Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jaime Meyer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jaime, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?

In the winter we hold our sauna and Lake Michigan plunge events. Many people show up intending only to use the sauna, as they are quite nervous about the cold water. We tell them that they can do whatever makes them comfortable, but suggest that they keep an open mind about trying it.

Generally, as they see those around them glowing and beaming from the cold plunge, they end up giving it a try. It might take a few attempts, but you see the transformation immediately when they finally make it in. With increased dopamine and adrenaline levels, along with the incredible sense of accomplishment, people feel like they can take on the world. That’s how people get hooked on contrast therapy. Those are some of my favorite moments.

Jaime, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was traveling solo in Malmö, Sweden when I had my first true sauna experience. It was cold and windy and I was jet-lagged and exhausted. The heat of the sauna and the cold of the Baltic Sea were unlike anything I had ever felt before. I watched teenagers and grandmas and everyone in between relaxing and socializing. I could sense how much it was a regular part of their lives. That night, I had the most incredible night of sleep.

I woke up determined to make it a part of my life also. After finding very few options, I decided to try to recreate what I felt on that day and offer it to others. Now I spend my days making other people feel incredible.

I started Hot Spell as a winter pop-up at Zócalo Food Park in Walker’s Point in Milwaukee, WI. The response was immediate. People are looking for healthy socializing alternatives, especially in the dead of winter.

In the second season, I began to offer sauna and cold plunge events at the shore of Lake Michigan. This also resonated with locals immediately. The health benefits of contrast therapy are incredible and they began to get hooked.

Last summer I brought on two new partners, James Shiparski and Angela Damiani. With their expertise in business and real estate, Hot Spell finally has a solid path forward. We are in the early stages of opening a brick-and-mortar public sauna here in Milwaukee.

James and I have backgrounds in the service industry. Hospitality is at the core of what we do. Making people feel welcome and comfortable is a must. Even with the limitations of a mobile business, I think we have always done that.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

I spent the first 2.5 years in my business as a sole proprietor. I was having a very hard time trying to figure out how I could ever open a brick-and-mortar location on my own. I simply wasn’t ready to give up, so I continued meeting with a mentor from SCORE Business Mentoring and working on a business plan. I forced myself to attend networking events even though I generally find them quite uncomfortable.

The networking paid off, as one of the women I met in these groups, along with her husband, are my new partners. They have the experience that I lack and we are moving forward.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I started the business, the plan was to drop the mobile sauna off at people’s homes for the weekend or at businesses for full service events. I had a hard time breaking into both markets. I also began to realize how hard it is to drive the sauna, back it up, and park it while the wind is howling and everything is frozen. I didn’t fully think it through!

Since people weren’t hiring me for their events, I decided to make my own. I started the sauna and Lake Michigan event on January 1, 2023. It was a huge hit and I decided to keep with it. Initially, it was once a month. Once I had partners we moved it to once a week. We kept adding hours and they kept selling out.

I was waiting for someone to figure out what I could do for them, but I needed to be the one figuring it out. We stopped offering home deliveries and are now moving to a physical location. I have pivoted the business and learned the importance of being flexible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hotspellsauna.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotspellsauna/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100053535130158
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hot-spell-sauna/

Image Credits

John Sturdy
Brandon Morreale