Today we’d like to introduce you to Michaela Schell.
Hi Michaela, 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?
Nearly 20 years ago, I met a boy. He invited me over for what I assumed was a pool party at his apartment because he told me to bring a swimsuit. But when he opened the door, I didn’t see a pool. Instead, I was greeted with a burst of dry hot air. Our date was in a sauna!
I had never been in a sauna. And honestly was quite overwhelmed by the heat. I spent most of our date on the cool floor.
But this boy was cute! So I kept coming back.
Fast forward 20 years… That boy and I are now married with three children and a custom built woodfire sauna of our own in our backwoods.
My love, belief, and commitment to sauna and cold plunge runs deep. And it’s a love that I don’t have to keep to myself. I own Immersion Sauna + Cold Plunge Studio to bring what I love to everyone.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Data, numbers, more data… those have always been my biggest challenge. I’m a dreamer, a visionary, a people person and an action taker. Sitting down and diving deep into spreadsheets and analyzing anything isn’t something I am fluent in. But when you own a business, numbers and data are what show you objectively what is working and what isn’t AND what can work and what won’t. No matter how creative and cool my idea is, if it isn’t backed up by strong financials and buy in from clients, it won’t amount to much.
But I have learned that digging deep into the numbers can be fun. They show the challenges but also the solutions and give me a solid foundation to take those big bold visionary leaps! As I reframe my mind and continue to learn, I more and more enjoy sitting down with my metrics.
One of the simplest and most useful pieces of advice I received from a fellow business owner friend… surround the least fun thing you have to do in your business with the most fun. So you will find me running financials at my favorite spot downtown in the sunshine with a coffee in hand.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Sauna and cold plunge are incredibly simple yet so impactful. My Immersion Studio allows clients to experience that simplicity through its self serve sauna and cold plunge model. Allowing clients to come and go on their own for 30 minute private sessions fits seemlessly into busy lifestyles and makes building consistency easy and affordable.
One of my favorite parts of running this business is being able to be the cheerleader in the room for people who have never experienced this type of heat and cold. Most new clients initially don’t believe they’ll be able handle it, but I know they will. And much to their surprise, they always do. I get to remind people that we can do hard things. We can overcome discomfort. We can move through challenges. And in doing so, we end up feeling great… Not only physically but about ourselves.
When we get comfortable being uncomfortable, big things happen in our lives. For me 20 years ago, starting off being uncomfortable led to a relationship that is now the marriage of my dreams and the business of my dreams. I hope sauna and cold plunge can be a catalyst for others to believe in themselves and train themselves to get through the hard and to the greatness on the other side.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Sauna or other types of intense heat exposure is nothing new. Many cultures have used heat for centuries for both mental and physical benefits. More and more people are now catching on to something that has been proven to be helpful to our bodies for so long.
Not only are famous podcasters and influencers touting its benefits, but every day people like you and I are seeing and feeling how great heat and cold exposure makes them feel.
As sauna and cold plunge continues to become more and more accessible through studios like mine, I see this becoming a commitment that turns into a habit that becomes a part of people’s weekly and daily lives.
We are at just the beginning of sauna and cold plunge being less of a luxury and more of a necessity. Through Immersions simplified studio model, I hope to reshape the sauna mentality from an every so often spa experience to a weekly and even daily simple practice that can enhance your lives in an affordable and efficient way.
Using this approach to sauna + cold plunging, I can now help others own and operate their own Immersion in their communities. Because our model is self serve and incredibly streamline, it is not only affordable and accessible for people to use, it is affordable and accessible to entrepreneurs who would love to see more sauna in their community.
So if you want to be a saunapreneur too… let’s connect!
Pricing:
- Unlimited memberships starting at $55
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Immersion-LLC.com
- Instagram: @immersionfargo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dep281gkf/?mibextid=wwXIfr
