Article by Annereena Ravi. 3 August 2022.
3 YEARS! Can you believe it? We made it to 3! The journey certainly hasn’t been easy for us, but nothing worth fighting for is easy, agreed? We get a lot of questions about how Flow Dive Center came about, so we got our Founder, Melanie, to pen us her thoughts.
Editor: 3 YEARS! Congratulations! It must not be easy. How did Flow come to fruition?
Melanie: Yeah! It’s been a crazy ride so far! Well, I’ve always loved the ocean, and when I decided to quit my corporate job back in 2016 (with a very vague plan in place :P), I took up my instructor license and started freelancing and teaching my close friends and family. With immense support from my close support group, I was doing well, even for a freelancer (going to the island every month!). After teaching for three years, I started thinking about starting my own dive center. As a first step, I began Flow Dive Center in January 2019 as an online dive community to build a safe haven for avid divers to come together. Opportunities arose when the space in PJ Palms Sports Centre became available. Immediately I took the leap of faith and roped in both partners, Matthew Lee and Sharman Arumugam, into this venture.
Editor: Wow! It sounds like everything just fell into place at the right time and place! Before we go further about the journey, one of our most commonly asked questions is – why Flow? And what does it mean?
Melanie: *laughs* Well, those who know me know that I’m into climbing and yoga. From there, I learned about the “Flow State of Mind” concept. Athletes, performers, scientists, and anyone at the top of the field constantly search for the Flow State of Mind. And that is what we want to emulate with Flow Dive Center – that diving should be as easy and as natural as that. Just go with the Flow.
Editor: Wow. That is very enlightening. Now moving on to the next question, how did you charter the rough seas of Covid-19?
Melanie: Flow Dive Center started its physical presence in August of 2019. All geared up and ready to go for the new season of 2020, but unfortunately for us, the pandemic hit us hard from March 2020 – October 2021. It hasn’t been an easy journey but what kept us going is knowing that we are on the right path. Whenever we see the exponential growth of our customers (from being terrified to diving every weekend), we know we are doing something right. Growing a community of quality divers with high satisfaction and love for the ocean and sport fuels our passion for moving forward. Also, a great team helps tremendously! I personally am very proud of our team and how we literally eat, play, and sleep together! We support each other whenever we can and strive to grow together as a family. So even though it has been challenging in the last two to three years, we managed to navigate the rough seas, and there is only one way from here – onwards and upwards!
Editor: Now that the storm is almost over, what are your plans for Flow Dive Center moving forward?
Melanie: All grand plans for Flow Dive Center! I have big dreams of growing a tightly knitted community of divers who share the same interest for the ocean and scuba diving in general. We will have loads of workshops for photography, conservation, trips, and social nights in the pipeline! We have lost the last two years, and I am looking to make up for lost time! Keep a very close eye on us. Even better, join our community and team – to hop on this crazy ride with us! If you are keen or have any crazy ideas, drop me a message, and I would like to speak with you!
Editor: Thank you so much, Melanie, for penning your thoughts down! Any last words for the readers in conjunction with Flow Dive Center’s 3rd Anniversary?
Melanie: Thank you for choosing us as your partner into a whole new world underwater thus far. Again, I would like to stress that there is only one way from here on out: onwards and upwards. So, Come Flow with Us!