Join us as we sit down with Kristen Nicholson, entrepreneur and owner of Nashville's first contrast therapy studio, Urban Sweat. Kristen is a healthcare professional with a background in health administration who decided to jump from being a healthcare provider to running her own business. In this episode, she discusses her journey, from leaving her corporate job to open her own business to expanding to 6 new locations across Middle Tennessee and three on the West Coast. She also explores the modalities available at Urban Sweat, such as infrared sauna, red light therapy, and cold plunge.  Take advantage of this inspiring episode, where we learn about following your dreams and taking risks! [00:0 - 08:47] From The Shed to Urban Sweat Introducing Kristen to the showFitness was vital for her after college as she was a pharmaceutical rep and wanted to be number one on the rankings [08:48 - 15:00] Bet on Yourself: Taking the Leap to Pursue Your Calling in Healthcare Betting on oneself and taking risks is importantHealthcare in America is complex, with many players and incentivesMental health, gun violence, and prevention are essential topics to considerTrauma can manifest in physical illness and should be addressed holisticallyImportant foundational habits like sleep, nutrition, meditation, and therapy are critical to physical fitness [15:01 - 24:07] Burning the Candle at Both Ends How Kristen networked with the fitness community, corporate executives, and physiciansTarget market: stressed-out corporate execs, athletes, and physiciansKristen Introduced new concepts like cold plunge, sauna, and red light therapy [24:08 - 40:39] Experience the Benefits of Red Light Therapy, Sauna and Cold Plunge The cabin sauna heats up to 150-155, while the pod sauna is 30 minutes, and red light therapy is 20 minutesBenefits of infrared sauna include cellular level heat and mental relaxationThere is something natural about the experience that helps one get back to homeostasisWelcome to the competition as there is enough for everyone [40:40 - 42:13] Closing Segment  Quote: "It's nice to be in the studio, and people walk in and say, 'I've been looking forward to this all day,' or 'This really is the best part of my whole day.'" - Kristen Nicholson "It's how you eat. It's how you move. It's how you act with others. It's how you drive. It's everything." - Kristen Nicholson Connect with Kristen! Website: www.urbansweat.com       Connect with me on LinkedIn! LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND LEAVE US A REVIEW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or whatever platform you listen on. Thank you for tuning in, and Stay Tuned for the Next Episode COMING SOON!   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.