Obsessed with all things health and beauty, Audrey Sze is a certified yoga teacher and a nutrition coach living in Hong Kong.
What’s your story?
My name is Audrey, and I am a yoga teacher and social entrepreneur based in Hong Kong. Having started my career in the beauty industry, I’ve always loved all things to do with beauty and wellness. After feeling burnt out and unfulfilled in my corporate job, I finally left in 2017 to start teaching yoga. I attribute yoga to helping me make some of my boldest career and personal choices to date. When I’m not busy running around teaching yoga and meditation, I can be found working on my organic beauty brand and designing a line of eco-friendly swimwear.
What excites you most about your industry?
What’s not to love about the wellness industry? The wellness industry has really exploded in the past few years and I don’t think it’ll slow down anytime soon, especially in a city like Hong Kong where chronic stress, fatigue and insomnia seems to plague everyone! I’m excited to see more players jump on board and I also love that something like meditation is now part of the daily discourse.
What’s your connection to Asia?
I was born and raised here in Hong Kong. Although I spent 10 years in the US, Asia is and will always be home.
Favourite city in Asia for business and why?
Shanghai. Every time I visit, I’m always so impressed by the energy and the willingness of individuals to connect and collaborate.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
People often overestimate what they can do in 1 year, but underestimate what they can do in 10. Slow down, be kind to yourself, and keep plugging away.
Who inspires you?
My father. He’s one of the boldest, visionary and strongest people I know and I feel so blessed to be his daughter.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
I guess I would have started my business sooner… And also a meditation practice. Meditation has been a game changer in helping me find mindfulness and peace of mind and has allowed me to work through a lot of my emotional roadblocks. But I also believe in timing and not living with regrets, everything in my life has unfolded the way it needed to — I trust that I’m exactly where I need to be.
How do you unwind?
I live by rituals, and one of my favourite ways to relax is to roll out my mat, light a candle or burn palo santo wood and practice a slow vinyasa flow, which usually involves a lot of deep stretching and a long savasana. I’ll top it off by running a hot bath sprinkled with some bath salt to nourish my skin and muscles.
Favourite Asian destination for relaxation? Why?
Anywhere beachy and warm, I am a total beach bum and being around water really calms me down. I love Bali and Koh Samui for the amazing yoga scene and good food. You can never go wrong with satay or curry.
Everyone in business should read this book:
I have to say I don’t really read business books. I am a sucker for fiction and believe that novels are just as educational in helping us understand human nature. I would highly recommend Bel Canto by Ann Patchett and anything written by Jhumpa Lahiri.
Shameless plug for your business:
https://www.theoliveyogi.co/
https://www.raakaorganics.com/
How can people connect with you?
@theoliveyogi
@raakaorganics
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This interview is part of the ‘Callum Connect’ series of more than 500 interviews
Callum Laing is an entrepreneur and investor based in Singapore. He has previously started,
built and sold half a dozen businesses and is now a Partner at Unity-Group Private Equity and Co-Founder of The Marketing Group PLC. He is the author two best selling books ‘Progressive Partnerships’ and ‘Agglomerate’.
Connect with Callum here:
twitter.com/laingcallum
linkedin.com/in/callumlaing
Download free copies of his books here: www.callumlaing.com
