In the heart of Nashville, where trends are born and wellness is becoming less of a luxury and more of a necessity, you will find yourself knocking on this door.

Kristen Nicholson, founder and CEO of Urban Sweat, is not your typical entrepreneur. She’s a former corporate healthcare executive who traded boardrooms and burnout for infrared saunas, cold plunges, red light therapy, and a mission-driven business that’s quietly (but powerfully) transforming lives. With a booming franchise, a distinct brand identity, and a deep passion for people, Nicholson is proving that betting on yourself, no matter how scary, is game changing.

A Leap Fueled by Purpose

Nicholson story begins not in a startup incubator or wellness retreat, but inside the offices of some of the most influential healthcare companies in the country. For 22 years, she worked in corporate healthcare, including major entities like Ascension, climbing the ladder and managing large teams globally. But in 2020, like so many others, she found herself questioning everything.

“I had been working quite hard,” she says, “and I realized, what does it all matter if I’m not fulfilled?” What started as casual walks and deep thinking turned into a soul searching reroute. Nicholson, who had long been a longtime fan of saunas, felt drawn to the benefits of infrared therapy, especially the impact it had on her sleep and mental health.

“I just kept hearing, ‘Bet on yourself.’ Literally three people told me that in one day. I don’t know if I’d heard it before and ignored it, or if that was just the moment I decided to finally listen. But that was the turning point.”

She walked into her boss’s office and resigned. To her surprise, he supported her, even offering to let her stay on long enough to hire her replacement. That vote of confidence lit the match and Urban Sweat was born.

Building the Brand: Bougie, Bold, and Intentional

Urban Sweat officially opened its doors in February 2022 in the Nations, one of Nashville’s most rapidly evolving neighborhoods. Nicholson didn’t just want another wellness studio. She envisioned a clean, modern, happy space, equal parts urban edge and luxe retreat. Her black-and-white palette, fashion-forward design, and signature mural by a local artist set the tone.

“I wanted to play on the word ‘urban,’ but I’m also kind of bougie,” she laughs. “I mostly wear black. That’s just who I am.”

But it wasn’t all aesthetic. Each mural in her studios contains hidden “Easter eggs” which are personal elements like her nieces’ names, her favorite number, and even the Philippine Islands, a nod to her time working overseas. Each Urban Sweat location across the country now has its own custom mural with personalized symbols from the operating partner or franchisee.

“We’re not cookie cutter,” Nicholson says. “It has to feel personal. People feel that energy when they walk in.”

Scaling Up—and Out

Just one month after opening, Nicholson knew she wanted to scale. A client became interested in franchising, and a friend had space in the booming Wedgwood-Houston area. From there, the momentum snowballed.

By October 2024, Nicholson had acquired CYL Sauna and its 12 locations across the U.S., officially expanding Urban Sweat beyond Nashville. The brand now operates in:

• Louisville & Lexington, KY

• Grosse Pointe, MI

• Oklahoma City, OK

• Kansas City, MO

• Dallas, TX

• Cherry Creek & Boulder, CO

• several locations in Middle Tennessee including Green Hills, WeHo, and Nolensville.

Each location is unified by the same mission: Self-care is healthcare.

More Than Skin-Deep

Urban Sweat is more than just a place to “sweat out a hangover,” as Nicholson puts it. The services offered include infrared sauna, red light therapy, and cold plunge, which are all grounded in science and optimized for real results.

“We’re not here to just make you feel good for a day,” she says. “We’re here to change how your body functions long-term.”

Infrared Sauna
Urban Sweat offers both traditional cabin-style and lay-down pod saunas. Beyond glowing skin, the benefits range from improved cardiovascular health and better sleep to boosted serotonin levels and pain relief. “One guest with eczema told me he could wear shorts for the first time in years,” Nicholson recalls. “That’s what matters.”

Red Light Therapy
Described by Nicholson as the most underutilized wellness modality, red light therapy has been proven to reduce inflammation, heal injuries faster, and improve mood. “It even helped stop the tremors in a Parkinson’s patient,” she notes.

Cold Plunge
Urban Sweat was the first to bring cold plunge to Nashville, and its impact has been measurable. In a member study, 97 percent reported better sleep, 94 percent felt less stress, and 78 percent reported weight loss after regular sessions.

Some locations also offer lymphatic rollers, popular with runners and athletes for circulation and recovery.

Always Innovating

While other businesses chase trends, Nicholson takes a more measured approach. She’s watching the rise of peptides and longevity treatments, but remains committed to Urban Sweat’s trifecta of sauna, red light, and cold plunge, coined internally as the “Triple Threat.”

“My goal is optimization,” she says. “We’re not here to follow every wellness fad. We’re here to do what works, and to do it exceptionally well.”

Comfort Imaging

In true serial entrepreneur fashion, Nicholson recently launched a second venture: Comfort Imaging, a non-compression mammography studio designed to give women a gentler, more spa-like alternative to traditional breast cancer screenings.

“So many women avoid mammograms because of pain, fear, or trauma,” she explains. “We wanted to change that. And it’s already making a difference.”

Located directly across the street from Urban Sweat in Green Hills, the two ventures now exist as twin pillars of proactive self-care.

Jump First, Figure It Out Later

Nicholson is the first to admit that entrepreneurship isn’t glamorous every day. “It’s hard. I was up at 4 a.m. today, my point-of-sale systems crashed, I was on hold for hours while sitting in a dermatology exam,” she says. “But I would never go back.”

Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

“Don’t wait until you feel ready. Ready is not a feeling, it’s a decision. You don’t have to tiptoe in. You jump.”

She credits her success not just to grit, but to community. “Surround yourself with other business owners. Join groups. Let go of your ego. Whether it’s a cheeseboard company or a lawn care service, we all have the same struggles.”

And that, perhaps, is what makes Urban Sweat so different. It’s not just a wellness studio. It’s a manifestation of one woman’s purpose which was to create healing spaces that feel like home, powered by heart, hustle, and the belief that self-care is healthcare.

Visit their website to find a location near you and follow them on Instagram for all the aesthetic inspo.