Losing her job in her mid-50s could have been a nightmare, but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to Nancy Zetes, owner of one of West Salem’s newest businesses — Touch of Country Therapeutic Massage at 305 W. Jefferson St.
After six years as a forklift operator at the Company Store in La Crosse, Zetes found herself out of a job in 2005 when the distribution center was moved to Virginia.
Understandably, there were some anxious moments. “I’d lost my job and my life insurance,” recalled Zetes. “I was worried. Who would hire me at my age?”
Through Workforce Connections, however, Zetes got funding to go back to school to train for a new career. She chose a new one-year program in massage therapy at Western Technical College and became one of the program’s first graduates in 2006.
She has become a big proponent of changing careers. “If anyone tells you that you can’t change at your age, you send them to me,” she said.
Zetes is clearly delighted with her new career as a massage therapist. “I always wanted to do something that helped people. I wanted more than forklift driving,” Zetes said. “This is the best thing that could have happened to me — now I can do what I love 24-7.”
Business has been good. In fact, it’s been better than Zetes expected. “It’s been wonderful so far — I’ve been very busy,” she said.
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