Sticky Notes
Ever wondered what it's actually like to build a fitness business from the ground up? Meet Rosie and Leila, two Pilates instructors who crossed paths at a London studio and discovered a shared vision that was too powerful to ignore.
This podcast—Sticky Notes—is our real-time chronicle of building something from nothing. We're relatively new teachers stepping into entrepreneurship, balancing Rosie's big-picture dreaming with Leila's pragmatic planning. We're challenging fitness industry norms, particularly the narrow concept of a "Pilates body," and creating spaces where everyone feels welcome regardless of how they look.
Join us weekly as we document every decision, meeting, and milestone. Whether you're interested in Pilates, entrepreneurship, or simply enjoy witnessing the unfiltered journey of two women betting on themselves and their vision—we're glad you're here for the ride.
Sticky Notes
Running, Routine, And Reentry (Ep. 14)
This one is kind of all over the place, but we hope you enjoy as you continue to follow us along all the changes going through our lives.
We chat through Leila's life in Riyadh and the struggle to find a gym - which leads us into a discussion about women only gyms. Talk through the stress of trying to ship all of Leila’s belongings to Beirut. Then compare the two deserts we are living in, Riyadh and Salt Lake.
Going into business talk, we cover a range of topics from American PTO to the pros/cons of freelance work. Focusing in on changes we’ve made to Honeycomb Studios & how we are feeling with the business moving into the last few weeks of the year.
Listen along as we catch up and give you a peek behind the curtain to the realities of two long distance co-founders taking the Classical Pilates world by storm.
Is this bows on the side of the headphones? Have you always had those?
SPEAKER_02:No, it's a new I bought it like before I was the day before I left London. It's both over and it just has like little bows on it.
SPEAKER_00:It's so cute. I love that. I cut my hair.
SPEAKER_01:I love it.
SPEAKER_00:Well, because all the blonde came off.
SPEAKER_02:I'm loving the darker clothes.
SPEAKER_00:I kind of like the darker as well. I always thought like if I were to dye my hair, I would want it to be closer to my darker tone. Yeah. And then the blonde width at the bottom. But I wanted it like mid-length. Like I wanted it to be more like clear. And she just chopped it off. But I don't hate it. And it's it's good for my hair. So I mean your hair broke away. Yeah, and it was just getting really nasty at the bottom. Like when we were in California a few weeks ago, I forget if I told you this, but Tristan just like I was like, you need to just cut it off.
SPEAKER_01:No way.
SPEAKER_00:You need to cut off like three inches because this is driving me mental. And then he did, and then it just was growing like really, it was all flat on the bottom. It was just one line, which is fine, but it wasn't like professionally done, obviously. So it just wasn't it just wasn't growing in the best way. So I got it snipped. Yeah, it feels good. It feels like lighter.
SPEAKER_02:And you chop like the dead parts off. And you're like, I am free to do it.
SPEAKER_00:You can run your hands through your hair. How's it going over there? It's been a full day for you. It's just the beginning for me. Oh yeah. It has like, what did I do today?
SPEAKER_02:Um, I woke up, ordered in coffee, then we went to the then I went to the gym just to like get some steps on the treadmill. Did you join a gym? Did you commit to a gym? Oh my god, have we not? Yeah, we have met. Yeah. So I was like, I need to just find, and then I was just told like, I need to just find any gym. Like a bar is like low. I just need to find something, commit to it, just something to give me access to a gym or like a facility. And then we had tried out, we saw that there was weirdly, there's a bunch of peer gyms here, and I was like, I never even set foot in a peer gym in London.
SPEAKER_00:Is that the one that doesn't have staff?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's like you enter through a pod, you're like you spar code in, and then it closes the door behind you, and then the other door opens. It's like there's quite a lot in like dotted all around London.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I feel like I've seen them before. I've never been in one though, I don't know what it's like.
SPEAKER_02:I've never I don't have one in the UK to compare it to, but what I really liked because there's a branch that's like a 10-minute drive from our house, which was great, and then it has like floor to ceiling windows that are then like um like shaded, or not shaded, like what you know when they make them opaque, or like they I don't know what the wording would be for that. So it's basically done to like give all the women privacy because it's like a a women's only gym. But you can actually feel like a lot of the like all the gyms here are segregated, but so then a lot of the women's ones will always just feel like you're in a cave because it's like they don't want to obviously like have people able to see into it, which obviously I understand, but then it's like I don't want to feel like I'm working out in a dungeon. So this one has like it feels like you've got a lot of natural lighting, um, and then they had like the like a monthly membership option, so I didn't have to commit to a whole year, which is like obviously the main criteria. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Um so I is it weird going from London, like just going back to that culture where things are segregated. Like, does it do you just slip right back into it? Because I can't, I've never lived somewhere like that. Like I've never known that.
SPEAKER_02:Like growing up, I feel like I was in such a bubble away from it. Like I was obviously aware of things being segregated because I was like growing up at an age just before things really opened up, but like I the the school or like being at school was like being a bubble because obviously everything was mixed there, and it was like because it was like a British international school, it was almost like it wasn't like you were on British soil the way it is like when you're at like an embassy, but it was like very much rules didn't really or like those sort of rules didn't really apply.
SPEAKER_00:Um are they rules like are are they laws about like for things like the gym, or is that purely cultural norm?
SPEAKER_02:I actually have no clue because now there are I think it must have been laws that are like starting to get passed that now you can have because there were a few mixed gyms, but it's like extortionate prices. It's like I mean the first mixed gym that opened in Jeddah, I remember it was like a monthly f or a yearly fee, or maybe monthly like£20,000 basically. Yeah, and it was like for a family membership, like that'd be like for the husband and wife or something like that, but it was like still like Oh my god, yeah. Whoa, because there are the people that will pay for that, um, and there's like the class that I mean there's the market, so and I think it was a I don't I don't see a world, or maybe not yet, where that will sort of go down to like middle class gyms. I think for now they're just keeping it like just a couple because they don't want I imagine that they don't want like men seeing women for the first time in the gym and like not knowing how to act. So it's like okay, if we only have if you reduce it to so few people who can access it, the likelihood of it going wrong is lesser, and then the people who can pay and access those mixed gyms are probably have quite a lot of like foreign experience, like they've been abroad, they've traveled, so they're like they know how to act in society, I would imagine. So, in that case, so in this but in the sense of like slipping back into it, the idea of like because I never really went to gyms or like workout classes like growing up, like that was like uh not something I thought of. Yeah, I it's not that I have anything to compare in that sense, and I actually like when I did go to the gym in Lebanon, Lebanon's all mixed. So this is my first time really going to a gym and it being women's only. Um, I quite like it, like it's nice with it. I feel like I might kind of like it. Yeah, like I know a lot of it's it's so interesting because there's a lot of a demand. I mean, I I saw that there's like quite a few that are like opening up now in London, and a lot of women there really want um some like women's only spaces just because of the types of characters deal with in a gym. Um I think if I was like training one-on-one, I like it being women-only because it's like you just feel really comfortable. In terms of like group training, I like it being mixed because I think sometimes like the boys, I like get an ego with the boys, and I'm like, oh, I want to be on like I want to fight against you, basically, or whatever it will be, or like committee against you. Um, so in terms of like group classes, I think I do enjoy it being mixed, but for like just a one-on-one, like you want to go and lift weights, it is quite nice, just like it's all girls, and it's like it's so interesting because I feel like, and this is just anecdotal, I feel like the perception of people in somewhere like the US like hearing about gyms being separate and stuff, would I feel like people would think that that's so outdated and sexist and all these things.
