EP84 – Pledge Tao: The Reality and Struggles of Building a Hybrid Fitness Community.

EP84 – Pledge Tao: The Reality and Struggles of Building a Hybrid Fitness Community.

From Unfiltered With Mia by Lamia Nourbay

January 16, 2026 · 1h 4m

About this episode

The episode features a conversation with the founders of Pledge Tao about their journey in building a supportive fitness community in Dubai.

In this episode, I sit down with Tunmise and Tom, the founders of Pledge Tao, for a conversation that is real, raw, inspiring, and deeply wholesome. What began as a genuine friendship naturally evolved into a shared vision: To build something meaningful, intentional, and supportive in a city where connection doesn’t always come easily. From that alignment, Pledge Tao was born. We dive into their full journey, how they met, how the idea took shape, and the meaning behind the name. We unpack why it’s called Pledge Tao, what “Tao” truly represents, and how those values are embedded into everything they’re building. Pledge Tao is built on three core pillars: fitness, community, and clothing and what stands out most is the depth of intention, effort, and care they pour into each one. Beyond training, they recognised how lonely life in Dubai can be, and made it their mission to create a space where people feel supported, connected, and part of something bigger than themselves. They share the behind-the-scenes reality of building a community while balancing full-time 9–5 jobs, the challenges, sacrifices, lessons, and some genuinely funny moments along the way. The recording itself felt…

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