HOTSEAT COLIN GRANT
When Colin Grant launched his first Pure studio in 2002, the market for yoga in Hong Kong was so small people told him he was crazy. Today the company runs yoga studios, gyms and restaurants in four countries, with plans for more
What is your career background?
I used to be a bit of a tennis player, and that was my main career for a few years [Grant played semi professional tennis, taking part in international tour- naments including Junior Wimbledon and the Davis Cup]. I also dabbled in other businesses – I started my first business aged 12 – a racket stringing business, then I was the sole agent for a brand of tennis rackets when I was 14. I started a movie rental business when I was 18, then a coffee busi- ness when I was 24. I stopped playing tennis in 1995, looked around for something to do with the next stage in my life, and stumbled across yoga.
How did you enjoy your time as a tennis player? I thoroughly enjoyed it – I travelled and met a lot of amazing people. The tennis has had a big influence on how I approach business. In ten- nis you have to practice hard and work hard, just like in business. Every time you go out on a tennis court you could win or lose, which means that you’re not afraid of losing. If you lose you just practice some more.
Playing tennis gave me the confi- dence not to be afraid of failing in business. If I had been scared of fail- ing, I would never have started Pure Yoga. People told me it was a crazy idea and that it would never work.
When did you become interested in yoga?
It was on a golf holiday in Whistler, Canada in 2001. One day we couldn’t play golf, so someone suggested a yoga class. The idea of stretching in a room didn’t really appeal to me, but I decided to give it a go. I remember coming out of that class and thinking ‘wow!’ It felt so different to coming out of a gym, not just physically, but emo- tionally. I thought it was amazing. I returned to Hong Kong and really missed the yoga. I went back to Whistler in September 2001, did a week’s yoga and decided that I was going to open my own yoga studio. I was on holiday with a friend of mine,
Colin Grant started his career as a semi professional tennis player, before launching the Pure Group in 2002
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ISSUE 1 2013 © cybertrek 2012
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