SPEAKER_00:And I feel like we've talked about this a bit before with the perception that there is to the Middle East in Western society, but yeah, going to a gym with just women actually sounds like it's useful.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it really is just really nice. Yeah, it's so interesting because I saw a lot of discourse about it when there were the gyms opening up in London, and it was obviously being made to it is a big deal there for something like that to open, but everyone was like it praising it and discussing it in a sense of like, oh my god, yes, finally, like we've been looking for like a woman's only space, and then everyone from like the Gulf was like, Yeah, like we've been having this for so long. And it's like the discussion of like people there, like now that you're intentionally making a woman's only gym because you want the safety element of it and it being praised in that sense, versus people discuss and view women's only gyms here being oppressive. Like, I don't know if you ever saw there was like a trend that was going around on TikTok that was like, what is something that is classy if you're rich but trash if you're poor? And to meeting almost like languages, yeah, exactly. So it was interesting to see that discourse because I was it it was just such a clear example of like people praising a gym for the exact reason that you're sort of looking down and frowning on a gym in the Middle East. Yeah, it's an interesting way to look on like the biases that we all have, like we all have different biases in different ways. Um, and it just like comes out in different concepts.
SPEAKER_00:It's also just interesting to think about being a woman because I always, when I was a teenager, thought, oh, when you get older, you know, it's probably less scary with the men. I mean, I never felt I was very lucky to you know live in an environment where it wasn't scared of any men around me, but when you're a woman in society, you know, that's how you feel. And yesterday evening, I was teaching and I parked, and it was in a very safe area, but a pretty dark parking lot, and there was it was maybe a 30-second walk to the studio, and there was a guy parked kitty corner to me in this big truck, just kind of looking at me as I got out of my car and got my stuff, and I didn't feel unsafe, like he wasn't doing anything wrong, but it was crazy how those intuitions are just so you're so alert, awake, and alive all the time, and it is exhausting. And something like being able to go to a gym and knowing, okay, it's only gonna be women in here, and when I leave, I don't I won't subconsciously be looking over my shoulder to see if someone's following me. Like, yeah, there's just it doesn't go away ever. It never in my experience, anyway, has not gone away.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, 100%. Like in London, I my headphones are never not on like a transparency mode, or I'm never not aware of someone who could be walking around me, or like if you're on the tube. Yeah, you're not I'm not getting on a carriage and being the only one, or I'm not gonna get on a carriage with only men there respectively. Like it's just not gonna happen. Um, and so that's the one thing I think that I've always said, like growing up in the Middle East and like in Saudi and like I think the UAE and a lot of the Gulf countries have it as well, because there is like culturally a lot of difference between like them and like us and then like the Western world. I always like growing up felt super safe, like as a woman, especially, like walking home at night or just being out, like there is no there was nothing like so like night and day to what you experience in London. Um, and there's a lot of safety in terms of like you can leave your stuff in a mall, like in a public space, and like no one is gonna go take. I feel like we've touched on it like this like a bit.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, but I was I wanted to hear more about it because I remember thinking that was so interesting when you first said it. Yeah. Is that a is that's just how the culture is, or is it because there's fear of punishments really severe?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I think probably like one aspect is like a fear or like a awareness of like authority and like policing and government and all of that, and then also there's a lot of the culture of you wouldn't take from someone else because it's almost like not like bad luck or like an evil eye in you, but you're taking from like whatever you then take, there's like almost like something negative attached to it, like that could like I don't know, like it's just yeah, I and I don't know if that comes from culture. I'm sure part of it is like comes from the religion as well, like leading into the culture in terms of not taking from others and you know always wanting to share. So I imagine it's probably like an even mixture of the two, but yeah, people are just you would never even think to take someone else's things, or you could like leave the car door unlocked and just like no hesitations. Although I will say oh yeah, I think in terms of like not safe, like female safety, I still feel like very safe and very comfortable. Um, like going out. There's more as I think women are venturing out into like for now, example, now like when I'm out on a run, uh there's a lot of like a frat boy behavior that's starting to appear in like Saudi men that like never used to like exist before. So you'll get people driving by honking or windows down, like that sort of behavior. Yeah. Which I which exists everywhere in the world. I was just really fortunate in that when I was in London, I was just running in Hyde Park, really, and like to get from mine to theirs like a very minimal distance. So I wasn't I did and when you're in the park, you're safe from like cat calling really because it's not yeah, it's unlikely to happen. So I think I was just a rare number in that in when I was running in London, I didn't deal with any I never felt unsafe because I was always running in the daytime. It was before daylight hours, so I was just it was a nice period to be running in, and I always felt really safe. So I'm sure I would have had similar experiences had I been running like on the streets and like in neighborhoods and like later hours, which is not great that that's a generalization that I can make, but I just know it would be true. Yeah, so that's starting to happen here. And also there's some places where like when you're running, people are conf like there's not a big fitness culture here, it's starting to happen more and more, but people are confused to see men running, and then they see it's a woman running, and it's like the confusion is like doubled. Like, I don't I have not seen another woman running on the streets at this time. Really? Anyway, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Awaiting the day I see a woman, I think when I run up to her, like just you know what you should do, you should start some kind of I guess you said you might join a running club, but I remember I was running in Chiswick along the river towards um like Barnes Bridge, and someone, this girl started running next to me, and I was kind of like, Oh my gosh, like what's happening? And then she said, I'm not creepy, I have a running club, and she handed me a flyer and it was such a sweet, she was kind of on the lookout for women running alone. Maybe you could start a okay.
SPEAKER_02:I do lie. I did go to the running club last week, and there were a couple women there. Yes, it was really early. Um, it was like we had to be there at 5 20 a.m. in the morning, and it's like quite a way from where I am. So God bless my mom who like woke up with me. We were like 4 30 a.m. Like getting in the car, and I was like, why am I drunk it? Like, why am I doing this kind of? It was absolutely beautiful though. Like the place we went was like um you were running by I guess it's like an old estuary, maybe. That's a wild thing, but yeah, like a really like I used there used to be a river there, and they're all dried up. Look at the geographer not knowing the text. She was like, What is this? Um, but it was like gorgeous, like and it the weather was lovely because it was like it's like 13-14 degrees that early in the morning. It's like the only time you can really run. And you were I was just running by like such gorgeous landscape. I'll send you some photos, and I was like, Wow, okay, this is beautiful. Yeah, it was just really early in the morning, and we were like, There's trails that you can follow, but we for whatever reason were like on the road, which I actually don't know why they choose that and not an infra path. So towards the end, like as it was getting to like 6:30, 7 a.m., cars were starting to pass by us, and there was like that fratty behavior of like honking or like playing loud music. And even though we were in a group, and even though it's like I was representing two guys, in the then there being men there doesn't stop them from like being fratty, yeah. Um, and there's also a lot of uh it was also really dusty in that area, and there's a lot of smoke from like um people were just like smoking because even though it's like a nature, it's not really a nature reserve, so there's like no prohibiting smoking, and a big like thing in Saladic College is like gathering in terms of like they like have barbecues basically like throughout the night or just like bonfires. So like the air was like not the purest. So I'm gonna go to a different place to run tomorrow where I did go in the week, and it was like a proper trail, so there's like no cars by you. Uh people are just confused to see you running, but bar that it's like a nicer trail. So I'm just gonna go a little bit. Okay. Yeah. Because I was like, I said my mom, I was like, I can do an early run, like we're gonna try to be there like 6 15, 6 30. But setting the alarm for 4, like, I don't think an alarm should ever start with the four. I five okay, like I can see it. 4 30 was just like a lot.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Did you feel tired afterwards or were you energized?
