“If there’s one thing we’ve learnt, it’s this: no one knows what they’re doing at the start. You just have to start anyway. And if you’re doing something you actually care about, something that feels like you, people can tell. That’s where the magic happens.”
Ash Tardrew and Jase McDonnell, co-founders of Sabbi
What’s happening: Sabbi co-founders Ash Tardrew and Jase McDonnell built their colourful fashion brand from their Gold Coast lounge room to international success, now stocked in over 90 stores across Australia, New Zealand, USA and Europe. They’re sharing 10 hard-won lessons from their chaotic entrepreneurial journey.
Why this matters: With Australian fashion e-commerce expected to grow significantly and more entrepreneurs launching direct-to-consumer brands, understanding the real challenges behind startup success stories provides valuable insights for aspiring business builders navigating similar paths without external funding or business experience.
Sabbi began with nothing more than a bold vision, a few hand-painted samples, and the determination of two creatives, Ash Tardrew and Jase McDonnell, who sold nearly everything they owned to bring their dream to life.
At the time, they were packing orders from their lounge room and using Afterpay to buy groceries. With no roadmap or external funding, they set out to build a brand based on self-expression: colourful, unapologetically comfortable fashion designed to make people feel good.
Their big break came when they took a leap of faith and sent their designs to comedian and influencer Celeste Barber, who shared a video wearing Sabbi. Overnight, the brand took off but the last two years have been far from easy. What followed was long hours, on the fly problem-solving and learning as they went.
Today, Sabbi has built a local following and is stocked in more than 90 stores across Australia, New Zealand, the US, and Europe, a testament to their resilience, persistence, and willingness to never give up.
That uncertainty has come in many forms, from supplier delays and production missteps to more unexpected setbacks like Australia Post’s sudden suspension of parcel deliveries to the US, which has disrupted operations and left their growing US customer base in limbo. Every step of growth has come with a new set of hurdles, and Ash and Jase have had to learn fast, stay nimble, and adapt under pressure.
From samples to success
The turning point came through a bold move and a stroke of luck. “We took a leap and sent our designs to comedian and influencer Celeste Barber. She shared a video wearing Sabbi on Instagram, and the brand skyrocketed overnight,” the founders explain.
But before that breakthrough, the reality was far from glamorous. “We pretty much sold everything to scrape together enough cash for a handful of fashion samples and a big idea: to make clothes we actually wanted to wear,” say Tardrew and McDonnell.
Their vision was clear even when their business plan wasn’t. “Every design started with one of Jase’s hand-painted artworks with one goal in mind: to lift your mood, celebrate individuality, and make you feel like the most confident version of yourself,” they explain. “We wanted Sabbi to be more than just clothes. We wanted it to spark joy, creativity, confidence and for people to feel good wearing our brand.”
Expensive lessons learned
The founders don’t sugarcoat the difficulties they faced. “We’ve cried over fabric rolls, stuffed up sizes, and stayed up way too late packing orders ourselves,” they recall. “We didn’t have a business plan, or fancy investors, or any real clue what we were doing at the start and honestly, sometimes we still don’t.”
Their most expensive lesson came through quality control failures. “We once received a whole shipment of shirts that looked like they’d been chopped in half after we’d paid in full. We couldn’t sell them and had to wear the cost. As a brand new business, this was super hard. But we learnt from it and tightened quality control moving forward.”
Typography errors proved particularly costly for a brand focused on uplifting messages. “From printing issues, overselling stock, shipping disasters, spelling errors and grammar slip-ups, we’ve made them all. When your brand is all about uplifting messages, even one tiny typo can take away from the meaning. We didn’t catch the error until the stock arrived and had to scrap the whole lot. But you can bet we triple-check every print now.”
The founders learned that pre-orders, while attractive for cash flow, require careful systems management. “Pre-orders are HARD. We hear the word pre and instantly shake with anxiety,” they admit. “We didn’t set up the pre-orders properly on Shopify and it turned into a total disaster. It cost us thousands and disappointed a lot of customers who waited months only to end up refunded.”
Staying true pays off
Despite external pressure and criticism, the founders emphasise the importance of authenticity. “Plenty of people didn’t see our vision or get our designs, but we weren’t creating for them. We stuck with them because we loved them. Not everyone’s going to get your idea and that’s okay. Stay true to you!”
They acknowledge that building a distinctive brand means accepting that not everyone will understand or appreciate your approach. “There will always be people who don’t get what you’re doing. Some won’t like your designs, your vibe, or even the way you run your business. At first, that can really mess with your confidence. But you’re not for everyone and you’re not meant to be.”
The key, they found, was maintaining focus on their core purpose. “What matters is staying focused on the spirit, the love, and the purpose behind what you’re building. For us, that’s creating clothing that spreads joy, confidence and makes people feel good. Keep showing up with good energy and the right people will feel it.”
The partnership test
Running a business is always hard, it’s just a new kind of hard every day. The only thing that keeps you going is passion. If you don’t love what you do, the setbacks will break you.
As both business partners and life partners, Tardrew and McDonnell faced unique challenges in maintaining their relationship while building their company. “As co-founders (and partners), it’s easy to blame each other when things go wrong. We learnt that no matter who made the mistake, we’re in it together, working towards the same dream. Support each other and always have grace over ego.”
They emphasise the importance of asking for help rather than trying to manage everything themselves. “You need to learn to let others help or you will burn out. At one point, we were waking up at 3:30am to handle emails and customer service, pack orders, process returns, paint prints and design collections. Ask for help, surround yourself with people you trust and outsource what you can.”
The founders recognise that external challenges, from supplier delays to unexpected shipping disruptions, are inevitable. Recent issues included Australia Post suddenly stopping parcel deliveries to the US, leaving their growing American customer base in limbo. “We’ve had to switch things up fast, find new ways to get our orders out, and figure out different ways to ship, none of it was something we saw coming. The key lesson is that you can’t plan for everything so you need to stay flexible and be ready to think outside the box.”
Their advice for other entrepreneurs is grounded in their own experience of uncertainty and persistence. “There were days we cried, argued, broke down, when giving up felt easier than pushing through. But the truth is, you never know if tomorrow could be the day a breakthrough happens. Even if it’s messy, just keep showing up.”
Looking back on their journey, the founders maintain that passion remains the most critical ingredient for entrepreneurial success. “Running a business is always hard, it’s just a new kind of hard every day. The only thing that keeps you going is passion. If you don’t love what you do, the setbacks will break you.”
Their final message to aspiring entrepreneurs reflects the unplanned nature of their own success: “If there’s one thing we’ve learnt, it’s this: no one knows what they’re doing at the start. You just have to start anyway. And if you’re doing something you actually care about, something that feels like you, people can tell. That’s where the magic happens.”
Related: Building a sustainable fashion business in Australia | Direct-to-consumer brand strategies for startups
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