My mom has had a hugely positive impact on how I work and live. So much of what inspired the idea behind Outdoor Voices is thanks to the things she taught my brother, sister and I as kids. Like a great coach, she always told us, “TYB, baby. Try your best.” It didn’t matter if we were going to school or soccer practice or a slumber party, she’d always remind us to TYB. That attitude informs the approach we use at OV — to take on everything we do with unbounded enthusiasm and persistence.
Another thing my mom would always tell us was, “Reach for the tree stars.” She’d say it while she was pushing us high on a swing set at the park where we grew up, in Boulder, CO. My sister and I weren’t exactly sure what she was talking about; we just thought it was a fun thing to say while we were swinging. But as we’ve gotten older, it’s become clear that what she meant was that nothing is too big for you to go after. Dream big.
My mom’s use of these mantras as life guides enabled me to put aside the concepts of winning and losing, and view everything in life as an opportunity to learn and grow. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of running a young company, but as long as we always TYB and reach for the tree stars, I’ll know we’re on the right track.
Tyler Haney, Founder and CEO, Outdoor Voices
Tyler Haney is the Founder and CEO of Outdoor Voices, an active lifestyle brand with the mission to free fitness from performance. A graduate of Parsons School of Design,Tyler grew up in Boulder, CO, where wellbeing revolves around spending time outdoors and casual activity is naturally integrated into everyday life. With Outdoor Voices, she’s building the next great activewear brand — one that embodies that same approach to wellness. Tyler has been named one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs and Outdoor Voices one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies (Style).
Originally published at medium.com