SPEAKER_02:Um I was I oh no, that was the bigger problem. Was I didn't sleep until like 1 a.m. that night. So I was running like three hours of sleep, and we got there, and I didn't have any coffee in the morning because I was like, if I have caffeine, I am going to have to poo my pants while I run. And this is just not something I can do in the wilderness. Yeah, so I was like, we finished, and I was exact I think I was running on a bit of adrenaline from the lack of sleep and then like seeing people and like getting to run with other human beings, and then I got in the car with a lot and I was like, okay, I need caffeine in me, like ASAP, and I could eat a cow, like I need like so much. So it was um, I mean it was like it was nice to be running again early in the morning because I've been running in the evenings just because it what's it's what makes sense, but there is just something about being awake and running whilst ever you know that the woman is asleep, and it's just there's a bit of a superiority to it, like when you finish the run and it's like 7 a.m. and you're like, wow, I accomplished something already today.
SPEAKER_00:I also think like it really yesterday Tristan and I said, Okay, we're gonna wake up at 6 and we're gonna run because his work schedule this week is like 9 to 6, so there's a little bit of time before. And we just didn't. We slept in until like 7:30, and then there just wasn't time and we didn't go, and it didn't, I didn't like think anything of it. And then this morning we actually did get up and went on a run, and I was I wasn't resistant to it, but I was kind of like, you know, I don't have to go into work at nine, I could run at any time. Why am I up running with you at you know, six? And then afterwards, I and it's always true every time. I don't know why I'm surprised by it every time, but I was like, I feel really good that I moved my body.
SPEAKER_02:It sets the tone so well for your day, and it's so like even on days where I had I had work to do, but it wasn't like a set time to start, I would still just try to like wake up early and get a workout in like whether it was like an F45 cardio or like a run, just because I knew that it's like it's kind of like the thing. I don't know if you've ever heard the stats where it's like it's like a bunch of successful people like all start their days up by like making their bed, or it but it's just that habit of like having a task in the morning and accomplishing it, and then it's like you set the tone as you need to go on for the rest of your day. So I'm sure something is like I'm sure the same applies, but like, okay, I've told myself I'm gonna run. You wake up and you do it, and obviously the endorphins help, so you come back endorphined up and you're like, right, I can take on the world.
SPEAKER_00:I can, yeah. And I just like yesterday I got so sucked into my computer and I just didn't end up exercising, which is fine. Like, I've kind of I I feel like I've let go of like I need to do 90 minutes of hard activity every single day. But I just didn't really move around much yesterday, and I could I could tell it did not feel nice.
SPEAKER_02:So you're still in like a post-rowing life though, or like post-toxic, like it's that's still a like that's a huge transition on top, like on top of you moving to the states and all of that. This is the first time in a very long time that you're not doing any sport like groups for that.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and not getting up. I mean, for rowing, I would get up at like 440 usually. And it does feel really nice to not be doing that, but also with moving, and I feel like you're having this too, it's like all of a sudden you don't have your like F 45, you just knew that you could go, and you knew exactly what you were gonna get. And I am a creature of habit for sure, and so discovering new running trails and stuff, I'm just like I do enjoy it, but I don't like the peace of not knowing what's coming. Um, so but I'm trying to do new things, like the gym we go to has a bunch of yoga classes. I've never been a yoga person, but that's something that really helps set the tone. I think I've only done it once, but I did it in the morning. It's like 8 a.m., so it wasn't crazy, and I just left feeling so peaceful. It's like, okay, this is also good to take with me.
SPEAKER_02:So yeah.
SPEAKER_00:How's it feeling?
SPEAKER_02:Sound baths when I was in London. That's something Third Space used to offer a lot of.
SPEAKER_00:I just feel like a sound bath is like what we all need like at the end of a week to just they do sound baths at Third Space, of course they do. Yeah, of course they do. That's wild. How are you feeling with the move now that it's been are you like on you're not unpacked? Are you missing England?
SPEAKER_02:I'm living out of a ball of a out of like suitcases because I was like, there's no point on wrapping here because I'm just like also the only thing I wear is like I wear my workout outfit of the day and then I switch to the pajamas. So like it's like this couple of things that are being rotated. Yeah. Um, and so I'm waiting to unpack the suitcases when I get to Lebanon, and like all my belongings are and then a majority of things are like in the boxes that we shipped. Um I'm good. Yesterday was like a low day, mainly because of like Me too.
SPEAKER_00:Hello? Can you grab me something? Yeah, of course, what do you want? Can I go?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, you can go in. It's just Rose.
SPEAKER_00:Okay.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, wait, what did you tell me that was like, oh, I need to tell Rose this as well? You did something impulsive the other day that made me I thought I'm always doing something impulsive. There was something there's something she said, or there was like something that happened, and I was like, we need to tell Rose. Oh, it'll come to me. Um, but yeah, yesterday was like a low day mainly because of my period, or like my period is due in a couple days, so it was just like a hormonal low day, so everything was setting me off. Yeah, it was like everything like I was just like in a spiral, and so it actually did work that we weren't recording. Like, I'm sure I would have been good, but it was also just like it was a day where it's like nothing was gonna get me out of it. I had to just like wall over.
SPEAKER_00:It was a low day for me too yesterday. I just was like I I had another one of these moments where I was like, why am I living here? And I hate everything about living here, which isn't true, but I just felt so like stuck in it. Yeah, and it was not.
SPEAKER_02:I was like that yesterday. I was just like spiraling so much. Well, I was like, Oh, I just left like a whole lot, like I was like realizing a little bit that like I'm not just here on vacation, and then it was also just like the period hormones, and I was like, okay, I need to get to the like I need to move, I need to because I was like my blood was boiling almost, and I was like, I need to just like expel some of this energy. So I went and I did a workout. Um, and there's a quote, and I've posted it on my Instagram before, and it's like now my bio because it really resonates, and it's like uh when you're losing your mind, find your body, and it's so you showed that quote to me, and it's so true. I like it, it just re- I believe in that so much. Um, and that's why I'm so great. Like running has really and just like working, like yesterday I went and I did like a hyroxy style workout, and I was like, oh, this is like what I love. But it was just like getting my heart rate up and just of having that physical outlet. Like the last thing I wanted to do was work out, but it just gave me like an hour where like my brain was just a little bit quieter. Um, and I think running has been almost like that. You know how you were saying, like you don't have that thing that you can know you can just do, or like that the way F-45 was for you before. I was having that a little bit here. Um, and even still, like, with I don't consider the gym, it's a like eh, but my running plan that I've been following, it's like a a plan leading up to the like race I have, end of Jan. It's so nice because it gives me a little bit of structure for my week to be like, okay, today you have to at least get this tempo running, and it's been nice to have that sort of knowledge and guarantee. And there's like a park nearby that we found that's like a 2.2-ish like kilometer route, it's not too bad, it's nice and like well paved. So it's like okay, I know where I can go at night and do the run, and it's like a little bit of a routine because that's the hardest part, is like just being like in limbo, yeah. Um, and we're looking now at dates for when I'm gonna fly out to Lebanon, like in less than two weeks, probably. Okay. So I think also once I have a flight to fly. Okay, yeah. So I think once that is booked, then I'll be able to enjoy the sort of next few weeks being here because now it just feels like there's no end. So I think just having a date will give me a bit of peace.
