The moment you walk into Omology, you'll feel a sense of calm and homeliness. It's minimalistic yet has everything it needs to serve its purpose well as a space for people from all walks of life to experience yoga. And you may just bump into Kylie (or even attend one of her classes!), whose genuine smile and sunny disposition will trigger that 'a-ha moment' in your mind; Omology is an extension of who she is.
Kylie began her yoga journey in her hometown of Ottawa, Canada but it wasn't till she made the move to Kuala Lumpur that she took the opportunity to attend a Yoga Teacher Training Course at Yogshakti. She finds the practice to be the grounding force that has helped her move through life’s challenging moments with grace and courage. Want to find out the story behind how she came up with the name Omology? Then read on!
Omology's space is minimalistic with a relaxing feel.
1. Tell us a little bit about your path to building your business. How did you come up with the idea?
I had been teaching yoga as a freelance teacher for about a year when I started thinking about opening my own space, mostly for creative reasons. I felt myself yearning for a space that felt like home where I could practice freely and also expand in my teaching journey. Coming up with the name was a bit like building a puzzle! I liked the idea that yoga is a “study” so that’s where the “ology” comes from. And the sound of “OM” is very significant in yoga. It is often chanted at the beginning or end of a yoga practice as this sound is said to vibrate on a frequency that connects us to the entire universe. I love this idea. And so was born “Omology”!
2. What are the three most important lessons you have learned building your business?
One of the most important lessons I learned was to give myself grace. There was a learning curve especially at the beginning as I navigated all the complexities of opening and growing a new business. Through every hardship and loss, I tried not to feel down. Instead, I reminded myself that I am learning and then I used each of these obstacles constructively to improve and strengthen the business wherever I could.
Second was to be patient and not give up! I opened Omology with pretty much the same weekly schedule that I have now which includes nearly 30 group classes a week. At the beginning we had A LOT of empty classes because we were not very well known. Rather than cancel these classes, I kept them running steadily on schedule. It was important to me to show our students that we were reliable. And, slowly but surely our little classes grew. Now some days we have a wait list. It makes me so glad we stuck it out.
Lastly, giving back to the community is so important to me and has really been a win/win in business. From the start, I took on community classes whenever my schedule permitted. I love sharing what I know about yoga and these events gave me the opportunity to share with a wider audience beyond the studio’s members. Apart from that, community events get your name out there. You will meet awesome, likeminded humans while at the same time developing your ability to market/speak about your brand in a public forum.
3. What specific advice would you have for young women who would like to become an entrepreneur? Are there specific advantages, disadvantages to being a women business owner?
To be fair, I am still really new to business ownership and there is so much I have yet to learn so I definitely don’t claim to be an expert on this topic! That said, I can humbly say that being an entrepreneur is really hard work. Especially if you are going to be doing the majority of the work yourself at the beginning, expect to hustle. There will be long days and you will be tired but it will be worth it. Entrepreneurship is a very rewarding line of work. There is such a sense of pride in being able to look back at something that you’ve built yourself from the ground up.
I personally have not really experienced any disadvantages specifically related to being a woman in business however, I do still notice that when female entrepreneurs are discussed there is this rhetoric that the success is somehow extraordinary by virtue of the fact that it’s a woman who achieved it. It’s kind of like, “Wow, that business has done really well…and it’s a WOMAN who owns it!”. We would never say this about a man! This does highlight that business is still seen to be male dominated and women in business are the anomaly; something which I am proud to be a part of redefining :)
The studio has two separate rooms for classes, each with large windows and beautiful natural lighting.
4. Who are the female entrepreneurs that you look up to?
My grandmother opened and operated a lighting store in Canada back in the day. I think that it is so admirable that she was running a business (and a successful one at that!) while at the same time raising six kids at home. Especially at that time it would have been pretty unheard of. I also think it is really cool that she was bringing a little light to the world ;) ha ha
And of course, I am always inspired by the female entrepreneurs in our community. Especially in the health and wellness industry there is no shortage of talent. As someone who is still up and coming I feel really honoured to be featured here in such amazing company.
5. What do you do to relax after a crazy week of work?
I love a glass of wine, pizza and snuggles with my puppy Ria while watching Netflix! All the R&R! I’m a homebody after a crazy week ;)
Omology
Omology's space is minimalistic with a relaxing feel.
The studio has two separate rooms for classes, each with large windows and beautiful natural lighting.
Omology
Plaza Damansara, 25-2 Jalan Medan Setia 1, Bukit Damansara, 50490, Kuala Lumpur
Website: https://www.omologyyogakl.com/Tel: 03-20110262
