Sarah Malik

Sarah Malik is the CEO of SOL International, Sarah M, and Sarah Malik Lifestyle, operating across law, business, teaching, fashion, and sport. She has built multiple ventures and a property portfolio from a career that began in law and expanded in directions she never mapped out. Her clearest insight is that saying no is not a limitation but a strategy, and that your name and reputation will open doors in rooms where you are not even present.

From a courtroom in London to boardrooms across international markets, Sarah Malik's story spans disciplines that most people would consider entirely separate careers. In this interview with Powerful Blueprints, Sarah talks candidly about the price of time, the lessons that kept repeating until she finally heard them, and what the next chapter of her life might actually look like. Sarah sat down with us and did not hold back. Here is the conversation.

What does the first hour of your morning look like?

We had to ask about this one.

I try to get up early, usually by 6:30 or 7 am, and get as much done as I can whilst I am focused.

I start with hot lemon and water as I was told last year to drastically reduce my caffeine intake, and I have a high protein breakfast as I train most days. That's usually upstairs in my room as I get ready for the day. What I wear and how I present is a huge part of my job and I usually take a couple of outfits with me which I choose in the morning. Gym clothes and any evening outfit as I often have events straight after work.

The most important part in the morning for me is the mental space before 9 am, being organised. Before the emails, meetings, calls, interviews and decisions begin, I like to know exactly what I will get through in the day and ensure that all teams around me are briefed first thing. The first hour is deliberately slow for me but focused.

What is the one daily habit that would surprise people who follow your work?

Here is something you do not hear often.

My life is extremely busy with family, law, business, teaching, travel, events, sports, fashion and there is always something that can be done 24/7, but I have become very protective of my downtime.

I think most people assume that because I am constantly doing something and very visible, I must always want to be doing something. Actually, the reality is I value stillness and time enormously and I take time each day just to chill and switch off. Every single day at the end of the day, I do nothing. There are very few close people in my life and I check in almost daily with them as part of my downtime.

What is the first thing you would tell a college student who wants to build something real?

This is where the real thinking showed up.

Stop thinking and start doing.

Qualifications matter. Knowledge matters. Experience matters. But there comes a point where you have to put yourself into the arena and learn by doing. It's the best and only way. Take that gamble on yourself and it's ok to mess up on the way. That's ultimately how you will succeed.

I would also tell them that your first version of anything will not be your final version. My career has evolved enormously. Law led me into arbitration, teaching, writing, strategic advisory that evolved into then building a separate business in lifestyle and opened doors in fashion, sport and other areas and countries I never mapped out when I started my career. I was supposed to be a barrister in chambers in London. I now have 3 businesses and a lucrative property portfolio. Things just happen and one business or opportunity leads to another. Keep your mind open and stay curious.

Put in the hard work early and enjoy the fruits later. Always stay hungry to learn, be consistent and keep going even when it doesn't make sense to anyone else but you and especially when things seem stagnant. Share little and let the results speak. And don't underestimate relationships. That's something AI can never replace. Build your name and work first with belief in yourself. Your name, reputation and character will end up opening doors in rooms where you are not even present.

What was the worst professional decision you ever made, and what did it teach you?

We wanted the honest version, not the tidy one.

There is no single decision but a great lesson for me is I trusted people and situations for longer than I should have, as I used to judge all by my own standards. I was always ready to go out of my way to assist others until I realised that some people were simply there to use.

I should have gone with instinct when I could feel that something was not right. When I saw the reality of how some people are and their agendas, I was genuinely amazed but it was a great lesson in my professional life to not trust so easily and to be selective in who I give energy and access to. I am a giver and someone who helps by nature so this was a hard lesson to learn from people I trusted.

I learned that you cannot expect integrity from all and that you need to learn to say no to people and situations without apology, and if that upset people, so be it.

Today I am much more careful about who I allow in and selective about where I put my time, energy and reputation, and I have zero guilt in not being a complete answer.

What belief did you hold for years that turned out to be completely wrong?

This answer stayed with us.

For a long time, I believed that being strong meant handling everything myself. If something needed to be done, I would do it. If there was a problem, I would solve it. I rarely asked for help because, somewhere along the way, I equated independence with strength.

What I learned, sometimes the hard way, is that strength is also knowing when to step back, delegate, trust people and, importantly, protect your own energy.