SPEAKER_00:How far away is it? Like, how long is that flight? Two hours.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, close. Or like two and a half. Like it's yeah, it was really convenient. And it's like I grew up doing that flight from like Jeddah to Beirut, which is like also two and a half hours. So it was like it feels like I'm getting on a bus basically. Because by the time the flight that plane goes up in the air, you like do something for like an hour, maybe you eat, and then it's like, all right, so I still ready for that thing. Yeah, yeah. So, and my stuff finally, finally made it through the passports. It was yes, genuinely, it was the most stressful week because it arrived by things have been there for like 10 days, like they arrived at the airport, uh-huh. But then it was like in Lebanon, Lebanon, okay, yeah. Yeah, so we shipped it directly from London to Lebanon, but then the person it was like it was under my grandfather, so like he was gonna be the person to like be there and like receive the things, but he was still in London when the packages arrived in Lebanon because they arrived much quicker than we were expecting, and then they wanted to just see his ID, they didn't even care about having it having him, they just wanted the ID. Oh my god. But his ID was with him in London, and like so then it was like being held up, and then they landed on Saturday, couldn't get in until Monday because obviously it was closed, but then from Monday till now, which is actually like not that many days, couple days, it's been just like in the processing unit because then they were like, Can you tell us what's in every single box? We need exact numbers of everything. And I was like, Why like we had that too?
SPEAKER_00:We were like, I don't know, 25 shirts.
SPEAKER_02:Like when we were shipping something to Saudi last year, they did say, like, okay, what's in every box, but that was when we were doing like the shipping. This was like it had arrived and no one had told us what they wanted this, and then they were okay, we'll see. And then so we've just been waiting for them for the past five days to like see what's gonna happen, and then also depending on how they were also having to figure out like, are these things taxable? Like, am I gonna have to pay and import? Like, are they like we were having to convince them that I'm not importing all these things to sell and right from the UK? And then also like it then depending on how long they were being held, you have to hold you have to pay for the fact that it's being held in the in the airport. It was like the like most annoying, frustrating thing. But thankfully, today we got the message that stuff are in my apartment in London. This is the state of one of the boxes that made it there. Yeah. Um, you can see it's also taped up with a bunch of things that say fragile. So don't even know exactly how that happened. I don't actually think the fragile was from us. I think it was from them, but I do know that they opened up a lot of them, which like fair enough if you want to check that it's like um yeah, legit. But basically, yeah, it was like a lot of could it basically went two weeks of like hoping that these things make. It in one piece. So stress.
SPEAKER_00:I know so that's like my entire discovering it and turning on your echo cancellation. Oh, it's mine just before I forget.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, go for it.
SPEAKER_00:Uh well, at least they made it, the boxes.
SPEAKER_02:That's the main thing. So it was just getting them almost like out of London more than anything. Because it's like we don't like I don't know when I'll be back, you can't have the belongings. They were like, okay, at least even if I'm not in Lebanon, once the things are unpacked and in that house, I won't stress over them because it's like that is in like that same place. Because I was thinking about it, I was like, if I plan to move anywhere in the Middle East in the next year, two years, I do not want to go through that hassle of shipping things. Like I will not be shipping my belongings. It will be like removing them by suitcase over time because it was just so much. I mean, actually, it was just very costly. And then it was just it is so stressful because I was at that point, it was also like I have nothing, for example, in my closet here, like in my home and other like all my b belongings are in those 10 boxes. Like that is the closet that I live out of. Like, I have like some childhood clothes here, but all my things were there. So I was like, I'm not surprised that it is 10, 11 boxes because it's like everything I've accumulated in the last 23 years of life, basically. Yeah, um, so it is kind of nice to just all have them in one place. But yeah, it was stressful and I was like, wow, these are all just like being put on a plane, and I have to hope that everyone that touches them is gonna be careful and considerate. Yeah, yeah. So, like the more valuable things, like obviously we just ship by or like we brought in suitcases because scary. Um but yeah, it'll be fun to unpack everything.
SPEAKER_00:That'll be a whole it will be and to resettle into the space because you don't know how long you're moving there indefinitely, right? So you'll be yeah based. You can settle in. And it's nice because no, go ahead.
SPEAKER_02:I was like that's a home that I have like a lot of memories, weirdly, I have a lot of memories in it. I mean, not weirdly, I mean we've it's been in the family for a while, but I I've never really spent that long there, but I have a lot of good I have good memories and some not so good memories attached to it, but it feels like home. Whereas like when I come here and visit my parents, it just feels like I'm staying at my parents' house because I've never been here for more than like two weeks and I like never grew up in this house. Whereas that house also has a lot of um furniture from the very first house we lived in in Saudi back in Jeddah. So there are like elements of it that feel very like homely to me. Yeah, and even when I've not loved being in Beirut, I've always loved that house and the furniture. Um, and but it's a lot more spacious, for example, than the flat I was in in London, because obviously London prices are insane. So I'm excited for my things to have like space as well.
SPEAKER_00:It's been living better, but has it just been uninhabited for the last how many years?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, because my mom comes and goes whenever she needs to like go check on family and things like that. So yeah. And there's not renting is less of I think it's more common now. Uh, but renting was like not a it's not a really big thing, weirdly, in Lebanon, I don't think. Oh, interesting. Actually, let me not say that. I think I'm sure people rent, but it is more longer-term rentals, like short-term rentals don't really exist. Okay. Or haven't until now, really. Wow. Renting is my mom is probably gonna listen to this and like fact check and be like, no, everyone is renting. Everyone rent. Yeah. Like the idea of like landlords and people moving in and out is just not really a thing there. That's wild. But it's not like the country is it's not like everyone is super wealthy and can afford it. So I don't I don't who knows. Don't actually know what's going on.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, maybe I'm the wrong way.
SPEAKER_00:It'll be nice that you are you gonna have to pay rent to like a family or anything, or are you going to just no?
SPEAKER_02:My mother is my uh quote unquote landlord, so that's awesome. I gotta run things by her. But have you been doing that was the main thing? There is no uh there is no like there are bills, obviously, but there is no rent, so it made the most sense to go there.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Have you been doing research on studios? Have you been doing any Pilates where you are now? Yeah, no, I need to do some math.
SPEAKER_02:I really I think my body needs it. Um, but there's no classical studios here, and I just don't well, like I don't want to do reformer or contemporary Pilates. I would want to be doing classical. So I'm just waiting until I get to Lebanon because there's classical studios there. So I'm like, I can just hold off on it. Um and I heard back from there's like two studios. I heard back from one of them, and he was like, once you get to Lebanon, like would love to meet you, like email me and we'll set up a date. So and I told him I won't be there until end of November. So I'm hopeful. Um I just want to get on a reformer, a Gratz reformer bed and push the spring out. I want to do arches, I want that tension in my foot to release.
