Cindy Luken | rudy and the dodo

If ever there was a great example of a woman living what she loves, Cindy is it!

Cindy has been my big sister’s bestie since childhood so I have always looked up to her. As a ‘grown up’ I continue to admire her as one of my business mentors and an absolute inspiration in many aspects of life beyond business.

Cindy gives back to “the sisterhood” by hosting monthly lunches to help motivate, guide and share with women in small business at The Table of Fabulousness.

She’s a dynamo, a doer and a fab mama. You’ll love her too. Here she is …

Tell us a bit about you, fabulous you!
I am a ‘mature mama’! Meaning I left having kids til just about the last moment possible – I had Karl (now nearly 6) at 39 & Ciara (now 4) at 41. We won’t mention my gorgeous hubStar of 19 years is now in his 50’s.

We left the run late as I was previously known as the Bikkie Queen (not bikie) having created the gourmet biscuit brand Luken & May in the 90’s. After reaching over $5m in turnover within 5 years I unexpectedly sold (all good!) the business and took time off to recover, explore, be creative and get into babyland mindset. And we did the latter with with gusto! We planned that after #2 popped out we would pack up house in Sydney, rent it out and live in France and barge the canals for 18 months! We were totally immersed in babyland …our barge looked like a floating pre-school except there were no teachers….and lots of red wine, cheese and croissants!

Part of the planning process also involved me wanting to have another business as I knew I would need something to keep my mind active, provide independent income and be flexible enough to do from home so I was ‘always’ there.

My background is food science & nutrition and commercial cooking . So now, after years in development, I have just (last week!) launched ‘luk beautifood – be delicious inside and out.

luk beautifood is a modern, online boutique beauty business mixing FOOD + BEAUTY. We (me) harnesses the natural, delicious and nutritious actives in healthy food to create a menu of delicious Lip Nourish creme-soft demi lip colours to nourish, hydrate and protect your lips. Much of what goes on your lips is absorbed or ingested when you eat or lick your lips. Luk sees sense in using natural, good for you foods fused with beauty and nutrition to get the best results. To support the luk philosophy of “beauty-from-food” I created the beauty kitchen to provide a ‘simple recipe for beauty wellbeing’. Here, inspiring information is diced up on beauty-full ingredients and how they affect your skin (wrinkles, dryness, inflammation). There are fabulous recipes, cooking demo’s (coming) and a ‘Table of Deliciousness’ where I dish up a plate full of passion to show you how you really can ‘eat yourself beautiful’.

Who inspires you?
All the mums that work their butt off being mother, lover, business woman, friend, nurse, you name it. But one woman in particular who inspired me to go from babyland back into businessland was Julia Bickerstaff of The Business Bakery. The world had moved on rapidly in the 5 years I had ‘disappeared’ and it was her I stumbled across whilst I started to blog about my experience of getting back in the saddle by sharing my WIP business plan for Luk beautifood. I set out to meet her…and the rest is history (we now meet monthly on the Table of Fabulousness!

What can’t you live without?
Health & Happiness – my family, good food and doing what I love.

Do you have a favourite blog/s?
Where do I start? Top 3 over the last year are:
Lee at Supercharged Food
Julia at The Business Bakery
Pia Jane Bijkerk

How do you like to spend your spare time (if you have any)?
Doing things I love with those I love (or by myself) – mostly outdoorsy things, fresh air, natural inspiration, creative. Simple stuff, bush walks, bike rides, pottering in my kitchen garden, doing craft things with the kids + COOKING.

Best time saving or sanity saving idea/tip for mamas?
Have an organised laundry: 3 tubs on wheels for whites, colours and darks. Train the family to use them. Throw a load in the washer most afternoons whilst cooking dinner – set for 11pm (cheaper power) so it is ready to hang out before breakfast the next day. Always fold it as soon as you get it in. Takes away the pain.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In a (luxury) campervan with the family travelling around Australia for a year…..whilst my business runs itself!

What is your favourite quote?
I have three …
“live the life you love”
“what you eat today walks and talks tomorrow”
“never look back on life and wish you had done…..’

Where can we find you?
Website (includes beauty kitchen blog)
Facebook
Pinterest
Linked In
Twitter

To celebrate the launch of this delicious new range (available at rudy and the dodo), 3 of you lucky ducks will each win a Lip Nourish valued at $24.95 each. All you have to do is comment below to tell us your favourite colour/ flavour (pictured). If you also register to follow our blog, you’ll double your chances!