Our Story
Our Story
Hi, we’re Hanna Schlegel and Matt Schwartz, 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!
In just a short time, MindFuel has become more than we could have dreamed:
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.
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 having the time of our lives—and this is only the beginning.
Thank you to everyone who has stopped in, messaged us, or simply sent love our way.
We’re beyond grateful for this start—and even more excited for everything ahead.
With love and gratitude,
💙 Hanna & Matt
