This week, Emirates Woman speaks to Tanya Mansotra, the founder of Sohum Wellness Sanctuary and a holistic wellness entrepreneur.
Welcome to the Emirates Woman weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
Here, Mansotra shares how her lifelong connection to the spiritual world and her background in Food Science and Nutrition led her to transform Sohum Wellness into a leading holistic brand. From mastering ancient healing arts like Reiki and Ayurveda to launching her plant-based initiative, she discusses her mission to build a mindful, thriving global wellness community.
What was your favourite subject at school?
I always gravitated toward Art and Music. Even then, I found that I processed the world through a lens of creativity and frequency. Those subjects were the only ones that allowed me to express myself in a truly intuitive and fluid way, free from the rigid structures of traditional academics. I still carry that same creative spirit into everything I do today at Sohum Wellness. I am still using those same ‘muscles’ I developed in school. It taught me early on that my greatest strength was my ability to see the world through a creative and mystical lens, and I’ve built my entire life around honouring that gift.
What was your first job?
My journey has been anything but traditional. I was born with a deeply intuitive and curious mind, naturally drawn to the worlds of music, fashion, and the arts. Technically, my first professional ‘job’ arrived when I was six or seven years old; I was cast as a dancer in a Bollywood film alongside other students from my acting school. At that age, I wasn’t thinking about a career, I simply loved the spotlight and the magic of being part of something larger than life.
That early exposure to performance was followed by a sharp turn into the world of competitive sports. At ten, I took up rifle shooting, and, to everyone’s surprise, I had a natural aptitude for it. I eventually became a National Shooter, touring across India and developing a level of discipline and focus that stays with me today.
However, design and fashion have always been my most natural languages. As I grew, my path evolved from the aesthetic to the internal; I was so curious about the ‘why’ behind our well-being. Having grown up with Yoga, Pranayama, and Ayurveda as natural parts of my daily life, I began to nurture my gifts for healing and intuitive practices more formally. I started freelancing as a Reiki practitioner and Sound Healer, helping others find their natural balance.
Eventually, this professional mission culminated in the creation of Sohum Wellness Sanctuary. If you observe Sohum carefully, it is essentially an art piece; it is the manifestation of my journey, bringing music, arts, design, and ancient healing rituals all under one roof.
Tanya Masotra, founder of Sohum Wellness
What inspired you to enter the space and launch your brand?
The inspiration for Sohum came from a very personal, introspective place. Growing up in a world of immense success and traditional luxury was a privilege, but it also gave me a unique vantage point. I was exposed to material abundance from birth, which back then I considered ‘normal’—I essentially lived in a bubble. However, being inside that bubble allowed me to observe that even with every external comfort, true fulfilment only comes from a deep, internal connection. It made me realise that the ultimate luxury isn’t just what we have, but how we feel within ourselves. It is about unconditional love and acceptance—directed toward ourselves first and then our community—and honouring our natural talents without the need for outside validation.
Because of this, my drive wasn’t rooted in the traditional ‘hustle’ for status. Instead, I became curious about the ‘why’ behind our well-being. My journey turned toward seeking a way to be fully present and grounded while still achieving professional greatness. I truly believe it is possible to maintain a balanced nervous system while living out your mission; for me, the key has always been authenticity. We have to be honest with what is natural to us and drown out the noise of societal expectations to find our true path.
This journey is also a beautiful legacy. My father started Sohum 19 years ago, and I am incredibly grateful that my family watered my natural gifts and supported my path from the beginning. Building on that foundation, I have evolved Sohum from its origins as a spa into a full-scale wellness sanctuary. This expansion is a reflection of my own journey; I have curated the space to include the exact tools and high-frequency rituals I discovered while seeking true internal peace. It is a space designed for people to gently return to their most authentic selves and rediscover their own sense of balance.
What are the key elements of your role?
My role is a delicate balance between being the Visionary Architect of the brand and the Guardian of the Sanctuary’s Energy. Because Sohum is a legacy started by my father 19 years ago, a large part of my role is honouring those roots while evolving the brand into its current high-frequency, modern form.
