Inspiring Conversations with Jenna Miller of Elevated Massage & Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Miller.

Hi Jenna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always felt a deep connection to healing and helping those around me. I would practice my techniques on friends and family and was given the name “magic hands” long before my massage career was official. My mom would allow me to use massage as a way out of chores and groundings and I remember massaging my grandmother’s arms when I was young, aiding with her aches and pains. In my early 20s, I was in a car accident that caused multiple life-altering injuries and I was unable to work for over a year. Chiropractic care, physical therapy, and massage treatments in the aftermath of the accident are what renewed my faith in holistic healings, giving me back my quality of life. My rehabilitation reiterated the importance and power of massage, and it quickly became part of my regular self-care and wellness.

I’ve been massaging for as long as I can remember and considered massage therapy as a career at a young age, but other opportunities lead me into various professions. In my late 20s, I landed in an IT Security role. I enjoyed the pace and learning so much that I believed I would retire in IT, but after just 8 years, many IT roles were outsourced, and I found myself unemployed and unsure of my path.

It didn’t take long to realize that I wanted to lean back into my humanity and connect with others. I knew that I was happiest when I was helping others and when my work felt impactful. I longed to do something more hands-on, literally. I was laid off for less than 30 days before I started school to become a licensed massage therapist.

I am grateful for the people and experiences that helped me learn how to take calculated risks; the biggest risk yet, becoming a small business owner fresh out of school.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Starting my life over and going back to school at 34 was scary. I was using parts of my brain I hadn’t used in over 15 years in an accelerated, full-time program. Equally exhausted and excited, I was proud to graduate at the Aveda Institute, but finding the right school was a challenge; l started at another school that lacked in hands-on experience, so I decided to start over at Aveda.

It took 2 months for the city to process my massage license. While this was a delay in my new career, things quickly fell into place when I was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. Going from IT to school to owning a business in less than a year, with no business experience, was a lot of work and I had to be self-sufficient and taught myself everything from the ground up.

Not only had I not planned on owning my own business, but 6 months into my new journey the world changed. During the Covid19 pandemic, my business was shut down and massage was deemed non-essential. The business was so new that I didn’t qualify for any grants or assistance. Returning to work, I collaborated with other women in business in order reduce overhead and moved the business 3 times in less than 3 years of business before I found the perfect home for Elevated Massage & Wellness, back in my hometown of South St Paul.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Elevated Massage & Wellness?
At Elevated Massage & Wellness every massage is a custom experience.

We combine your preferences to a personalized treatment plan before every massage, providing a truly custom massage to meet your therapeutic and relaxation goals.

With a variety of massage and wellness treatments, add-on options, CBD & aromatic massage oils, soft heated tables and towels, luxury sheets and the ability to choose your own music or podcasts, our tranquil room is designed to enhance your massage experience.

Additional savings available for our Loyalty Membership clients receiving monthly treatments.

Any big plans?
I’m settling comfortably into my new space. Driven to create an individualized experience for each one of my clients, I am currently focused on expanding my services and workforce. I hope to mentor other massage therapists passionate about serving our community, meanwhile building a better work/life balance. My dream is to open a second location in Florida, near my Florida family.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://elevated-massage-and-wellness.massagetherapy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevatedmassagemn/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElevatedMassageandWellness.JennaMiller/