Sauna's are becoming a thing on Cape Town's shores. In this episode of Born to Build, we meet Jari Salminen, a Finnish-Canadian carpenter with sauna in his soul, who's heating up Cape Town's coast one wood-fired session at a time. Discover how Jari brought the deep-rooted Nordic sauna experience to South Africa's beaches, overcame unexpected business challenges, and built a brand that's as calming as it is bold. This is a story of culture, craft, and carving out a niche, literally.
Chapters
(00:00) Welcome and introduction
(00:45) Growing up with sawdust and sauna
(04:45) A family legacy sparks a fresh idea
(10:09) Designing and building the mobile sauna
(14:20) Bringing Finnish sauna culture to South Africa
(17:39) Choosing beach locations and weekly rhythm
(20:48) The wellness benefits of heat and cold
(26:09) Cold plunges and personal extremes
(28:08) Overcoming business challenges
(32:39) Busting sauna myths and best customer moments
(36:31) Vision for the future and expansion
(37:35) Where to find and follow ShuShu
(38:22) Rapid fire questions
Check them out here:
About Born to Build:
Born to Build is a podcast featuring conversations with the builders, founders, and pioneers driving change from the ground up. Each episode highlights the real stories of SME owners - how they started, what they've overcome, and what keeps them building their business. It's honest, practical business insight from those shaping their industries one bold move at a time, equipping you with the tools to build and grow YOUR business.