The key elements of my daily work include:
• Creative Direction & Curation: I treat the sanctuary as a living art piece. I am deeply involved in ensuring that every sensory detail—from the acoustic flow and music to the textures and “high-frequency” menu—aligns with our mission of internal peace.
• Team Alignment: I focus on “watering the gifts” of my team, much like my family did for me. It is vital that our staff doesn’t just provide a service but truly understands the philosophy of return-to-self so they can hold that space for our guests.
• Holistic Integration: I act as the bridge between ancient Ayurvedic wisdom and modern healing modalities. I personally curate the “tools” we use—whether it’s sound healing, Reiki, or specific wellness rituals—to ensure we are truly ‘cracking the code’ for our community’s well-being.
• Preserving the ‘Bubble’: In a bustling city like Dubai, my most important task is protecting the serenity of our space. I ensure that the moment a guest walks through our doors, they feel they have entered a protected, exclusive family environment where the outside noise simply disappears.
Talk us through your daily routine.
I approach my mornings by listening to what my body needs in the moment. Some days, I begin with a slow, meditative gentleness; other days, I lean into a high-energy ‘go-getter’ momentum. Regardless of the pace, I almost always start with movement—whether it’s a focused session at the gym, yoga, or simply gentle stretching. Movement is my anchor; it naturally sets a high-frequency tone for the rest of my day. I also make it a point to set an intention, even if it’s just a quiet moment of reflection before the world starts calling.
The heart of my day is dedicated to my team and staying deeply connected to the sanctuary. Being present in the space is vital to ensure the energy remains aligned with our vision. To stay grounded during the day, I always carry a book with me; I make it a point to read during my commute or breaks to consciously reduce my screen time and keep my mind nourished.
In the evenings, I transition into a slower rhythm to reset my nervous system. I usually end my day by spending quality time with my husband and our dogs—we have dinner together and go for walks, which is incredibly grounding. Sometimes, we’ll end the night with a gentle yoga practice or a guided meditation; other times, we just unwind and fall asleep watching Netflix. For me, balance isn’t something that just happens—it is a choice I make and a ritual I create every single day.
What are the values and design pillars that define your brand?
Sohum is rooted in the pillars of authenticity, balance, and an elevated sensory experience for the community. My vision was to create a sanctuary where people feel they have truly returned home to themselves. It is a space where ancient Ayurvedic wisdom and other holistic healing practices meet a serene, calming aesthetic. We have curated a refined environment that feels deeply grounding and exclusive—a place where every detail is an intentional choice designed to shift a guest’s energy the moment they arrive.
From a design perspective, I view Sohum as a living art piece. We didn’t just build a space; we curated an atmosphere right in the middle of this bustling city. Our design pillars are defined by:
• Holistic Integration: We bring music, the arts, and ancient healing rituals under one roof, treating the sanctuary as a multi-sensory journey for the soul.
• Aesthetic Intentionality: Every element of the interior—from the specific textures to the calming palette—is chosen to soothe the nervous system and offer a complete retreat from the outside world.
• Authentic Legacy: We honour the 19-year heritage of the brand while elevating it into a sophisticated, high-frequency sanctuary that reflects a modern quest for internal peace.
Ultimately, the core value of Sohum is to balance and heal the mind, body, and soul while fostering unconditional self-acceptance. We want our guests to feel they are part of the Sohum family—entering a protected space where they can finally return to their most authentic selves.
What are the hero treatments?
At Sohum, we don’t believe in having just one or two ‘hero’ treatments; I would say that entering Sohum and having the Sohum experience is a hero treatment in itself. Because I view the sanctuary as a curated living art piece, I have been incredibly intentional about every single ritual on our menu. We don’t include anything simply to fill a space.
