An entrepreneur from a young age, Prene Bags founder Tammy Green has always gravitated towards side hustles and creativity. So, when a gap in the market emerged to create the perfect, every day, vegan bag she jumped right in. The true epitome of taking something you love and turning it into an all-consuming passion, today Prene Bags has become a multi-million-dollar company, one which Tammy is boldly steering into the future. We sit down with Tammy to talk about the Bold Moves she has made throughout her career journey and her key learnings along the way, a conversation where insight is delivered in spades, Green talks to the importance of letting go of perfectionism and the power of rationalising you're thinking when times get tough.
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I always see opportunity, and when I had the idea of Prene Bags, I jumped straight in – whilst I was working in a retail job that I hated and studying (and ironically, failing) my first year of a business entrepreneurship degree at University, I noticed that there was very little option for an affordable everyday bag, one that you could throw in the machine, was kind on the earth and easily justifiable for something that was going to spend most its life on the floor. Enamored with fashion and sports luxe pieces made from unique materials I started playing with a few samples – well, let’s just say the rest was history. Prene started out with 600 units, which felt like a mountain to climb, the best bit about jumping right in? You absorb every little detail, learning and developing along the way.
“They say business is 50% luck and 50% hard work, when Prene launched, Instagram was relatively new and business could grow organically on there. Combine this, with a versatile and practical idea, it saw the business thrive.”
Whilst a privilege to have a booming business, there are setbacks that follow along the way – The demand saw me burn out multiple times, and even throughout the businesses ultimate highs I often had thoughts of selling it, and throwing in the towel. I learnt the hard way, that you can’t do everything yourself, and whilst I was scared to outsource and ask for help, if I didn’t it would have played detriment to my health. So, my biggest piece of advice to those starting out, when you have the capacity, take the time to hire someone and train them up – this allows you to spend more time working on the business, rather than in the business.
“In order to overcome those undeniable setbacks in business and life, I learnt to be confident in myself and my decision-making process. With this, I learnt the art of letting go of perfectionism, mistakes are always going to happen, and it is just not worth the stress of striving to achieve an impossible standard.”
Building a tribe of supportive people around you, allows you to build yourself up successfully in both your professional and personal life – Friends and family will be there to celebrate the wins, and acknowledge the losses. The power of communication is key, talk to the ups and downs of running a business and share the highs and lows, and when it comes to circling in on the detail, I talk to a psychologist, which helps to rationalise my thinking and calm my nerves during high pressure periods.
For women wanting to step up and make a bold move I encourage them to believe in themselves and their capabilities – The road to success is often filled with obstacles and challenges, but with a strong sense of self-belief, determination, and perseverance, anything is possible. Secondly, I suggest you surround yourselves with a supportive network who truly believe in their visions and aspirations – they will be your guiding light in challenging times. Thirdly, it is crucial to remain focused, never lose sight of your passion and purpose, pursuing a Bold Move can be daunting, but staying true to your values and mission can provide the motivation and drive to achieve success. And, last but not least – I would advise all women to embrace failure as an opportunity for growth and learning, every setback provides valuable lessons and insights that can help you navigate future challenges with greater wisdom and understanding.
“Owning my journey came down to finding the confidence within myself to achieve my dreams and fulfill my passion. Coming to the greater realisation that life is short, you only get one chance, and so it is important to live your life bold and authentically. Do what makes you happy. Take the risk. Make the mistake. Have the experience. Be yourself, and own it”
My three key habits to maintain success are:
- Discipline – being strict with my schedule, time blocking and prioritising. This involves sacrifice.
- Boundaries – allocating time for myself and a life outside of work, learning to say “no” both professionally and personally, and ensuring that my values and needs are met.
- Positivity – practicing gratitude every day, rationalising my thinking, maintaining optimism as I strive to achieve my goals, celebrating minor wins as much as major wins and reminding myself to continue to reflect on my journey so far with pride.
I believe to live a life that is bold and authentic it takes courage, self-awareness and willingness to take risks - My one piece of advice for someone who wants to live their life boldly and authentically is to prioritise self-discovery and personal growth.
To live boldly and authentically, it is important to have a deep understanding of your values, beliefs, and passions. This requires taking the time to reflect on your experiences, emotions, and motivations, and to identify what truly matters to you. Once you have a clear sense of your values and aspirations, it is important to take action and pursue your goals with purpose and intention. This may involve taking risks, stepping out of your comfort zone, and facing your fears.
At the same time, it is crucial to remain true to yourself and to stay grounded in your values and beliefs. This means being honest and transparent with yourself and others, and not compromising your integrity or authenticity for the sake of external validation or approval. Living boldly and authentically can be challenging, but it is also incredibly rewarding. It allows you to live a life that is true to yourself and to make a positive impact on the world around you.
If I had 15 seconds of insane courage, the one Bold Move I would make - Go back to when I started my business as a 20-year-old woman, I was never taken seriously and was often taken advantage of, or worse, treated like a child. As a people pleaser by nature who hates confrontation, I would take this moment to speak my truth and address wrongdoings that I might not have had the confidence to in the past. Now that I am much older and wiser, I believe it is important to do the right thing and address unacceptable behavior, no matter the situation.