Name and company: Zoe LVH WunderWorkshop

Website: www.wunderworkshop.com

Where do you live?: Notting Hill

- Tell me a little bit about your business, what was the impetus to startup?

I was inspired by Ayurveda - the Science of Life, whose principles are based upon a preventive approach to health. I started producing an organic vegan drink called Golden Mylk; whose roots lie within this ancient medical system. 

Nutrition and conscious consuming have always been a major part of my life, so I wanted to create a business that merged these beliefs with my drive for health education, wellbeing and corporate social responsibility. I believe that food is performance and for that reason WunderWorkshop focuses on functional ingredients that maximise life‘s potential, enabling people to live better, work harder and to be stronger. 

- Where are your products available?

I have recently soft-launched Golden Mylk at Portobello Wholefoods, however, we are often at Partridges Food Market, and at yoga and meditation events across London. 

- What is your biggest achievement so far?

My biggest achievement has been quitting my full time job, not sticking to the routine and just going for it. Having to earn rent etc. is the biggest challenge as a start-up, but there is no going back to an office job. For me, there is no better feeling than waking up and knowing it is all in your own hands. Your own existence and future are a creation through your energy and your will to live your life the way you want it.

- What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

There are tough decisions to make every day. Sticking to my principles and ensuring that all our ingredients are well sourced and do not compromise with my beliefs has been particularly difficult. However, toughest of all was finding out over Christmas that my mother was diagnosed with cancer. It made me want to give up everything, but I decided to see it as even more reason to push ahead and promote the powerful properties of turmeric, especially its cancer fighting effects. 

- What’s the best piece of advice you have been given?

“Always say 'yes' to the present moment... Surrender to what is. Say 'yes' to life - and see how life starts suddenly to start working for you rather than against you.” - Eckhart Tolle

- Many people only contemplate setting up their own business, what advice would you give to spark the catalyst?

Just do it. I am a big believer in acting and going for it. People over think things over so much, especially if you are in your mid-twenties. When I look around everyone is so serious about their jobs, even though so many admit that it doesn’t make them happy. If you only have that feeling for even the slightest moment you have to act, you do not want to look back and think what have I actually done with my life? 

- What do you do to stay active and how has it changed your life?

At the moment I do yoga, pilates and some hard-core Nike Training Club classes, which make you sweat loads. However my favourite activities that fulfil both mind and body cravings are ballet and surfing, but both are a bit tricky in London. Ballet is far too expensive and surfing, well that is self-explanatory. 

- Do you have any favourite tips and tricks to stay healthy and happy everyday? 

I start the day with my gratitude journal and I find it makes me much happier everyday writing down what I am grateful for and I sit down for 5 minutes and do my daily affirmations. I don’t turn on my phone until I have done those, showered and had breakfast. That might sound unimportant, but it does give me time to fully reflect on just me. No emails, social media, or friends and family that can disturb me. 

To stay healthy every day I make sure to get as many of my nutrients from my diet and not from supplements. I have Brazil nuts for my selenium dose and a shot of wheatgrass in the morning, raw sauerkraut before my lunch, 3 cups of green tea throughout the day, and a cup of Golden Mylk before bed. 

- Do you consider yourself a ‘healthy eater’ and are there habits you wish you could kick?

Yes I think I am pretty healthy, I was lucky enough to grow up in a very health conscious family. I was brought up as a vegetarian, and we only eat organic food and mostly from farms nearby. 

I should probably kick this habit, but I don’t think I want to... I have a glass of red wine every day before dinner. I know a lot of people think it is controversial to believe in health but still consume alcohol. But I am a big believer that in denying yourself things is actually unhealthier for your mind and it all comes down to balance. Health is based on happiness and nutrition and exercise so yes, allowing myself that glass of red wine is a treat for mind and soul.

- What is your typical…

- Breakfast:

I start the day with hot-lemon water. 20min after drinking my hot lemon, I will have oats and buckwheat flakes that I soaked overnight, with my soaked brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds and homemade coconut milk. Mid-morning I have a banana and an apple just so I don’t combine them with starchy foods in the morning. This probably seems incredibly rigorous, but breakfast really is my fuel for the day and I notice when I don’t start it right.

- Lunch:

I usually have a big salad with either wholemeal spelt bread or sprouted bread and of course avocado on top! I usually add some shelled hemp seeds for protein and some Punchfoods seeds on top of my salad. I eat as much raw vegetables as possible for lunch, as they are harder to digest during the night. I occasionally eat animal products too, such as organic eggs, fish and unpasteurised goats cheese. 

- Dinner: 

I usually have lightly steamed vegetables with Liquid Aminos sauce, and then with one of the following red quinoa, bulgar wheat, brown rice, lentils, spelt, sweet potatoes, beans and so on. However, it is really important to mix it up as much as possible. For dessert in the summer I will often have some homemade vegan banana ice-cream - so yummy! 

- Lastly, how lucky are you, and why?

Sometimes I feel the word luck doesn’t properly describe the amount of work that goes in to creating that luck. I believe in that if you work hard, but more importantly, that if you believe that any opportunity might come back to you by always radiating positive energy, being grateful and ambitious, then those things that one calls ‘luck’ will happen. I am very grateful, and even more excited, for all the opportunities and paths that life has to offer. Being open and proactive to all these challenges has created many lucky moments.