Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Kay.
Hi Matt, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I first discovered Float Therapy while looking for natural relief from chronic pain following a serious car accident. At the time, floating was much more common on the West Coast than it was here, and after my first float I immediately knew there was something special about it. I booked another session two days later.
What stood out wasn’t just the physical relief. It was the feeling of completely disconnecting from the noise, stress, and constant stimulation of everyday life. It felt like a reset button for both my mind and body.
That experience eventually led me to open East Coast Float Spa in West Chester in 2014. From day one, our goal was to create A Better Float Experience™ by making floating more accessible and less intimidating. Instead of traditional enclosed tanks and pods, we designed spacious, fully open Float Rooms that allow people to enjoy all of the benefits of floating without feeling confined.
More than a decade later, we’ve grown from one location in West Chester to locations in Princeton, NJ and Yardley, PA and are the largest and longest-running Float Therapy brand in the greater Philadelphia and New Jersey area.
While we’ve expanded, our mission has remained the same: helping people find relief from stress, anxiety, chronic pain, poor sleep, and the challenges of an increasingly connected world. We believe relaxation is not a luxury anymore. It’s a necessity. Seeing guests leave feeling calmer, healthier, and more like themselves is still the most rewarding part of what we do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not. One of our biggest challenges early on was simply educating people about what Float Therapy was. When we opened in 2014, floating was still relatively unknown in this area. Many people had never heard of it, and those who had often pictured a small, enclosed tank that seemed intimidating or claustrophobic. Even 12 years later, floating is still somewhat “under the radar” and it’s not uncommon for us to continue to welcome first-time guests, so we love this “challenge”!
That’s actually one of the reasons we decided to build spacious, fully open Float Rooms instead of traditional tanks and pods. We believed more people would be willing to experience the benefits of floating if they felt comfortable and in control of the environment.
Another challenge has been helping people recognize that relaxation is not a luxury. Most people understand the importance of exercise, healthy eating, and sleep, but many still view rest and recovery as optional. We see firsthand how stress, anxiety, burnout, chronic pain, and constant stimulation affect people’s lives, and part of our mission has been helping people understand that taking care of their nervous system is just as important as taking care of their body.
Like any small business, we’ve also navigated economic challenges, changing consumer habits, and the uncertainty that came with the pandemic. Through it all, we’ve stayed focused on creating exceptional experiences and genuinely helping people feel better. Seeing guests leave calmer, healthier, and more connected to themselves has made every challenge worthwhile.
Looking back, those challenges ultimately helped shape who we are today. They pushed us to innovate, educate, and continually improve the experience, which is a big part of why we’ve been able to grow from one location in West Chester to locations in Princeton and Yardley while staying true to our mission.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
East Coast Float Spa specializes in experiences that help people recover from the effects of stress, pain, poor sleep, burnout, and our increasingly overstimulated world. While we’re best known for Float Therapy in our modern, open-designed Float Rooms, we also offer Infrared Sauna, Cold Plunge, Contrast Therapy, Red Light Therapy, Zero-Gravity Massage Chairs, Oxygen Bars, and other wellness experiences designed to support both physical recovery and mental well-being.
What we’re probably best known for is our commitment to creating A Better Float Experience™. While many people picture floating as being inside a small, enclosed tank, we took a different approach. Our custom-designed Float Rooms are spacious, fully open, and large enough to comfortably stand and move around in. There is no lid, no pod, and no feeling of confinement. That design choice has helped thousands of first-time floaters feel comfortable enough to experience the benefits of floating for themselves.
We are also proud to be the largest and longest-running Float Center in the Philadelphia and New Jersey region. Since opening our first location in West Chester in 2014, we’ve helped well over 250,000 people experience Float Therapy and other wellness services across our West Chester, Princeton, and Yardley locations.
What truly sets us apart is our mission. We believe many of the challenges people face today stem from living in a constantly connected, always-on world that leaves little room for genuine recovery. Whether someone is looking for stress relief, pain reduction, better sleep, athletic recovery, improved mental clarity, or simply an opportunity to unplug, our goal is to create a welcoming environment where they can reset their nervous system and feel their best.
The thing we’re most proud of is not our growth or our locations. It’s hearing from guests who tell us they are sleeping better, feeling less anxious, managing pain more effectively, recovering faster, and showing up as better versions of themselves because they finally found a way to truly rest, recover, and recharge.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
There are far too many people to thank to name everyone, but this business would not exist without the support of an incredible group of people.
First and foremost, my business partner Trevor deserves a tremendous amount of credit. Building and growing a business over more than a decade comes with countless challenges, and having someone who shares the same vision, values, and commitment to helping people has been invaluable. We’ve been fortunate to complement each other’s strengths and work through every stage of growth together and continue our over 20-year friendship outside of the business relationship as well.
Our team also deserves enormous credit. While guests often see the relaxing experience we provide, they don’t always see the care, effort, and attention to detail that happens behind the scenes. From maintaining our Float Rooms and wellness equipment to creating welcoming experiences for first-time guests, our team plays a huge role in everything we do. They genuinely care about helping people feel better, and that shows every day.
Our guests have also been some of our biggest advocates. Many of our strongest relationships and opportunities have come through word-of-mouth referrals from people whose lives have been positively impacted by Float Therapy and our other services. There is no greater compliment than having someone trust us enough to recommend us to their friends, family, coworkers, or healthcare providers.
Finally, we’re incredibly grateful to our families and support systems. Building a small business requires long hours, sacrifice, and persistence, especially in the early years. Having people who believed in what we were trying to create and supported us through the ups and downs made all the difference.
More than anything, we’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by people who share our belief that helping others feel better is meaningful work, and we’re grateful for every person who has been part of that journey.
Pricing:
- 60-Minute Float: $99
- Contrast Therapy (Infrared Sauna / Cold Plunge): $69
- Red Light Therapy: $30
- 2 Floats/Month: $135
- Unlimited Memberships: $279
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eastcoastfloatspa.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastcoastfloatspa
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eastcoastfloatspa
