Tara, Founder of Taras Kits

Q: Where are you from?

I originally grew up in the suburbs of Boston but spent lots of "growing up" time outside of Buffalo and in Chicago.

Q: What is the best part about living in NYC?

All the things there are to do. Even just walking around is an event--I walk everywhere. New York City is the kind of place where even if you're not doing anything, you're doing something.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your new business?

The idea for Tara Kits came because there were all kinds of interests and hobbies I was curious about but it always seemed as if the resources were geared toward suburban people (for example, giant bags of soil for gardening), or as if only aficionados could pursue them (bird watching always seemed so serious to me). So I wanted to create starter kits that were accessible to beginners and geared more toward urbanites. But I also wanted to encourage people to pursue the interest beyond the kit (how many of us have a half-knitted scarf?) and that's what the web site is for. It lists places to go in various urban areas to find more resources. It also lists charitable organizations people can join. For example, if you started gardening on your fire escape and found you really enjoyed it, you could go to the web site to find out about winter grasses to plant, or where to go to get more organic soil, or what community garden is in your neighborhood where you could volunteer. And the web site is still growing so we welcome suggestions. All of our kits are not necessarily about urban hobbies, though. The Break-Up Kit sort of encompasses the supportive but tongue-in-cheek side of the business. We all grew up on Sex and the City and have had our share of break-ups, so we know what it's like. It's important to have that support but also find humor amid the sadness.

Q: Starting a business on a single income and in a sluggish economy is not easy. What are three things people you know about before they launch a new venture?

Take on a "just do it" philosophy. You're only going to know if it will work if you try it.

Figure out how much you're willing and able to spend and then spend it. You want to make a solid investment, but you also don't want to bleed money.

Be patient but don't give up. I didn't think I was the kind of person who believed my product would sell itself until I realized that I believed my product would sell itself. Marketing and getting the word out is a huge effort that takes time.


Q: You have chosen to give Single Edition members a 10% discount on any Tara’s Kit purchases. Why do you think this segment is an important one to target?

It still bugs me that whenever I see travel deals there's always an asterisk and a note that says, "Based on double occupancy." I happen to live in a single-occupancy world and I know a lot of people who live here, too. Financially, it can be tough with no one to fall back on, so I want to do what I can to lend a hand because I know what it's like--single people deserve deals, too. And our kits were created with single people in mind.

Q: What other techniques have you used to create awareness for your product?

I created a Facebook page and Twitter account and keep people posted about new things on the site all the time. There's also a great service called Help A Reporter Out (www.helpareporterout.com) that connects journalists who are writing stories with sources that can help them.

Q: Now that gift giving season is underway, who do you think would be ideal recipients for your products?

I always think of my ideal customer as a single urban woman who grew up on Sex and the City but is now looking to broaden her horizons. Maybe she got tired of the bar scene, or maybe she got laid off and is looking for a new interest to pursue other than the sometimes soul-sucking pursuit of job-hunting. Of course, I'm no rule-monger, she can have a significant other, but she's not the kind of person to lose herself in a relationship. She wants to be well rounded and I want to help with that.

Q: Any other products in the pipeline that we should know about?

Oh, so many. The great thing about this is that the possibilities are endless. We're percolating kit ideas for babies and new moms, for home improvement and for pets, among many others. I would love to have some kind of truffle-making kit, too, but we'll see where that falls in the line up. We're always looking for ideas.

Q: Is there anything you miss about working in corporate America?

Of course, the steady paycheck and benefits were nice. It's a little tougher living in a world of uncertainty. But it can also be more exciting.

Q: Where do you see this business in 5 years?

I see two people walking down the street and one of them is trying to figure out a gift to give or a specific hobby to take up and the other one says, "There's a kit for that."

Q: Any other words of wisdom you care to share with our readers?

Actually, it's probably a lack of wisdom that got me to this point. I took a business workshop (wibo.org) that asked us to list our personal assets for going into business and one of the options was: You don't know enough to know it can't be done. That's definitely me.