Shoshana Frumkin
Owner of On the Spot Massage

“I really am excited at the thought of my story inspiring other women to have hope and inspiration to live their dream! [At Women's Initiative] I gained better parenting skills, such as conveying pitfalls of not following through, and seeing most if not all [business] interactions as 'customer service.'"
— Shoshana Frumkin

After depending on public assistance for nearly 14 years, Shoshana Frumkin has achieved success as an entrepreneur, transitioning from welfare recipient to owner of On the Spot Massage, a company that provides onsite
chair massage at workplaces throughout the Bay Area.

Shoshana began receiving public assistance, including TANF (AFDC) and food stamps, to help support herself and her son. Despite her long-standing dependence on the welfare system, Shoshana wanted to become economically self-sufficient. Shoshana had studied massage in the late 1980s and had been working cleaning houses and providing nutritional counseling. In 1998 she established an informal massage business. Because securing a loan to capitalize her informal, unlicensed business was out of the question, Shoshana saved money to buy a massage chair and office equipment. Despite her initial success, Shoshana's business was not creating enough income to enable her to leave public assistance behind.

In February 1998 Shoshana first enrolled in Women's Initiative's core business training program. Though she was unable to finish the course at that time, she re-enrolled in February 2000 and graduated that May. With the assistance of Women's Initiative's Self Employment coach, she developed a welfare-to-work self-employment plan. This plan allowed her to continue receiving TANF benefits while studying nutrition, developing a business plan, and formalizing her business.

Shoshana notes that she was able to receive public assistance while she grew her business only because she advocated for a welfare-to-work plan that allowed her to continue her education, spend more time with her son, and invest in a long-term strategy for economic self-sufficiency. Now corporations rely on her to help their employees relieve day-to-day stress and develop healthier eating habits.

Shoshana has continued to take nutrition classes and is now a licensed nutritionist. In addition to learning new business skills, as a result of her participation in Women's Initiative's program, Shoshana reports that she gained better parenting skills, such as "conveying pitfalls of not following through" and improved her interpersonal communication skills, including "seeing most if not all interactions as customer service."

When Women's Initiative's Program Evaluation staff interviewed Shoshana in early 2002, she was still transitioning off of welfare, patching her self-employment income with assistance from family members, a small monthly check from TANF, and food stamps. She reported that her business experiences were "having a very positive impact" on her self-confidence, as well as on her economic situation. In May 2002 Shoshana reported that she is now a certified nutrition consultant, supports her family primarily with self-employment income, and no longer receives any public assistance. A few of her clients include Lenscrafters, the Discovery Channel, and Cliff Bar. In addition to relishing her economic independence, Shoshana is giving back to her community through her service as an ambassador with the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce.


» Home | » Return To Top