SASCHA ORLIEVSKY & NICOLE MITCHELL
INTRODUCING SASCHA & NICOLE, FOUNDERS OF HOUSE OF SCULPT - AN ONLINE PILATES DESTINATION THAT VALUES AUTHENTICITY ABOVE ALL ELSE HOUSE OF SCULPT LAUNCHED IN APRIL 2022 HOWEVER THEIR JOURNEY STARTED LONG BEFORE THAT. THE LADIES FELT THE ICK BIG TIME WITH THE FITNESS AND WELLNESS SPACE - DETOX THIS, DIETING THAT, SLIM DOWN HERE, TONE UP THERE.. THEIR BIGGEST WHY BEHIND HOUSE OF SCULPT IS CHANGING THE LENS AROUND WHY WE MOVE. MOVEMENT IS A PRIVILEGE AND IT SHOULD BE SEEN THAT WAY. LET'S MOVE TO FEEL GOOD AND THE REST WILL FALL INTO PLACE.
HOW DID THE TWO OF YOU MEET AND WHAT LED YOU TO STARTING HOUSE OF SCULPT?
IT BEGAN IN A WORK STAFF ROOM AT A BALLET SCHOOL WE WERE TEACHING AT. BONDING OVER OUR LOVE FOR PILATES, FOOD AND WINE WE INSTANTLY KNEW WE WERE GOING TO BE FRIENDS. AFTER ZOOMING OUR WAY THROUGH THE FIRST LOCKDOWN A GOOD IDEA AND A DREAM LOCATION (TAMARAMA S.LS.C.) PRESENTED ITSELF. SCULPT BY THE SEA (OUR FIRST BABY) KICKED OFF IN OCTOBER 2020 - IT WAS THE JANE FONDA-EOSUE STUDIO OF OUR DREAMS. AFTER ATTENDING PILATES CLASS AFTER PILATES CLASS WHERE WE FELT ON THE OUTER WE WANTED TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE COULD COME AND HAVE FUN, HANG OUT, FEEL INSPIRED, LAUGH AND CARRY ON A BIT. WE ATTRACTED A COMMUNITY OF WELCOMING, VIBRANT INDIVIDUALS WHERE SCULPT & SWIM QUICKLY BECAME THE RITUAL OF THE SUMMER! A BUILDING DEMOLITION AND THE NEVER ENDING PANDEMIC LATER WE KNEW ZOOM WASN'T SERVING OUR COMMUNITY IN THE WAY WE WANTED. WE PUT EVERYTHING WE HAD INTO BUILDING AN ON-DEMAND MOVEMENT PLATFORM THAT FELT INDULGENT AND YUMMY WHICH IS NOW HOUSE OF SCULPT!
HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR TIME RUNNING A BUSINESS AND LOOKING AFTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH?
OH GOSH, NOT GOING TO LIE, THIS ONE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. THE SCALES ALWAYS SEEM TO TIP BUT I THINK THAT IS LIFE - DANCING BETWEEN THE TWO AND JUST TRYING TO ENJOY IT ALL BEFORE IT FLIES BY IS THE BEAUTY OF LIFE?! WE BOTH WORK MANY HOURS IN MANY DIFFERENT ROLES OUTSIDE OF HOUSE OF SCULPT TO BE ABLE TO FUND THIS VISION AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SO COMMON BUT NOT SPOKEN ABOUT OFTEN, ESPECIALLY IN THE FARLY FARS OF BUSINESS. I AM A STICKLER FOR MY ROUTINE AND THAT'S WHAT KEEPS MY MIND AT EASE. IT MEANS I SAY NO A LOT BUT IT WORKS FOR ME. TIME BLOCKING HAS BEEN A GAME CHANGER FOR PRODUCTIVITY AND FINDING A COMMUNITY (THANK YOU INTERNET) OF BUSINESS OWNERS WHO I CAN TURN TO WHEN I NEED AN UNDERSTANDING EAR HAS BEEN THE BEST THING FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH.
LOOKING BACK, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE WITH THE PROCESS OF STARTING YOUR BUSINESS OR IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WISH YOU KNEW BEFORE STARTING?
I DON'T THINK SO! THE LESSONS GAVE US THE TEACHINGS AND SOME BIG LAUGHS AND EVEN BETTER STORIES. WE HAD A STRONG COMMUNITY TO GIVE US OUR WHY WHEN THINGS GOT TOUGH AND THE NAIVETY OF HOW MUCH WORK WAS INVOLVED WAS A BLESSING!
WHAT’S ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD PASS ONTO SOMEONE WANTING TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS?
BE CLEAR ON THE THINGS YOU WON'T WAVER ON. OUR BUSINESS HAS TAKEN MANY TWISTS AND TURNS AND OUR ABILITY TO 'LET GO' HAS WORKED IN OUR FAVOUR ALTHOUGH HAVING CLARITY ON OUR NON-NEGOTIABLES HAS ENABLED HOUSE OF SCULPT TO STAY TRUE TO ITS ESSENCE. SUPPORT - WHETHER IT IS A FRIEND, SISTER, BOYFRIEND, GIRLFRIEND, BARISTA, WHOEVER! SOMEONE WHO WILL LISTEN AND MEET YOU WHERE YOU ARE. WHEN STARTING A BUSINESS YOU CERTAINLY ARE LIVING WITH A ONE TRACK MIND SO WHEN THE INEVITABLE HICCUPS HAPPEN IT CAN EASILY FEEL AS THOUGH YOUR WORLD IS CAVING IN SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE YOUR PEOPLE TO LEAN ON.