Sauna Camp Year Two
Table of Contents
There are certain moments when you run an event and you just know we’re doing this again.
That was Sauna Camp last year.
What started as a bit of a beta test (our first real swing at a wellness retreat) ended up being something way bigger than we expected. Around 40-some people showed up, the food was incredible, the conversations were even better, and there was this underlying energy that’s hard to manufacture. It just happens when the right people come together.
We knew right away we were going to run it back.
From Experiment to Movement
Fast forward a year, and things have evolved.
We’ve now done multiple wellness-focused events: Boot Camp in Zion, Costa Rica earlier this year, and now our second Sauna Camp. What’s interesting isn’t just that they’re growing (this year we had 61 people and nearly sold out), it’s that the intention behind them is getting clearer.
We’re creating space to step away, think differently, and connect in a way that doesn’t happen in a typical work setting. And when you see people flying in from Texas, Utah, and all over the country just to be part of it, that tells you something is working.
What We Did Differently This Year
This year we kicked things off with a panel discussion, something we hadn’t done before. And it ended up being one of the highlights.
We brought together a pretty diverse group:
An Everest summiter
Ironman and ultra-endurance athletes
A sports psychiatrist and nutritionist
A founder in the sleep and wellness space
Different backgrounds, different disciplines, but all circling around one big question: What does wellness actually mean? Because it's not a clean definition.
Everyone on that panel had a slightly different take, and that was the point. Hearing those perspectives stacked on top of each other created a more complete picture than any single answer could.
We also recorded a podcast around it, which is live now for anyone who missed it.
The Contrast Is the Point
After the panel, we got into the core of Sauna Camp: heat, cold, and everything in between.
We had about 10 different saunas this year, all running at different temperatures. Some were intense. Some more approachable. We also added a story sauna this year where only the person holding an elk antler could talk and a silent sauna where no one talked at all.
And then there’s the cold plunge. If you’ve never done it, it’s a mental game as much as anything. Watching people walk into that water, some for the first time, is always one of my favorite parts. There’s hesitation, there’s a little fear, and then there’s laughter.
It reminds me a bit of watching kids at a dog park. That same curiosity. That same willingness to try something new.
And that’s where the deeper lesson comes in.
Contrast therapy is a reflection of how a lot of us live and work. We go hard, pull back, push again, rest.
The sauna gets uncomfortable. The cold gets uncomfortable. And somehow, each one makes you crave the other. There’s something in that worth paying attention to.
The Moments That Matter Most
For me, the most meaningful parts of Sauna Camp aren’t always the big, structured moments.
It’s dinner.
We partner with Fhima’s, and they absolutely crush it every time. Lamb, chicken, sausages, baba ghanoush, just incredible food, cooked right there, shared family-style.
And around the food people sit together, literally break bread, and conversations stack on top of conversations.
There were a few times I just stepped back and watched. Groups deep in discussion. People who had just met hours earlier, now fully engaged like they’d known each other for years.
At the end of the night, I was one of the last to leave, and there were still people there, still talking. That’s when you know you’ve created something real.
Why This Matters (Especially Right Now)
If you’re in building, entrepreneurship, or any kind of creative work, you know the pace. It’s fast and demanding. It doesn’t always leave much room for you. That’s why events like this matter.
First, because they force a pause. You have to choose to show up. You have to carve out the time. That alone is a signal that you’re prioritizing your health and your mindset.
Second, because they push you a little outside your comfort zone. Each small discomfort builds something bigger. And that translates directly back into business: being willing to try new things, think differently, and challenge your normal patterns.
And third (and maybe most important) it connects back to what we do as builders. We spend about 80% of our lives indoors. So the question becomes: Are we creating spaces that actually support people’s health and well-being?
Sauna Camp is a reminder of what’s possible when you prioritize that.
The Community
At the end of the day, you can have great programming, great food, and great logistics, but none of it works without the right people.
And that’s been the most consistent throughline of Sauna Camp. Good people show up. And then they bring their friends.
There’s a saying that says your vibe attracts your tribe. I think we’re seeing that play out in real time.
Want to take a look at last year’s camp? This blog has the details!
Looking Ahead
We were a few spots shy of selling out this year. Next year? We’ll get there.
But more importantly, we’ll keep refining what this is. More intentional. More impactful.
Because this isn’t really about saunas.
It’s about creating environments where people can show up differently, and maybe leave a little changed. And if we can keep doing that? We’ll keep running it back.
