If there are any career lessons that have stood out after two years of living with a pandemic, they are: 1) Stay adaptable, and 2) Seize opportunities as they come. Based on the expansion of homegrown yoga and lifestyle brand Yoga Movement, which has seen the opening of four new studios over the last 12 months, co-founder Alicia Pan seems to be on the right track.

February 2021, the time when we were sanguine about overcoming the pandemic, saw the opening of Yoga Movement’s 6,000 sq ft flagship studio in Orchard. That was followed by the launch of a sleek pod concept in Novena in August, matching the generally cautious sentiment towards studio practice at that time.

In November, the seventh studio opened in the heart of Serangoon Gardens, filling the yoga gap in the neighbourhood. Shortly after, in December, the eighth and latest studio opened in Tanjong Pagar’s Icon Village, presumably to target the CBD workers who are returning to the office.

Yoga Movement’s newest studio is at 01-58 Icon Village.

From a consumer standpoint, the locations and timings couldn’t have been more apt. And these business decisions certainly came about as a result of careful planning.

Another key contributing factor to Yoga Movement’s growth: The launch of its app in 2019, well before the pandemic hit.

With Covid putting a halt to many in-person interactions, the Yoga Movement app played a crucial part in not just allowing members to book classes or join waitlists easily, but also enhancing the social experience of being in a fitness community, with features such as inviting friends, sharing and gifting class packs, earning achievement badges, and more.

Since its launch, the app has contributed to a 30per cent year-on-year sales increase, and sees over 28,000 users every month.

We speak to Alicia, who’s also a mum of two, to find out how she has been navigating her business and personal life during this time.

How has Covid changed your plans for Yoga Movement (YM)?

Alicia: The demand for all things health and wellness has skyrocketed in the past two years. With people spending a vast majority of their time at home, most people have been craving activity in a community, and getting motivation from others around them.

We have an aim to bring our flavour of yoga into neighbourhoods with an in-and-out concept for easy accessibility, and gelling the entire YM experience via our all-encompassing YM app, all with the purpose of expanding our YM community.

With the Novena Pod Concept, we jumped on it immediately when the opportunity arose as we saw it as a well-balanced neighbourhood for both the working and work-from-home crowd. We have plans in the pipeline for more of these, moving forward.

What were the biggest challenges you’ve had to face since the pandemic started?

Alicia: The biggest challenge would definitely be the lack of ability to plan for anything long term, with regard to both Yoga Movement and my family, personally.

Everything remains fluid, with things having the ability to change for the better or for the worst in the matter of a couple of days. With countries going in and out of lockdowns as if they are light switches, running a business and knowing what to do has been extremely tough.

A lot of business owners are going through proper fatigue at the moment, with some who have (sadly) thrown in the towel.

How have you adapted to the changes in regulations in Singapore?

Alicia: While it hasn’t been the easiest with changing rules and guidelines, we’ve worked hard to make sure that we comply with the latest advisories provided by the government. Through all this, we make sure that we maintain YM standards through all client experiences, be it in-studio or online.

Our app has served us well in making sure all changes and adaptations remain seamless through the client’s (and the greater team’s) eyes. We believe in the motto of “keep moving especially in times of uncertainty to keep people motivated”.

Has your vision for Yoga Movement changed over the pandemic?

Alicia: We’ve never lost touch of our vision for YM, regardless of the circumstances we are thrown into. We have always put brand and service at the forefront of our business, and that means adapting in every way we can, to still be able to provide a seamless experience for our clientele.

Even with launching YM Live, our online classes, we wanted to make sure that it wasn’t clunky and that we could somehow integrate it into our app for the full YM experience that our clients believe in. This includes allowing clients to use their existing package to book such classes, and earn achievement badges for rewards via our app.

What about your fitness routine? Has it changed?

Alicia: To be honest, it hasn’t changed at all. I’ve always stuck with a pretty consistent routine based on my schedule with work and the kids – this can change on a weekly basis so I plan my workouts at least a week in advance. My perspective has always been that health and wellness is most important, and this is especially so when dealing with a pandemic. So if anything, Covid has made me even more motivated to stick with my workout routine.

What’s your workout routine like?

Alicia: I commit to two or three times of boxing/circuit training per week, and the additional one or two times of yoga where possible. I’ve recently also started back on spin, just to switch up my routine every now and then. And because I try to squeeze all my work and workouts into the early half of my day, I usually only have about an hour to get them done.

How do you stay grounded and positive during these times?

Alicia: I’m going to be real and say that it has been incredibly stressful navigating through this pandemic, with what to do next, and at the same time personally trying to stick with family goals. Finding that balance requires a lot of discipline and self-check, especially with children.

Yoga Movement is fast approaching 10 years – it’s been a really crazy journey and this pandemic has made it about 100 times crazier. I am lucky to have a good support network here between friends and family. Keeping up with a good routine between family, friends, staying active and eating well all play a vital role in keeping me grounded (and sane).

What are some wellness trends you’re seeing, as a result of the pandemic?

Alicia: Yoga is definitely one thing that has been popular during the pandemic.

People seem to want to tune inwards a little bit more – in YM alone, we’ve seen a high demand for our online Flow + Zen classes, which comprises half an hour of a sweaty workout, followed by half an hour of slow and restorative poses. It’s the perfect combination of yin and yang.

To find out more about Yoga Movement, head to www.yogamovement.com.

This article was first published in Her World Online.