Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Leah
Hi Ashley, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In the summer of 2019, my life as I knew it fell apart. I lost my job of ten years with no explanation, my marriage was crumbling, and I was forced to sell my home. For the first time in nearly two decades, I found myself unemployed, alone – and completely unraveling. My entire identity had been stripped away as if by a runaway train. At the time, I had no idea that this painful, dark period would become the catalyst for Drip Box’s creation.
With unexpected time on my hands, I shifted my focus to my own mental and physical health. I joined a weight-loss challenge at a cycling studio and soon discovered a nearby sauna studio that I fell deeply in love with. This studio had only opened in September 2019, just one month before I found it. Between cycling and sauna therapy, I not only lost 75 pounds but also shed a heavy emotional weight I’d carried for years.
Then, only six months later, COVID hit. Both the cycling and sauna studios were forced to close, and with them, I lost my sense of purpose all over again. For the next two years, I slipped back into an even heavier depression, feeling as though the light at the end of the tunnel was slipping out of my reach. My mind, body, and spirit were exhausted and on the verge of giving up.
Then, in March 2022, at a particularly low point, a friend reached out to check on me and encouraged me to book a sauna session, knowing how much healing it had brought me before. Her suggestion reignited something in me, and I booked a session that same day, unaware that I was stepping into the start of an entirely new chapter.
On my first day back, feeling more like myself than I had in years, I bought an annual membership. But as I did, the employee helping me expressed concern, worried the business might not last another year. Confused, I reached out to the original owner, someone I’d gotten to know well over the years, and quickly learned the devastating news. She had sold her business six months earlier on a “promise to pay” arrangement, and in just that short time, the new owner had run up over $250,000 in debt. Bills went unpaid, the team was missing paychecks, rent was overdue, and the new owner had just returned from an international lavish vacation on a yacht. The business tragically fell into the wrong hands and was on a rapid path to bankruptcy.
The original owner, equally frustrated, shared that the new owner was in breach of contract, having fulfilled only a fraction of his payment agreement. After completing my session, I waited in the lobby for him to arrive. I felt an overwhelming sense of purpose and passion, and when he walked in, I introduced myself and said, “I hear you’re in over your head. I’d like to take this off your hands.”
Long story short, the original owner reclaimed her business, and the new owner walked away. Using the last of what I had from selling my home, I signed a purchase asset agreement, buying everything tangible and intangible within the studio. I established my own corporation, “Drip Box,” took over the lease, and honored every package purchased under the previous business as I worked to rebuild trust with our clients.
Today, Drip is nearly three years old and has welcomed an average of 100+ new clients every single month since we’ve opened our doors.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Just two days after opening Drip, my dog of nine years, Ava, suffered a massive seizure. She was tragically diagnosed with brain cancer and given only weeks to live, and her emergency treatments drained the last of my savings. This heartbreaking and unexpected loss pushed me to tap into a resilience I didn’t know I had. I channeled my energy into building a space focused on healing emotional trauma, and through this intention, I was fortunate to witness a beautiful, like-minded community come to life—a place where people could find support, solace and strength together.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At Drip Box, we prioritize holistic healing, recognizing that true wellness goes beyond the physical—it’s rooted in emotional and mental well-being. To enhance each client’s experience, we incorporate Chromotherapy with every session, using color therapy to adjust the body’s vibrational energy, along with Aromatherapy, where clients can choose any essential oil blend they’d like diffused in their sauna box. Each color and scent carries unique healing properties, allowing clients to personalize their sessions to address exactly what they need in that moment.
One of the most impactful additions after opening Drip Box was placing a stack of cards, a pen, and a basket in each room with simple instructions – to “let it out.” These baskets quickly filled with thousands of handwritten notes, releasing emotions and thoughts that had once weighed people down. Each card is deeply inspiring, and I always feel privileged to read what our clients have chosen to let go of. These notes are a powerful reminder of our shared human experience – and they’ve profoundly supported my own healing as well.
What truly sets Drip apart is our commitment to providing a safe space where clients feel supported in their wellness journeys—and our dedication to accessibility and affordability. From the beginning, I was determined to make Drip a place where clients could sweat regularly, experiencing the benefits of consistent use without breaking the bank. We’ve structured our pricing and hours to support that goal; our doors open daily at 8 am, with sessions available as late as 9 pm on weekdays and 10 pm on weekends. We proudly offer a 25% discount on our 8, 12, or 33 session packages to first responders, teachers, nurses, and military (active and retired), as a way to thank them for all they do.
Watching our clients experience not only instant physical relief but also emotional release has been incredibly rewarding. I am truly proud of the community we’ve built here at Drip Box—a place where healing feels accessible, affordable, and deeply connected.
What were you like growing up?
My childhood was, to say the least, turbulent. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was just 7, and by the time I entered high school, I was fully dedicated to finding ways to put her autoimmune disease into remission. At 13, I even embarked on a summer school project that led me to a doctor in the Caribbean, someone pioneering stem cell research. I followed his clients’ testimonials, astonished and deeply inspired by how regenerative cells were restoring their lives. Though my mother was reluctant to pursue alternative treatments, my findings ignited a fascination with the body’s ability to heal itself—outside the limits of the pharmaceutical industry.
Today, both of my parents are gone. Both suffered abuse in their own childhoods, and both ultimately succumbed to terminal illnesses. Early on, I began to recognize a link between emotional trauma and illness. As I grew older, I realized that if I wanted a long, healthy life, I needed to address and heal my own traumas. Otherwise, they would stay trapped, energetically, and eventually take form as physical ailments—an inevitable consequence of living in a state of chronic “dis-ease.”
My childhood was spent in introspection, watching the suffering of the adults around me. I felt a deep conviction that there had to be more than what I was witnessing. This couldn’t be all life had to offer; something had to change.
As my journey into holistic healing continued, I eventually discovered the benefits of infrared therapy. Through research and personal experience, I found that full-spectrum infrared could penetrate deeply into the body – reaching the bone, encouraging enhanced detoxification, reduced inflammation, and promoting cellular repair—benefits that resonated with everything I had learned about natural healing. The gentle yet powerful effects of infrared aligned perfectly with my mission to find therapies that support the body’s innate ability to heal. This discovery felt like the missing link in my path, reinforcing my commitment to wellness and inspiring me to share this therapy with others. Infrared became not just a tool for healing but a testament to the body’s extraordinary resilience and potential for renewal.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sweatatdripbox.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dripboxinc/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/drip-box-full-spectrum-infrared-sauna-studio-santa-clarita-3
Image Credits
all images were taken by me 🙂
