A DUBLIN man who was left jobless and struggling during Covid has revealed the business that got him back on track – and with fans including Conor McGregor’s coach.
Leon Young had completed his business degree, but with the pandemic in full swing, was unable to get a job.
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He also saw his father, Mark Confrey, struggling after he had financial difficulties in the 2008 recession.
Leon said his dad was struggling to pay his bills and this added to his depression.
To try and get healthy, the pair paid €200 for a sauna and set it up in the back garden.
Leon recalled: “He began to find a peacefulness in the sauna, he started to lose weight, he started to gather his thoughts – he just became such a better guy, if you could see him now from then it’s just a substantial difference.
“He’s so much more mentally strong – still has the same problems [but is] in such a better place to deal with it.”
This made him realise the impact saunas can have and decided to look at buying more.
He ended up building his own, after finding just one to purchase as there weren’t many for sale in Ireland.
Leon and his dad started to make waterproof saunas, registered Sauna Guys as a business, and got their first celebrity customer- Owen Roddy, McGregor’s coach.
‘I’ve a bit of a marketing presence’
His second one he gave to the GAA club he plays for, Ballymun Kickhams.
“All the senior members started to use it, people and players, all these outrageously influential guys and I start saying to myself ‘I’ve done two jobs – one of them is for Conor McGregor’s coach, the second one I’ve had GAA legends in the sauna’ so I have a bit of a marketing presence here.”
Leon said his goal is to be able to make saunas accessible to ordinary Irish people and help them on the road to wellness.
“Could you imagine this societal shift to corporate wellness for the average Joe soap who can’t afford a sauna – we can make a communal sauna.
‘I’m trying to sell to the average Joe’
“I just want to start to hit targets, I’m not trying to sell to the millionaires of Ireland I’m trying to sell to the average Joe in Ireland like my dad who is in a financial crisis, who is struggling with his weight, he is struggling with mental health, who can access this stuff.”
He added that many are not aware of the benefits.
“I personally think pushing the mental strength of saunas, meditation and relaxation is just so far behind in Ireland.
“They’re all over the country in England, they’re all over the country in the Netherlands, they’re all over the country in Lithuania – all these European countries so why not in Ireland? Our coastline is beautiful – it’s probably one of the best in the world.”