Surfing and sauna: Who is Surf Agency?
When Finja Götz and Michael Allman in 2012 shone a light on their shared dream of a surf school in Aarhus, it was with the ambition to teach the people of Aarhus how to stand on stand up paddle surf boards. Today they have created a very special place at Aarhus Lystbådehavn with both a SUP surf school, sauna and outdoor wellness facilities.
Since 2012, Michael Allman and Finja Götz have shared their hospitality and love of water with the people of Aarhus. It all started in the Caribbean waves, where the two surfers met and soon began dreaming of bringing The SUP sport to the Aarhus Bay.
Since then, their business has evolved to also encompass sauna, gus and outdoor wellness. Common to all of them is the ambition to give people breathing space in their everyday lives, so that they can share the joy of the sea or wellness in an analog space.
A calm space in a busy everyday life
For Michael and Finja, Surf Agency is largely about meeting the needs of modern people in a daily life characterized by high speed and a lot of screen time.
– We see that people need a place where they can find peace and presence and have a good experience, says Finja.
– That is why we are trying to create a space where you can land and just be. A small oasis where you feel like hanging out together, even after activities, so that you don’t just get sent straight back into Aarhus’ traffic again, she says.
From basement to sea view
When Michael and Finja pursued their surfing dream in Aarhus, it all started in a basement in Trøjborg, just the two of them. Today, Surf Agency is located in Aarhus Lystbådehavn, with both indoor facilities and an outdoor area with wilderness baths, saunas, and surfboards.
Around 15 instructors and guides are affiliated with the event provider, which has 6-7000 guests per year. The busiest days are Saturdays, when there can be over 200 hen party guests, company outings, guide guests, and other well-wishers through both surf activities and wellness.
Facilitates community
When you get to a SUP course At Surf Agency, there is a good chance that it is one of the two owners who take the guests out on the water or guide a gus. Throughout it all, community is an important common thread.
– The community is a huge part of our DNA. We believe that it is healthy for all of us to be together at sea and during wellness moments, and we do our best to facilitate all that, says Michael.
In Surf Agency there is also a SUP Club, where members have many common trips at sea and social events.
The surf and sauna crew provides motivation
The many dedicated employees at Surf Agency are an absolutely indispensable part of the owners’ efforts to make everything work in a more cohesive unit.
– We have a really cute crew! Everyone has a very personal approach to their work and to our guests. That is also the feedback we get the most when our guests leave reviews. We are proud of that, and it is a huge motivation for us to grow and develop, says Finja.
Surfer kids in the family
Since Michael and Finja met in the Caribbean, they created their first child, Surf Agency together. Later, in addition to the business, two even more important additions to the family were made: the sons Lenny Ocean and Nino Storm.
In that regard, Finja once again sends a loving thought to her team.
“Without our crew, all of this would not be possible, especially managing both business and children!” she says.
Develops over time
An important part of the journey with Surf Agency has been the ability to spot trends early and dare to act on them. The founders have not been afraid to evolve with the times and to try out new ideas.
– We see trends and tendencies quite early on, and we’re not afraid to try things out. We add a little bit of asphalt as we drive, says Finja.
This applied both when they were the first in Aarhus to offer SUP courses, and recently when they ventured into sauna tourism, which has now become a popular part of Danes' everyday lives.
The waves go up and down
However, there have also been waves along the way in the business's journey. The coronavirus period was a tough ordeal for the company, but fortunately the owners managed to get it through.
– It’s daily hard work to realize one’s dream, which consists of much more than just hours in the water. It also involves managing the VAT accounts, handling water samples from wild swimming spots, and understanding the municipality’s swimming pool regulations. We’re constantly learning new things, and it’s our guests’ recognition and positive feedback that are our fuel, says Michael.
Gus for more than one type
At Surf Agency, there is no one right way to experience surfing. saunagus On the contrary, they consciously work with different genres and moods to make the experience accessible to more people. The curators experiment with new formats and let the guests be co-creators of the experience.
– We had a guest who asked if we could create something that resembled a clubbing experience. So we thought, why not, and tried it out. It has been well received and is now our Friday Groove Gus, which is a great kick-start to the weekend, says Finja.
At the same time, there is still room for the more peaceful and classic gus experiences, where silence and immersion are at the heart, including meditative gus.
– There are many different opinions about what feels good. It’s a matter of taste and comfort, and we want to be able to accommodate everything, she says.
Community and energy in the gus
Finja and Michael are also both SUP instructors and guide leaders themselves. For Finja, one of the most interesting aspects of guiding is working with the energy in space. Each guide is different because the people in it are.
– I think it’s exciting to feel the atmosphere and find out what is needed right now. It’s about creating a space where everyone feels safe and part of the community, she says.
She talks about an older man who attended a festive Groove Gus event, even though he did not immediately fit into the target group.
– He was a bit skeptical at first, but after a few rounds he thought it was really cool because he was a part of the group’s experience. It shows how much the community means, she says.
Small moments with great significance
Over time, the two passionate surfers have also become passionate gusmestre.
The most important thing for Surf Agency remains the same as it was 15 years ago: creating great experiences for people.
– We go the extra mile every time. And we enjoy the small moments when people meet and share something together. It can be a father with his daughters or friends coming together. Those experiences really matter, says Michael.
From the first waves in the Caribbean to the warm gushes in the sauna, the development has been driven by the desire to create a place where people can find space for both community and immersion, and where they can go home with peace of mind.
– If people leave here and have a good time, with a new experience and fresh energy, then we have done what we want to do, says Finja.
The two sauna surfers are always happy to hear from people who would like to learn more about how Surf Agency can create the right experience for them.
