Tara Hunt

CEO

Buyosphere

Who inspires you?

Other than the women behind WIM? ;) Seriously, though, I’m inspired by anyone with enough conviction and passion to overcome obstacles. Whether it be a woman who pursues a startup (in a man-heavy tech world) or a mother who sacrifices so that her kids will have a better chance at their future than she did or a man that speaks out for others less fortunate than him. I’m inspired by acts of courage by people who aren’t afraid to take risks and work hard. Sometimes I feel like my own conviction is slipping, then I read Maya Angelou’s poems or watch Temple Grandin’s TED talk and think, “You have all the advantages in the world and you are sitting here squandering them? Shame on you.”

Why have you decided to become an entrepreneur?

I’m definitely not an entrepreneur for the sake of being an entrepreneur. I had this nagging idea that started in 2006 or 07 and it wouldn’t leave me alone. I even kept trying to get others to do it. I finally realized in 2009 that nobody else was going to do it so I needed to. That being said, I am a vision-type person with a stubborn streak, so even within organizations or as a consultant, I was very entrepreneurial.

Where do you see your company in the next five years?

I’d like to see Buyosphere become less of a destination and more of an integration into a wider shopping experience. How that will roll out is not 100% clear yet, but I have some ideas. ;)

How is your company different from other social shopping companies?

My goal has always been and continues to be to help women discover really unique designers and stores that are right for them…not popular ones or ones who understand how to use SEO or advertising. It came from my own experience with online shopping. I was frustrated with search for fashion and how it was difficult to really find pieces that were unique, but suited my style and budget. Traditional search isn’t good at picking up on the nuances of style, but people are. And I didn’t want Buyosphere to be just about sharing and increasing shopping as much as about smarter shopping and demystifying the experience.

What was a defining moment in your career?

It happened in 2005 when sitting with a friend who I was discussing my ideas with. I felt sort of defeated at that point because it seemed like there was so much work to do. He turned to me after I said, “I guess that is just impossible. It won’t happen in my lifetime,” to which he replied, “Why not?” I couldn’t answer him so instead of feeling like issues were overwhelming, I changed my perspective to “Why not give it a try?” From there, my career soared.

What is your next step within your career?

I have some things in the works. I know that is vague…sorry! But I can tell you that I’m ready to talk about quite a few things I’ve learnt over the years and something is in the works…

How did you finance your business when it was at the early stage? (Self-funded, crowd-funded, Angel Investor, VC)

It started self-funded, then went to Friends & Family and we raised a small seed round at the end of last year. Now we’re back to being self-funded. It’s given us more freedom to do things right, not rushed. Unfortunately, it’s slower. But fortunately, we can finally focus on getting the details right without too much pressure.

Tell me something about yourself that we don’t know already.

Egad, I’m so public about everything. But many people don’t know that I had a short, but glorious career as a Disco/Old Skool Funk & Hip Hop DJ.

What is your favorite color?

Yellow. It goes with everything and is very optimistic.

What is your guilty pleasure? (Real Housewives, Chocolate, 50 shades of Grey, etc)

I have lots of guilty pleasures…but my worst one is that I eat too much peanut butter out of the jar + enjoy a good girly rom-com (Romantic Comedy).

Who is your celebrity crush?

Michelle Obama, especially after her speech at the DNC last night.

How do you define success?

Not compromising on what you believe in to get where you want to go.

If you had one year that you could say was the best year of your life what year would it be? Why? How old were you?

2005 because that’s when I had the turning point in my career and I personally grew so much. I was 32.

Describe a time you failed. What did you learn from that experience?

Which one? Ha. I can’t really narrow it to one time or another, but every time I’ve failed is when I lacked conviction and didn’t believe in myself enough to go with my gut.

What do you do fun?

I love to read. To travel. To cook. Hanging with my dog. Entertaining friends. Having a lovely glass of wine.

Do you have a hidden talent?

Karaoke. I’m not an amazing singer, but I bring it with the performance. ;)

What is your favorite mobile app?

Foodspotting. I am obsessed with food porn.

What do you do to help focus?

Eliminate distractions. I close email, Facebook, Twitter and everything else.

Cool Kid or Nerd in High school?

Definitely a nerd.

What is your favorite style trend this fall?

1920’s revival. Can’t wait for the lace drop-waist dressed to come back!

Any words of advice for up & coming designers who are trying to get their brands noticed?

Know who you are designing for and make them look and feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

Keep up with Tara: Buyosphere, Buyosphere’s Twitter, Tara Hunt’s Twitter, and Facebook

This interview was conducted by WIM intern, Jadine Joseph