I also used to believe that loyalty would naturally be reciprocated. It doesn't always work that way, in business or in life. People can value you, respect you and still not be the right people to have around you. You can do everything right and still outgrow people, relationships, businesses or situations that once felt right. And sometimes the hardest thing isn't working harder, it's knowing when to let go.

I'm much more discerning now. I still work incredibly hard and I still care deeply about what I build, but I no longer feel I have to carry everything or everyone.

Not everyone who has access to you is invested in your success, and not every opportunity deserves a yes.

I learned that saying no is not a limitation; it is a strategy. As I've grown as a businesswoman, I have become much more protective of my time, my energy and my reputation.

What did money teach you about yourself that nothing else could?

This is where it got interesting.

Money taught me that security and freedom are not necessarily the same thing.

When you are starting out, money can represent validation, proof that you're succeeding, proof that you are moving forward. With time, I became much more interested in what money allowed me to do: make choices, buy time, create opportunities, support people, build businesses, build different income streams and have control over my life. It gave me freedom to make choices.

I opened multiple ventures because I strive for financial freedom where money makes money without me having to show up, and I am not reliant on any one stream. I am very grateful to have reached that point in my life.

I don't measure success simply by what I can buy. I measure it by the choices and freedom I have and what I am able to give back.

Today, my relationship with money is much more strategic than when I started out.

Who is the one person who shaped the way you think?

Here is where Sarah slowed down.

It's not one person, it's both my parents.

They have taught me faith, independence and the importance of standing on my own two feet. They gave me the foundation to be whatever I want to be and that I don't need anyone's permission to become the person I want to be.

I also have a very close friend I have known for a few years who challenged and continues to challenge my mindset and alignment and he has helped change what I prioritise and where I want to go.

What is the hardest thing you gave up for your career, and was it worth it?

We pushed a little on this.

Time.

Time is the one thing you can never get back.

There have been outings, weekends, dinners, holidays and moments when I was physically present but mentally somewhere else. Or many that I simply missed because I was working.

Was it worth it? Well I wouldn't be where I am today had I not sacrificed that time. So yes, the majority of time it was worth it, equally some of it was not and that's the most honest answer I can give. I don't dwell on that though. I learned to live without guilt years ago because I firmly believe that the total sum of all decisions and events in my life got me where I am today.

What lessons took you the longest to learn?

We leaned in for this one.

That you cannot control outcomes or behaviours.

I am naturally strategic. I am a lawyer, so analysing, anticipating, seeing all eventualities and preparing are hardwired into me. But life doesn't always follow legal submissions.

People make their own choices. Circumstances change. Sometimes you can do everything right and may get an outcome you didn't expect. One and one does not always equate to two.

I had to learn the difference between having high standards and trying to control an outcome.

Now I ask myself: is this actually mine to control? If it isn't, I let it go.

If you had one thing to say to the world that most people aren't saying out loud, what would it be?

We asked Sarah to be straight with us here.

You are allowed to change your mind about the life you thought you wanted and it doesn't have to make sense to anyone but you. It's your journey and none of us are getting out of here alive.

We put enormous pressure on ourselves to tick boxes and fit into boxes because changing direction is unknown and scary and can look like failure. The system also educates and rewards conventional mindsets and the path well trodden.

I don't see it that way at all. Growth changes you and challenges you. Experience changes your mindset and perceptions. Your priorities change as you go through life and that's completely ok. We are not trees, rooted in the ground. We are allowed to move and change and become who we want to be.

You don't owe your younger self a lifetime commitment to decisions you made with the information you had at the time. To me it's nonsensical.

What do people almost always get wrong about you?

This one took a moment.

People often assume I am very tough and intimidating. I am when I need to be. In a courtroom.

But there is a much softer side to me that doesn't always make it into the room and is reserved for those I am most comfortable around. I care deeply about people, I am sentimental about certain things and I am goofy.

I think because I am decisive and direct professionally and hold various leadership positions, people sometimes assume I am emotionally detached. People only see what I show them.

I learned a long time ago that emotions and decisions don't always need to occupy the same chair.

What does your physical training routine look like?

This is the part most people skip.

Training is non-negotiable for me. I work out 4 to 5 times a week and I fit it in whenever I can. I lift weights with strength training, core work, HIIT and boxing and the gym is my space to release a lot of stress. I train when I travel, I train when I am busy.