SPEAKER_00:Yesterday yesterday evening when I was teaching mat, I there were only three people in the class, and there was an extra mat. So I um a few of the exercises just like did with them. Oh love, and it was so crazy. I think because I didn't move much yesterday, and I haven't been doing a lot of mat. I think it's just so appealing to like go straight to everything else. And we were doing literally like swan and single leg kick, double leg, and I was like, oh my god, my chest is like it was so wild, I really, really needed it.
SPEAKER_02:And it's funny because I was just watching them first and just teaching, not really thinking too much about it, and then I like got down on the ground to do those three exercises, and I was like, damn, my body really needed interesting because every math class I've ever taught has been in more of like a group fitness setting, less than like a class, like I've taught classical, but it was like in a group fitness, so I was it was always expected-ish that I demo or do bits of it. I don't think it was like required, but it was like yeah, like you would expect the teacher to do it. So I've a lot of the time always been doing math class, like I always do my my class when I teach it, and I love it because it would force me to do some math because I'm exact same as you. Like, if I get into a studio, I'm jumping on the reformer, like I don't have to think about it. I can just and there is the mat order, but like for example, whatever reason, the reformer feels less intimidating.
SPEAKER_00:The matter the reformer order feels more intuitive to me because you're like moving the pieces along, yeah, and the mat is just the mat. I still struggle with the order sometimes. I'll just be standing there like okay, give me two seconds, just take a few breaths there while I try to remember.
SPEAKER_02:Press back into child's pose, and you're like sometimes in a group class where it was also like I'd get a pregnant woman and then a person who can't do this and that can't do that. I'm like, right, the entire plan I had or what I wanted to teach is out the window. Um yeah, the advanced matte order, I probably couldn't tell you right now a lot of it, or like I it comes and goes because I don't teach it as much. Intermediate mat, it was what I would, it was like the format for what I would teach in my classes, and it was so fun because if it was like an exercise I wanted to do, I was straight there in the mat. And then the ab series I would teach a couple of each rep and then I'm walking around just kind of to do this right now. Yeah, but I'm excited because I bought like um I bought a ring, a little ball, and a foot corrector weirdly because I was like, I want to be able to do like some matte stuff at home, yeah. But I shipped that in the boxes that went to Lebanon because I was like, I would love to just have a ring and do Swan with the ring right now. My chest just needs to open.
SPEAKER_00:It's so I'm looking for it's crazy. Those exercises, there's like nothing that compares. There's no equivalent. Um, what was I gonna say? Yeah, talking about stuff going out the window because at this studio where I teach, they just have mat and equipment classes. There's no, and I didn't realize that, and I was really nervous my first equipment class just because I am not as familiar with the space and I don't know the clients and blah blah blah. And I had just like planned to do um reformer because that's just like what I have mostly taught, and I was like, Okay, that's just what I'm gonna do. And it's just the same order, so it was really like you know, simple. And then these three older women walked in and they were like fit, they were on it, they were super strong, healthy, and they all just wanted to do tower, and I was like, Yes, okay, they want to do tower and chair. I was like, and I didn't know what the tone was. Like, do you let them pick? I don't know, and I just did, and it was just like, okay, let me remind my like haven't taught tower in like six months, let me quickly like rewind my brain, and it's fun though, it is fun.
SPEAKER_02:I think also with reformer versus the map, a lot of the time, especially when I've been teaching and I want to do something for myself, footwork to me is so appealing. Like, I'm always like holding so much tension, obviously, and we all are like in our feet, so I'm like, I do just kind of want to do something before I get to the hundred, like, let me press out and like let me stretch out the body, and then sure, we're jumping in.
SPEAKER_00:Whereas with the map, but the hundred being first is kind of a wild move. I actually was thinking that yesterday because I went downstairs to like unlock a door or something, or whatever, and then I came up and it was a few minutes over our starting time. So, like, okay, let's get started. And we had just been all standing there, and I was like, Oh, literally 30 seconds later, we're doing the hundred. Like, I tend to not start with the hundred.
SPEAKER_03:I just start with roll-up.
SPEAKER_02:I do so I will always start or have always started half rollback, and then I have them roll all the way down, curl up, do the hundred, and then I do the full roll up because it to me. I just I jumping, it was and it was like the same thing. It was like I would be standing, checking everyone in at third space, for example. Everyone has just sat on their map, and it's like, okay, anyways, people are gonna come in a little bit late. Like the first two, three minutes is sort of just like you're getting into the space. So it always just felt like a bit too much to be like, and let's start. Inhale, two, three, four, five. Like, what are we doing? Kind of yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I also sometimes will start with a few like standing squats or something. Nice get the system going.
SPEAKER_02:My um one of the instructors who she taught our like first three uh like uh seminars for my teacher training, her name is Marcella, and she used to start all of her MAC classes with the standing legs, uh standing magic circle like leg series, and it is that is such a nice one to do because it's always like a nice like little icebreaker with the class as well, because everyone always thinks that it's gonna be much easier than it is, and then you see them lose their balance and start to wobble, and so it gets people like sort of chuckling to themselves, they're like, Okay, what is this? And then yeah, it sort of sets the tone, and then you can sort of go into it. But yeah, that's a a nice way to start as well.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, finding a serial going weird. My week has been well, it was a weird weekend because we were in Moab, which is the desert.
SPEAKER_02:Like I was saying, the for I've heard of like the Moab 240 or whatever the one is like the ultra that is around there.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, it is the desert. Like if you look at it on a map on satellite, it's like red sand and rock. It was really, really, really beautiful. It was fun to just get away and see a different part of Utah because we've been traveling a lot but not seeing a bunch of Utah, and I forget that we're in the desert, so it was good to like we go on these hikes, and I've never been, I mean, I've been to Morocco, but in the States I've never really spent time in the desert, and so um we were walking on like we were doing hikes, and it's just sand. Like you if I just put this ground. You were snowing that was in Salt Lake City. Oh, I forgot. Yeah, there's snow up above the like tree, yeah, up in the mountains. There's snow, which is crazy. Um, so Moab was really cool. It's a really sweet, it's pretty touristy, but it's a very sweet little town. So there's like cute coffee shops and restaurants and things. Um and then we just got back on Tuesday. Today's Thursday, and then on Wednesday we go to Seattle. So not really around Salt Lake too much this month, which I'm fine with. I was about to say, you're devastated. It's been it's so funny hearing what locals think of the place, and I'm really just trying to have like a laughing about it and appreciative attitude because it's starting. I have I told you about like the smog layer that sets over Salt Lake. So in the winter, there's something called the inversion effect, which I am not still clear on, but I keep hearing it. Something about warm air and cold air. All of this air gets trapped under a layer of smog over the valley, and it's just funny because to me that sounds horrible, and apparently the air quality gets really bad, and it's just not that pleasant. But if you talk to local people, they're like, when you drive down from the canyon, it's so cool because you can see the smog, and then you drive through it, and it's kind of fun. And then one of my clients yesterday said to me, it actually sometimes gets so beautiful in the winter when it's really cold, it kind of gets like crystallized. It's like, what planet are we living on? And the cynical part of me wants to be like, you know, there's other places you can live that don't have this layer of smog that you need to like it feels like putting lipstick on the pig a little bit. Um, and just yesterday I was driving around and I was kind of like, I've never lived somewhere where there's a lot of pollution. Like, I know that being on the tube is not great for your lungs and stuff, but I never lived in a part of London anyway where it felt like hazy, unless there was like something going on. And here I was driving around, I'm like, I can see the sun, but it's not a sunny day and it's not cloudy, really. Like, I'm so confused. I was like, it's the smog, it's just kind of like all these particles, it's so strange. So I'm trying to um now it's sunny and there's blue skies, and that's nice. So I'm guessing, but at my um again in my class yesterday, I was like, so is that the start of the smog? Or like is that just how it is? And they were like, just you wait. Two clients said that to me. Just you wait, it's coming.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and someone is like, Oh, this is just the start, and you're like, excuse me, I'm barely adapting to this.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so I am very curious to see how the winter hits because I've never really been affected by like seasonal depression or anything of that nature, and I'm very grateful for that. But people are here to ski, and that is what they're here to do. I don't really know how to ski. I'm not a big skier, so I'm gonna take lessons, but it's not this thing that I have like a hunger for, and then there's this smog layer, and I think it's just I don't know, you know what I mean? Like the recipe is not sounding like maybe my favorite thing.
