Tell us a bit about your current job.

I started my own company, called Secret Sunrise London, 2 years ago. I organise and host events, which are one-hour experiences combining mindfulness, movement, and dancing – all through silent-disco headphones. The experiences are guided by 3 facilitators who inspire participants to unlock their full potential and create a place for connection and joy – which we definitely need more of in London!

Beyond organising these events for the public, I also offer the experiences to leaders of companies. In the last 2 years, I've found myself facilitating corporate summits with FTSE 100 companies like NBC Universal, Deloitte, WeWork and Coca-Cola or hosting sessions at TED – all by sharing these unique programs.

I feel super passionate about the effects these experiences have, so I'm on a mission to bring them to as many people as possible! 

What and where did you study after school?

I moved from Paris to London when I was 17 years old to study Economics at UCL (University College London). Quite frankly, I decided I was passionate about Economics after reading one book: Freakonomics, and I knew nothing about the subject! I got lucky though, as it ended up being the perfect blend of concrete world applications and my love for math. 

How did you get from answer 2 to answer 1?

After I finished my 2nd year, I had a sense that something was missing, so I decided to take a year out, and moved to Cape Town by myself. Initially, I thought I was going to study at the university, but then I ended up discovering Secret Sunrise. My Airbnb host actually took me to my first event, and for the first time of my life, I felt like I truly knew what feeling passionate about something felt like – it was one of those a-ha moments that still gives me shivers. 

From then on, I became an instructor but quickly had to leave Cape Town again. As I moved back to London, I just couldn't let this slip away, I had never felt that passionate about anything! So I started Secret Sunrise London, more as an experiment to begin with.

I still had 4 months before starting uni again, so I threw myself into figuring out how to run a business in the UK. Once I started hosting the first sessions here, the feedback was incredible and I knew I had to continue. So I spent the next year juggling my 3rd year of Economics and running my business (would not recommend!). I've now graduated for a year and have been running the business full time since. 

How does your formal education feed into your present career (if at all)?

I think one thing that my formal education definitely taught me is dedication and concentration to work. My work ethic is probably the biggest asset that it's left me with. Other than that, a lot of people think Economics cross over with running a business, but it's actually two very separate fields. So I can't say that I have re-used many of the things I learned at university! 

What things have you learned outside of formal education that has been helpful to your career?

I have mainly just had to throw myself in and learn on the job. One thing that has helped me enormously is reading as much as possible about business. There are some amazing books out there about how to run a start-up, covering everything from marketing, accounting to raising investment. A lot of them are actually a lot more interesting than they sound and have created massive shifts of perspective for me. I've learned more devouring those than in my 3-year degree. 

What are the really useful skills for someone in your job to possess?

I think the most important skill is feeling comfortable talking to people. Obviously running events involves chatting to the participants- but also, in general, starting your business means you will likely have to present what you do constantly. I still hate the word 'networking', but at the end of the day, I've found it to be one of the most powerful ways to open doors and create new opportunities. If you actually enjoy engaging with strangers, sharing your story, and hearing theirs, it makes the whole thing a lot more fun! 

What does an average day at work look like for you?

If I am running a session, I will usually wake up around 5:30am to get to the venue by 7am and prepare the event. Participants will arrive by 8am, and the Secret Sunrise begins! By 9, we are usually all wrapped up and often treat the facilitators to breakfast to reward ourselves and debrief the work. I'll be back in my co-working space by 10:30am, and then my day often consists of sitting at my desk. I'll have chats on the phone with prospective clients, look for new venues, prepare our social media, send newsletters, and communicate with participants, set up future events, etc. It's quite a range of different things, so I never really get bored. I try to finish my days by 6pm, and some days, I might go to events in the evening. 

What's the best thing about your job?

How random it is! I still can't believe that my job actually consists of running these sessions, and I love seeing people's expressions when I tell them what I do. 

Another favourite part is when I start with a new client: the team-members are usually super resistant to it when they arrive, and within an hour, they literally light up! The transformation never stops blowing my mind, especially because they don't expect it at all.

What's your least favourite aspect of your job?

I think the lack of balance it creates in my life is something that I have really had to get used to. I feel so passionate about it, that I often want to spend every hour of my day working on new projects, which leaves little time for other things. I've really learned to accept that that is part of feeling so inspired by my work, that I wouldn't change it for a thing. 

What advice would you give to someone seeking a job like yours?

If you can find yourself a niche that completely stands out to what everyone else does, you'll be so surprised by what you can get away with! I often say, follow your most irrational idea, even if it seems crazy to everyone else. 

Check out Secret Sunrise London here.