Each treatment—whether it is our deeply restorative massages, rituals rooted in ancient Ayurvedic wisdom, or our specialised Reiki and Sound Healing sessions—has been meticulously ‘code-cracked’ to ensure it delivers a profound shift in energy. This high-frequency intention extends to our wet area, where our steam and sauna facilities are designed to be a meditative reset for the body. Even our café menu is a hero in its own right; we’ve curated the food to be as nourishing and high-vibrational as the treatments themselves.
Whether a guest is coming in for a pinnacle treatment or simply to spend time in our sacred space, they are receiving a cohesive journey. We have poured the same amount of love and heritage into every corner of our offering. My goal is for every guest to feel that whichever path they choose within the sanctuary, it was exactly the ‘hero’ experience their soul needed in that moment.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
The most powerful perspective I’ve ever embraced is to live with the awareness of how fleeting time truly is. It can be a scary thought, but when you ask yourself, ‘If this were my last moment, would I care about how I look or the pressures I’m under?’—everything changes.
In that clarity, all the judgment and the fear of what people think simply falls away. You realise that if time were limited, you would choose to forgive everyone, be incredibly kind to yourself and those around you, and have the courage to try things without the weight of outside validation.
This realisation is the foundation of my life and Sohum. It’s about living entirely in the present. When you stop living ‘out of time’ and start living in the moment, you unlock a level of unconditional love and authenticity that most people spend their lives searching for. It taught me that the ultimate goal isn’t success, it’s the freedom to be kind, to be present, and to be exactly who you are, right now.
And what is the worst piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The worst advice I’ve ever received is the idea that everything needs to be perfectly planned before you begin. There is this misconception that you must have every detail mapped out and every outcome guaranteed before you take the first step.
I believe that over-planning is often just a form of fear—it keeps you stuck in your head and out of the ‘now.’ In my experience, true growth happens along the way. If I had waited for perfection, Sohum would still be a dream. By starting before I felt ‘ready,’ I allowed the sanctuary to evolve organically and intuitively. When you leave room for the unplanned, you leave room for magic and for the universe to meet you halfway. Real success isn’t about following a static blueprint; it’s about having the courage to begin and the flexibility to grow as you go.
What has been the biggest challenge you had to overcome?
The biggest challenge has been finding the right balance between purpose and structure. When you are building something as deeply personal and ‘high frequency’ as Sohum, it is easy to want to stay entirely in the realm of flow and intuition. However, I had to learn that for a vision to truly serve the community, it needs a strong, sustainable foundation.
It was a journey of learning how to stay absolutely true to the soul and intention of the sanctuary while also building the systems and structures that allow it to grow over time. I had to bridge the gap between being a creative visionary and a structured leader. I’ve realised that structure isn’t the opposite of flow—it is actually the container that protects it. Overcoming the fear that ‘business’ would dim the ‘magic’ allowed me to create a brand that is both spiritually pure and professionally excellent.
What are your goals for the future?
My primary goal is to continue evolving Sohum as a global frequency. While our sanctuary in Dubai is our physical heart, the next chapter of my vision is to translate this energy into Sohum Resorts. I want to create entire destinations where the ‘return-to-self’ isn’t just a treatment, but a lifestyle you can inhabit for a few days or weeks.
Beyond this expansion, my focus is on:
• Elevating Ayurvedic Wisdom: I plan to deepen our integration of ancient Ayurveda, bringing it to the forefront of modern luxury wellness. I want to continue showing the world that these timeless rituals, when ‘code-cracked’ for a modern audience, are the ultimate tools for balancing the nervous system.
• Deepening the Community: I want to grow the ‘Sohum Family’ globally. Whether through our physical locations or future retreats, my mission is to make our protected, grounding energy accessible to anyone seeking internal peace.
• Preserving the Heritage: As we scale, my priority is honouring the 19-year legacy started by my father. My goal is to ensure that even as a global brand, Sohum never loses that intimate, soul-led feeling of a family-run sanctuary.
Ultimately, I want Sohum to be the global benchmark for a life where high-vibrational success and deep, internal stillness coexist perfectly.
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Images: Supplied
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: emirateswoman.com
