Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Kress.
Hi Megan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My first “true” sauna was in Ely, MN in a log structure along Burntside Lake.
I was living up by the Canadian border developing my first business in the outdoor industry and working for a local BWCAW outfitter.
That sauna was hot. I had to sit on the cement slab floor because even the heat at the first bench was too much for my uninitiated, non-Nordic roots self. Rudi, the Danish man who owned the sauna, would dump on the water and immediately stand up with his arms in the air, deeply breathing in the löyly. I remained, firmly, on the floor. We would cycle out and jump into the lake, and then back in the hot room. I have never felt so clean in my life. Never so invigorated yet relaxed. Never so clear in my mind. I swore I would have a wood-fired sauna in my home in the future. I swore I would make it to the top bench.
Fast forward twenty-some years and my employer would rent The Hiki Hut (Duluth’s first and original mobile sauna) for a staff party. I was in love. Not only was the sauna amazing but so were the inviting and genuine ways of their owners. Then covid. The Hiki Hut would retire and I knew the moment they told me as such, I needed to find a way to bring a mobile sauna back to Duluth.
I have had a lifetime of working with people in unique experiences in the outdoors and on the water facilitating connections. The opportunities to create connections and wellness for people via the sauna just made sense. I believe in the many documented health and wellness benefits of the sauna but I am most inspired by the potential of community and connection that comes from cedar benches, wood stoves, and löyly (steam) in the beautiful backdrop of the North, or, du Nord.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The struggles are the sheer labor involved with hauling a trailer, setting it up, hosting sauna sessions while standing out in the elements, cleaning it, packing it up, and putting it away. Often in the cold and the dark!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Sauna du Nord is a mobile, wood-fired sauna that has been serving the Duluth, MN area since 2022. My goal is to invite everyone to experience the tradition of sauna in some of Duluth’s most stunning natural settings. I believe that sauna is at its best when immersed in nature, and Duluth’s beautiful landscapes provide the perfect backdrop for this timeless practice.
Sauna du Nord embraces the opportunity to promote physiological health, holistic wellness, and relaxation, while cultivating meaningful personal connections through the communal sauna experience. Shared sauna experience offers a chance to disconnect from the constant demands of modern life, giving our ever-active minds a much-needed break. In these moments of stillness, the sauna provides space to engage and reconnect.
I specialize in people and laying the groundwork for great experiences.
I have an extensive background in working in the outdoor industry. From guiding to coaching completive canoe racing. I took the skills I learned from that lifetime and applied then to hosting people in the sauna. I believe the best recipe for an great experience is to provide the space, some guidelines, then step out of the way. The magic is best when I’m not controlling every scenario, rather I am invisible.
I am know for making connections for people. I am know for advocating for people. I am most proud of living my values in my work and my personal life. I am know for being enthusiastic and creating space for others.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I like to research people that I think are excellent in their craft and values and find a way to connect with them.
Attend their place of business, do your homework, a dig deep before reaching out. I normally engage with them on social platforms like IG or LinkedIn but make sure that I have done a lot of the heavy lifting before doing so.
Pricing:
- 75 Sauna Sessions $35/person
- Private Property Rentals- $375-$775
Contact Info:
- Website: https://saunadunord.com
- Instagram: @saunadunord
- Facebook: @saunadunord
