Deanna Wise has taken her fair share of chances in her professional life. From upholstering furniture, a one-year stint with AmeriCorps, processing loans and teaching English in Istanbul, the common denominator for Deanna has been finding passion in her work.

After some health issues drew her to alternative medicine, Deanna found a new passion in massage and the power of touch. When she met classmate and future business partner Seth Knutson, Deanna began to see herself as business owner. In May 2010, Deanna and Seth founded Bergamot Massage Therapy & Bodywork as a way to make massage affordable for the community.

Despite the economy not being ideal for luxury services that year, Deanna says developing a strong network helped.

“That first year was very quiet,” Deanna admitted, “and we quickly learned the importance of networking and drawing people in.”

By connecting with other Madison startups and joining professional associations, like Dane Buy Local and the Middleton Chamber of Commerce, Seth and Deanna were able to gain a wealth of knowledge about running a business. They started to push themselves forward in their role as owners–connecting with potential clients, creating services, crafting and marketing their message and building and motivating their team of therapists.

And they’re not stopping there. As Bergamot Massage continues to build its client base, Deanna is kicking around ideas about new services, events and products. Looks like her passion has only grown.