Women Redefining Success In Hong Kong With Unconventional Careers

Three inspiring women share their stories on how taking the road less travelled paid off professionally in Hong Kong.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Perhaps a filmmaker, entrepreneur or artist? Fast forward a decade or two, and you may find yourself in a corporate cubicle, far from those dreams. It’s easy to get sidetracked by societal expectations and daily routines, but the inspiring Hong Kong women we spoke to are a great reminder that it’s never too late to break the mould and pursue what truly excites you. So why not take the leap and follow your passion, even if it means stepping off the beaten path?

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Anisha Thai – From Civil Engineer to one of Hong Kong’s Top Dancers and Founder of The Mixies Academy

Anisha Thai is not just a dancer; she’s a vibrant force in Hong Kong’s arts scene. Known for her energy and passion, her journey to success has taken some surprising turns.

Growing up in Paris with Vietnamese, Comorian, and French roots, Anisha always dreamed of a life full of adventure. “It was important for me to move away and challenge the way I thought,” she says. This desire for cultural connection led her to dance, a universal language that breaks down barriers.

Anisha wanted to combine her love for business and art. “I’ve always wanted to be a successful business owner and an artist,” she explains. She studied civil engineering, hoping for a stable future. Despite excelling in her studies and working for major construction firms, she felt unfulfilled. “I pushed myself to excel in a field I wasn’t passionate about,” she admits.

Everything changed when she won a dance competition in Hong Kong, sparking a realisation: “After that competition, I knew I wanted to pursue dance as my true passion,” she shares. With that insight, Anisha made the bold choice to leave engineering behind.

Now, she’s the founder of The Mixies Academy, a dance school offering Afro dance classes for all ages and skill levels. Anisha’s academy focuses on creativity and expression, empowering students to find their groove. “Life, like dance, is meant to be shared with others. Helping them to grow helps you grow too,” she explains.

Her mission extends beyond teaching dance; Anisha aims to inspire others. “I want to encourage people to realise they can achieve whatever they want as long as they believe in themselves,” she says. She tells everyone, especially young women, to chase their dreams. “You can be African and Asian; you can be an engineer and a dancer; anything is possible,” she insists.

Anisha expresses herself through her art, too. “When I dance on the street, my expressions show that I’m enjoying myself, regardless of what others think,” she says. This authenticity sets her apart. “To succeed, you must keep that voice inside you going; you have to believe in yourself,” she adds.

Anisha’s journey is a bold manifesto for redefining success on your terms. With her infectious energy and presence on social media, she’s a trailblazer in Hong Kong’s creative scene. Her honesty about her path resonates with many, proving that embracing your true passions is both brave and fulfilling. She’s not just inspiring others to dance; she’s sparking a movement where joy and authenticity take center stage. In a city dominated by conventional careers, Anisha is a refreshing reminder that pursuing what you love can lead to extraordinary success.

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From Concrete to Canopy: The Marries’ Journey to Urban Greenery

Charlene and Sophie Marrie are redefining entrepreneurship in Hong Kong with their vibrant journey through My Rooftop is Green (MRG). While Charlene once dreamed of being a film director and Sophie envisioned starting her own company, they now co-manage a landscaping business that has blossomed into a hub of creativity and sustainability. “Our dad shared stories about the ups and downs of owning a business, and that entrepreneurial spirit runs deep in our family,” Charlene explains.

The sisters took a bold step by purchasing MRG, diving into an industry they knew little about. After completing her marketing degree at the University of Leeds and a Master’s in film production at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Charlene joined Sophie, who had taken over the business after returning to Hong Kong during the pandemic. “It was a huge shift from film to landscaping, but I quickly learned to navigate the practical side of running a business,” Charlene notes.

For Sophie, who studied Information Management for Business at UCL, the journey began with a personal commitment to sustainability. “Witnessing environmental challenges sparked my passion for creating a business that makes a difference,” she says. With no prior knowledge of plants or design, she took the opportunity to transform MRG, learning hands-on, including enrolling in a landscape design course at HKUST. “The learning curve was steep, but every challenge was an opportunity to grow,” Sophie reflects.

