At A Glance

Tara built a thriving fashion brand in just five years, doubling revenue year over year. But with fast success came unexpected challenges. “You have no control over how fast it grows,” she says. Now, she shares what she wishes she had done differently—why strong systems, financial know-how, and clear policies should come before scaling, not after.

‍Who is Tara McKeon?‍

Meet Tara McKeon, Founder of Proud Poppy Clothing!

About Proud Poppy Clothing

Proud Poppy Clothing is an Australia based apparel brand that provides colorful clothes in a wide range of sizes. Tara founded the company during her maternity leave in what she describes as a “now or never moment.” 

Her vision of providing all women with affordable, attractive clothes has proven successful!  Six years following its launch, Proud Poppy Clothing is bigger than ever!

Tara’s Journey

Tara spent years working in the high-pressure world of emergency nursing, but five years ago, she took on a new challenge—entrepreneurship. As a mother of two, she saw a glaring gap in the fashion industry for women like herself: busy, style-conscious moms who wanted clothes that fit their lives.

“I just really saw a big gap in the market for women who were just like me—who loved fashion and shopping, but weren’t represented,” she explains. “There just weren’t a lot of stores catering to us.”

Starting small, Tara launched her own business, and the response was immediate. “The demand was huge,” she says. “The business has just grown astronomically over the last five years.”

Now, as she balances motherhood and her rapidly scaling company, she continues to focus on what made the brand resonate in the first place: understanding the needs of real women and creating fashion that fits their lives.

Team Dynamics

Tara founded her business in Melbourne just before COVID hit, only to face two years of strict lockdowns. With remote work becoming the norm, her team adapted quickly, dispatching orders while working from home. “It was pretty isolating,” she admits. “But it also opened my eyes to the flexibility we could have long-term.” Now, her team blends in-office collaboration with remote work, including offshore employees who are just as integral as those sitting beside her.

Still, she values in-person connection, especially for roles that require physically engaging with their products. “It’s really great for mental health to come in, step away from the screen, and build that team rapport,” she says. She even envisions bringing her offshore workers to Australia for a team visit—or meeting them on a beach in the Philippines. “If flexibility is the only thing keeping great people, you make it work,” she says. “I’d rather have top talent remote than office headaches five days a week.”

Business Growth and Revenue Strategies

Tara’s brand has seen extraordinary growth, doubling revenue year over year for five straight years. “Everything we made, we put straight back into the business,” she explains. Investments in team expansion, facilities, technology, and operational efficiencies weren’t just about scaling—they were about creating a seamless experience for both customers and staff. “We focused on amplifying the customer journey and easing our team’s workload so they could spend time on what really moves the dial for the brand.”

This aggressive reinvestment strategy left little financial buffer, which became a challenge when economic conditions shifted. As interest rates rose and consumer spending slowed, the company felt the impact. “It caused a bit of a headache for us,” Tara admits. But with a strong foundation in place, they weathered the storm. Their commitment to customer experience and a deeply engaged community proved to be their greatest asset, sustaining growth even in uncertain times

CX Strategy

Proud Poppy isn’t just about fashion—it’s about confidence. “We don’t sell clothes, we sell confidence and feeling,” she says. The company’s customer experience philosophy is rooted in empowerment, encouraging customers to embrace their authentic selves unapologetically. “Life’s too short to worry about what people think,” she adds. This mindset shapes every customer interaction, from marketing to product selection, ensuring shoppers feel not just seen, but celebrated.

This customer-first approach has also fueled the brand’s rapid growth. By prioritizing emotional connection over transactions, Tara has built a loyal community drawn together by a shared love of fashion. “Our mission is to help people love and cherish the skin they’re in,” she explains. “The clothing is secondary.” This deeper purpose fosters brand advocacy and repeat customers, proving that a business centered on authenticity and self-expression isn’t just meaningful—it’s scalable.

Innovation and Adaptability

For Tara, rapid growth came with hard lessons. “We threw more people at problems rather than creating the policies and procedures to make sure time was used efficiently,” she admits. While the approach kept things moving, it wasn’t sustainable. A recent relocation became an opportunity to rethink how the business scaled—not just by adding headcount but by innovating operations at their core.

Now, the focus is on building a structured, efficient foundation before expanding the team. “We’re making sure everything is running smoothly before just adding another person into the mix,” she explains. Clear KPIs, streamlined workflows, and well-defined expectations are the new drivers of growth. By prioritizing systems and efficiency, Tara is creating a smarter, more agile business—one that scales not just in size, but in impact.

Tara’s Advice for entrepreneurs

Tara’s biggest piece of advice for entrepreneurs? Be ready. “We get really excited about the idea of starting a business, but you need to understand what comes with it,” she says. When she launched, she had no background in financials, budgeting, or taxes—things that quickly became critical as the business took off. “You never start a business expecting it to fail, but once it succeeds, you have no control over how fast it grows.”

If she could do it again, she’d build a solid foundation first. “Get your ducks in a row before hiring—have policies, contracts, and structures in place,” she advises. While growth brings inevitable changes, starting with a clear framework makes scaling far smoother. “Trying to implement those things at the $5 or $10 million mark is a whole different ball game,” she warns. If she had her time again, she’d slow down just enough to set up the right systems before accelerating to the next level.