Training is as important for me mentally as it is for my body. Those who follow me on Instagram will see almost daily updates on my training. Looking after yourself and your health and body is simply not an option, it's fundamental. It's part of who I am and the discipline and commitment transcend through all areas of my life.

What have you been listening to lately?

We were curious how this actually happened.

My music taste is as varied as my life. I am a huge fan of music and dancing.

I move between music depending on my mood, everything from old school 90s songs to songs that take me back somewhere emotionally, to music that I listen to whilst getting dressed to go out and take on the world.

Sometimes you just need a song that makes you feel something or takes you back to a place and I have many tracks that I keep on repeat. There is not just one.

What is the one goal we should hold you accountable to in exactly one year?

We asked, and Sarah did not flinch.

To maybe build the next chapter of my personal life with as much focus as I have built my career.

Professionally, I want SOL International to continue growing internationally while remaining highly specialised and personal. I want to keep building across law, business, teaching and the other ventures that genuinely excite me.

Personally, I want to focus on what the future looks like for me. I have children who will leave home in the next 3 to 5 years and I have decisions to make about what I do when they go. I have spent years immersed in my professional life which will continue, but the next chapter is about me and how I want to live. Who knows how the story will unfold.

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Sarah.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sarah Malik

What is Sarah Malik's morning routine?

As someone whose days begin early and fill quickly, having a structured morning is essential to how I operate. I aim to be up by 6:30 or 7 am, starting with hot lemon and water after being advised to drastically cut my caffeine intake. I have a high protein breakfast because I train most days, and I choose my outfits for the day, often packing gym clothes and an evening option since events frequently follow straight after work. The most important element of the morning for me is the mental space before 9 am, ensuring I know exactly what I need to get through and that my teams are briefed before the day's demands begin. The first hour is deliberately slow but focused.

What is Sarah Malik's fitness and training routine?

Training is non-negotiable in my life and has been for a long time. I work out 4 to 5 times a week, combining weight lifting, strength training, core work, HIIT, and boxing, and the gym is where I release a significant amount of stress. I train when I travel and when I am busy, because for me it is as important mentally as it is physically. Looking after your health and body is not optional in my view, it is fundamental. The discipline it requires carries through into every other area of my life.

What is Sarah Malik's philosophy on saying no in business?

Learning to say no was one of the most important shifts in my professional development. For a long time I gave too freely of my time, energy and access, trusting people against my own instincts, and I learned the hard way that not everyone who has access to you is invested in your success. I now operate with the clear belief that saying no is not a limitation but a strategy. I have zero guilt in not being a complete answer to everyone and every opportunity. Being selective about where I place my time, energy, and reputation has become central to how I lead and how I protect what I have built.

How did Sarah Malik's career evolve from law into multiple businesses?

My career began in law, and I was originally set on becoming a barrister in chambers in London. From there, it evolved into arbitration, teaching, writing, and strategic advisory work, which then opened doors into lifestyle, fashion, sport, and territories I had never planned for. I now run three businesses and hold a property portfolio, none of which I could have drawn on a map at the start. My honest advice from that experience is to keep your mind open and stay curious, because one opportunity consistently leads to another. Things just happen when you remain in motion.

What does Sarah Malik believe about personal reinvention and changing direction in life?

One of the things I feel most strongly about is that people are allowed to change their minds about the lives they thought they wanted, and that change does not need to make sense to anyone else. We put enormous pressure on ourselves to stay committed to decisions made with older, younger, or more limited information, and I find that genuinely nonsensical. Growth changes your mindset, your perceptions, and your priorities, and that is not failure. We are not trees rooted to the ground. You do not owe your younger self a lifetime commitment to who you were then.

What has Sarah Malik learned about trust and protecting her energy?

One of the most formative professional lessons I have carried is that trusting people and situations for longer than instinct says is a cost, not a virtue. I am a giver by nature and I used to judge others by my own standards, which meant I stayed in situations and with people well past the point where I should have walked away. What I learned is that you cannot expect integrity from everyone, and that the most strategic thing you can do is be selective about who you give your time, energy, and reputation to. I am much more discerning now, and I carry zero guilt about that. Protecting your energy is not selfishness; for me, it became survival.