Plunge into Purpose: How Ryan Duey Turned Cold Water into a Hot Business for Wellness and Resilience
From a garage prototype to a $200M wellness brand, Ryan Duey’s Plunge is helping people around the world build resilience—one cold dip at a time
We are pleased to share this SuperCrowd Voices from the Community post with you. SuperCrowd Voices posts represent the views of our guest authors, not The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation. Manage the volume of emails you receive from us by clicking here. Interested in sharing your voice? Click here.
When the pandemic shut down brick-and-mortar wellness centers around the world, many health entrepreneurs found themselves scrambling. For Ryan Duey, the co-founder and co-CEO of Plunge, the challenge became an unexpected catalyst. From the solitude of a garage during lockdown, he and his team began building not just a product—but a movement.
“Plunge was born out of a desire to build more than just a product,” Duey explains. “We wanted to create a movement around cold plunging and resilience.”
That movement has since taken root in backyards, commercial gyms, recovery centers, and elite training facilities across the globe. It’s grounded in an age-old practice—cold water immersion—but infused with modern technology, thoughtful design, and a clear mission: helping people feel more alive by doing hard things.
A Pivot with Purpose
Before founding Plunge, Duey was no stranger to wellness entrepreneurship. He previously launched Capitol Floats, a float therapy center in Sacramento, California. But when COVID-19 shuttered wellness facilities in 2020, he saw more than a business challenge—it was a test of resilience.
“When COVID hit, our brick-and-mortar health and wellness businesses were forced to shut down, cutting off our communities from tools that supported their physical and mental well-being,” Duey recalls. “In that void, we sought ways to stay strong at home.”
The team’s first cold plunge was cobbled together in a garage, but its impact was immediate. Cold water therapy, long used by elite athletes and biohackers, proved to be a powerful way to boost mood, reduce inflammation, and sharpen mental focus—all from the confines of one’s own home.
The experience planted a seed that would soon grow into a multimillion-dollar brand.
Making Resilience Routine
Plunge aims to do more than deliver an Instagrammable wellness trend. It tackles what Duey sees as a real market gap: the lack of high-quality, accessible, and reliable cold and contrast therapy tools for everyday use.
“Plunge solves the problem of limited access to effective, well-designed recovery tools,” he says. “We make science-backed cold and heat therapy simple, reliable, and accessible at home or on-site.”
The company’s sleek, tech-enhanced plunge tubs and saunas combine form and function. Their appeal extends from elite athletes and wellness influencers to commercial operators and health-conscious parents.
“Our products are built to be beautiful and durable, making hard things easier to do every day,” Duey says. “We serve high performers, health-conscious individuals, and commercial operators who want to bring contrast therapy into daily life through a seamless, modern wellness experience that delivers real physical and mental benefits.”
Building the Category Leader
In a field crowded with boutique wellness products and fad therapies, Plunge stands out. According to Duey, that’s no accident. The company has invested heavily in product innovation, customer experience, and brand credibility.
“Plunge stands out as the most trusted and recognizable brand in cold and contrast therapy,” he says. “We combine premium design, smart technology, and commercial-grade reliability at an accessible price.”
Their units come with intuitive controls, digital monitoring, and connectivity to the Plunge app, allowing users to track habits and integrate guidance into their recovery routines. But it’s not just the hardware that sets them apart.
“Unlike others, Plunge delivers a seamless backyard wellness ecosystem by integrating cold, heat, and digital monitoring into a unified experience,” Duey adds.
The company also benefits from some powerful endorsements.
“Trusted by elite athletes, health leaders, and major institutions, Plunge owns the full customer journey from product to platform to service,” Duey says.
He’s careful not to overstate their success. But Plunge’s growth speaks volumes: over $200 million in lifetime revenue and a global customer base that continues to expand.
What’s Next for Plunge?
Rather than chasing flashy new trends, Duey’s focus is squarely on refining the product and deepening the value it brings to customers.
“What’s next for Plunge is focused and practical,” he explains. “We’re rolling out key upgrades to our cold units, launching new heat and recovery products, and expanding the Plunge app with features that improve tracking, guidance, and support.”
The goal, as ever, is to make resilience routine—to turn the occasional plunge into a lifestyle practice that improves healthspan and quality of life.
