates an uncomfortable environment to live and work in.

Beauty secrets?

I inherited great skin from my dad and I like to treat it well with Kiehl’s products that have SPF. I also have a fantastic barber who keeps me looking good with a fresh fade every 2-3 weeks. If you are ever in the Palm Springs area, check out Jose at Culture Barber Studio in Palm Desert.

Wellness tips?

I wish I could say I meditate, but I have incorporated deep breathing into my daily routine. My Apple Watch will remind me when I’m stressed to take some deep breaths (only for about a minute) and I promise you, I instantly feel better. There’s also an app on the watch that allows you to set a regular schedule and reminds you when to take a break. I get a 90-minute massage every 3-4 weeks, which really allows my body to recover from my frequent flights and drives.

Perspective is also important to keep in mind. I have a tattoo on my left inner arm that is strictly for me. When I get overwhelmed, I just look at it and remember that I’m completely able to overcome anything—I just need to put my mind to it.

Best advice?

Drop negative people in your life. Focus on friends and family who lift you up—it makes a huge difference.

From a business perspective, our Operating Partner Steve at the private equity firm that has invested heavily in Soothe, recently told me his mantra is, “Analytics over anecdotes and results over relationships” This has really stuck with me and reminds me what to focus on for continued success.

Favorite way to relax?

Go outside. Even if that just means relaxing in your backyard or balcony, get outside and ditch the phone for a few hours. It provides mental clarity and is a great way to de-stress. My favorite place to go is Joshua Tree National Park—it looks like another planet and around every curve is some incredible surprise. I would consider it a spiritual location that is a must-see when you are in Southern California. I also like to read fiction. It’s nice to escape reality for a bit. If you can, an at-home massage always helps.

For more information, visit soothe.com and follow them on Instagram: @soothe

[Images courtesy of Soothe]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk