Mini business success story: How building community, resilience and wellness sparked growth

When Sarah Daher founded Sabel Studios in Sydney’s Western Suburbs, it wasn’t just about Pilates or massage – it was about providing a nurturing community for women at every stage of life. Inspired by her own healing journey, Sarah’s mini business offers a holistic approach to wellbeing, blending physical therapy and community support. We spoke to the mum of five about the ups and downs of launching, what she wishes more people knew about running a business, and how Sabel Studios is making a difference for women in her community.

How did Sabel Studios get started? 

In 2022 I went through a personal tragedy that saw me really close off from things around me and become isolated. My husband was the biggest driver of me going out and learning something new. So, with his support, I went and studied massage therapy and I found it really helped me heal. Giving a service to somebody who is in pain inspired me to create a space where women can come and find a sanctuary to disconnect from whatever they’ve gone through. 

In massage, we’re really massaging out the muscles, lengthening and stretching, and it’s the same with reformer Pilates, so I thought it was a really good concept to put both of them together. 

What I’ve noticed since opening Sabel Studios is that everybody carries pain, and everybody’s gone through something, and having a place like this really just invites the community of women to feel safe, to feel nurtured and to feel held during that time.

What does your mini business do? 

We offer reformer Pilates classes, functional training, massage, sauna, allied health and a whole bunch of other things for women.

What’s something your mini business has taught you about yourself? 

Something that my mini business has taught me was that whatever I put my mind to, I can accomplish, even though it’s hard at times. Hard work pays off and I can do the things that I put my mind to, and it comes out amazingly.

What’s your favourite part of your day as a mini-business owner? 

My favourite part of owning Sabel Studios is that I get to see each and every one of these women achieve their goals. What I love is seeing them come together as a community. It’s such a beautiful place and each and every one of our members are beautiful and amazing and they just mesh so well. For me, seeing the vision of what I wanted for Sabel Studios come to life has been really amazing.

What’s something you never thought you’d be doing but now is part of your business? 

Something I thought I’d never be doing was content creating, and that has become part of our business. That one was pretty shocking.

What’s been your biggest ‘OMG I’m actually doing it!’ moment? 

After we opened, about a month in, seeing the women coming through here, it was a big, 'Oh my goodness, I actually did this.' When you see it in life and in action, seeing the women coming here and the community forming, it’s like, wow.

What’s one thing you wish more people knew about running a mini business? 

Running a business is really hard and not as easy as it looks. There are so many moving parts and you’re always putting out fires and trying to piece things together. Managing different personalities and timetables can be tricky. It’s rewarding, but definitely challenging. I think more people need to realise it’s fun and amazing, but also tough. My biggest advice is to set up proper systems so the business doesn’t end up running you.

Any advice for someone with a mini business idea but hasn’t made the leap yet? 

My advice for anyone that’s thinking about opening a small business would be: take the leap. But before you take the leap, figure out your ‘why’. Keep that in mind – your vision of where you want to end up – so that the business does not control you, but you’re in control of the business. Figure out your systems and then just do it. It’s amazing.

What’s a ‘failure’ that actually moved your business forward? 

Choosing our first marketing team was a failure at the start, but it helped the business move forward. One thing that I’ve learnt now – it was a hard lesson to learn, but it was a good lesson – was not to believe everything everyone tells you. Question things, test things and pick things up early on, because I was taken for a ride for a while. 

But one thing that I do like about what I went through was that it taught me a lot early on. Now my mindset and my approach to things is far different and I was able to find the right people for the business.

What impact do you hope your business has on your clients? 

Since opening Sabel Studios, I’ve noticed that everyone carries pain and has been through something. My hope is that Sabel Studios offers a place where women feel safe, nurtured and held by a supportive community, no matter what they’re going through.

AMP Bank GO is proud to share Sabel Studios’ Mini Business Success Story. Recognising founder Sarah’s dedication and the positive impact her wellness studio has on women in Sydney’s Western Suburbs, AMP Bank GO awarded Sabel Studios $5,000 worth of radio ad airtime – helping Sarah connect with even more women in her community. Learn more about how AMP Bank GO takes care of mini businesses here.