I am writing the very article that has taken me too long a time to craft. Telling the world of my new identity as the founder and studio director of CARVE is hard. It has been so ingrained in me as a public relations practitioner for over two decades to stay behind the camera and behind the identity of the firm. My entire belief system has been set to build the profiles of all the faces fronting the camera. This, has to change. Today I will, because I am the face, a #womenpreneur, to the new boutique Pilates studio.
With the humid afternoon breeze sweeping across my wandering face, I am here at Rainbow Rice House, strategically located at the start of the shophouses opposite Hong Lim Park at 43 North Canal Road, to do just that. It is exceptionally beautiful to pen this monumental article in my life while I listened to the music of the falling rain, in contrast to the sounds of the kitchen, where founder-chef Louis whipped up some of the best peranakan and tze-char dishes you can find in town.
7.7 last year, I took the biggest leap of faith and incorporated my brick-and-mortar business. This seat where I am writing this article is the very same seat I reviewed the first commercial tenancy agreement – with all the knowledge I had gleaned during my Knight Frank days and the wise counsel from Chef Louis! Here I am, just about half a month to mark the first anniversary of CARVE Pilates Studio!
Jul 2023: Registrations for all government regulatory requirements were spot on, no delay; renovations for the studio were spot on too, no delay; delivery of all equipment and accessories spot on; and I wrapped up my gig at HelloPhysio where I was part of the rehab team as the #ClinicalPilates Instructor.
I opened the door to clients on 2 Aug 2023. From then to the official launch of the studio on 5 Nov, I was working on the booking and payment systems directly with the WIX team. Being a marketer, I covered all copywriting and the development of all marketing essentials. I was so blessed to be gifted with the logo design and the entire suite of corporate identity by the best designer Hui San Tan anyone can have! Check out Hui San's design portfolio here. I was teaching privates and duets and doing many photoshoots and videos at the same time.
Embarking on a brick-and-mortar business is probably the most difficult step forward I have ever made. This is one gig that has incorporated all my life skills from marketing to project management and #Pilates teaching skills from rehab to fitness populations all under one roof. Still, I have since learnt some essential ingredients in life and am still learning many new and exciting lessons every day. And I love doing this: #Celebrate #workmilestone and mark them down in your journal. It is where you can turn that into a novel one day perhaps.
If I were to be given a podium today, I would be doing my unending list of people to appreciate. Above all, I want to thank my Abba Father for placing me at the right place, in the right time with the right heart.