How Tara Ghei Is Curating a Children’s Clothing Subscription for Busy Parents

Tara Ghei, founder and CEO of Romp + Tumble, is curating and renting bundles of premium eco-friendly baby and toddler clothes for busy families. 

Tara spent more than a decade in the financial industry, but internally struggled to keep it all together while trying to balance having children and a demanding career. She realized that she was not alone in her experiences. Many parents often have time-consuming jobs and struggle with dressing their kids, especially at a young age. As a result, Tara came up with the idea of a clothing rental bundle for babies, aimed at helping parents buy less and reduce time spent shopping. 

We asked Tara about the problem Romp + Tumble is solving, the lessons she’s learned throughout her entrepreneurial journey. Below, she explained how her definition of success has changed over the course of her career. 

Q: Tell us the story behind the founding of Romp + Tumble. How and why did you start working on your company?

A: After more than 15 years of working in finance in large companies, I realized the need for busy parents to have new consumption models that create time and space. This necessity allows parents to focus on what really matters. Both my husband and I had very time consuming and demanding careers and were challenged with bringing our best selves to all aspects of our lives. Concurrently, I was sending my children’s baby clothes to a friend and was horrified by how much we had accumulated. That experience blossomed the idea of rentals for babies. This would allow parents to maintain the joy of dressing their babies and toddlers in cute clothes, while eliminating the work around organizing, storing, and getting clothes out of their homes. For about a year, I conducted research and customer discovery at nights and weekends before deciding to start and go full-time during the pandemic.

Q: What problem does Romp + Tumble solve?

A: Babies grow really fast. They fit into about eight clothing sizes in the first two years of life, causing parents to spend a lot of time and money clothing their children. Additionally, about 85 percent of textiles end up in landfills. Romp + Tumble encourages parents to rent high-quality playclothes versus buying them entirely new. By creating an easy and affordable solution, parents are able to dress their kids in age and seasonally appropriate items, and then exchange for new sizes or styles when they are ready. We call it ‘curated hand me downs'.

Q: What makes Romp + Tumble different from others?

A: Rental for babies is a fairly new concept and people often think about them for special occasions only. Our bundles are meant for play and daily wear and we are focused on newborn to three years of age. We curate either 11 or 22 pieces of new and like-new eco-friendly baby clothes that are well made, ensuring they stay looking fresh for us to pass on to a number of families. We are focused on supporting women and mothers through the entire supply chain and most of our items are sourced from independent women-led brands. 

Q: Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

A: It was always in the back of my mind. When I was working in corporate America, I generally gravitated to projects and roles that were undefined, where I was solving a problem and where I could make a big impact. These are the same things I am doing now as an entrepreneur, but now with the lack of infrastructure. It took me a long time to get comfortable with leaving my job in finance to take the leap to start Romp + Tumble.

Q: What were the most difficult and most impactful lessons you’ve learned starting and running a company? 

A: On the execution side, it’s all about methodically testing. Some things work and others don’t. It’s also trying to figure out and understand what’s difficult, but also a necessary part of the process. Personally, connecting with other founders, mentors and advisors, and being vulnerable, sharing, and asking for help has been so important. Putting ideas and challenges out there versus keeping them close to your heart has been key. Everyone has ideas—we all need a tribe to help us execute them.

Q: What’s been the hardest and most rewarding part of your entrepreneurial journey? 

A: Being a solo founder means I wear so many different hats and have had to learn and outsource certain skills and functions—which in itself is rewarding but also challenging. Even when you have people working with you, it is often a lonely journey. However, over a period of time, you can look back and see the impact of these daily efforts—the progress, the success, and what makes it worthwhile.

Q: What’s the biggest misconception that others have around entrepreneurship?

A: That it takes a “certain kind of person” to be an entrepreneur. Instead, I think it takes a “certain kind of mindset” to be an entrepreneur. Yes, you need to be comfortable with a certain amount of risk, you need to have a certain amount of grit, and you need to be comfortable with a path that has many highs and lows. However, I really do believe that a lot of that is a mindset that is practiced, and not one that only a certain type of person is born with. 

Q: Has your definition of success evolved throughout your journey as a founder?

A: Yes. On day one, success was very black and white. Are we getting customers? Now, of course, getting and retaining customers is top priority, but so are the various ways we do and don’t get there. If we try something and customers love it, great. But if we try something and it doesn’t work, that is also great because it helps us understand what isn’t working. Success is also those little moments when we get an email or a text telling us that they love our approach to sustainability or that we have helped them avoid buying a new outfit for their baby.

Q: How would you describe the journey you’ve had in a few sentences? And would you do it all over again?

A: We are still early days so it’s no lie that it is a lot of hard work and sleepless nights, but I have never been happier, both professionally and personally. I wouldn’t trade having the freedom to create an impactful company that solves a real problem for both parents and the world for anything else. 

Q: What’s next for you and Romp + Tumble? 

A: Sustainability is becoming more important in its own right. As parents get back to our “new normal,” there is an even more pressing need for solutions that are easy and values aligned. We’re well positioned to meet both these needs. I believe collaboration with like-minded brands is key to creating lasting impact in our market and we have plans to lead in this area. We have a lot to share in 2022 and beyond.

Tara is a member of Dreamers & Doers, a private collective that amplifies the entrepreneurial pursuits of extraordinary women through thought leadership opportunities, authentic connection, and access. Learn more about Dreamers & Doers and subscribe to their monthly The Digest for top entrepreneurial and career resources.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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