SPEAKER_01:So I'm days get quite short.
SPEAKER_00:I can I don't know how short they actually get, but I can definitely feel it. My class is at 5 30, and it's you know, it's dark when I get there now. Not black, like not pitch black outside, but it's definitely like okay, the sun is down.
SPEAKER_02:That's another not so great one to add to the book.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, Seattle will be fun. What?
SPEAKER_02:Seattle will be fun.
SPEAKER_00:Seattle will be fun. I'm really excited for that. Tristan's big brother. It's just a fun few weeks because we're going to Seattle and we're interviewing. While I'm there, we're gonna interview Oral History. Yes, yes, yes. And then um, I'm going to DC for Thanksgiving and the shutdown.
SPEAKER_02:I have it memorized that November is something thanks. At some point in November is Thanksgiving.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's always the third Thursday, I think, of November.
SPEAKER_02:Um, so I'm doing that, and then yes, congrats for the shutdown is no longer shut down.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's kind of a mixed yeah, I it's not like it just is a mess.
SPEAKER_02:My uh weirdly, I was on like a run the other day and I was getting bored by music, so I was like, okay, let me put in one of my podcasts, and one of the ones I have in rotation is like a politics podcast, and they were talking about the shutdown. And I was like, this is not fun news to be running along to, but it's complicated, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:So but I don't know what airline travel will look like, but we're supposed to fly to DC and then we come back here.
SPEAKER_02:It is wild to me that your government can just shut down. Like, what do you mean the government?
SPEAKER_00:Like, I you know I still can't really but we were just in a national park over the weekend, and there's no you know, people checking passes. There's I mean that's a small example, but there's no one taking care of those things, like these workers. It is a weird concept. It it doesn't really sit well with me. Um but hopefully, I mean the longest one in history now. Yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, it's I feel like not only are you in Utah and in the States for like your transition there and like leaving London is one thing, you're also transitioning at like one of the wildest times ever, I think, in American politics.
SPEAKER_00:So it's just I will say the New York lots of elections actually have gone in a positive direction. So it does feel I was telling Sarah this the other day, I was like, it feels for the first time ever since being back here that there is some hope. It doesn't really change my desire to not live here for a long period of time.
SPEAKER_02:I think your mic died.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, I can't hear you. And it's green, so I don't know why. It just had a minute, maybe.
SPEAKER_02:I wonder if it has like a time thing.
SPEAKER_00:Oh yeah, now it's flashing red a bit. I'll just see how how long it lasts.
SPEAKER_02:Um it disconnected right after you said um died again. Okay. I'll wait for we do want to leave it and rejoin it.
SPEAKER_00:Can you hear me? I might just have to use my laptop speakers, but it's very quiet, so I feel like it'll be okay. Um yeah, it's a weird time to be here. It does feel hopeful, but I'm also sort of like, let's move. Why do we let's I actually was for Pi? I had a phone call yesterday with a girl who is interested in doing the teacher training, and she's American, but she lives in France, and she moved there for what was supposed to be a year, and now it's been six years, and she's has a husband and they have a company together. And I was asking her, does she ever think about moving back? And she said, sometimes, but the way of living here is just so good, and I know there's pros and cons to everywhere. I know people who've decided explicitly to not live in France for certain reasons, but just the expectation of this hustle work culture is so different, and I find it really tiring here. So I don't know what it's like in the Middle East. I'm curious.
SPEAKER_02:I think we like to find I would imagine it's more similar to Europe in that I think people work to live, don't live to work. I don't think we have that like capitalist drive in people. I think a lot of especially because the workforce here is so dominated by men, I think there is definitely a lot of drive of men wanting to work to be able to provide and like take care of their families, especially I think of like that older generation. Um, but I think there is an emphasis on like also enjoying your life. Like in summers, people are traveling, you know, people are taking their vacations when they can, rather than like I know in the States there's like so many people who just like even in the summer won't take time off because they just feel like they're bound to, you know, their work.
SPEAKER_00:We were talking to a friend um who I who I don't know very well, but who Tristan a friend of a friend of Tristan's who was with us on this trip to Moab. And she is American, works here, studied here, and we were talking about how her first job she only had 21 days off, and that included holidays, and even on days when she said, you know, so silly because on Christmas the building was closed and I could not go in, but that still had to be one of my 21 days off, and that was like stick leave, everything only 21 days crazy, and then we were talking about um how now I think she gets two weeks of paid time off. We were just talking about it, and I was saying I have quite a few friends who have unlimited PTO and how that seems from what I've heard from my friends, they're like, it's great. I take reasonable time off, I get my work done, I don't feel like I'm stuck. And this girl was just saying that she like didn't really think it was a great idea. And it was just interesting, you know, that's her opinion, but it was such a mindset of no, you have to be in the system, you have to have you know, two weeks off a year is totally normal. Yeah, that's kind of crazy. Crazy, and she doesn't work a small, you know, she's at work like 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. five days a week. That's a lot. I just and I remember having this moment like, am I just not a hard worker? And maybe I'm I increasingly I'm like, maybe I'm not, and I'm if this is not working hard, I am fine with it.
SPEAKER_02:Like I think it's also I think it's could no, because I you know what I think it is as well. You would put that time into something that would like you would put that time into Honeycomb Studios, but then also like I think it's one thing when you're putting in that time and you're putting it into something that like is an investment for yourself, basically. Seeing these people work those crazy hours for a company that would considers them replaceable. For me, that's like my I'm like, I'm heartbroken for you. Like, why are you doing this? Um, but also even then I s would not work seven to seven at with only two weeks off on Haniko Sujus because I just think that well, you burn like that is how you burn out, you need to recharge to be inspired to work and to be excited to work. And I had like weirdly, I had a similar conversation with my mom today where she was just like we were just like briefly discussing, and she was asking if I would ever consider working in Saudi, and I was telling her to me no, just because I want to be working in classical, and there is just aspects of the clientele here that I just don't see myself compatible to teach. And she was saying, Oh, I wish you would consider it because there's a lot of good money in it, and you could almost like get a nest egg for yourself, whereas in Lebanon it's not gonna be as profitable. And I was telling her, Yeah, but ultimately I would be miserable teaching here and working here, and I just to me, I I can't give up my happiness for the money, and I just I think a lot of people can. Like, I look at people in that corporate world where they're willing to just bite it for a few years, make their money, and then as they progress in their career, or if they choose to retire early, whatever it may be. But I just for me, I can't do that, man.
