Yoga Instructor, co-founder and co-owner of Thehotboxkit.com.
What brought you to Dubai?
I originally moved to Dubai to teach yoga, which I still do today. My first few years here were like a dream come true. I was both teaching and practicing a huge amount of yoga as well as dancing for various agencies, where we would get the opportunity to launch new hotels and dance at spectacular events such as the Dubai World Cup.
Describe a typical day.
A typical day for me starts pretty early, especially now that I’m pregnant - this baby has me up at crazy times! Sometimes I will join my husband at the beach where we will do a morning yoga session and some general stretching, followed by a decent breakfast. Most days I’m lucky enough to work from home so I will be straight onto the website processing any orders from the previous day. We like to get all orders out within 48 hours so this is always at the top of my to do list. A lot of time is spent on social media content and graphics, what we are going to post and what info we need to send out that day.
I like to spend some part of my day reading, even if it is just 30 minutes. My reading material is generally business related or self-help books. I’m a bit of a secret self-help dweller in the book store. However, at the moment my book pile is all hypnobirthing and how to be a mother in ten easy steps! Some days, I will also teach a couple of yoga classes, so it’s generally a pretty full schedule.
How did you get into this profession?
I feel like Hotbox was just an organic transition in my life. Most of my time spent leading up to the business was spent in sports clothes. I started dance class at the age of two (very early!) I performed on cruise liners for many years in my twenties then I moved to London and became a yoga instructor. So my whole wardrobe has always been active wear heavy. When I moved to Dubai, my choices were limited and it seemed only natural to do something about it. It seems I had been road testing the brands and fabrics all my life. I have the knowledge and background to be able to source products and brands that are reasonably priced, comfortable and super cute.
What is the best thing about your job?
I am literally in love with the Hotbox. It’s my baby. I get to scour the globe seeking out new brands and I also get to connect with fabulous women on a daily basis.
It makes me happy to know that making them feel good in what they are wearing and motivating them to move and exercise means that they, in turn, go out into the world and make an impact. Because we all know when a woman is feeling good about herself, she can move mountains.
And the worst…
I would have to say how time consuming it is. The general daily running of the website, plus social media, buying, shipping is endless. So many other areas of my life have taken a back seat. I’m always thinking about it.
What was a standout moment in your career?
I remember back in the beginning when I had been running the business for about six months and it felt so small to me and I was wondering to myself if it was going to take off and if it was going to be something that women in Dubai would be interested in. I was sitting in a cafe doing some work on my laptop and I had a big Hotbox sticker on the front case. Two ladies came up to me and told me they loved the brand and basically thanked me for bringing in a great collection and helping to keep them motivated on their fitness journey. That small interaction was pivotal to me. I remember thinking to myself “don’t worry girl, you’ve got this!”
What advice would you have for any young person wanting to get into your field?
I would say get to know your products. Not just the brands but where they are manufactured, what processes they use for printing, dying etc. We have so much choice now that you need to make informed decisions on where you are spending your money and what type of companies you want to align yourself with. You also need to know your client base. Who are they? What do they want/need? Why would they buy from you? Once you know your target audience then you can make more informed choices on your stock and products.
Your motto?
Work hard! Always! In the beginning, in the middle and at the end!