Initially, it was just the two of them handling everything — gardening, deliveries, and marketing. “We even carried 20kg pots up staircases ourselves!” Charlene recalls. Their hard work paid off; MRG now boasts a team of six and is about to launch Botani Bloom, a French-inspired luxury plant brand designed to bring joy to compact urban living spaces. “We believe plants do more than beautify a space; they enrich lives,” Sophie explains.

Their approach to business is refreshingly modern, using digital marketing and social media to engage clients in ways traditional firms often overlook. “We want to create a community around plants, not just sell a service,” Charlene states. Their dynamic content aims to debunk common myths about plant care, showing that owning plants can be easy and fulfilling. “People often say, ‘I’m not a green thumb’ or ‘Plants attract mosquitoes,’” Charlene points out. “We’re here to show them that’s simply not true.”

Sustainability is at the heart of their mission. “Our business aligns with our values,” Sophie emphasises. “We source plants responsibly and design spaces that promote well-being in urban environments.” Their unique blend of French and Hong Kong influences enables them to connect with a diverse clientele, whether they’re expats yearning for a touch of home or locals seeking something distinctive.

Reflecting on their unconventional path, Sophie remarks, “In our circles, we’re among the few not pursuing traditional careers in finance or consulting.” Their journey sparks conversations about entrepreneurship in a landscape dominated by tech startups and e-commerce. “Most people are surprised when we tell them we own a landscaping business,” she adds.

The sisters’ commitment to their work transcends typical business hours. “Our friends often say, ‘You’re on holiday!’ but for us, it’s a different kind of dedication,” Charlene explains. “We’re always mentally available, and the flexibility of being our own bosses is liberating, but it comes with challenges.” With only five days a year where they can disconnect completely, they’ve learned to navigate the demands of entrepreneurship while remaining passionate about their craft.

As they continue to carve out their niche in the landscaping industry, Charlene and Sophie Marrie inspire others to pursue their passions, showing that it’s possible to create a thriving business that enriches lives, one green oasis at a time.

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The Longevity Architect: Jill Van Vugt’s Biohacking Vision

Jill Van Vugt has taken an unconventional career path that reflects resilience and evolution. After graduating with degrees in Economics and Gender Studies, she began her career in Toronto in sales and communications. However, after two years without a clear vision, she pivoted to law, where she practiced litigation for nearly 15 years. This experience shaped her understanding of success, but moving to Hong Kong prompted her to reassess her career.

Relocating to Hong Kong ignited Jill’s entrepreneurial spirit. She felt countless opportunities lay before her, but then the pandemic hit, putting her ambitions on hold. Rather than seeing this as a setback, Jill embraced the time for reflection, refining her vision for what would become 10x Longevity, a biohacking studio that meets the growing demand for innovative health approaches. With the pandemic’s end, she was ready to create a space where cutting-edge longevity treatments could thrive.

Drawing from her legal background, especially her experience with clients who sustained serious injuries, Jill recognised the importance of physical rehabilitation and investing in long-term health. Witnessing remarkable recoveries inspired her to open a studio where people could take proactive steps toward maintaining and extending their health. Her belief that ageing is fundamentally about damage to our musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and neurological systems drives her mission at 10x Longevity. Here, she offers evidence-based tools like hyperbaric oxygen therapy, sauna, cold plunge, red light therapy, and specialised facials — all aimed at improving healthspan and skin performance as we age.

Jill’s journey highlights the importance of adaptability and vision in creating unconventional careers for women. She notes that while her path might not fit the typical corporate narrative, many lawyers eventually pivot to new opportunities informed by their experiences. “You have to be looking for a new opportunity to take the leap,” she advises, emphasising the need to stay open to change.

Her business style is marked by curiosity, flexibility, and decisiveness. Jill acknowledges she’s on a steep learning curve but embraces the challenge. “I try not to let fear hinder my decisions,” she says. “I’m very driven, but I also don’t take failure or mistakes too seriously. I learn from them and move on.”

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Is the Unconventional Path Right for You?

So, what about you? Are you in a job that inspires you, or are you following a path set by societal expectations?

Whether you’re dreaming of starting a dance academy like Anisha, running a landscaping business like Charlene and Sophie, or launching a biohacking studio like Jill, remember that it’s possible to redefine success on your terms. The only question is, what’s stopping you?

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