SPEAKER_00:I know. I feel like teaching Pilates has really opened me up to I almost feel like, oh man, now I know, and I can't go back because being a freelancer is obviously has you know comes with its challenges, like everything, but most Pilates teachers I meet are at least somewhere on that journey of wanting to live life in a very intentional way and be in control of their hours. It's such a strange thing to think that that's like a wild privilege to be in control of your hours and your time and to not feel guilty about you know, and I I have some friends who are trained to be therapists and have kind of similar to Pilates, except they own their own businesses where they can choose to charge. I mean, kind of like us in Honeycomb Studios, they can choose to charge what they want per session, and it's interesting talking to them, and they're still in the early phases as we are, and they're like, it would be great if I could work three days a week. And I don't know, is that okay to work three days a week? Like maybe I should work four. Like, no, just work three days a week if that's what if you can profit off of that. It's you and you like that, but it's yeah, it is nuts to me how many I I don't think I would survive being in an environment where I had to be, you know, like and look at how many people come over from the corporate world.
SPEAKER_02:Even just like if I think of like the pie apprentices alone, I mean Equinox as well, actually, in my intake, we had about three or four people who were from that corporate world and choosing to slow their life down or leave whether it was like big law or the corporate world. Like they're all just like, this has been too much. So yeah, I agree with you.
SPEAKER_00:In California, Tristan and I met this couple, and the girl works for I don't know, it's not it's consulting or something, it's not law, but she was then talking to our other friend who also works in a really kind of stressful, high-pace corporate environment, and she's actively figuring out how she can just totally remove herself from that, and this guy was not understanding, and she looked at him and she's like, just think about your health. That's all I'm gonna say. Just because she's I think is a bit older than he is, and she's like, just think about your health, and it's so true. Like, what are we what are you really doing? What like is this serving you? The financial piece is tricky because you need money to survive. Yeah, but you know, there's other ways.
SPEAKER_02:And I mean, I the other day, or like there's been a couple days, even yesterday, or not yesterday, the day before, where I've just like had to be glued to the laptop doing work, and I'm there for like four or five hours, and then after that, I'm like, I need to go touch grass, breathe outdoor air. I need to just not be staring at a screen, and that is like only four or five hours. Like these people are at their desks for uh double that, and I just don't know how they do it. Yeah, I don't know.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, 12 hours a day, more than that. It's not for me. That's for sure. It is definitely not for me.
SPEAKER_02:So fair. You're feeling better to I guess your day has only just started.
SPEAKER_00:I am feeling better though. My friend Shaw from who lives in Seattle is coming to visit today.
SPEAKER_02:Nice.
SPEAKER_00:So she'll be here for a few days. That was a good little exercise for me because I was like, what are we gonna do for two days in Salt Lake? Like, what is there to do here? And Yeah, what's the plan? Have you planned anything? Very many things. We're mostly gonna be outside. Um doing hikes and things. But there's there's one restaurant in Salt in Utah, but it's in Salt Lake City that the New York Times, I don't know how often they do it, but they released a list of the 50 best restaurants in the country. And there's a restaurant here that's on that list. So we're gonna go.
SPEAKER_02:Oh wow. Go to Salt Lake. What's the cuisine?
SPEAKER_00:Restaurant. It's like, I don't know. I'm curious to see. The menu looks very like normal. Um, and then there's another restaurant near us called Loghaven or something. It's um it's like in the mountains and it has all these twinkle lights, and it's very cozy. I've never eaten there, but I've always wanted to, so we're gonna go there. Lots of food-centric activities.
unknown:Nice.
SPEAKER_00:Go on a hike, and our puppy, who's over here, still TBD, if we keep her or not, she I was about to say. Yeah. She went on her first run today after recovering from her surgery, and she was labeled. She was like perfect. Like we we were kind of like, maybe she'll be really like this won't be for her, and then we'll have really a reason to give her away because this isn't the life I want. And she like nailed it, like she was glued to Tristan's ankle the time.
SPEAKER_02:Um, I am so jealous. Whenever I used to see runners out with their dogs, like in the park, I was like, you are living a euphoric life for me right now.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I really, really loved it, and so we might take her on some runs because now she's not restricted to her like three 20-minute walks a day.
SPEAKER_02:Um also, you know, whenever I see dogs like that, like being able to genuinely like frolic in nature, it makes me realize like truly I don't think I could have a dog unless I had an outdoorsy space or like access to the outdoors so easily. Like it makes me, and I'm almost glad that I didn't have dogs going up. I mean we had like bunnies, but and my mom used to always say, like, I yeah, the the bunnies were now, but they were like they were so cute. I loved them so much, and then I accidentally like overfed them and like fed them flowers from the garden, and then one day I came home and there were no more bunnies anymore.
SPEAKER_00:I've never known anyone who's had bunnies. That's the song.
SPEAKER_02:I will really want another one, like I really miss them. But at least like the bunnies that can be house pets with dogs. I just especially like larger breeds, like I'm almost glad that we didn't have one because I think I would just feel so bad that like what do you mean you're just cooped up all day and I'm gonna just walk you around like in the desert here.
SPEAKER_00:I'm gonna send you a picture of her right now because it's um ridiculous. I would feel really bad if we lived in a place where she couldn't like be outside. Mm-hmm. So yeah, but we don't know.
SPEAKER_01:We just traveled. Stop! Oh my god.
SPEAKER_00:I'll hold the picture. Precious so people can see.
SPEAKER_02:She's just Did you guys name her Putney?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, because she didn't come as a Putney Club. When we got her, her name was Honey. I've never heard that. And when we lived in we didn't ever live in Putney in London, but our boat club was in Putney. Oh that we're still a part of is in Putney, and so I and I remember when we were there, I was like, if we ever have a dog, Putney's a good name. And then we got her, and I kind of thought of it as a boy name, but it's actually fitting her quite well.
SPEAKER_02:So that's so funny because I've always wanted one of the names in my like growth of like if I ever get a dog is Kensington, just because I think a mocking, like I I think if it was a boy jokingly calling them Sir Kensington, just like I find that funny.
SPEAKER_00:You know what's funny is a few people when we first had her in our possession and her name was still Honey, some of my clients I would tell them about it, and some of them said, Oh, you should name her something relevant to London because you guys met there and got married there. And I said, Yeah, it's funny you say that because we've been thinking of Putney, which is and all if you don't know London, like I don't know, people I told that to were kind of like that's they just smile and like okay, just a weird name. And so many people were like, Maybe you could just name her London or Kensington. Like so much fancier. I was like, Yeah, it does. But if you know the place, Kensington is very funny.
SPEAKER_02:Putney, do you want to come over? Like, I can't imagine naming a dog like Mayfair.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:There was a trend going well though, and it was like random Artic names or things that like how bad was actually really cute names. Like Chlamydia is like a cute name, but it's like just you're not calling something chlamydia. I wonder if other ones were no, I'm sure I think what the other ones were. Um Puty can be a mascot for us.
