PLUNJ Owner Highlight | Salt Lake Sideways

We were recently featured in Salt Lake Sideways, a blog by Betsy Bober Polivy chronicling small business owners' backgrounds and their driving passions in their ventures.

“We believe the world needs more connection. And we built PLUNJ Salt Lake to make that possible.” That vision has guided Brian Brown and his three business partners - Ronnie Withaeger, Michael Bunn, and Jason Blickenstaff - from the earliest conversations about opening a Scandinavian-style bathhouse in Salt Lake City. Though each came from different backgrounds - tech, business, design - they shared a yearning for something more grounded, more communal. When they discovered PLUNJ, everything clicked.

The original PLUNJ opened in Provo in 2021, founded by Sean and Lauren Foster. Inspired by Lauren’s Scandinavian roots and Sean’s journey managing anxiety, the couple began exploring the physical and emotional benefits of hot and cold therapy. “They started in their backyard with a sauna and a cold plunge and quickly saw what it could do for the body, for the mind, and for community,” Brian said. Their experience turned into a public space where people could gather without phones or distractions and find clarity in discomfort. It did not take long for the concept to resonate far beyond Provo.

“There’s something primal and ancient about the practice,” Brian noted. “But what makes PLUNJ different is the invitation to do it together - to show up fully, even in the discomfort.”

Brian and his partners did not simply invest in a franchise. They invested in each other. Friends for years, they bring complementary strengths to the table and make decisions collaboratively. “We trust each other completely,” Brian said. “We also give each other space to lead where we’re strongest.” They had been talking for years about doing something meaningful together, something that blended purpose with presence. When they encountered PLUNJ, it felt like a natural fit. “It combined so many things we cared about: health, intentional design, slowing down, and doing something that mattered.” “We weren’t looking to just open a business,” Brian explained. “We wanted to create something immersive and meaningful - an experience that actually helps people feel better and connect more deeply.”

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