a visionary entrepreneur
meet Lady M
Lady M has a natural aptitude for what she produces, although she does not come from a food industry background. She is a qualified architect with a passion for sustainability, the environment and harmonious healthy living, values that are at the heart of her projects. Michaela is a motivational public speaker, with her portfolio including exhibitions in museums, galleries and universities across Europe.
Originally from Crete she grew up surrounded by locally sourced natural produce and healthy home cooked food. Now with a busy London life Lady M enjoys keeping herself mentally and physically fit with food that she enjoys. Being vegan for 7 years, gluten and dairy intolerant, she found the limited options unappealing. They were either heavy and difficult to digest, dry and tasteless or have ingredients reminiscence of a chemistry lesson. Being a dynamic person and a believer of a healthier living Lady M, thought – if you cant find it, create it! Hence Arapina, the award winning healthy lifestyle bakery and her moto“Your wellbeing is my business” was born.
I grew up in Crete, Greece and moved to London to pursue my Masters in Sustainable Design. Being an architect by trade with a Masters degree I have worked both in the architectural and fashion industry, starting from very low positions each time I went into a new industry. I left architecture due to the lack of creativity in the industry to work in fashion and I resigned from the fashion industry due to lack of substantial’s company’s culture.
It was time to build my own ethos, and choose the people I want to work with.
I have always been a good home baker, and since I was at the time vegan and gluten intolerant I started baking from home and selling in a food market in London. One market brought many and many markets brought the wholesale activity and private orders. I started doing everything myself and in a year’s time I was employing a baker at home, a sales assistant in the market and I was driving a borrowed car to deliver to wholesalers. One of my customers from an existing business (wholesale) saw me doing well and offered to open with me a delicatessen. I accepted as I wanted to leave my home kitchen. A year down the line, we had outgrown the kitchen in the little deli and I had learnt everything I could. I sold my shares, made 300% profit and moved to an industrial kitchen. We rented a shared counter and learnt to work in a fast paced environment next to Michelin trained chefs.
My name as Lady M was established.
With a team of 5, we had outgrown our space, and decided to move to our own premises to continue wholesale and markets. With unintended retail sales exceeding every other revenue stream, all happening from an existing shabby shop, we decided that it was time for the next step. Against all odds and advise from those “who know best" in September 2017 we opened our doors to our existing and new clients with a full on vegan, gluten free and sugar free menu all offered within a wellbeing and zen environment that I had always envisioned Arapina to have.
Arapina, the retail experience and space was born.
Today, I am busy taking my business on a national level, publicly and openly speaking about life and business and mentoring SME and business owners. In my spare time, you will find me taking long walks and contemplating life, meditating in parks, or talking to professionals from the industry. Their stories inspire me and I hope my story will inspire others to start their own business and serve the higher good of those who strive and dream a better world and business with meaningful employment and compassionate leadership. Afterall I am the living proof of what it takes to be a female and foreign entrepreneur in particular challenging times for hospitality and businesses.
Public Speaking:
Business in today’s world
Energy Laws in Business
Brand creation & acceleration
Females in Business
Business Mentoring:
Menu & recipes curation
Strategic business development
Digital & targeted marketing implementation
Cultivating ethos & business culture
Untangling food operations & maximising profit
Life Mentoring:
Change your state of mind, change your life
Unleash your fullest potential
Resilience & life navigation
“Michaela has repeatedly demonstrated over time, her commercial outlook whilst staying true to the strong ethical principles that underline the Arapina brand. She works tirelessly to achieve the right deal, properly constructed, for the benefit of her customers, her team, and her business partners. As the business has grown she has been able to realise excellent economies of scale without compromising her principles, building the scaffolding for further growth.”
-William Robertson, Business Systems Director
“Michaela is one of those leaders who come up with unexpectable resources during the most challenging situations. The ability to reinvent, flex, learn and adapt with determination and resilience are just some of the skills that I have seen Michaela show during my time working with her. Top it up with a smile and a compassionate approach and you get a unique human being, wonderful to work with!”
-Assunta Cucca, Kokoro Coaching & Employee Engagement
“Great branding work is the meeting of clear thought and creativity. The goal is an authentic expression of the business values in order to connect in meaningful ways with consumers. Michaela’s passion, drive and instinctive creativity makes her the perfect partner when it comes to branding development and Arapina defines what a truly authentic brand should look and feel like.”
-Francis Court, Founder & CEO, Wondersphere
“Michaela is a strong, highly focussed, entrepreneur, who maintains a clear vision for herself and her business, based around clear set of principles and expectations which she shares with her team and know where to find this, to keep her business on a steady path. It is truly inspirational to have the opportunity to know and work with Michaela and Arapina.”
-Ian Chambers, Founder & CEO of East London Radio
“Michaela’s experience and confidence are a couple of the tools that success is made and she is passionate about sharing it with the world and communicating with others. Her no nonsense style is refreshing and something the business world requires. Michaela is a businesswoman of note and courage. Look out world, here she comes!”
-Nicola Millington, Founder, FP Comms and Marketing With Love Digital
“I have known Michaela now for over 5 years and worked closely with her on projects within her own business and that of my own. I’m always impressed by her passion and attention to detail, as well as the deep knowledge she has around vegan and gluten free cooking and innovative ingredients. Michaela’s approach to food and lifestyle is the future, as such she is always someone to follow.”
-Steven Whibley, MD, Le Pain Quotidien