Meet Olena Fosforova, Massage and Bodywork Therapist

Olena Fosforova is a licensed massage and bodywork therapist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is the owner of Olea Inc, where therapists use muscle testing within massage therapy, which is effective in treating various musculoskeletal problems like back pain, carpal tunnel, and headaches. She has a special interest in providing NeuroKinetic Therapy.

1. What drew you to the field of massage therapy?

I was fortunate to be introduced to massage therapy very early in my life. My grandmother, who was both a nurse and a massage therapist (holistic medicine works hand in hand with modern medicine in Eastern Europe), spoiled me with massages even before I could walk. Later in life, I saw how my grandmother's touch carried a great healing power for other people in need.

These experiences instilled in me both the belief that massage is one of life's greatest pleasures, and a desire to help others. I knew I wanted to receive a professional massage therapy education.

2. Are there some common sources of pain experienced by people who seek out massage therapy?

Lower back pain and neck pain are the main ones we see, often in people who are desk workers. But it varies a lot. People who are active have knee and hip problems. People who work in the service industry have a lot of shoulder and wrist issues. That's what makes my job interesting: solving different pain-related difficulties every day.

3. What is NeuroKinetic Therapy?

It is a corrective movement system which addresses the cause of pain: dysfunctional movement patterns stored in the brain. Simply put, this system is based on relationships within your body. Muscle testing is performed to find which functions of the muscular system have been compromised and to help us treat the compensating areas.

4. What benefits have you been seeing in your clients who have experienced NeuroKinetic Therapy?

A lot of times, palpating and the symptoms that clients complain about will give you a wrong picture of where to massage. NeuroKinetic therapy will bring you right to the root of the pain and the number of treatments is significantly minimized. For example, people who had X-rays, MRIs, and doctors' evaluations that didn't help them have come to me to with hope, and we are able to significally relieve pain after one session. People just don't realize that most of the pain they experience outside of the gut area is caused by muscular imbalances.

5. For people who haven't tried massage therapy before and aren't sure if it's right for them, what's your advice?

I always feel sorry for people who spend a lot of the hard-earned money on tests and therapies that don't help. I always recommend that clients see a massage therapist first, to rule out muscular issues. Conditions that a knowledgeable massage therapist can actually help with include but are not limited to: headaches/migraines, neck and back pain, shooting pain down the arm/down the leg, sciatica, tennis elbow/golfer's elbow, tendonitis, pain from bulging disk, carpal tunnel, plantar fasciitis, IT-Band issues, TMJD, spasming/cramping, arthritis pain, breathing problems, range of motion increase, frozen shoulder, and and and! It will be cheaper and less invasive to see a massage therapist for one thing, and if it helps, you saved yourself a lot of pain, time, and money.

Thanks, Olena!

Introducing Ride Now Motors of Charlotte, North Carolina

Ride Now Motors is a dealer of used cars in Charlotte, NC who specializes in working with dealers who have damaged or poor credit. The vehicles they provide are of the highest quality, and they have up 350 vehicles in stock to ensure that they always have what their customers are looking for. The family-run business that is Ride Now Motors prides themselves on supplying the best buying and customer service experience in the area.

1. What inspired your family to start Ride Now Motors?

As a family, we have worked within the used car industry for some time and had a broad range of experience within all sectors of car sales. We were very aware that there was a sector of the market which wasn't being catered for properly within the sub prime sector. We wanted to start dealerships which would deliver vehicles of the highest quality to our customers and still be able to offer those vehicles with sub prime financing. Much of our inventory is considerably more expensive than our competitors' inventory; however, the margins which add to our vehicles are significantly lower, allowing us to supply a more expensive vehicle at the same monthly payment than the other dealers in our market.

2. Why did you choose to specialize in helping buyers who have experienced credit difficulties?

Since the economic downturn, more and more people have faced a wide range of financial challenges and been victims of situations which were out with their control. These shoppers are people who are used to having good credit and shopping for vehicles from dealerships who treated them with the utmost respect. It is all too common for dealerships who offer sub prime financing to treat customers with contempt and make them feel like second-class citizens, which is frankly ridiculous. Ride Now Motors adheres to the highest standards and provides a high class of vehicle which has been prepared to the highest standards. The number of vehicles which we sell as a result of our customers telling their friends is proof that we are doing something right!

3. What are some of the specific ways you are able to assist buyers with poor or damaged credit?

As part of setting up Ride Now Motors, we established our own finance company so we would be in control of every aspect of the selling experience, including providing a means offering our customers with a credit line. Setting up Credit Financial Group puts us in full control of every aspect of buying, selling, and financing the best quality vehicles for our customers.

4. As a used car dealer, could you tell us a little about your strategies for finding solid cars at affordable prices for your customers?

There are a few aspects which have impacted the traditional buying processes over the course of the last ten years, and we are incredibly dedicated to finding new avenues for finding the best quality vehicles for our dealerships. We have two full-time buyers that work for us along with an extensive network of contacts throughout five states who are constantly looking for vehicles which fit our remit. We do NOT offer vehicles with salvage titles, and every vehicle goes through a very extensive multi-point check before it reaches the showroom floor. Along with these checks, we also take care of many of the cosmetics issues which a used vehicle can develop; it is attention to detail like this really sets us apart from the competition.

5. What do you do to maintain a high level of customer service and a pleasant car-buying experience?

We mystery shop our own and our competitors' dealerships on a regular basis which we believe is rather unique to us. We also use a fantastic telephone system which allows us to record incoming and outgoing calls so we can review them on a weekly basis. We don't mystery shop our own salespeople to try to be sneaky, but to discover new training opportunities and alter our policies on an ongoing basis. The wonderful reviews which our customers leave us online are a great representation of the efforts we are putting in on a daily basis.