Meet our April Woman to Inspire Claire Dunphy, founder of Breeze Yoga Studios

       Kent-based Breeze Yoga provides a vibrant hub to stimulate each and every one of our 5 senses. This beautiful studio not only offers a unique range of yoga classes 7 days a week, but also inspiring workshops, activities and retreats. From the moment you enter this light, airy space  shoulders somehow feel less burdened as troubles simply melt away. 

       We sat down with Breeze founder Claire Dunphy, a true yogi pioneer, to find out more about this wonderful space and her business philosophies

  For more information please visit www.breezeyoga.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breezeyoga

Twitter: @breezeyogauk

1.   In your experiences as a former Pilates teacher, tell us more about what inspired you to set up this unique place?

     Throughout my career I managed large mainstream health clubs.  I found that on the whole, members that practiced Yoga and Pilates were very much considered the minority in terms of the facilities and activities geared towards them, yet they paid the same subscription as others making full use of all facilities.  As an example, around 6% of the studio offering would be of a holistic nature and largely those participating in such activities were not interested in the fast paced, noisy and often frenetic aspects of the gym environment.  There were limited choices; either attend classes in a drafty and often ill equipped church hall or public hall, or sign up to an annual gym membership and get very little of “what you want” for your money.  Hence, I decided to open a “holistic style health club”, in which such participants would benefit from great facilities, a calm and peaceful environment, not to mention 100% of the offering tailor made to meet their requirements

2.   Did you always have a sense, (from a fairly young age), that you wanted to pioneer and run your own business?

     Yes.  I had a strong sense that I wanted to run my own business, it just took me until I was in my early 40’s to have the confidence and conviction to finally make it happen

3.   What has been a professional highlight for you since Breeze began?

       We have won business awards and received great recognition, but there is never a greater highlight than an individual contacting me to thank me for Breeze, and this happens frequently.   What might well have started as a curious “toe dip” into a yoga class in the quest for a better physique or to de-stress, has led many to embark on a journey of self-development, enhanced physical and emotional wellbeing and much more besides

4.  Do you think that yoga is still a fast-growing area in the UK?

    Yes, and long may this continue due to the endless benefits of practicing Yoga as an excellent tool for enhancing life on many levels

5.   What key piece of advice would you give someone considering setting up their own business?

    

     Trust your instincts.  Question everything.  Never lose sight of your vision and passion but never let this get in the way of your sensibility 

6.   Tell us about Breeze’s latest news and plans

      Breeze is constantly evolving and we continue to develop new and inspirational classes, workshops and retreats.  We are currently preparing the business for franchising – exciting times!

Breeze's current timetable schedule can be viewed here

7.   Day-to-day, how does being a parent configure with running your business?

    I’ve been working on Breeze for 6 years now and as a single parent of two wonderful girls – it’s been a juggling act to say the least.  I hadn’t anticipated when I started out just how much of my life the business would take over and there have been times in the past when I have felt guilty for being so busy.  The girls have been a fantastic support and have embraced the journey with me.  They have learned an awful lot through watching, asking and even getting involved in some aspects of the business.  I believe they have learned a great work ethic and the ability to multi task as a result, which I am confident will stand them both in great stead for their own futures, whichever paths they choose to take in life

Breeze offers a huge range of classes, workshops and treatments, including
Hot yoga, Gong Baths, meditation and even a calming flotation tank

8.   If you could arrange to meet anyone you chose – from a part of history, or living today – who would it be and why?

     My Grandma, Madge Dunphy, who sadly passed away when I was 12 years old.  She was smart, intuitive, wise and witty – she always had great little pearls of wisdom to share.  I’d love to meet with her and talk “woman to woman”.  We’d talk for hours on anything from cooking to politics to fashion to philosophy and most importantly, share a few jokes and some valuable hints and tips on life!

9.  Which person has most inspired you in life?

     

       Easy question … my Dad!  He’s a fantastic Dad, a successful businessman and entrepreneur, a real character.  He’s been my inspiration all my life and I am truly blessed to have such an exceptional father

 10. How do you take time out to relax?

      I walk my two dogs – it’s a joy!

11. What pearl of wisdom would you give your 16 year old self? 

       When making important decisions and choices, or when you are troubled, imagine you are yourself at 90 years of age, giving advice to you as a 16 year old.  Ask yourself, what advice would you give your younger self with the wisdom and experience you have gained in life?

Meet Pamela Bini, Founder of Mychildworld.com

       When we at Inner-Soul came across www.mychildworld.com we were more than a little impressed to find a beautiful website which offers a wide range of services for parents. 

       Founder Pamela Bini found some time in her busy schedule to tell us more about her business, her own inspirations and being a mum

ISO: We love the fact that mychildworld.com offers a unique information and shopping experience for mums and dads. Tell us more about what inspired you to offer this service.

