I’ve been following entrepreneur and author Jesse Itzler for a few years. As a business founder, he’s had five successful exits. As an author, he’s pulled off experiments like a month of extreme fitness training with a Navy Seal, which inspired his first book, Living With a Seal. He’s parlayed his love of wellness into the clothing brand All Day Running Co. and the Runningman Festival. But honestly, it’s his marriage to Spanx founder Sara Blakely that put him on my radar. Their adventure-filled, yin-and-yang life with four kids makes for super-engaging social media content.

So when Itzler invited 30 of his 1 million Instagram followers to join him outside of Atlanta for a sauna retreat, I jumped. Honestly, it was the chance to talk entrepreneurship with a successful founder that prompted me to sign up—without dwelling on the fact that I’d be meeting Itzler while wearing a swimsuit and sweating it out in 200 degree heat. All in the name of networking.

I’m finding this sort of “extreme networking’ is becoming more common and can create a unique opportunity to break from the day-to-day and get to know people you wouldn’t otherwise meet while also challenging yourself. Here are some hot takes (pun very much intended) from my retreat with Itzler, and takeaways for your next networking excursion.

Make a First Impression

I was one of 30 who signed up for the retreat. About 80% of the participants were entrepreneurs. There was a founder of the app Text Teddy (it is brilliant for movie lists), a hydration supplement called Morning Routine, Christ Cacao’s founder (more on that), and even Minnesota local founder of North Shore Sauna. Before it all began, we introduced ourselves—not just names; we were asked to share intentions and fears.. It was powerful. That honesty fueled meaningful conversations in the sauna.

Get Vulnerable, Fast

There’s nowhere to hide when you’re in a swimsuit and a sauna hat. It gets uncomfortable before the heat even kicks in. But leaning into that vulnerability sets the tone for deeper connections.

Talk Fast, Be Clear

Get to the real questions and conversations early—you never know when someone will tap out and dash for the cold plunge.

Make Space for Others—Literally

The more people we packed into the sauna, the better the vibe. Thinking about how you can support others in a networking setting will always bring more back to you.

Get a Little Crazy

Sing. Dance. Let a stranger “whisk” you with leaves. Embrace the weird—it creates room for magic.

Ask for What You Need

Want a book review? Help launching your app? Someone to champion your big idea? The author of a finance book for kids asked me to review the book online, JohnJay, a famous radio host in Phoenix, asked Jesse to be a guest on his show. Be ready to get advice too. The founder of Christ Cacao was humorously encouraged to change his name to “Dani KaKaoooo as it is more memorable, on brand and people rember names with a hard K sound.”

Close the Door

Seriously. Keep the heat in. And metaphorically, it’s a reminder that what’s said in the sauna doesn’t always need to make it outside.

Create a Group Text

We used GroupMe—it made it easy to connect, share follow-ups, and keep the energy going post-sauna.

The magic of Itzler is the way he’s combined his personal passions—like sauna—with professional pursuits like leadership training and networking. He’s exactly as he appears online. Give him a follow, @jesseitzler—he’s kind, generous with connections, loves bringing people together. He’s a full-on sauna influencer and always has great ideas to help you move forward.

I left the retreat inspired, connected, and ready to turn up the heat!