Image of The Reality of Growing TaraShakti: Tara Clark on Capital, Risk, and Staying In It

The Reality of Growing TaraShakti: Tara Clark on Capital, Risk, and Staying In It

  • January 13, 2026
  • |
  • Team @ Fall Line Digital

In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Becca Babicz sits down with Tara Clark, founder of TaraShakti, to explore what it really takes to build a mission-driven brand in the outdoor apparel space—without losing yourself along the way.

Tara opens up about the realities of being a solo, bootstrapped founder in an industry that demands massive upfront capital, long lead times, and constant risk. She shares what it means to be at a true crossroads in business—balancing fundraising, sales growth, paid ads for the first time, and the emotional weight of staying all-in when the outcome is uncertain.

The conversation goes far beyond business mechanics. Tara reflects on motherhood, aging, identity shifts, vulnerability, and learning to release the pressure of “nailing it.” She speaks candidly about trusting people, asking for help, setting boundaries, and why supporting women-owned, minority-owned, and local businesses has a real, tangible impact.

Tara also tells the origin story of TaraShakti—from the meaning behind the name (“star power”) to her vision of creating apparel that helps people feel confident in unfamiliar places. The episode closes with rapid-fire questions, reflections on pride, perseverance, and Tara’s belief that human connection itself is something worth conserving.

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Apple Podcast


Quotables

Tara Clark

  • “Knowledge is power, and when we share it, it makes such a difference.”

  • “The best product doesn’t always soar—it needs capital, and it needs lift.”

  • “No one is nailing it. It just might look like that at a different time.”

  • “Asking for help is actually a gift to someone else.”

  • “Every human has so much star power within them—it just gets buried.”

  • “I believe we need to conserve human connection.”

Rebecca Babicz

  • “Consistency is the only thing that matters.”

  • “Good things take a long time.”

  • “You have to give yourself permission to be a beginner.”

 

What You’ll Learn

  • What it’s really like to run a bootstrapped apparel brand with long production cycles

  • How Tara prioritizes when everything feels urgent

  • Why capital is often the deciding factor between a great product and a scalable brand

  • How motherhood shaped Tara’s leadership and decision-making style

  • Why community, trust, and collaboration matter more than competition

  • How vulnerability plays a role in both entrepreneurship and creativity

  • The true meaning behind the name TaraShakti and its mission

 

Key Takeaways from This Episode

  • Building a brand is as much emotional work as it is strategic work

  • You don’t control outcomes—you control consistency and showing up

  • Supporting small, local, and women-owned businesses has outsized impact

  • Success does not require “nailing it,” just staying in it

  • Human connection is not a byproduct of business—it’s the point

  • Confidence grows by putting yourself in unfamiliar, uncomfortable places

 

People and Resources Mentioned in This Episode

 

🔗 Connect with Tara

 

🔗 Connect with Becca