Passionate about dance, fitness and wellness, Lavania Rosie set up Dance Embassy to help companies build stronger, more connected teams.
We love entrepreneurs and small business owners at Honeycombers, which is why we’ve created Launchpad, a comprehensive digital networking platform (with IRL benefits, too) that encourages connection, business support and community. It’s a privilege and pleasure to learn from so many talented and inspiring folks, so we’ve decided to share the love by interviewing some of the lovely Launchpad members. Looking for inspiration? Check out how Lavania Rosie, founder of Dance Embassy (which hosts corporate team-building workshops and classes) and creator of Tinted Wateva (a growth platform for Asian businesswomen), gets it done like a boss.
How I get it done: Lavania Rosie
What is your backstory and why did you decide to launch your business?
I was told since young that my only career option was to be a doctor. I was living most of my life pleasing others, doing nothing else for myself. When my parents couldn’t afford to pay for my education, I had to work through my diploma and my bachelor’s. Any job I was in, I gave it my all. Being an entrepreneur never crossed my mind until I met my mentor. She inspired me to launch my business after I learned some key ropes of running a dance business from her.
Dance helped me through many stages in my life. The most significant one is depression. It also connected me to people who loved coming to my class to escape their hectic life – to have fun and just let their hair down. That one hour they chose to spend with me made me feel like I was born to do this. To live my purpose of providing happiness.
I also realised there wasn’t a solid community of brown women like myself running a business. That’s why I started Tinted Wateva. It’s a passion project of mine to build a community of brown women and support them through entrepreneurship by providing tools, resources and connections.
On a typical morning
I wake up at 5.30am to breastfeed my second child. I switch on CNA at 6am to catch up on the news while I pump and quickly go through my messages, emails and calendar. At 6.30am, I watch a sermon and get my spiritual dose through my bible study. I envision how my day should go and take a mental note of all the things I should do.
At 7.15am, I wake my first kid up, help him wash up, have breakfast with him, get him ready for school and drive him there. I love reading books but hardly have the time. So I listen to audiobooks on Audible while I drive my son to school and back. I schedule most of my team meetings and private classes with clients in the mornings. Twice a week, I attend French classes. I’m back home by 12pm to have my lunch.
On dealing with self-doubt and criticism
I grew up with lots of self-doubt and criticism. Being the only child of tiger parents, there was no room for failure. It took me well into my early adult years to deal with it. When I trained to be a dance fitness instructor, I let that self-doubt consume me in my first class. But I was blessed to have a great coach and mentor who constantly gave me opportunities to shine.
By being in her presence and shadowing her for almost every class and event, I gradually built my own confidence. When I took classes and began getting great feedback from clients, I realised you can overcome self-doubt and criticism if you have that ONE person who believes in you. I now pay it forward by being that person for my community.
On keeping stress levels low
This is a constant work in progress as I get stressed very easily. I consciously have to remind myself that stress is only going to affect me and me alone. Stress also ages you faster!
Seeing my baby smile and my toddler giving me hugs and kisses melts my stress away instantly. I also practice self-care and pamper myself by going for a facial, pedicure or just surrounding myself with great company over great food and drinks.
On staying motivated and energised
I’m naturally a highly motivated and energetic person – that’s because I love what I’m doing. Even if I face any setbacks, I move on quite quickly. Surrounding myself with like-minded people who are equally motivated and energised helps as well. Ain’t no time to deal with negativity.
On the advice you’d give your younger self
That I am beautiful, capable and worthy.
On winding down in the evening
There’s no winding down in the evening for a mompreneur. My idea of winding down, if I ever schedule one for myself, will probably be with my girlfriends over great food and drinks or watching Netflix. But I’m usually too knackered to finish anything I start and I sleep by 10pm.
Get in touch with Lavania Rosie online.
Launchpad is a comprehensive digital networking platform (with IRL benefits, too) that encourages connection, business support and community. It is designed to make the entrepreneurial journey not only easier, and more successful, but also a whole lot more fun. We offer almost daily activities for members to connect, along with weekly masterclasses, member networking roulette, small-business mentoring and media profiles on Honeycombers. Check it out and join us!