Victoria is wearing Henna Mendhi Crop top , Henna Mendhi twist bandeau set. 

 

"A Harvard grad cleaning toilets and scrubbing showers? I laughed at that sometimes. It’s my business, and I will do whatever it takes to make it successful. And when it gets hard, you can cry a little, but you wipe the tears from your face and you push even harder." Meet Victoria, a Harvard graduate who quit climbing corporate ladder to chase her real passion and dream with her husband doing what gives them happiness; Owner, coach and instructor at BoOm Singapore.     

 

Hi Vicky, Thanks for doing this with us! You went to Washington U and Harvard, any stories from those schooling years? How different are you now from your schooling days?

 I was an engineer, both undergrad and through grad school. Always analytical, overly so, always loved numbers and still do, so in that sense, not much has changed! When I lived in the US, I had just started being active. And now, fitness now plays a much bigger part in my life. Living in the US is what sparked a more active lifestyle for me. A lot of people don’t know that my graduate experience was a very unhappy one. I missed all the close friends I made in undergrad and I had trouble fitting in, so I remember being terribly depressed. To take my mind off the bad, I spent time focusing on school and working out. I would run in -15 degree weather just to watch the sunrise over the Charles River. I found a sense of peace and balance through exercise.
 
You and your husband are founders to boOm, a boutique gym in Singapore. Please share with us on why you started your gym and what classes would you recommend?

 We had both been part time instructors almost 4 years, and often found it more rewarding than our regular jobs, just because you can see the direct effect of your work on your customers. We’d leave the office on a Friday and look forward to the weekend where we both got to teach. Eventually, we thought starting our own studio was the most logical next step. With boOm, not just through the workout, but with our messaging, and the relationships we have with our customers we aim to empower, inspire and educate them. We want customers to push themselves but find balance in their workout and think about it sustainably. Strength training is something that helps us age gracefully, and with probably a few less aches and pains. It helps me, as a woman, to not rely on my husband for any heavy lifting. 

We have a couple of class offerings at our studio, boOm. BoomBox is a fun way to incorporate strength training with cardio-intensive boxing. It is our signature 45-minute class. Our other offering is BoomCIRCUIT, which has no boxing, is a more traditional circuit-style class, with roughly 8 stations, evenly split between strength and cardio. Check us out at www.boomsingapore.com or on instagram @boomsingapore 

 

Victoria is wearing Azure sports top and Precious Porcelain mid waist bottom.

How do you manage your work and spending quality time at home?
 
I’d probably be lying if I say I had this down. Every day is a struggle, but I guess that’s the key – taking each day as it comes. I’m the type of person who worries, who loses sleep over every little thing. A constant reminder of what’s important to me usually helps guide me to find a better balance. If I have a successful career or business but I lose my sense of self, or my health or relationships suffer then it would be meaningless to focus solely on work.
 
Which American Fashion Designer do you like? 

Diane von Fürstenberg is probably one of them for so many reasons, many of which extend beyond the fashion industry. She, her business and her lines epitomize what’s great about women – strength, femininity, boldness and vibrancy.

 

What is your ideal holiday?

Nature, Hiking, The Beach – A combination of all of these would be ideal for me. And being able to explore these places with my husband would make it even more memorable.
 
What or who are your style influences?

I’m in workout clothes most of the time right now, so a lot of the stuff I wear is gym to street. I like both Adrianne Ho’s and Shay Mitchell’s sporty and effortless style. When I go glam, I tend to be very feminine, like Shay! She goes from sporty to glam goddess just like that.
 
What is the hardest life hurdle you’ve gone through and what did you take away from it?

I’m still probably going through the hardest hurdle in my life, managing my own business and doing so with my husband. Asking for help is not a bad thing or a sign of failure, and people who love you want to help in any way they can, besides one can’t be good at everything.
 
What is the one life lesson you learned that can’t be taught in school?

GRIT & HUSTLE – You want to be successful? You’ve got to do whatever it takes – even and especially the most unglamorous of things. If you’re not willing to do that, to actually do the hardest, most unpleasant work – forget about it. A Harvard grad cleaning toilets and scrubbing showers? I laughed at that sometimes. It’s my business, and I will do whatever it takes to make it successful. And when it gets hard, you can cry, you can vent a little, but you wipe the tears from your face and you push even harder.
 

 Victoria is wearing thermal spring suit. 

What is your definition of success?

Honestly, I just want to be happy and to know that my husband and I can give our eventual kids a grounded and happy home. And I want to have made an impact on someone’s life. Otherwise, I would have left the corporate world for nothing.
 
Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hopefully with a couple of children, and a puppy or two. And would’ve love to have expanded our fitness business into adjacent industries.
 
Is there a song lyric or a quote you live by?

This is something I always tell myself… Keep smiling no matter what, because in the roughest of times, you may convince yourself to find joy, if even in the slightest way.

 

Special thanks to Gravity Gym