The journey of Luxe at Play

Hello! I’m so glad you found your way here. I’m Sarah, the founder of Luxe at Play. I thought it was about time I shared a little more about myself and provide you with a glimpse behind the scenes of running a business (all while juggling #mumlife!).

The idea for Luxe at Play came about when I had my first child. As a new mother, finding safe product options for my little one became a priority. While searching for a safe play mat, I soon realised there were plenty of bright, multi coloured options on the market, just not the stylish ones I envisioned having in our home. And that’s when the idea of Luxe at Play began.

With a background in sales and finance, and despite years of climbing the corporate ladder I still felt like I wasn’t being truly fulfilled in my work and knew there was something else out there that would allow me to be creative and inspired. The original plan was to return to work full time when my first born was nine months old, however I was retrenched due to a company restructure, from my job of 10 years. Coincidently, it was around the same time that my baby started crawling. You could say the stars aligned, because that’s when my little dream of founding Luxe at Play became a reality. And what a journey it has been since!

We had a not-so-glamorous start working out of the home garage. Much to my delight, the business quickly outgrew this space and we made the move into a warehouse. After a year of running the business, my husband left his job as a construction manager to support me and keep my dreams alive (yes, he deserves a medal for being the best husband ever). This was all while fulfilling his own aspirations of starting a small building business, alongside managing the operations of Luxe at Play - unloading stock, stocktaking, preparing orders for daily dispatch and liaising with our local couriers.

As a mum to two kids, the business is run around school drop-offs and pick-ups, sports and activities. The passion I have for Luxe at Play and how proud I am of the products we’ve created truly motivates me in those moments of busyness - you could say it’s my third baby. All I can say is thank goodness for coffee (big fan right here!). Providing families with a stylish playmat option that is non-toxic and free of any harmful substances is what motivates me to continue to grow the business both in Australia and internationally (Luxe at Play is now available to our New Zealand customers with plans for further expansion).

Having no previous experience in running a company, I self-learnt all aspects of business from liaising with manufacturers overseas, product design, creating websites, importing goods, marketing, bookkeeping, organising photoshoots and liaising with couriers! Every single step in this journey has been challenging (including a lot of mistakes and tears along the way) yet rewarding! When we’re not working in the business (or on the business), you’ll find our family spending time in nature, exploring the beautiful Sunshine Coast. Whether it’s the beach or bike riding, I enjoy the simple things in life (and a wine with friends is a necessity too). From my family to yours, I would like to say a big thank you for your continued support of Luxe at Play. It means the world to us.