Today we’d like to introduce you to Kellie Sabas.
Hi Kellie , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My entrepreneurial story began during The Great Pause. As my consulting clients cut down their marketing budget, I found myself having time affluence on my side. Driven by my love of learning and optimism, I took advantage of all the free online courses and certifications I could get in digital marketing. And then I stumbled upon The Science of Well-Being, a popular course at YALE University offered in Coursera. I enjoyed learning about our brain, neuroscience, positive psychology, strategies on ‘how to lead a happy life’ and elevating our overall well-being (hence, my passion project Happy Body, Mind & Soul). Special shout out to Professor Laurie Santos, PhD, thank you for planting the [happy] seeds in millions of people around the world through your teachings and The Happiness Lab podcast. You’ve been a great inspiration for Happy M.E. and I hope our paths crossed one day so I can say thank you IRL.
As part of the course ‘rewirement challenge’, I committed to daily yoga and meditation. Though I know about the basics of yoga asana since my stretching class in college P.E. and practiced daily prenatal yoga during my two pregnancies, this time was different. What began as a challenge turned into a daily habit. I literally rewire my brain. Over the next five years, my commitment to wellness blossomed. I completed 500-hour teacher training certifications in yoga, 500-hr meditation and I’m taking continuing education in Yoga Therapy, Ayurveda, Neuroscience and Positive Psychology. Aside from obvious benefits of reduced stress, more energy and improved sleep, the transformation was personal— I unexpectedly (and happily) found more clarity and purpose, deeper commitment to well-being and a powerful sense of grounded joy, equanimity and inner peace. Sounds cliché but, I truly became a better version of ME in the process.
The true ‘aha moment’ came when I realized how seamlessly my professional background aligned with my passion for wellness. Armed with my education and experience in marketing and events working for global brands, I founded Happy M.E. LLC in 2022 and launched www.HappyME.yoga that same year. In the last couple of years, I’ve hosted and spoken at several virtual and in-person summits, retreats, masterclasses, masterminds, workshops, and I have collaborated with a couple of small to big companies to lead yoga, wellness panels and webinars for their teams.
Today, HappyME.yoga connects individuals with mindfulness resources, events, retreats, coaching, and transformational experiences. But what I love the most is planning what I call “The Ultimate Self-Care Holiday Where Vacation Meets Transformation” and curating urban mini-retreats that promotes holistic wellness and a happy me: body, mind and soul. These are events where women take intentional pause to prioritize self-care and return home/work recharged, empowered, and deeply aligned with their authentic selves. Like any great organization, I can’t do this alone. I am proud to collaborate with a diverse network of vetted wellness professionals in our Happy ME Collective—doctors, coaches, therapists, healers, teachers, PHDs, best-selling authors, TEDx speakers and conscious leaders—to design meaningful experiences for both individuals and teams. Our collective mission: curate experiences that create positive ripple effects in homes, communities, and workplaces—one event at a time.
In addition, my Greece retreat partner Marie Kueny and I co-created Retreat Planning Mastery to help other aspiring retreat leaders gain knowledge and confidence to launch their own powerful and profitable retreats. We shared our story with SD Voyager readers in this interview: https://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-kellie-sabas-marie-kueny-of-retreat-planning-mastery
Beyond retreats, Happy M.E. promotes workplace wellness culture with our signature Wellness@Work Summit in San Diego, with the vision of bringing this movement to key cities across the U.S. and Asia in the future.
This is the heart of Happy M.E.—where we create Meaningful Events and curate Magical Experiences for women and workplaces ready to invest and prioritize wellness for themselves and their teams.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Building a global wellness company on my own is one of the most proud moments in my career—but it’s also a continuous journey of growth, challenge, and refinement. Like many entrepreneurs, I’ve learned that being your own boss is both a privilege and a responsibility. There’s no road map—just a deep desire to serve, and the courage to figure it out along the way, trusting that the Universe has my back and will send the right people (this happened many times and is still happening today).
One of the most common struggles—especially in the wellness space—is attracting your ideal clients. Not just people who need wellness (because truthfully, we all do), but those who value it enough to invest in it. The challenge isn’t in creating the offering; it’s in helping your buyer persona understand its value, how you can help them, and say yes to themselves. And we know that’s where strategic marketing (and budget) comes in but that’s a whole new topic.
For me, the most difficult part is often finding wellness advocates within a company—someone who understands the importance of a well-curated wellness program not as a perk, but as a strategic investment in human capital. I understand that leaders juggle many pressing and demanding priorities, and unfortunately wellness doesn’t always get on priority list until burnout, turnover, or disengagement becomes a financial concern. Shifting that mindset and culture takes advocacy, education, and conscious leadership because studies show employees’ well-being directly impacts the company bottom line. A whopping $300B annual loss according to the American Institute of Stress. This case proves that wellness is not just an HR checklist, it’s a business imperative.
