My early childhood, I remember being outside a lot, swimming underwater and skipping around the kitchen in ballet skirts, dressing up my brothers, giggling and feeling so tangibly free moving with the music like there was a butterfly of happy, bubbly energy in my tummy ready to boil over when I danced. I remember thinking and still to this day know that it is one of the best feelings in the World.(Sounds a bit woo woo I know) but I always had this deep knowing around age 11 that I would work in the sunshine with palm trees and have my own business when I grew up - I never questioned it or forced it, I simply just knew. I used to watch Dragons Den with my dad which planted the seed that I could 'invent' a service or product that would mean I didn't have to work towards someone elses dream and that really stuck with me.
At school, as much as I loved it I was very average. I wasn't particularly determined but I had very supportive parents who knew when to push me to work hard and when to let go and find what I was passionate about and that was dance. Subjects didn't really interest me (other than writing) and so I did a lot of extra curricular dance classes after school and was soon known as the 'ballet one'. My weekends and evenings became booked with tap exams, extra ballet classes for scary vocational exams in London and when it became time to choose for Sixth form, I asked my mum if I could try to audition for full time dance schools and see how that went...
Fast forward 5 years through Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and London Studio Centre I was determined to get a professional dance job when I graduated aged 21 - the World was my Oyster! and so I booked my first dance job on a Cruise ship which (another woo woo moment) the itinerary was Europe and then the Middle East. I freelanced as a dancer in Dubai after my cruise contract for another 2 years and then fell out of love with chasing payments, feeling unfulfilled after shows and living pay check to pay check and that this is when the SUP journey begins to take shape.
I was on holiday with my family in Greece and saw someone do a Yoga pose on a Stand Up Paddle board in the ocean and that image felt like a literal light bulb moment in my head. I was living in Dubai, where there were calm seas, lots of tourists and the perfect environment for this. I daydreamed this idea that same afternoon. I remember it being very hot, reapplying suncream by the beach and thought of the name Super SUP Fit instantly as I liked the alliteration - although now I probably would change the name! and I knew the brand voice had to be exclusive, chic yet a little silly with gorgeous views and more of a memorable experience rather than a generic fitness class. Above all it had to be F U N. I hated the gym and classes back then were very uninspiring which felt more like a chore than the joyous feeling of movement and freedom that I grew up with. So, I wanted to change that.
Anyway! I created a AWFUL Microsoft powerpoint and spoke to all the local beach huts on the beach that rented out SUP boards, jet skis etc and asked for 50% split (terrible idea) to rent their boards for 1 hour. I tied down the boards with reinforced coffee bean bags filled with sand and rope, opened the Instagram account and every weekend I would put on classes. I juggled dancing, doing my Pilates certificates and teaching for a couple months.
And from there it slowly grew but weirdly I just never gave up. I think I just a knowing that what I was building was important to share and really believed people needed it. I call it a dream seed, and seeds need time, water and energy to bloom. 
Fast forward a couple years and it's now my full time job. The teaching is the easy part! I have to taught myself website design. swapping booking systems, work permits, social media, contract negotiations, risk assessments, trolley design (lol), board design, partnership contracts, PR etc.
It's come at a cost though, early early mornings (4am used to be my normal, manually pumping 10 boards on my own), missing my family, feeling a little stuck / lost questioning if Dubai is really for me, pushing my body in the heat, never ending lists, tears, never taking a salary, not sleeping, growth, failing, questioning my ability to actually make a solid career etc. 
But, it really has all been worth it and all I can say is if there is something you truly, and I mean truly believe in, you just need a shimmery sparkle of self believe and a tonne of try again tickets and you can make your dreams come true. So! Here we are, and what gives us the edge in this niche and industry is that it was born from a feeling. That bubbly, happy feeling of JOY when I danced as a little girl and the fun water / being in a pool gave me. I really believe the ethos behind what we do at SUP. Our classes are fun, silly, inner-child like yet physically challenging and visually in beautiful places to create a memory. A memory, a present moment with nature, your deepest breath, the holiday sunshiney feeling on your skin that you can look back on and smile. Curated playlists to each exercise and locations which have been handpicked each offering their very own magic.
So, thats my story! I'm training up some beautiful Instructors, partnering globally with some amazing hotels and focusing more time nurturing the back end of the business - which is actually so empowering and fun.
From skipping in my kitchen as a kid and never getting out the pool on holiday and to now sharing that feeling I wish everyone can experience - this really is my dream and I am so grateful with every step along the way,
Sophie xx
