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Erica Bracken: ‘We can create entire businesses from scratch on our phones’
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is their most innovative statement device yet – engineered for visionaries who demand more from their tech. Erica Bracken splits her time between work as a PR and marketing consultant, and a yoga instructor, relying on her phone for much of her work.
Qualified yoga teacher and freelance PR and marketing consultant Erica Bracken found the practice of yoga at a crucial time in her life when she was struggling with disordered eating. “I was under-eating and over-exercising to the point that my doctor told me I couldn’t do intense exercise anymore,” she explains. “Movement has always been part of my life, so when yoga was suggested as an alternative, I jumped at the chance.”
It quickly became a daily practice, and with the addition of therapy, Erica’s life was transformed. “It continues to support how I show up for myself every day with purpose and awareness,” she says. “Looking back on my yoga journey, what started as a way to heal my body and mind from an eating disorder has become one of the foundations of my work and outlook on life. From giving me purpose at a time when I was lost entirely, to connecting me with some of my now best friends and helping me navigate grief, yoga has been my anchor, my teacher, and one of my biggest sources of joy.”
Hailing from the Cork countryside and having lived in Dublin city for five long years before the pandemic hit, Erica moved back home during lockdown for a three-week period that ended up lasting two and a half years. In 2022, she made the decision to work remotely from Lisbon for a month, and as soon as she arrived, she knew it was where she wanted to be.
Making the move permanent in 2023, Erica’s life, community and happiness have been expanding tenfold since she first began calling Lisbon home.
‘We can create entire businesses from scratch on our phones’
As someone who works online, both for your practice and as a social media content creator, technology is at the heart of everything Erica does. “My phone and laptop are essentially my entire business – from filming, editing, and uploading yoga classes to managing my website, emails, and social media. I use them for teaching, marketing, client work, content creation, community building, and even accounting.”
That’s why the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is a game-changer for content creators like Erica. Its super sleek design unfolds into an 8-inch immersive display with dual screen view, transforming into the ultimate multitasker designed for people working from their phones and juggling multiple tasks on the go.
“Consistently investing in good technology has been essential to keeping everything running smoothly and to allowing me to create high-quality, consistent work. It’s what enables me to grow my business, reach more people, and bring a professional experience to my online community. Reliable, fast tech doesn’t just make things easier – it makes everything possible,” Erica says. “It’s incredible, when you think about it,” adds Erica, “that we can create entire businesses from scratch on our phones and tablets and bring those worlds directly to the people who need them.”
A day in the life
Erica teaches every weekday morning, and depending on the day, the class could start at 6am or 7.30am. She squeezes in a walk with her dog Fig beforehand, grounding herself in nature. “I might have other classes later in the morning or evening at the studio I teach at, but otherwise, I’ll have a morning block of work at my desk or from my local café, Albi.”
“I’ll break up the day with a park visit with Fig and lunch before settling in to do more work. This varies from admin-like emails and responding to student comments and queries, class planning, editing content for my online platform or social media, and dedicating time to writing. Once a week, I usually film classes for my online studio too,” Erica explains. “My work is fluid and flexible depending on my schedule and energy. This can mean that I’m working all day Sunday, and equally, that I decide to take a Friday off.”
‘Planning for the future is a dance between being certain and surrendering to the universe’
“My life is remarkably different and beyond what I could have imagined five years ago, in both positive and painful ways,” Erica tells us. “Five years ago, I was back living at home with my parents in Cork – an unimaginable outcome even a year prior. I was working with a public relations agency and had pushed my yoga teacher training out a year due to Covid travel restrictions.
“Now, I live in Lisbon and work full-time in yoga, teaching in person, building my online studio, and creating content and writing more. I also lost my mum during that time, so all in all, it’s been five years of intense change, devastation, and learning. This is why I find questions like, ‘Where do you see yourself in five years?’ difficult to answer. We don’t know what’s coming tomorrow, who we’ll meet, what opportunities will arise, or how life will force us to pivot. So for me, planning for the future is a dance between being certain beyond doubt that my dreams will come to me, while also surrendering to the fact that the ‘how’ and ‘when’ is up to the universe.”
From the golden glow of the city to the life-changing friends she’s made, Erica has found a community in Lisbon that feels grounded and crucial at home there. Starting off with online classes, Erica has built up a library with over 100 classes for people to follow along with from the comfort of their own homes. From five-minute breath-led meditations to ten-minute movement routines and hour-long flow classes, there’s something to suit every mood, energy and schedule.
When asked for advice for those contemplating starting a business of their own, moving abroad, or starting their next great adventure, Erica puts it simply: “You’ll never feel ready, because ready isn’t a feeling – it’s a decision. You don’t have to have it all figured out now. Just take the next step.”
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is Samsung’s most innovative statement device yet – engineered for visionaries who demand more from their tech. Unfolding to reveal a sprawling 8-inch Infinity Flex Display, it offers unmatched multitasking capabilities and editing power with Dual Screen view, 200MP camera, cinematic display quality, enhanced gaming capabilities and a whole new level of collaboration with the next era of Galaxy AI and Google Gemini, rewired to work harder on the big screen. It is also the slimmest Fold ever.
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