Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Mortarotti.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jessica. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I first had the idea to create an infrared sauna studio back in 2014. I was taking a lot of barre classes and I felt I wasn’t sweating as much as I should be. A little voice in the back of my mind was telling me I needed to sweat more!
I started researching the multitude of health benefits from sweat and came across infrared saunas. I soon discovered that there were a few places to use infrared saunas in LA and I started going. I LOVED the benefits I was receiving but did not love the user experience. That was when my entrepreneurial brain took over (similarly, 10 years ago, I saw an emerging trend in artisan ice cream and started a company called Carmela Ice Cream).
I wanted to create a “fast casual,” yet elevated sauna experience that was walk-in friendly (almost a necessity for a busy, working mom like me) and didn’t require being at a nice hotel, a day spa or a gym. I wanted it to be an “a la carte” business, where we specialize in one thing and do it exceptionally well.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It is never easy to start a business. There is so much effort in getting something off the ground and I commend anyone who does it.
That being said, in the case of HotBox I would say that it has been a surprisingly smooth road. Early on, we partnered with our good friend, and branding guru, Ty Mattson (Mattson Creative) and another friend and extremely accomplished architect, Ana Henton. They are responsible for our branding and physical space being so beautiful. From the beginning our entire team has shared a common vision, and somehow we’ve had an amazingly fun time in the process! I feel so fortunate.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the HotBox Infrared Sauna Studio story. Tell us more about the business.
HotBox offers 45-minute infrared sauna session in private suites that each have a Vitamin C infused rain shower. Infrared saunas don’t heat the air like a traditional dry sauna, therefore they provide a much more comfortable sweat. Each of our saunas fit up to 2 people (with one that fits up to 5), and they have a tablet where you can watch your favorite Netflix show, listen to music, meditate, or get work done – it’s very customizable! We also include chromotherapy with each session, which bathes you in the color of your choice to affect your mood and impart additional health benefits. This is a favorite part for many of our clients!
Our sauna sessions are a little slice of luxury and provide our clients with a vast array of health benefits, including detoxing, muscle repair, stress relief, skin cleansing and weight loss, to name a few. The technology is very popular with professional athletes and celebrities who use them to enhance their wellness and beauty routines. We wanted to make this experience available to everyone.
I am very proud of our amazing, passionate team and the fact that we provide something that makes people feel incredible. In our busy world, I think this is so important and such a gift to be able to give. I’ve yet to see anyone not leave happier and more relaxed than when they came in, and that is a pretty magical feeling.
What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
We believe in our mission and look forward to spreading this amazing service to as many people as possible. We’ve only been open 6 months, but we are currently looking for a second location in LA and plan to expand HotBox beyond that in the near future.
Pricing:
- First Sweat: $35
- Walk-In Sweat: $45
- Happy Hour Sweat: Monday – Friday from 12-2PM: $25
Contact Info:
- Address: 835 S. Hill Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014 - Website: hotboxsaunastudio.com
- Phone: 213-628-3221
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hotboxsaunastudio/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/hotboxsaunastudio/
- Twitter: twitter.com/hotbox_sauna?lang=en
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/hotbox-infrared-sauna-studio-los-angeles
Image Credit:
HotBox Infrared Sauna Studio
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