Founder Guidance

Stephanie Chon

Stephanie Chon says she isn’t a wellness expert—she’s a developer.

Chon spent years working at her family’s development firm C. Castle Group, which operates multiple spas, including New York City’s famed Spa Castle. She took over the business during the pandemic.

As people emerged from lockdown craving connection and new ways to care for themselves, she saw an opportunity to create something beyond a traditional spa: a place that brought together wellness providers under one roof and gave guests a reason to stay.

“We created a space where different businesses want to share their own gifts and knowledge,” Chon told Founder Brew.

The result is Balian Springs, a 100,000-square-foot wellness destination in Northern Virginia, housed in a former US Securities and Exchange Commission building. The space features plunge pools, eight saunas, wellness classes, and a rooftop infinity pool.

After a successful soft launch in fall 2022 that brought in crowds, Chon realized the experience didn’t align with the vision she wanted to create. She removed the bar, eliminated phones inside the space, and repositioned Balian Springs as a nonalcoholic wellness destination.

Building a business the size of a warehouse meant learning far more than wellness. Chon had to navigate permits, construction, staffing, and the operational realities of running a large brick-and-mortar business. Here’s what she learned.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

At what point did you realize this needed to be a 100,000-square-foot destination rather than a smaller concept?

We were trying to survive Covid, and to be honest, it wasn’t this glamour story. The banks were only lending if we were going to expand, so we needed some funds.

My father was like, “We got to start creating something.” He wanted to build his own brand in Virginia… “Dad, let’s elevate what you had at Spa Castle,” which is what Balian is…I see where the trends are going. We can’t just go in and build a facility this large and have people come in without creating that experiential stay.

Looking back, what’s one thing every founder should know before signing a lease or breaking ground on a brick-and-mortar business?

Understanding city bureaucracies and red tape, the whole permitting process, and having a big [building] that creates a huge impact…Understanding the permitting process, getting your seals, delays, and the general lead times of permitting for any new business, I think it’s very important.

Read more about Stephanie Chon’s approach to building Balian Springs.—JH

      

Sponsored By American Express

Thinking about your business’s next opportunity? The American Express Business Platinum Card® can help you make the most of it. See how you can unlock over $4,000 in annual business and travel value¹, plus find out your welcome offer, which could be as high as 300,000 Membership Rewards® points. Imagine the possibilities.

When your business keeps you living out of a carry-on, the Business Platinum Card® can make your work trips even more rewarding. Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com. Then recharge with access to more than 1,550 airport lounges worldwide through the Global Lounge Collection®—more lounges than any other credit card company².

Wherever your business takes you, the Business Platinum Card® is built to reward your journey, every step of the way.

Terms apply. Learn more.

Growing Your Business

Illustration: Shannon May, Photos: Unsplash

When it comes to software, the federal government is so 2000 and late.

That’s because any software the government uses needs to be certified by the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, which is notoriously difficult to get through. Enter Knox Systems, a software company that helps others get FedRAMPed: Since May 2025, Knox has gotten more than 50 companies FedRAMP certified, thereby granting governmental agencies access to cutting-edge technology. Governmental tech may not be so 3008, to finish the Black Eyed Peas’ lyric, but it’s at least catching up to 2026.

“It’s crazy that [in] the country that invented AI, the government of that country doesn’t have access to some of the latest and greatest,” Knox CEO and founder Irina Denisenko told Morning Brew. For example, “the entire Veterans Affairs system is not the hospital experience you experience at even a tier two, tier three institution, let alone a tier one in a major city. But the technology exists and the VA knows about it. And they want to use it.”

Knox helps those on the outside get in by operating as a “landing zone” that companies can use to become FedRAMP certified. With Knox’s help, they can do so faster and without the hefty financial investment that has traditionally been part of the process. The startup acts as a sort of FedRAMP concierge; it’s authorized by 16 federal agencies—a number Denisenko said is growing—to act as a sponsor for companies going through the process.

Knox isn’t alone in the space; similar services are also offered by Palantir, Cisco, and IBM. It makes sense that it’s a growing trend, as FedRAMP certification is important for companies hoping to work in financial services, healthcare, and other private-sector industries.

Won’t you be my neighbor?

Denisenko got the idea for Knox when she was the COO at Class, a company that builds virtual classroom technology. When she found out that it would take five years to get Class FedRAMP certified, she decided to take a less traditional approach: She aided Class in the purchase of another company that was already FedRAMP certified, allowing Class to achieve the credential under the wing of that company.

Read more about navigating the FedRAMP certification process.—TC

      

Databricks has raised $5 billion. The San Francisco-based data and AI company closed a funding round at a $190 billion valuation, as it surpassed a $7 billion annualized revenue run rate. The round was led by Coatue, Blackstone, MGX, T. Rowe Price, and Sixth Street Growth. (CNBC)

Form Energy raised $750 million. The Massachusetts-based energy startup makes iron-air batteries that can store electricity for up to 100 hours—far longer than conventional lithium-ion batteries. The Series G round was led by T. Rowe Price, with participation from investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Energy Impact Partners, GE Vernova, Gigascale Capital, among others. (TechCrunch)

Bridge to Life raised a $100 million Series C funding led by Soleus Capital and Lauxera Capital Partners. The Georgia-based company is developing an organ viability assessment tool to expand the market and will use the proceeds to extend its VitaSmart technology transplant centers across the US. (Atlanta Business Chronicle)

Sponsored By American Express

Explore these perks. With the American Express Business Platinum Card®, find out how you can unlock over $4,000 in value annually with statement credits on select purchases from brands like Dell, ChatGPT Business, Adobe, and Hilton, plus additional business and travel benefits. Terms apply.

Stat: Between 3 hours and 8 hours 40 minutes. That’s the range of sleep per night three different startup founders tracked over a week of looking at their daily sleep habits. (Business Insider)

Quote: “As founder, it’s hard to sit back because I had no role in it whatsoever. So, we’re armchair quarterbacks looking from the outside.”—Rick Rosenfeld, the co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen, on watching the storied restaurant chain operate—and eventually file for bankruptcy—after selling to Golden Gate Capital in 2011 (Fox Business)

Read: Many leadership teams excel at crafting strategy but struggle to create the conditions needed to execute it. Here’s why leaders should assess their organizations’ strategic readiness across three areas—appetite to succeed, capacity to focus, and skillset required to execute—before launching a major initiative. (Harvard Business Review)

^{*A message from our sponsor.}