Endure Thermal Spa isn’t just a wellness facility offering infrared saunas, cold plunges, and lymphatic therapy— it’s a lived-in philosophy, born from years of pain, perseverance, curiosity, and faith.
For the Pendleys, the decision to launch a business wasn’t made in a moment of calm. It came during a season of stress and grief, a time when healing felt urgent.
From Struggle to Self-Discovery
Ethan Pendley remembers the turning point vividly.
“I was 248 pounds and miserable,” he said. “Not just physically—I was angry, anxious, stuck. I wasn’t proud of the person I was at home. Something had to change.”
Years earlier, Ethan had torn nearly every ligament in his knee in a pair of freak accidents—first at a paintball tournament, then in a BMX crash. The full reconstruction left him with chronic pain and a deep fear of physical activity. By their early thirties, both Pendleys felt depleted— burned out, unhealthy, and distant from the lives they envisioned.
The couple’s transformation didn’t come through fad diets or overnight fixes. It came through research. Trial. Error. And a growing awareness that healing is cyclical, not linear.
“We discovered the thermal cycle in 2018 during a trip to Thermea in Winnipeg,” Ethan said. “That experience was the first time I realized, ‘I feel different after this. Calmer. Lighter. Better.’ So we started digging into the science behind it.”
Thermea Spa Village in Winnipeg is a must-visit. This spa offers saunas, cold baths, hot baths, massages, facials, dining experiences, and so much more!
They found that alternating between heat and cold had profound effects on their inflammation, sleep, and mood. And in the process, they began imagining what a space like that could look like closer to home.
In April 2024, they decided to go for it. With no prior experience owning a business, the Pendleys dove headfirst into an entrepreneurial journey marked by deep learning curves and deeper conviction.
Katie, a former cosmetologist turned homeschooling mother of two, leaned into a lifelong love of learning. “Homeschooling really taught me that you don’t have to stop growing just because you’re an adult,” she said. That mindset spilled over into their business planning—hours of reading, consulting with doctors and researchers, studying protocols, and finding mentors through the SBDC (Small Business Development Center).
“I remember thinking, ‘Write a business plan? Where do you even start?’” Katie said. “But people like Katie Andrew and Paul Smith at the SBDC walked us through it. They were incredible. That support was everything.”
The Pendleys used a ROBS (Rollover for Business Startups) program to fund the launch—essentially converting Ethan’s 401(k) from a previous job into a business investment. They partnered with Great States Construction, faced the chaos of build-outs and equipment logistics, and opened Endure in 2025.
