O2’s On the Pulse series celebrates tastemakers who live at the intersection of movement, style, and innovation. This week, we turn the spotlight to Millie Densing and Taylor Servetnick, co-founders of Stakt, the foldable mat that’s as versatile as the women who created it.
From New York apartments to boutique studios, Stakt has become a cult favorite, redefining what it means to move with both intention and style. At the heart of the brand are its co-founders—two entrepreneurs who are balancing innovation, design, and the realities of building something entirely new.
We sat down with Millie and Taylor to talk about the rituals, inspirations, and lessons that keep them on the pulse.
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RITUAL
What is your go-to practice on a Stakt mat?
Taylor: “I’ll do a sculpt video, usually from SotoMethod. Or really random, I’ll search something on YouTube, like 15-Minute Glutes. Videos at home are my primary uses— and I use it for stretching.”
Millie: “Mine is similar, usually something at home. Unless I am going to a class that has the mat itself. My go-to lately is a SotoMethod class or a Form class on the mat.”
PRODUCT
What was the approach to making a fitness mat, historically an unglamorous product, feel cult-worthy?
Taylor: “To start, our approach was always to just make a better product. We wanted something more supportive, foldable, multi-functional, and lighter. It was very product-oriented. I think what followed and the love we’ve gotten from it, really comes from the fact that it’s a great product.”
Millie: “I’d say it very much started as a product and organically turned into a brand. We created the mat, which started the brand, from our own personal needs. I think that shines through. It’s accessible, and it makes sense when you use it, which has helped with the ‘culty’ feeling.”
GATEKEEP
Best nugget of wisdom you have learned from being entrepreneurs?
Taylor: “My mom always says this— I think it’s the biggest nugget in entrepreneurship: Rome wasn’t built in a day. You can’t just set up camp and set up a business in one day, everything takes time and discipline to get something off the ground and keep it moving.”
Millie: “I have two: Trust your gut. There is so much advice out there and so much noise and opinion, there’s a lot you don’t know, but we always have a gut feeling on things and it’s important to listen to that. The other: Celebrate small wins. You’re not going to get to the big things without the small things, too.”
LIGHTBULB
The foldable design is a game changer— how did that idea come to life?
Taylor: “Mil, go ahead.”
Millie: “We realized yoga mats are designed solely with yoga in mind. They’re thin because you want to be connected to the floor, but pilates, sculpt, HIIT, all of these classes, you need more support. We noticed instructors would roll the mat in hand for extra support. We were like, why does something not exist that’s meant to be one, thicker, and two, achieve the versatility for any class type and personal need? That’s where the foldability came about. Secondly, living in New York and being in small apartments, there’s a convenience to being able to fold a mat rather than roll it.”
O2 PICK
What item from O2 do you want to wear on your Stakt mat?
Millie: “I am a big Beyond Yoga girl.”
Taylor: “Love any of the Space-Dye stuff.”
Millie: “It’s so comfy.”
HEAVY LIFT
If building Stakt were a workout, what’s been the hardest move thus far?
Taylor: “Maybe I’m taking this too literally, but I think balancing the pressure of having your own business. We switched from corporate jobs, and building Stakt meant you don’t just work for a 9-5 or report to someone. There are no boundaries. There are no guard rails. Work and life and friends and family merges into one. The hardest move has been the mental toll it takes to sustain running a business that’s your own.”
Millie: “I think that’s a good answer. And, there’s so much in the D-to-C space, always so much going on. So trying to stay relevant and find the little things that give you an edge and help you stand out can be hard.”
DREAM COLLAB
If you could design a mat with anyone, who would it be?
Taylor: “I would really like to collaborate with a home-brand, maybe like Ikea. Ikea would be sick. I think they are the epitome of accessible design. They also put a lot of intention into their design. We also really want to create a Big Brown Mat for Bloomingdales.”
Millie: “My head was going to the Bloomingdale’s one. Overall, I think for me, when I think of partnership, I want it to make sense and I want it to have the effect like wow, that’s cool and out there. Another dream partner would be Oura Ring, and connecting the ring to the movement you do on the mat.”
AESTHETIC
How do you think design influences someone’s relationship with wellness?
Taylor: “I think design has a massive impact on people’s relationship to wellness. Even if people’s definition of design or aesthetic differs, it still motivates everyone in some way. Any vibe, you’re surrounded by, and your environment, and the products you are using, fuels your behavior. It’s not just wellness, but you have to get in a mindset to do a workout, and the stuff you’re touching and looking at helps form that mindset.”
Millie: “Completely agree with that.”
EXPANSION
Why did you go from mats to weights?
Taylor: “We always knew we’d expand into other products that were functional and convenient. We started designing weights because it felt like a natural extension, something you would use on a mat and with all the modalities of workouts we were doing. And we will continue to expand into more products as well.”
FOR YOU
How do you envision Stakt fitting into someone’s daily movement ritual?
Millie: “I think everyone is different. That’s what is so great about Stakt. We really think of it as, whatever your daily routine, the mat can fit into it in some way. Whether you’re getting on the mat first thing in the morning, or doing a mid-day stretch, or winding down before you go to bed, it meets you where you are. This is something we keep true for all of our products— the weights adjust from two-to-four-to-six pounds, so you can use them as you need and where you are in your workout journey.”
STAYING IN MOTION
What helps you both stay balanced and keep moving these days?
Taylor: “I’m motivated by positive mental health. I know that if I get a 30 minute walk in or do a workout, mentally I’ll feel better. That’s the keep moving of it all.”
Millie: “For me, fitness in general is more of a mental thing. Being in a good mental state, or staying balanced comes from movement. So movement in general.”
WHERE TO FIND STAKT
From daily rituals to design-driven innovation, Millie and Taylor are reshaping the way we move. Shop select products in-store at O2 Aspen and O2 Dallas, and discover their expanding product line at shopstakt.com.
Be sure to keep up with all things Stakt on socials at @shopstakt.
