Channel Seven star Sally Obermeder is at the helm of a thriving wellness empire called SWIISH along with her sister and co-founder, Maha Corbett.
Sally, 49, first came up with the idea for their original super green supplements while in hospital battling aggressive stage three breast cancer, which she has since overcome.
She was diagnosed with the disease in October 2011, when she was 41 weeks pregnant and the day before she was due to give birth to her first daughter Annabelle, now 11.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Friday, the TV presenter revealed how her brand has gone from strength to strength in an ‘accidental success’, adding supplements for gut health and even menopausal symptoms – and how it all came about because she wanted to ‘help people’ get their health back on track.
Sally spoke about her approach to wellness and her recent milestone of 10 years cancer-free, saying she is grateful every day and feels like she is “giving back” in some way after her cancer journey.
How Sally Obermeder built a wellness empire: TV star reveals SWIISH is an “accidental success” after co-founding the brand to “try to help people” following her cancer diagnosis: “I know what it’s like to be both to be sick as well’
Sally said she is grateful for the support of her brand, with her SWIISH community and fans also supporting her as she beat breast cancer.
“When I had cancer I was the beneficiary of the love and goodwill of the people I didn’t know and I didn’t miss it,” she said.
“I thought, ‘What can I do here to feel like I’m giving back?’ ‘I know what it’s like to be sick and what it feels like to be healthy.’
Sally, 49, first came up with the idea for their original super green supplements while in hospital battling aggressive stage three breast cancer, which she has since overcome
Speaking about the growth of her brand, she said she first called Sister Maha all those years ago to tell her about her green idea while she was in the hospital.
“The thing is, we had no intention of making a brand. When it started, I called Maha from my hospital bed and said, ‘I want to do something that makes people feel better. an accidental success, I didn’t have a blueprint,” Sally explained.
“Our growth has been very organic. I only planned to make greens. I didn’t start with a grand plan. It was the customer that enabled us to get here. When the customers said, ”we got the greens and feel so good, but can you help us sleep,” and then we worked on a sleep product,” she said.
Reflecting on the brand’s success and becoming a six-figure company, she added: ‘We now have retail partners and I owe that to the community that built this with us. Sometimes I even get scared.’
Sally co-founded the brand with sister Maha Corbett (pictured). ‘It started as a blog. Being a woman in business and in business is really tough. It’s a challenge at every turn,” she said
Sally said a lot of “blood, sweat, and tears” went into building the brand, where a gut fiber powder starts at $39.95.
‘It started as a blog. Being a woman in business and in business is really tough. It’s challenging at every turn.’
“With socials, everything looks very easy. But what you don’t see is the 2am ending the sacrifices the things you don’t go because you work to put your money into the business you go without certain things but it’s your choice,” she explained.
Sally said it’s nice to work with her sister because they have a “close bond” and are “sounding boards for each other.”
“We’re opposites and that’s good for us and the company, we approach everything from a different perspective,” she said.
‘It will be an important year [for us].’
Sally said she starts each day with what she calls a “super shot,” where she mixes a spoonful of her immunity, super greens, and collagen supplement together in a glass of water, in what she says is a simple approach to wellness.
Sally said she starts each day with what she calls a “super shot,” where she mixes a spoonful of her immunity, super greens and collagen supplement together in a glass of water, in what she says is a simple approach to wellness
“I do a super shot every day. I strongly believe that wellness should be effective and it should be easy – it can’t be complicated, it takes the fun out of it. I don’t have time for a 48-step routine,” she said.
She said she hasn’t had a cold or flu in four years thanks to her immunity product. She also eats a healthy and balanced diet, but enjoys the occasional treat or dessert when she’s gone.
“I eat well and normally, protein, carbs, fruits and vegetables and I also eat sweets,” she said.
“Food is good and I don’t think it’s punishing.”
She said she hasn’t had a cold or flu in four years thanks to her immunity product. She also eats a healthy and balanced diet, but enjoys the occasional treat or dessert when she’s gone
The mum-of-two said she feels as good as she’s ever felt and also spoke about her milestone 10 years cancer free.
“For a long time I didn’t think I’d make it to that milestone, I didn’t think I’d make it a year, let alone five or ten. That was a milestone, but oddly enough it’s like that most days,” she said.
“Your filter or life lens just changes. Sometimes it’s less about the big milestones… So it’s like next Tuesday and today, I’m very grateful in an ordinary way, when you think you’re not going to get the ordinary anymore, the standard day becomes very valuable,” she said .
The mum-of-two said she feels as good as she’s ever felt and also spoke about her milestone 10 years cancer free. “I’m very grateful in a way of the ordinary, when you think you’re not going to get the ordinary anymore, the standard day becomes quite valuable,” she said