“Kicking the Cubicle” is a weekly interview series on The Blonde Abroad featuring women around the world sharing their inspiring pursuits of dream-worthy jobs, how they got where they are and what a day in their shoes looks like. This week, men’s fashion designer, Tara Gerard, 33, shares her story.

Tara Gerard is an actress and model turned fashion artist and founder of men’s custom clothing company, TG Private Label. Men around the world are fitted in TG, from professional athletes to celebrities and high profile clients. Tara creates beautiful and unique bespoke clothing, blending art with fashion and designing one of a kind pieces.

Along with her custom clothing company, Tara also runs her own charity, Suit Off Your Back, collecting donations of professional attire to help out-of-work men and women look their best to help them land new jobs and get back on their feet.

Tara and I have been friends for nearly a decade and have traveled to multiple destination together around the world- including The British Virgin Islands, Mexico, Sweden and Croatia. As a woman that has translated her passion (and creativity) into a successful business, Tara Gerard is exactly the sort of female entrepreneur I am excited to hear from.

Tara, you have successfully built a personal brand as a men’s fashion artist, but you’ve also been a successful actress and model. Where did your journey as a men’s fashion artist begin?

My journey as a men’s fashion artist began about 4 years ago. I had been a full-time model most of my career-life working with all different types of brands, mainly denim companies and then this job was offered to me to make/design men’s custom clothing.

My first reaction was “Is there even anything to men’s clothing?” Sounded intriguing however, so I thought heck, why not give it a shot. In doing so, I discovered there is an entire world of men’s fashion and I completely fell in love with it.

What inspired you to shift your focus to fashion, and start your own clothing brand, TG Private Label?

I was blessed to make a few movies, appear in TV shows and model for a living, but once I was introduced to designing men’s custom clothing, it just felt so natural, like it’s where I’m supposed to be in my life right now. And I’ve always wanted to have my own brand and company, so I founded TG Private Label and haven’t looked back once.

What was the experience of setting aside your dreams of becoming a big actress to pursue a new path as a business owner and entrepreneur like?

Retiring from entertainment was easy and it felt right. I feel like I got all I wanted from it and was ready to move forward and dive into something new- like fashion. Starting your own company is always a gamble and I was scared, but I had so much faith and it’s been so rewarding that is was worth the risk.

You are constantly jet-setting between LA, NYC and Stockholm. Your life seems so glamorous, but at the end of the day, you’re also running a business. What is a typical day-in-the-life of Tara?

At 5am my soothing alarm goes off… I wake up and head straight to the kitchen. I hydrate with aloe vera juice, a wheat grass shot and a nice cup of green tea. Then I take about a 20 minute jog near this little lake by my place, clear my mind and take in all the beauty of my surroundings. Then I head to the fitness center and do about a 30-40 minute workout and head back home to get glam for the day. Even if I’m working from home on business matters, I still get fully ready to put me in that work state of mind. While I enjoy my nutritious breakfast, I like to read a few articles from Entrepreneur Magazine or read up on the news.

At 9am, it’s time for work… Some days I’ll spend the day designing, inputting orders, reaching out to clients and knocking out my daily to-do list and other days I’ll spend the day at the rink where I do fittings with NHL players before and after their practice. At the end of my work day, I do an assessment of the day, glance at my schedule for the following day and close up shop. I enjoy a nice dinner by the fire and occasionally unwind with a glass of wine.

You work with a lot of high-profile male athletes in the NHL, NFL and NBA. It takes a lot of confidence to walk into a men’s locker room with a measuring tape. What have you found most challenging about being a female in the men’s fashion industry?

I have found that there is a slight edge to being a female in the men’s fashion industry, because men want to know what women like. Men often dress to impress females, so they want to look good. However, some men aren’t sure how to dress or how to put colors and patterns together (no offense gents), so I am gladly there to guide them, share my fashion suggestions and design clothes that are unique and flattering to them.

On the flip-side, what do you love most about what you do?

I’ve always been a very creative and artistic person whether it’s with acting, playing a musical instrument, painting or, in my current adventure, creating art with cloth. Being a Fashion Artist allows me to tap into my creative and artistic side as well as my business side and I absolutely love that.

What advice would you give someone hoping to start a career in the men’s fashion industry?

Working in the men’s fashion industry can be a very glamorous career, but it requires a lot of hard work, self-drive and determination. If you possess all of those qualities, you will absolutely enjoy this amazing and advantageous path.

There are ups and downs with any business. What inspires you, and what motivates you to keep going?

Loving what I do and having the freedom to travel anywhere at any time is definitely a key factor in motivating me to keep going. Reaching goals that I set for myself also inspires me more than anything else. I am personally fulfilled when I set a goal and accomplish it.

What does success look like to you?

Success, in my opinion is having a career that you love and enjoy. So, I feel like I’ve been very blessed to have already succeeded and if I continue on this path, I can only keep growing from here.

Lastly, what are you working on now that you are particularly excited about?

I am very excited to grow my brand into Stockholm, Sweden. The men’s style there is exceptional and I love living there part-time. I think it’s a great fit for my brand and me. I can make and design all different styles since my clothing is custom, but Europeans are very fashion forward, so it’s a lot of fun for me.

Lastly, a few fun questions!

What did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was little I wanted to be a teacher, so I would gather my cousins, siblings and neighborhood kids and we would play school. I would be the teacher and they were my students. I guess I’ve always enjoyed leading and directing. I also used to modify or make my own clothing, because fashion was always a huge passion that I had all the way back to age 3. Mom wouldn’t exactly like the outfits I put together (some of them were far out there and too fashion forward for her), so she made a rule that she had to approve my outfits Monday through Friday and then I got to wear whatever I wanted on the weekends. She started my modeling at age 5, when I was crowned Little Miss Norwalk and was doing catalog shoots. I always knew I wanted to do something in the fashion industry and my family has always been very supportive of that.

Where in the world is #1 on your travel bucket list?

#1 on my travel bucket list is Egypt, because I find Ancient Egyptian culture so alluring. I was lucky to have gone there a few years ago and checked it off the list. Being there was absolutely magical and I was able to imagine myself back in 1300 BC and see what it was like to live in those days. So enchanting.

Song that has you dancing:

I love my little solo dance parties in my living room to Taylor Swift… Her and I put on a great show together. Ha ha. So I’ve been “Shaking it off” lately… Uh-shake it off, shake it off… ::swirl and twirl::

Quote that keeps you smiling:

I love many inspirational quotes, but a fun one that always has me smiling would have to be “Act like a lady, think like a boss.” It’s simple, sweet and spicy and I bring this quote to life on a daily basis… Keep it classy, but always have that built in hustle and work ethic. It makes me smile, because it’s a constant reminder of who I am.

Visit T&G Pivate Label for more information on Tara Gerard and her custom men’s clothing.