Our Story
Our Story
Hi, we’re Hanna and Matt, Pittsburgh natives and the co-founders of MindFuel. We want to share a glimpse of our journey—how we met, what inspired us, and why we’re so passionate about creating a space for social wellness and mindfulness right here in Pittsburgh.
THE BONDING OF HEAT, BREATH & COMMUNITY
Our story began at a local hot yoga studio. Hanna was the General Manager and Yoga Teacher. Matt was an eager (but very new) yogi. After a few classes—and a few jokes about Matt’s stiff hamstrings—we realized we shared more than just a love for yoga. By July 2022, we were officially a couple, affectionately dubbed “Manna” by friends who saw how well we complemented each other both on and off the mat. The power of heat, breath and community brought us together.
THE FIRST PLUNGE: A EUPHORIC EPIPHANY
As self-professed growth-seekers, we are passionate about personal development and optimizing our health so we can be the best version of ourselves and positively impact those around us. Along his quest for knowledge, Matt came across many resources about the benefits of deliberate cold exposure. An Andrew Huberman podcast ignited his motivation to give it a try and began a regular cold shower practice every morning. Hanna would hear his rapid breath and thought he was crazy!
With enough inspiration, we finally took our first cold plunge. A friend’s referral led us to a local wellness meet-up, where we experienced it together. It was electrifying! The rush of energy, mental clarity and deeper sense of connection set off a spark. We felt we’d stumbled onto something that blended physical and mental well-being in a powerful way.
A VISION TAKES SHAPE
With Matt’s entrepreneurial background and Hanna’s hunger for creative freedom, it was inevitable that we would build business(es) together. Our shared values in vitality, growth and community lead us to exploring a variety of ways that we could bring more social wellness to Pittsburgh. Researching yoga studios, smoothie bars, and other wellness modalities, we decided to express our love for travel and head off to experience these offerings firsthand. We traveled to Toronto and New York City to experience Othership, Helsinki for authentic Finnish saunas, Mexico for the traditional Temazcal ceremony, Myrtle Beach for MindZero, Tampa for Kodiwari and Idaho to Zenergy Health Club, just to name a few. Pulling together our inspiration we envisioned the idea of “MindFuel”. Coming from wanting to “fuel” both the mind and body. And that’s exactly what we set out to do.
FROM BACKYARD EXPERIMENTS TO OUR FLAGSHIP STUDIO
In the early days, we hosted backyard cold plunge events at Matt’s parents’ house (thanks, Mom and Dad). Friends and family showed up, curious and a bit nervous, but left feeling rejuvenated and excited. By December 2023, we hit the road—literally—hauling tubs and a sauna tent to pop-up events around town. Breathwork sessions, ice baths, sauna rounds: we did it all, often in parking lots, yoga studios, coffee shops or community spaces. Over time, we upgraded to a custom-built, 18-foot wood-fired mobile sauna to host larger groups. Seeing people’s transformation and the social connections being made fueled our passion for this work even more.
FINDING OUR PITTSBURGH ROOTS
By fall 2024, we were ready for a home base. We partnered with Bay 41 in Lawrenceville to host consistent events and grow our community. Soon after, we stumbled on a dream studio space in the Strip District—a permanent location where we could finally bring our vision of social wellness and mindfulness to life.
THE FUTURE: OUR FIRST STUDIO
In December 2024, we signed the lease for a beautiful space at 2006 Smallman St. in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. After months of hard work, we officially opened our doors in March 2025—and what a ride it’s been!
THE LEARNING NEVER STOPS
Opening the doors didn’t end our education. If anything, it sharpened it. Since launching MindFuel, we’ve kept traveling to sit in the world’s great bathing cultures and learn from the people who have been doing this for generations.
In Iceland, we spent time at Sky Lagoon just outside Reykjavik. Bathing there isn’t a wellness trend, it’s ordinary life. Geothermal water is where Icelanders catch up with neighbors and let the day go. The water is the excuse. The community is the point.
Japan taught us the opposite lesson: reverence for ritual. At Shibuya Saunas and Koganeyu in Tokyo, and Ume-Yu in Kyoto, a wood-fired sento still heated the traditional way, we found the washing before the soaking, the quiet, the sense that the sequence itself is the practice rather than an obstacle on the way to the good part.
Both trips sent us home with the same realization. The heat and the cold are the easy part. What makes a bathhouse matter is everything built around it: how you’re greeted, how you’re guided, whether you feel like you belong there. That’s the part we’re still chasing on Smallman Street.
What started as a lease and a lot of nerve has turned into something we still can’t quite believe:
- A third space.
- A thriving, welcoming community.
- A place where growth-seekers, aka MindFuelers (or MFers!), come to fuel their bodies, clear their minds, and connect with each other.
Since opening, we’ve added a Recovery Lounge upstairs with red light and compression therapy. We’ve run Run Club, Friday Night Socials, and partner events with F45, JETSET Pilates, Steel House Cycle, and Club AM. We’ve hosted private events, corporate partnerships, and a few thousand first cold plunges. And in the fall of 2026, we graduated our first class of MindFuel Method trained facilitators, a cohort that sold out before we could finish announcing it.
Whether it’s your first cold plunge, your hundredth sauna round, or just a chance to catch up with a friend, MindFuel has become a space to drop your guard, feel your best, and find your people.
We’re still having the time of our lives. And we’re still just getting warmed up.
Thank you to everyone who has stopped in, messaged us, or simply sent love our way. We’re beyond grateful for how far this has come, and even more excited for everything ahead.
With love and gratitude,
💙 Hanna & Matt