And then there’s the inner journey—the emotional, mental, and energetic labor of building something from the heart. Some new entrepreneurs like myself experience imposter syndrome, especially when stepping into roles like teacher, facilitator, or guide. I remember the feeling of teaching yoga at my first weekend retreat in Encinitas and leading an ‘inner work’ using my own version of the ‘Life Workbook’ I designed on Canva. Suffice to say, the feedback I received fueled my passion and inspired me to plan Bali and Greece retreats. In addition, I think there’s unrealistic expectation for you to be “fully healed” or “living a perfect life” when in truth, we’re all on a journey—and sometimes the most powerful service we offer is walking that path authentically and navigating your way through using your own teachings and modalities. For me, yoga is the best stress-reliever and meditation helps me stop ruminating and worrying. After all, it is our lived experiences and stories that connect us.
Another crucial point is balancing purpose with profit is another ongoing challenge. Most of us end up here from our calling to help people or share our transformation, not just make a living—but we also need to run sustainable businesses. That means learning to price your offerings fairly, market with confidence, and structure your time in ways that honor your own well-being too. That’s what we teach at our signature program Retreat Planning Mastery™.
But here’s the truth I’ve come to embrace: the challenges are part of the calling. Every hurdle is a chance to grow stronger, clearer, and more aligned with your mission. And while the journey may not be easy, it’s incredibly meaningful—especially when I hear personal testimonies and start seeing the ripple effects of our work in people’s lives, communities, and workplaces.
That’s why I created Happy M.E.—to not only serve those cultivating mindfulness and seeking transformation, but to support fellow wellness leaders who are ready to step fully into their purpose and bring their gifts to the world, one event, one conversation, one breath at a time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Happy M.E. LLC?
HappyME.yoga is a wellness brand and event platform that curates transformational wellness experiences for individuals and organizations. It’s the heart-centered extension of my company, Happy M.E. (Marketing & Events) LLC, combining mindfulness, movement, meaningful connections and magical experiences into every offering.
Happy M.E. helps people prioritize self-care through immersive, soul-nourishing events. M.E. stands for “Marketing & Events” — but it also speaks to the deeper mission: putting ‘ME’ (yourself) first through Mindfulness and Empowerment.
Our wellness portfolio offerings include:
🧘♀️ Urban Self-Care Retreats & Workshops
Pop-up retreats in cities like San Diego and Costa Mesa designed to help busy women reset, reconnect, and recharge—often featuring movement classes, mindful arts, workshops and panel of wellness experts from diverse background and discipline.
🌍 Global Wellness Retreats
Destination retreats in places like Bali, Mexico and Greece, curated to support full mind-body-spirit rejuvenation. These retreats include yoga, meditation, wellness workshops, cultural exploration, and community building…”The Ultimate Self-Care Holiday Where Vacation Meets Transformation”
💼 Corporate Wellness Programs
Bespoke wellness events for organizations that want to reduce burnout and improve workplace well-being—from mindfulness workshops to full-day corporate retreats and team building in the office or in a beautiful destination.
🎤 Panels, Summits & Speaker Events
HappyME.yoga also hosts and facilitates powerful discussions around mindset, physical, emotional and mental health, mindful leadership, and wellness entrepreneurship, creating space for meaningful dialogue, education, connection and collaboration.
📚 Retreat Planning Mastery™
For wellness entrepreneurs, RPM provides a comprehensive program using our proprietary workbooks, 1:1 coaching, mentorship and strategy sessions to help aspiring retreat leaders design and launch successful retreats they’ve been dreaming about but don’t know where to begin. You can learn more about our framework and get a free version of RPM workbook by visiting www.RetreatPlanningMastery.com/freebie
Whether you’re a corporate executive or team leader seeking to reduce stress and boost team morale (and bottomline) or a wellness leader ready to host your first retreat, Happy M.E. is your one-stop concierge for wellness events and your partner in creating meaningful events that leaves a lasting impact and transformation. From venue scouting to speaker sourcing, program design, vendor coordination, and on-site facilitation, we take care of every detail to create truly Magical Experiences.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I grew up in the Philippines and have many fond memories from my childhood. My favorite one is during summer breaks. My siblings and I stayed at my ‘Apo’ (grandma) where most of my cousins also live close by. Looking back, it was like being in a summer camp. We played tag, football all day in the vast rice field, hide-and-seek, climbed or rest under huge Acacia trees, picked mangoes and ‘camachile’ or manila tamarind, built forts made of haystacks and bamboos, lots of singing & dancing as if we were in a concert, and even played ghost hunting at times. It was where I learned life skills like washing your own clothes because there was no washing machine then. There seemed to be so many things happening during summer break in the province like cookouts, swimming or beach outing, sports league, and even joined a band one time. It was a great childhood memory.
Pricing:
- Happy ME Mastermind $55
- Retreat Planning Mastery Mastermind $2,888
- US Weekend Retreats $1,987-2,888
Contact Info:
- Website: https://happyme.yoga
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happyme.collective/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happyMEcollective
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelliesabas/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@happymecollective
- Other: http://Retreatplanningmastery.com/
Image Credits
Rasha Asfour Kim Belverud Ann Landstrom Sarah Dupree
