Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Arboleda.
Lauren, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always been very passionate about my health, cooking, and food, in general! I love cooking so much! It all started growing up in a country where we could find fresh and homegrown fruits and veggies. After I graduated, I went to Romeo for some cooking classes and to work in a restaurant for a semester, YES! Lots of pasta, risotto, and gelato! Yumms! When I came to the United States for college, I started cooking for my friends and they encouraged me to do it for a living! They told me, I was very good at it, plus, seeing their happy faces when trying my food made my week every time we meet! Long story short, I decided to go for it and Food from the heart was born around 5 years ago! I started doing caterings for mingles and special occasions, surprise breakfast etc, etc plus I started baking my famous banana bread which I still bake today! Then, I went into a meal/personal chef service and I was loving it because I could see and experienced the change in my clients and that was everything for me! Long story short (again), I got pregnant unexpectedly 2 months after my civil wedding, I almost fainted but my baby boy also inspired me to write and self-published a book! I started writing in our babymoon and after two years of very, very, very hard work, I self-published Pregnancy from the Heart. Since then, I’ve been growing the Food from the heart community every day a little more. Every day through my social media, I try to transmit my love for cooking, for having a healthy lifestyle, for feeling awesome from the inside out, for having a more conscious approach to life, motherhood and this movement of doing everything from the heart.
Has it been a smooth road?
After I graduated from college, I wanted to open a restaurant. I had name and menu already! When I told my dad about it, he told me that I was crazy, that I had to work for somebody else first. I went crazy because I really wanted to open my restaurant (it was my dream aside from writing a book). But I still remember what he told me that day. “Don’t worry, stop overthinking, enjoy the process and your customers and life will guide you where you should go” I literally cried more after hearing that, but now, I see it. If you feel lost or just desperate, don’t worry, you have to enjoy and feel with your heart what you are currently doing and life will take you there if you keep dreaming.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Food from the Heart – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am a health coach, a home cook, and a total foodie. Aside from working around my book and e-books, we offer monthly workshops, cooking demos, personal cooking classes, health coaching, supermarket trips among other health coaching advice for families and just pretty much everyone! I bake my famous banana bread once or sometimes twice a month for all the banana bread from the heart lovers!
I’m also as you may know from my Instagram, a recipe developer, so I create content for different brands that really speak the food from the heart love. I’m into natural, non-toxic and organic food, makeup, beauty, household products, eco-friendly and biodegradable everything.
My true passion is to make a difference in peoples lives and what sets me apart is that I give my all to everything I do cause I do it from the heart!
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
The biggest barriers, in my opinion, maybe us women as a group. Which is changing so much now! Or at least the people I surround myself with. It just makes me so happy how we are working on supporting each other every time more. #womenempoweringwomen I’m up for helping and supporting each other instead of pushing us down. Since I’m a mom, I can say this female power feeling took control of me!
Pricing:
- Hardcover book $40
- E-books $25
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ffthmiami.com
- Phone: 305-799-2222
- Email: info@ffthmiami.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodfromtheheart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ffromtheheart/
Image Credit:
@shootmytravel, @motion.break
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
