Vanessa Marian
Interview by Madeleine Dore
&
Gracie Steindl Photography
Dancer, movement director and founder of Groove Therapy, Vanessa Marian Varghese, shares how embracing failure and being a learner are two key traits to building a creative career and life. She describes her career as a succession of failures – trying to start an online homewares store and failing, trying to be an art director and failing. Finishing a law degree but not wanting to pursue it.
But when she didn’t know what she was going to do with her life, she took a dance class and learned something.
Now, that curiosity and learning has blossomed into a career in dance and thriving business, Groove Therapy.
We talk about how the secret to life is being a student, allowing business and ideas to grow without pushing, going easy on yourself with your daily habits and finding the beauty in faffing.
Vanessa Marian: dancer & movement director
Shownotes
02:08
This weeks’ guest – Vanessa Marian is a dancer, a movement director, and the creator of Groove Therapy. A succession of failures led her down this unexpected path, and she now has a successful business because of them. Vanessa embraces the idea of constantly being a student and a learner throughout life.
03:36
Being a student – You never stop learning and you never stop growing, so take any opportunity that you can to continue down this path. Rather than setting a specific goal to reach, just be open and accepting to whatever comes your way.
06:16
The upside of failing – When you try something and fail, you still learn useful skills that you can carry forwards with you. Use these skills to keep trying new things until you find something that works for you. Take what seemingly looks like a weakness and turn it into a strength instead.
11:49
Find people you trust – When you're looking for somebody to work closely with or to run your business for you, look for people that you can trust no matter what. If you have the right people in place, you will have peace of mind if you decide to step back and pursue other options.
13:43
Typical routine – Vanessa enjoys sticking to a routine but goes easy on herself if things don't go to plan. She enjoys easing herself into her day in the morning with a stretch, a cup of tea and an Instagram scroll and enjoys meal planning for the week on a Sunday.
19:54
Staying organised – To keep on top of deadlines and a busy schedule, Vanessa prefers to handwrite to-do lists every single morning. She also uses Facebook video chats to keep in touch with her long-distance employees in Australia.
21:17
Passive income – When you’re starting out a business with the long-term goal of it being a passive income stream, try your best to keep your spending within your means. If necessary, get a loan to help out, but be reasonable with it and don’t rack up loads of debt. Make sure that it’s a passion of yours so you don’t mind initially working for a low paycheque until things take off.
24:46
Live life to its fullest – Nobody lives forever, and it’s important to constantly remind ourselves of that so we can live our best and fullest life. Find your passion and find what makes life worth living. Surround yourself with like-minded people, try to be optimistic, and know what your coping mechanisms are for when you are dealing with stressful situations.
26:28
Evening routines – Vanessa loves to keep her evenings and her downtime flexible. She usually enjoys finding a balance between watching TV, hanging out with friends, listening to music, or cooking. She doesn’t feel the need to keep up with other people and she doesn’t have FOMO, so she does whatever feels right at the time.
29:05
Sleep – After following a meditation app, Vanessa likes to fall asleep around midnight and get a good seven hours every night. To help get undisrupted sleep, she ties something around her eyes to help block out any light.
31:47
Live life by your own definition – Some people might view your life in a certain way, but only focus on how you want to view it. Only you know what your goals are and only you know what you enjoy, so concentrate on what’s important to you.
33:32
Don’t compare yourself – Everybody is different. Everybody has different strengths, and everybody has different interests, so never compare yourself to someone else. Surround yourself with positive and supportive people who help keep you on the right track for your goals and ambitions.
37:10
Don’t focus on profit – Money isn’t everything. Make sure that you do things that bring joy, happiness, and passion to your life, even if it doesn’t bring in a paycheck every month. Allow yourself to pursue opportunities with a different end goal, whether it be to learn a new skill, for the enjoyment, or to connect with people.
38:50
Go easy on yourself – Routines are good to keep, but they’re impossible to keep all the time. It’s okay to change things up or to skip that exercise class if you’re not feeling it. Remember that time cannot be wasted in advance, so if you’ve been procrastinating or feeling unproductive, then redirect your day. You’re in control of it.
Findings
Groove Therapy by Vanessa Marian
On Being by Krista Tippett
Deep Work by Cal Newport
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
How to Live on 24 Hours a Day by Arnold Bennett
““I guess by a New Yorkers definition, maybe I’m in a rut, but by my own definition, I’m just living my best life.” ”