Description
In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Robbie Bent, CEO and co-founder of OtherShip, a fast-growing wellness concept blending sauna, ice baths, breathwork, music, comedy, and emotionally driven group classes into a new kind of social experience.
What started as a backyard ice bath community in Toronto has evolved into a cult-favorite wellness brand with locations in Toronto and New York, designed for people looking to connect, decompress, and socialize without alcohol.
Robbie breaks down how OtherShip is:
- Reimagining sauna and cold plunge culture as a platform for emotional wellness
- Creating sober social spaces through DJ nights, comedy, singles events, and guided classes
- Using hot and cold exposure to help people feel more open, present, and connected
- Building community around shared experiences instead of phones, alcohol, or nightlife pressure
-Designing spaces that feel more like a boutique hotel or social club than a fitness studio
- Scaling from a backyard experiment to major New York buildouts with a deeply loyal following
The conversation also explores Robbie’s own path from sobriety to entrepreneurship, the rise of sober-curious culture, the loneliness epidemic in major cities, and why OtherShip’s most powerful product may not be the sauna or the ice bath—but the permission it gives people to be human together.
Whether you’re interested in wellness, hospitality, nightlife, community building, or the future of alcohol-free social spaces, this episode offers a look at how OtherShip is turning recovery, connection, and emotional release into a new kind of modern ritual.
🧊 Learn More
Follow Robbie Bent on LinkedIn or Instagram, and explore OtherShip (https://www.othership.us/) to learn more about its sauna, ice bath, and emotional wellness experiences.
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