Meet Aubrey Ridd

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aubrey Ridd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aubrey, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My partner and I, along with my child, took a vacation to Ireland this year. I remember the feeling that rose in me when on our first night we saw a mobile sauna on the beach where we’d camped. Not only am I a sauna lover and simply wanted to experience this setup, but I also quickly felt an inner spark and wondered if we could create something similar back home on Colorado’s Western Slope. We soon came to realize that mobile saunas are a core part of Ireland’s culture, and we saw several along the route. This unexpected gift while exposing ourselves to a new part of the world, from where my partner’s roots originate, grew quickly into action upon our return to the USA. His skilled hands started crafting our wood-fired sauna, and the thoughts became reality.

What should our readers know about your business?
We share Fire Within Sauna ownership. Our cedar-aspen beauty is locally crafted, wood-fired, and mobile; she is able to roam the Western Slope of Colorado for pop-up events, private rentals, and collaborations with community partners. We go where our offering is valued, and we have found the business in its baby stages to provide a wonderful filter for others who are motivated by wellness, community, and contemplative spaces. While starting any enterprise comes with its own challenges and experiential learning, we find our flames are fanned each time a community member reaches out with enthusiasm about this co-creation. The warmth and energy of the space is really quite magical and ineffable. We are also able to help others build their own dreams by offering custom designs and crafting of stationary or mobile saunas. While we are quite sure the recent trend toward sauna and cold plunges has educated folks on the health benefits of these practices, we are always happy to chat more and provide data if people want to connect.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We have dual HQs in Paonia and Montrose; there is so much to experience within a 2-hour radius in any direction. The Kissflower is a seasonal indulgence in Paonia on the river. Being nature nerds, we would entice our visitor with a diverse collection of outdoor jaunts. Heading south, we have the San Juans with trails and hot springs as well as Taco Del Gnar in Ridgway. If our guest were to need a red-rock fix, we can journey north to Grand Junction National Monument or Fruita, and some of our secret spots in between; Cafe Sol would be a lunch treat. The Naturita area with views of Lone Cone and on to Southern Utah via Paradox Valley is worth time in the car with a sweet soundtrack. And Nordic skiing on the Grand Mesa or at one of our other groomed options like Arrowhead Mountain Lodge is a must. Or, we could go staycation-style, meandering blissfully back and forth between our mobile sauna and the yoga mat.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The first dose of gratitude goes to my partner in both life and business, Brendan Delaney. If not for his skill and craftsmanship, Fire Within Sauna would not exist in its current form. He witnessed the slow internal burn I felt in Ireland and then moved to manifest it in the physical realm. His fire matches mine, and they move differently and in complementary ways. My child’s enthusiasm for contributing to sauna-team efforts is endearing and delightful. Additional thanks go to the creative and vital folks we came across while traveling, and the entities that support and nurture the winding journeys along the Wild Atlantic Way of Ireland. Finally, a shout-out to Allen and Marla for instilling in me a love of sauna, as well as embodying a template of what a joyous relationship could be.

Website: https://www.firewithinsauna.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firewithinsauna/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FireWithinSauna

Image Credits
Jess Bidwell Photography for all images other than the logo and the photo with the skis, which were provided by Fire Within Sauna.