SPEAKER_00:She's drinking some water. My brother always jokes that the best name is naming someone Liz, but short for lizard, which I always think is just so funny.
SPEAKER_02:Like he cooked up something there.
SPEAKER_00:People would think that it's Elizabeth, and it's just not.
SPEAKER_02:I love that, like having a nickname. But there's uh there's a few names I've heard like that where it's like you expect a more common full name and it's like the shortened. Do you have a middle name?
SPEAKER_03:Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_02:It's my dad's name though. So in the name, okay. I remember you told me. I don't know if yeah.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:I still don't actually know if that's a religion thing or a culture thing, but yeah, it's my dad's name. Is that pretty common though? Most yeah. We also I would realize that the other day, which is like a a weirdly feminist thing that I'm pretty sure it's like from religion. You yeah, it's a religious thing. We don't when you get married, you wouldn't um change your last name. So women have to keep their last name. Oh. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Interesting.
SPEAKER_02:Because I want to ask you, I uh religiously, yes. I think culturally people some people do, but yeah, religiously I believe in Islam a woman keeps her last name.
SPEAKER_00:Wow. Yeah, I kept my last name. I I'm not opposed to changing my last name. I just it's so much paperwork and effort. I just was like not really that interested in doing that. And I just don't know if there's I don't know. I was a bit worried about the situation here. If my I just wanted to be able to like have it super clear who I was to make voting easy and things. Um but I thought Yeah, because I did see that at what point they were being a bit weird about the yeah. Yeah, you just never know. And then I don't know if we'll have kids, but if we do, I don't I don't feel like they need to have my last name. Like that doesn't bother me. So yeah. We'll see. Whatever is, you know, if it if we move somewhere like Switzerland, I think it would be helpful for me to have his last name. But he's on the other side of the computer now. Oh fair.
SPEAKER_02:The camera was shaking slightly, so I imagined there was something involved in it.
SPEAKER_00:Um yeah. Anyway, how are you feeling about the business? Good. What we're looking at now is we uh we're updating the directory to have a little more, I guess like usage, ease of use. Um, and so we just got an update on that, and that's what we're looking at. I don't know if it's like not functional.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, I it's asking me to log in. Yeah, you need to be logged in because it's only accessible to like site users, she was saying. Let's see. Okay, so this is what will be um behind the paywall. I just keep getting I don't have permission to access this page. Are you able to see it? Yes.
SPEAKER_03:Okay.
SPEAKER_02:I can send you a video of what it looks like.
SPEAKER_00:How does it look?
SPEAKER_02:It is um, so there's a map which is like a slightly more a slightly cleaner like layout to the map we have now. Um above it, you can like there's a box where you can either type the address or you can filter by studio or owner name, so you can like search for a specific studio. Um and then when you click on a studio, it there's a section below the map which appears and it gives you the name of the studio, owner slash founder name, um, its location address, their website, which is hyperlinked, and their Instagram if they have it. That's pretty good. Um how do you feel with the newer lowered price?
SPEAKER_00:I feel like what we had originally in terms of the two different memberships and the two different prices I like better, but I just think it's going to take some time for that to be understood by the rest of the community. Um, so I think it's like a necessary streamlining effect to have right now, just to have the one and have it be really simple. Um, but yeah, I don't know. It's like you have to, it's I think what you said last time we talked, you were like, it's so clear in our brains what the vision is, and you just have to let people have the space.
SPEAKER_02:I just yes, I just remembered what it was that I was like, I need to tell it to the thing to do with my mom. I was telling her how I think we just need to film videos of us re-explaining the concept to people and just like so that they understand it. And I was telling her, I was like, mom, people want to be spoon-fed information, like they just don't want to look into it or just read and stick, yeah. Like I yeah. She's like, I had she's like, I know exactly what you mean because I she was dealing with that a lot when she was um working and she was working in a preschool, and for example, she'd like hand a parent a p a letter and the paper like was explaining an event or whatever they had, like going like a A4 paper full of all the information, and they would say, Okay, great, and then start asking her, and it's like, well, no, if you read the letter, like it's all there. Um, so I just think some some of it people want are wanting it to almost be spoon-fed to them. So I think if we get some videos um that we put on the Instagram, and maybe even like I'm wondering if we like screen record what the forum looks like so people can actually like see what it is, because you obviously can't see it behind that paywall. Um But then also I think yeah, clarifying to people because we got that email in this week, which was a very kind-hearted woman. Like, I don't think she meant it with illither. But she was just like shot of it. Yeah, she was like, Oh, I looked around on the website, like it looks really good, but like I just don't understand like why we would have to pay for it. Like, or like was like asking for clarification behind the paywall, and it was like on a day where I was like, Okay, if I respond to her, it's gonna be like a scathing email, like it's not gonna be like a polite email, so that's why I sent it to you. And I was like, Do you can you respond to this woman?
SPEAKER_00:Um did you respond to her already?
SPEAKER_02:No, I need to log back into that email. It's the honey, it's the at the hello at. Yes, because I spammed today a bunch of studios on it the other day. You remember that was the day when I told you that I was like, Oh, it's actually like I you put off a task for so long and then you do it, and you I did so many. So I spammed a bunch of them. And she responded back, and she's like, Well, uh it seems it was like very like it wasn't like oh why on earth would I pay for this, but it was kind of just like what like what's the point of paying for this resource? That's the response for most and I'm kind of like okay, I understand, but also it was an email full of all the different things we're providing for you, and yeah, I think it's two, it's multiple things.
SPEAKER_00:I think first of all, some people like there are people I know who will pay for stuff that I'm like, what is the point? I mean, it's like with Pilates, like with Pilates with so many things. Some people will just pay for stuff because they have that ability and whatever. Some people genuinely don't see the value in something that other people do. I'm also fine with that. Like, that just is what it is.
SPEAKER_02:I think in our situation, it also takes time to build up the resource, so it's gonna take a few people just like trusting us and going with it, but also I never have wavered on like what I think the value is, and so I think just being consistent with that it's actually to make a video a little nice video because I think also like the what was like making me laugh was also like we're all it was also with the same email where I was telling her like you get six months free founder membership, and I was like, Well, I'm actually technically not asking you to pay for anything right now, so yeah, I know, I know, and I with I think having stuff behind a paywall where it's one thing, and and oral histories is a part of that is helpful in the beginning because I genuinely think that that is worth paying even just five pounds a month just for that, and then if the forum is a piece, then that's great.
SPEAKER_00:And no one's really asked me directly like why is oral histories like why is that costing money? But I'm like, these are people taking their time who are like very knowledgeable about this stuff, and um, and I want it to be protected, like I don't want just random people to yeah.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, Patreon exists, people have like paywalled content or like paywall podcasts, so that is just exactly what we're creating.
SPEAKER_00:Episode 14.
SPEAKER_02:Woo, we never actually introed it.
SPEAKER_00:We never introduced it. I kind of like just starting talking.
SPEAKER_02:I like it.
SPEAKER_00:Um, but yeah, episode 14. I'm very glad to be like doing this again because it does help me just like it's a nice chilled out time. Exactly. All right, well, episode 14. Ooh, thank you all.