The Entrepreneurial Journey
Asked what advice he’d give to others building mission-driven companies, Duey offers a piece of hard-won wisdom.
“Things are never as good or as bad as you think,” he says.
It’s a reminder that entrepreneurship is often a mental game. The highs can be intoxicating, but the lows can be punishing. For Duey, staying even-keeled and focused on long-term impact has been key.
That balance has paid off. In 2024, he was named a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year. But accolades are not the goal. The real success lies in changing how people think about wellness—not as a luxury, but as a daily act of empowerment.
Why Investors Are Taking the Plunge
Plunge is currently raising capital through a community round on Wefunder, inviting customers and fans to become co-owners in the brand. Duey believes that the people who use and love the product are also the best ambassadors—and partners—for its continued growth.
“We’ve built this movement together,” he says. “And now we’re inviting our community to be part of the next chapter.”
The campaign offers an opportunity not just to invest in a product, but to participate in a fast-growing, impact-oriented brand that’s redefining modern wellness.
Learn more or invest in Plunge: wefunder.com/plunge
Visit the company website: plunge.com
Connect with Ryan Duey on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ryan-duey
Ryan Duey’s Bio
Ryan Duey is the co-founder and co-CEO of Plunge, the leading brand in cold and contrast therapy. A lifelong advocate for physical and mental wellness, Ryan previously founded Capitol Floats, a float therapy center in Sacramento, and has deep experience in building health-focused consumer businesses. Under his leadership, Plunge has grown from a garage-built prototype to a globally recognized brand with over $200M in lifetime revenue. In 2024, Ryan was named a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year. He is driven by a commitment to resilience, helping people build stronger and more intentional lives every day.
Max-Impact Members
The following Max-Impact Members provide valuable financial support:
Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Ralf Mandt, Next Pitch | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Matthew Mead, Hempitecture | Michael Pratt, Qnetic | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name Here
Upcoming SuperCrowd Event Calendar
If a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.
Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on June 17, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.
SuperCrowdHour, June 18, 2025, at 12:00 PM Eastern. Jason Fishman, Co-Founder and CEO of Digital Niche Agency (DNA), will lead a session on "How to Spin $1 of Advertising into $10!" He’ll reveal proven strategies and marketing insights drawn from years of experience helping successful crowdfunding campaigns. Whether you're a founder planning a raise or a supporter of innovative startups, you’ll gain actionable tips to boost visibility, drive engagement, and hit your funding goals. Don’t miss it!
Join us on June 25, 2025, at 8:00 PM Eastern for the Superpowers for Good Live Pitch—streaming on e360tv, where purpose-driven founders take the virtual stage to present their active Regulation Crowdfunding campaigns to a national audience of investors and changemakers. Selected startups are chosen for their commitment to community, alignment with NC3’s Community Capital Principles, and their drive to create real-world impact. Thanks to sponsors DNA and DealMaker, this event is free to watch and amplifies the voices of underrepresented and mission-aligned entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this inspiring evening where capital meets purpose—tune in to discover and support the next wave of impact-driven innovation.
SuperCrowd25, August 21st and 22nd: This two-day virtual event is an annual tradition, but with big upgrades for 2025! We’ll be streaming live across the web and on TV via e360tv. VIP’s get access to our better-than-in-person networking! Get your VIP access for just $25.
Community Event Calendar
Successful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events.
Devin Thorpe is featured in a free virtual masterclass series hosted by Irina Portnova titled Break Free, Elevate Your Money Mindset & Call In Overflow, focused on transforming your relationship with money through personal stories and practical insights. June 8-21, 2025.
Join Dorian Dickinson, founder & CEO of FundingHope, for Startup.com’s monthly crowdfunding workshop, where he'll dive into strategies for successfully raising capital through investment crowdfunding. June 24 at noon Eastern.
Regulated Investment Crowdfunding Summit 2025, Crowdfunding Professional Association, Washington DC, October 21-22, 2025.
Call for community action:
Please show your support for a tax credit for investments made via Regulation Crowdfunding, benefitting both the investors and the small businesses that receive the investments. Learn more here.
If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 9,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.
Manage the volume of emails you receive from us by clicking here.
 |
|
