Coffee with our co-founder Sandra-Lea
SL and her husband to be Andy are the Founders of Luxey Cup and are rapidly becoming Australia's favourite reusable cup. If you are a regular at watching our Luxey instagram stories you will already be familiar with Sandra-Lea and everything she shares about business, life and her love for protecting the planet.
She's a woman of passion and reaches for the stars, which is an inspiration to not only the people around her but also her Luxey community. Just listen to what her beautiful Luxey community have to say about SL here in a video that the staff surprised her with at the Luxey 2nd Birthday Event (which was also SL's birthday!).
Sandra-Lea is an open book and often shares her journey through lifestyle and business live on her daily 'Staff Meetings' on instagram, which only make you wholeheartedly love her more!
She's a woman of passion and reaches for the stars, which is an inspiration to not only the people around her but also her Luxey community. Just listen to what her beautiful Luxey community have to say about SL here in a video that the staff surprised her with at the Luxey 2nd Birthday Event (which was also SL's birthday!).
Sandra-Lea is an open book and often shares her journey through lifestyle and business live on her daily 'Staff Meetings' on instagram, which only make you wholeheartedly love her more!
We sit down with SL to share with you girls some insight into who designs and produces the stunning Luxey Cups we all love.
For some that might not be as familiar with Luxey Cup, tell us about how you started Luxey and why?
We started Luxey Cup back in December 2018 when we launched a Kickstarter Campaign after about a year of product development. The Kickstarter was successful, just making it over the line with only hours from the deadline - it was absolutely crazy, nerve-racking, exciting and WILD all in the same moment (which was the span of 30 days ha ha ha).
We created the Luxey Cup because we drank a LOT of coffee and we always got takeaway coffees (our car at the time was always FULL of disposable cups, thinking back now, its very embarrassing but its the truth). We did have every reusable cup on the market at the time which we never used any due to various reasons like; too hot to hold, too heavy to carry, metallic tasting coffee, paint flacking off because we accidentally put it in the dishwasher, lids too complicated, silicone bands sliding off - you name it we had it and didn't like any so we made one we liked to use. Thus, Luxey was born.
Sustainability is a huge part of the foundations of Luxey, with the store basically supplying alternatives for many single use plastic items. Could you share a little about your passion for the environment and any tips you might have for others to live a more sustainable, holistic lifestyle?
Can I swear? ha ha ha. I feel like I give a sh*t about a lot of things and the environment just happens to be one of them and for us, I think it stems from living a mindful and intentional life. We care about our health a lot which probably over flows into the environment where we like to support a more organic, plant-based lifestyle. A part from slowing down and living more consciously here are some key tips that may help:
1. Slow Down in all areas of your life. Do you need to buy that? Does that add to my life? Do I need to eat or consume that? Slowing down, making more intentional choices in all areas of our lives will naturally make your life more sustainable.
2. Get rid of the excuses and the convenience of the junk. The "conveniences" planted into our lives by companies (fast food, packaged vegetables, food delivery services etc) are all money driven and have zero acknowledgment to ones health.
3. Find people and friends who live a lifestyle that inspire you, like becomes like so build a community around you and it's so easy and fun!
You often share your love for Veganism, tell us about your journey through making the switch to becoming a vegan and how it's impacted you and your families life?
Golly this is a huge one that actually brings tears to my eyes the journey to going vegan which I probably like to more call plant-based. To wrap this question up into a good solid paragraph I would say all our hearts, mine, Andy's and the kids have all exploded with love - for the animals, for others, each other and the environment. Andy says he went vegan for the environment, I went vegan for the animals and the kids love being vegan for both. We all have our own powerful reasonings. Our family's health has improved 1000%, sleep, digestion, skin, energy everything, we are full of energy most of the time and we can fully say we are powered by plants.
I, being the cook of the family LOVE that I have a million more things to cook, there are so many vegetables, grains and legumes to choose from and cook. Our meals have become so much more enjoyable and loving.
Honestly, going plant-based is by far the best thing we have ever done.
So many of the Luxey girls always comment on your glowing skin from the Luxey Instagram Stories. Can you share your skincare routine with us?
So many things that I hardly credit just my skincare products but this does play a part I am sure. Every morning I drink a Middle Child 16oz glass of warm water with lemon, honey, a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper followed by another 16oz of organic celery juice. Throughout the day I drink lots of good water so I am hydrated and cleanse my body very well every day.
For breakfast, I eat just fruit, lots and lots of fruit thats in season.
We eat organic and plant-based which is a huge credit to my beautiful skin.
Lastly, I do use the skincare range from Mukti Organics - morning and night. Its a fairly big job but its my only face so I do like to care for it!
You have two beautiful kids, Honor and Haven and you were working from your garage at home when you first started Luxey Cup. What was your journey through motherhood like and do you have any suggestions for other mums who want to start a business from home?
Just be you, 100% authentically you in every single moment.
Our kids have seen it ALL. They have seen and known about all our legal battles, they have seen every shipping container delivery, they have been up with us at 4am for the week we moved our businesses into a new warehouse. They have seen our highs and joys and they see our darkest moments. They see us cry and swear and man, they see us talk to God sometimes ha ha ha.
They know we always can't be at every single "commitment" because "mum and dad are very busy this time of year". They get it because they see it. I think building companies is a WAY OF LIFE and the moment you surrender to that it's way better and life becomes way more at ease.
They know we always can't be at every single "commitment" because "mum and dad are very busy this time of year". They get it because they see it. I think building companies is a WAY OF LIFE and the moment you surrender to that it's way better and life becomes way more at ease.
Luxey has so many exciting things in the pipeline, can you share any secrets with the community about what might be coming?
We have lots in the pipeline but I don't want to share too much right now ;-) xxx
