Day in the Life of Dubai-based Yoga Teacher Vanessa Dolan

After a successful career in advertising in cities such as Melbourne and Amsterdam, New Zealand-born Vanessa Dolan, 44, decided to quit corporate life last year to start a yoga business in Dubai. Anessa Yoga, which will be launched in a few weeks, is a subscription-based service offering videos online.

“I decided to set up this business after realising there are few yoga subscription services that are not US-centric,” Dolan explains. “I got into yoga a few years ago after pulling the muscles in my neck. I tried to supplement my studio practice with online videos, but I couldn’t relate to the teachers – they were all ultra-thin and super flexible. I wanted something that was more relevant to me, as I’m just your average woman who wants to keep fit. I realised that there must be millions of women out there like me, which was when the idea for Anessa Yoga was born.”

Dolan tells local newspaper the National about her average day.

“I wake up at 6am no matter what time I go to bed. I have coffee with coconut milk and go through my social media pages. I then head to the gym for a personal workout, or I give a corporate or private yoga class. Regardless, I’m always doing some form of exercise at this time.

“My private classes begin [at 6:30pm]. I teach most nights and sometimes have two sessions in the evening, so I’ll start at 5pm on those days. The transition from the corporate world to being your own boss requires a huge shift in mindset. The pros include making all the decisions – but that’s also a con.”

Original article by Andrea Anastasiou, The National, June 13, 2015.

Photo by Reem Mohammed/The National.