 Summer 2012. By this time, my daughter was 5 and I was a full time entrepreneur
leading an industrial business in the petrochemical field. Which means, as almost all
the mums in the world, I had no time at all to start a new business! But I wanted to
challenge myself, coming from such a different business, with an MBA and a BA in
English, German history and literature, to add some sparkle to my “serious business
grey days”. As a result of this, I decided to start writing a blog. This simple decision
turned my life upside down! I started writing about my life as a mum and about
children topics: food, fashion, design, parties and etcetera. While perusing the web to
find inspiration, I realised something was missing. Mums needed a one-stop shopping 
platform where they could furthermore meet and find mums like me: terribly busy,
short in time, in love with their children and shopping addicted! So I decided…I can do
it! I wanted to build up a virtual place where mums like me could create their own mix
and match of products for their children from thousands of e-shops worldwide,
discover new stuff from other known and unknown mums, share their creations and 
buy their discoveries inside the platform and on social networks.This is how the great
adventure of MyChildWorld started.

Pamela takes time out with her young daughter

       ISO:  What has been a personal or professional highlight since mychildworld.com was        born?

People and especially women are my personal and professional highlight. My best friend, Roberta Desogus, became the best business partner ever. She is co-founder and COO of MyChildWorld. I met the great Sofia Gouveia, who became CMO of MyChildWorld, helped the platform to grow and became a trusted friend too! I met many interesting and supportive women: bloggers, merchants, journalists. I learned a lot from their experience and I realized that the vision of “Eva against Eva” is a man stereotype!

Women, mums or not, in business support each other in many ways: giving advice, support, a shout out or even just sending a nice email. I wish more women would code, be CTOs and work in tech because they usually are, in my humble opinion, more organized, focused and hard working than men. And of course are organized multitasks!

The website allows users to create their own, unique 'house' with
rooms containing items of personal interest. Bliss!

ISO: What future plans do you have for Mychildworld.com?

My dream is to make mums’ shopping experience easier and more fun. I want to bring together e-shops with great and well known, high quality brands and e-shops with one-of-a-kind products for little ones. I want to make the creation process and discovery experience more intuitive and easier by improving mychildworld.com browsing categories and search engine. 

I want it to be possible for a mum with a sleeping child on her arm to use MyChildWorld easily and effortless. I want that a mum waiting in a line at the post office can shuffle and buy on MyChildWorld app without having to wait to be in front of the computer. This is my vision: buying doesn’t have to be a struggle anymore for mums but a fun and easy experience.

ISO: What advice would you give someone planning to set up their own online business?

Have a vision and stick to it. Do you want to help people? Give a service? Bring some fun in their life or support them? It doesn’t matter what you are creating or offering, you have to learn, ask questions, make plans, set goals, build relationships and connections, and always keep your vision in mind. There is going to be ups and downs, good and –many – bad times but if you believe in what you are doing, you won’t give up.

ISO: What has been your favourite or most inspiring part of being a parent to date?

I cannot tell. My daughter is a constant source of inspiration for me, from the moment she was born. She made me a better person. I am more patient, more consistent, more tough and determined because of her. She made me understand the importance of small steps, the importance of living and of enjoying the moment. She made me remember how it was watching life through the eyes of a child. She can drive me crazy but I am actually the happiest and luckiest person in the world because of her.

ISO: If you could arrange to meet anyone you chose – from a part of history, or living today – who would it be and why?

Leonardo Da Vinci, because I would like to speak with one of the geniuses – if not the greatest – of the whole human history.

Artistic genius and inventor - 1452-1519

ISO: Which person has most inspired you in your life?

My mother. She has been working all her life (she is 60 and still working), she grew up in her work from being a secretary to becoming the CEO of a small company. In the meanwhile, she took care of two children, a house and a husband. She was, and still is, a wonderful mum and wife. She is intelligent, hard working and well organized. Not to mention, she is the most humble and beautiful human being I know.

ISO: Your mum sounds wonderful - what a role model! 
        How do you take time out to relax?

I do yoga and Pilates once a week, meet friends for a coffee and spend time reading or coloring with my daughter.

ISO: What would you tell your 16-year-old self? 

You are beautiful. Enjoy the moment.

ISO: Valentines is a big deal in the States. Do you and your loved ones have a particular way of celebrating?

We write Valentines for each other, my daughter wrote Valentine’s cards for all her classmates and teachers. My husband and I write a card for our daughter and give her a chocolate heart. We have a nice and romantic dinner with candlelight and we exchange small gifts.

The website's accompanying blog can be viewed at  www.blog.mychildworld.com