When television and radio presenter Sami Lukis started a new travel concept for women in 2011 it changed the way many travel.
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During her career Lukis has never been afraid of going for an idea when she has one she thinks will work. In the case of her travel business and her first book just published, following her instinct has really paid off.
Sami Lukis Travel has been so successful her New York tours in June are already sold out and she is expanding the operation. “And my two summer tours have sold out so I have just announced a New Year’s Eve in New York tour. I’m looking at adding on Cuba as a nice easy three day extra on the back of New York. And a lot of the women who do my New York tours want to go to the Hamptons”.
Lukis is speaking at the Inspire Women’s Lunch at Shellharbour Civic Centre on Friday about how her career has constantly evolved after being recognised as the most outstanding broadcast journalism student while doing a Bachelor of Communication with Distinction, to working in children’s television, breakfast television, travel shows and radio.
As a businesswoman she has been very successful. Her Bespoke small group getaways are created for women with the time and money to travel but who don’t want to do it alone.
As an author her first book RoMANtically Challenged recently hit the shelves to rave reviews. It is about her own life and how despite all her best afforts she has never really found Mr Right. Many have described it as great reading because of the way Lukis has not been afraid to laugh at herself and the situations she has found herself in.
“Everytime I would tell one of my dating stories someone would say “Oh God Sami you have to write a book about this because no one would believe you have had so much bad luck”. So I literally put together a one page proposal and went to Penguin and they said “yep when can we have it?. So I started writing”.
The stories include being proposed to on a first date and once dating Kevin Costner’s bodyguard. The book poses the question “How many Mr Wrongs does it take to find Mr Right?”
Friday’s event is organised by Margaret Biggs, of The Disability Trust, and Virginia Wren, of Illawarra ITeC.
“I will share a couple of my most outrageous dating stories,” Lukis said.
A supporter of many charities herself Lukis will join a panel with NSW Young Australian of the Year Macinley Butson, Have Health director Jo Mould and disability advocate Susan Wallis. They are all people who have been able to help people and have constantly evolved to achieve everything they have.
Ms Butson is a Year 12 student who became the first Australian winner at the prestigious INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair for her ‘Smart Armour’ invention that helps breast cancer patients.
The Inspire Women’s Lunch is being presented by Illawarra ITeC with all funds going to Kids Fund at The Disability Trust.
Some of the Sami Lukis’s messages;
- Don’t be afraid of failure.
- Don’t take rejection personally.
- Have faith in your ability.
- Don’t be afraid to have an idea and give it a go.
- Constantly evolve.
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