UK Meets USA Sauna: Jake Newport on the Next Sauna Revolution | Sauna Talk 132

In this live session from Sauna Days 2025, I sit down with Jake Newport from Finnmark (UK) for a wide-ranging conversation on where sauna culture is headed, and what happens when tradition meets innovation across continents.

Jake shares the story behind Finnmark’s rise in the UK, from a time when sauna was misunderstood and underwhelming to today’s booming, experience-driven movement. Drawing from a decade on the front lines, he paints a clear picture of how sauna culture is evolving in both the UK and the United States, and why we’re still in the early innings.

This episode explores the parallel growth of two emerging sauna cultures that, unlike Finland or Germany, are not bound by tradition. That freedom creates opportunity: new formats, new audiences, and new ways to experience heat. But it also introduces risk, especially as commercialization, social media, and “wellness packaging” begin to shape how sauna is presented to the masses.

Jake dives into the rise of mobile saunas, community bathhouses, large-scale commercial concepts like Othership, and the increasing role of investors entering the space. He discusses the tension between education vs. commodification, craftsmanship vs. scale, and authentic experience vs. “sauna as a product.”

A key theme throughout is purpose vs. profit. As bigger companies and capital move in, the industry faces a fork in the road:

• Will sauna become a race-to-the-bottom commodity?
• Or will it grow through craftsmanship, education, and meaningful experience?

Jake also shares a powerful perspective on cultural translation—drawing parallels to yoga’s journey from Eastern philosophy to Western mainstream—and asks: What do we risk losing when we simplify sauna for mass consumption?

At the same time, there’s optimism. If even a fraction of the deeper sauna experience survives the scaling process, it could lead to millions more people discovering the benefits of heat, community, and ritual.

The conversation opens up to the audience, with builders, operators, and founders sharing real-world insights from the U.S. market—from launching bathhouses in underserved cities to building community-first sauna spaces that bring people together across age, background, and lifestyle.

What emerges is a clear takeaway:
Sauna is no longer just a product—it’s a cultural movement. And how we build it now will define what it becomes.

In this episode:

• The rise of sauna culture in the UK vs. USA
• Mobile saunas, bathhouses, and the “experience economy”
• The impact of investors, scale, and commercialization
• Othership, Aufguss, and guided sauna experiences
• Education vs. protocol: teaching people how to sauna
• Social media, misinformation, and “wellness marketing”
• Building community through sauna
• The role of purpose in sauna businesses
• How to grow the industry without losing its roots

This is a must-listen for sauna builders, operators, and enthusiasts who care about where this movement is heading—and want to help shape it in a positive direction.