In a small workshop tucked inside the city, the hum of tools and the sound of sanding wood mark the daily rhythm of Newman Cold Plunges, a fast-growing wellness business built almost entirely by accident.
Just three years ago, its founder had no background in woodworking. Instead, he held degrees in Chinese language and music, ran a translation company, and played in local bands. But after building a small sauna for himself—and later a cold plunge to help recover from ACL surgery—he snapped a photo, posted it online, and watched his inbox explode.
“It did wonders for my knee,” he says. “And suddenly everyone wanted one.”
A Wellness Movement Comes Home
Saunas have existed for centuries, but mostly in gyms where privacy and cleanliness can be questionable. Cold plunges, meanwhile, are new to American households, even though the science behind both tools is well established.
Sauna sessions can elevate heart rate, increase core temperature, reduce inflammation, flush toxins, and are widely praised for improving sleep. Cold plunges also can reduce inflammation; they also are said to boost dopamine and serotonin, sharpen mental clarity, and ease chronic pain.
Together, they form what Bret Newman calls “an ecosystem of healing.”
“People want to feel better, and they want tools that help them do that at home,” he says.
Built One at a Time, for One Person at a Time
One thing sets Newman’s business apart: everything is custom.
There’s no warehouse of inventory and no mass production. Clients send photos of their space, schedule a phone consultation, and Newman designs the plunge or sauna to match their aesthetic.
Customization options can scale as far as the customer wants to take them. Materials, colors, finishes, and mechanical components are all tailored, and because the units are built off-site, installation is quick and mess-free. The client doesn’t have to be living in a construction zone; they just have to provide access for installation.
After years of working out of his garage, Newman moved into a dedicated workshop in November 2025 and hired his first employee. Lead times now currently run three to four weeks for cold plunges and five to six weeks for saunas.
Business, Community and Connection
Despite the growth, Newman insists this all began as personal healing—not business strategy.
“You can’t take your phone into a sauna,” he says. “You have to talk; to connect. Or be left alone with your thoughts. You remember you’re human.”
That sense of connection—both to others and to oneself—is what drives him.
“There’s a common thread with my customers,” he says. “People who want to feel better and live better. After they use their plunge or sauna a few times and tell me their sleep improved or their pain is down—that’s what’s fulfilling.”
For Newman, building cold plunges and saunas is part craft, part wellness, and part gratitude.
“I love building things. I love building businesses,” he says. “Being able to make a living doing something that makes people feel better—I’m just really lucky.”
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