Women in Business Feature

All People Massage

Business Spotlight: Liberty with All People Massage

Small businesses are the bones of Downtown Oregon City, and one of our women-owned businesses is making sure that physical and mental well being is top of mind. Continue reading to learn about Liberty Adams, owner of All People Massage, and how she supports the bodies of our community members.

Liberty Adams is a massage therapist and the owner of All People Massage, where she focuses on whole body wellness with every body in mind. Liberty started All People Massage because she wants everyone to feel welcome and deserving, saying “everyone is worthy of the good things that make them feel better.” She’s humbled and encouraged when she can provide relief to someone who’s been living with pain. 

“’I’m intimately aware of how pain can really take a hold of your life and make it hard to enjoy the simple act of just being. I do what I do so that I can help people walk through that for themselves.” – Liberty Adams

A client online raving: “Such a fantastic massage studio. A perfect little oasis in a convenient location. Calm serene atmosphere and Liberty is not only an amazing masseuse but an incredible person. Highly recommend.” -Review on Massage Book

Dream catchers from AURAGON & tree watercolor from Wolf + Bear

Liberty grew up in a small town near Oregon City, and remembers visiting Main Street in the 90’s, but back then it looked deserted and the stores felt empty. She’s witnessed Oregon City’s rebirth, saying “I saw the changes of Oregon City becoming a place that was alive. A place that had so much history and interesting culture steeped in.”  She further mentions when deciding to open up her business, she was attracted to the community feel of Oregon City.

 “I was proud of what I saw the community doing by working together to help market each other equally and it really felt like a community of businesses not an arena for competition.”

All People Massage is conveniently located at 704 Main St Suite 225, Oregon City, OR & her suite is located up the stairs inside the building.

Liberty loves that her massage suite is nestled in between the arch bridge and the municipal elevator; that she can enjoy a walk up the 100-year old staircase to the historic homes that hug views of the Willamette Falls and downtown area. It really doesn’t feel like work to Liberty

When Liberty isn’t working with clients, she’s spending her time with her partner and her dog Sherlock (who you might have the pleasure of meeting during one of your therapy sessions!). Liberty reads a lot, takes walks and loves to ride her bike. She once took a year and travelled around in an RV! She has a tenacious spirit and a kindred heart, it’s not surprising that so many other women-owned businesses recommend her massage services as well!

She was introduced to massage when she had a hip injury playing handball for Pacific University when she was young. Through massage, she found a new way to communicate with her skin and find pain relief for an injury that controlled many aspects of her life.

She wanted to be in a career that made her feel good and wanted to build something of her own where she can use her talents and creativity every day. So, she enrolled herself into massage school while working as a full-time bartender, and though it was hard, she eventually opened All People Massage in 2015 in Oregon City!

She takes a different approach to massage, and enjoys taking the time to help her clients discover the benefits that body work can have. She spends time working one-on-one to understand their needs, goals, and of injuries and pain points. She makes sure every client feels safe and are the ones who are setting expectations for their massage therapy session. There are a scope of massage Liberty offers, which you can read more about here.

“I want my client to have all the space and time they need to tell me what they need. There are so many different types of massage across the world that can be combined together to give you exactly what you’re looking for.” -Liberty Adams

The welcoming space Liberty promotes is filled with pieces from women artists like Moth & Myth, Coppermoon and some décor from local women-owned business Naive Melody and plants by Root and Stem.

When walking in, you’ll be met with wonderful natural light from the window above, and your visit will feel serene being surrounded by dream catchers, calming scents and lively plants. Liberty also uses her creative talents and makes soap, bath bombs and other things she uses in her shop for her clients. 

In March 2020, Liberty was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive type of breast cancer, and in a matter of a few weeks she had scans, ultrasounds, and completed biopsies. By the end of March, she heard she had cancer and started undergoing chemotherapy. This was around the time of COVID-19 and receiving the orders to close all massage therapy businesses, including her business. Most of her cancer treatments and appointments were lonely, because of the pandemic it was unsafe to allow family in the hospitals, so her partner was unable to be there. But in August, she had a mastectomy done, and recovery was intense. On top of worrying about her business, she wondered if she would ever be able to do what she loves again; but she mentions how “our brain is a wonder and will use whatever it can to distract us from trauma and situations that are just too much for us to process.”

Liberty was blown away by the kindness, love and support from the community, her clients, friends and family; that she feels proud that she made it through this far. Because of the support she received, Liberty is now working with clients part-time, and accepting appointments, and is doing the best she can as she continues the weeks left of radiation. 

Her business feels and runs differently now, and in a smaller space but even though this past year has shifted in many new ways for her; Liberty is thankful for this journey and says “it has opened my eyes to a new level of empathy, compassion, and patience that I didn’t think that I could have. I am just overwhelmed with Grace and compassion for others that have had to go through anything remotely similar that I’ve had to.”

Liberty mentions a key to balancing things has been to give herself advice as if she was her own best friend and to redefine the idea of success that aligns with the life you want to lead.  To her, success is spending time with family, taking time to care for herself, always having enough bath salts, goal setting, and keeping her spirit and soul aligned with her work.

“Don’t wait to be happy, do it now.” Is something that Liberty lives by, and she mentions how vital it is to create daily practices and build a career that allows for more flexibility and freedom in her life. She’s lived a full life, with many great relationships and has seen beautiful things. She says, “I hope that I can share even just a little bit of the overwhelming love, care and kindness that I’ve received and learned in this last year and a half.”

WHAT’S A PIECE OF ADVICE FOR OTHER ASPIRING WOMEN OR FOLKS WANTING TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESSES OR MAKE MONEY DOING SOMETHING THEY LOVE?

“My advice to any woman wanting to start their own business is…. DO IT!” 

Liberty mentions it’s okay to start a side business to see if it’ll work, she did just that when bartending and growing her massage therapy business. Google is an amazing resource, but she mentions the importance of finding other business women you trust or admire. Take them to coffee, or pay for their time to talk, because after that hour’s time, it’s amazing the encouragement and excitement you feel to go after your goals and dreams!

Liberty is here as a resource for any woman who needs encouragement towards pursuing their goals and dreams. She believes it’s important for women to hold each other up and encourage one another. So don’t be afraid to not reach out, or ask someone for advice!

HOW TO SUPPORT AND CONNECT WITH ALL PEOPLE MASSAGE 

To read more about neighboring women-owned businesses in downtown Oregon City, click here to read their stories.

THIS BLOG POST WAS WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY ASHLEYANN BURNETT, OF SIMPLE SHOT PHOTOGRAPHY, WHO IS A VOLUNTEER WITH DOWNTOWN OREGON CITY ASSOCIATION. IF YOU’RE A WOMEN IN BUSINESS IN OUR DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, CONTACT US. LOOKING TO VOLUNTEER, CHECK OUT OUR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.