Tammy Hembrow: ‘The very first step is showing up’

Entrepreneur and influencer Tammy Hembrow shares her insights on building success, the inspiration behind her book Show Up, and how she looks after her wellbeing.

Tammy Hembrow has a personal mantra that she applies to her life — show up.

“You never know what you can achieve if you don’t at least try,” Tammy says.

The mantra is so important to the fitness entrepreneur and influencer that she used the saying as the title for her first book, Show Up.

“I made it the book’s title for a reason,” Tammy says.

“No matter what you do, you owe it to yourself to at least try and give it your all; you’d be amazed at what you can achieve just by showing up.

“Of course, you also have to be willing to put in the work, but the very first step is showing up.”

Tammy Hembrow on building an empire

Showing up and working tirelessly is something Tammy, who turns 30 later this month, is very familiar with.

Since the fitness expert started her social accounts, and amassed a huge following of more than 17.5 million followers on Instagram, she has founded several businesses, including a fitness workout app and athleisure brand Saski.

Her empire is reported to be worth $50 million — and all has been achieved in her 20s.

“I was lucky that I started my account right as Instagram was taking off, but that’s not to say it’s been easy,” Tammy says.

One of the downsides Tammy has encountered is negative backlash and criticism on her social media accounts.

“The amount of negative feedback I got when I started was unbelievable,” she says.

“I honestly can’t believe how harsh some people can be to a complete stranger.

“I guess I should thank them though, because those doubts just inspired me to work even harder to prove them wrong.”

Tammy Hembrow’s first book, Show Up

In her first book, Show Up, Tammy shares insights about the business challenges she has encountered, as well as delves into tips she hopes will inspire readers to be a “great partner or parent”.

Tammy tells The House of Wellness that she wanted to write the book after reading her stepdad’s books on business and entrepreneurship when she was just a teenager.

“As an international businessman, it’s not surprising that his personal library contained plenty of inspiring books such as The Success Principles and Rich Dad Poor Dad,” she says.

“They were just a few titles that opened my eyes to the possibilities of entrepreneurship.”

Consuming those books has helped to shape Tammy’s career, which has seen her become one of Australia’s most successful influencers.

“Those books showed me that I didn’t have to fit any mould, I could design my own life,” Tammy says.

Tammy Hembrow on motherhood and parenting

In addition to being a fierce businesswoman, Tammy is also a dedicated mother to her three children — Wolf, 8, Saskia, 7, and Posy, nearly two.

Tammy shares details about her own childhood in Show Up that highlights the foundations of her parenting style.

“Even though my parents got divorced, I always knew I was loved unconditionally — and I also feel blessed to have such a big, extended family now,” she says.

Tammy became a first-time mum when she fell pregnant unexpectedly, just as she was on the cusp of launching her first fitness business.

Undeterred, Tammy documented the pregnancy and her fitness training after giving birth across her social media accounts.

“I also talk about my own experience with motherhood (in Show Up) — becoming a mum at a young age, what I’ve learnt from my kids and how I work my way out of mum guilt; we all feel it sometimes,” she says.

It is the love of her family and fiancé Matt Zukowski that keeps her motivated.

After two failed engagements to the two fathers of her children, and a much publicised incident where she became unwell at a Kardashian family gathering, Tammy hasn’t let anything stop her achieving her dreams.

“I really believe in the power of perspective and having seen some high highs and low lows in life, I’ve learnt that while you can never control what happens to you, you can always control how you react to it,” she says.

How Tammy Hembrow stays fit and looks after her wellbeing

To look after her health, Tammy ensures she moves her body every day.

“I see fitness as a way of loving my body and all the amazing things it can do,” Tammy says.

“Every day is different, but I try to fit in a workout wherever I can.

“It could be 5am Pilates, a workout at home in between Posy’s naps, or a workout at the office in between meetings.

“It’s so important to me, physically and mentally, to find the time and show up for myself.”

She also credits meditation and yoga with bringing balance to her life and making sure she doesn’t become too overwhelmed with commitments.

“I’ve learnt to recognise the signs of overwhelm and quickly work out ways to avoid it,” Tammy says.

“Usually, this looks like rearranging my calendar to allow for some ‘me time’ to get me back on track.”

Tammy Hembrow’s top tip on improving your wellbeing

If you’re unsure about how to start on a healthier path, Tammy encourages you to just start.

“It might seem daunting, but you can even start with something small like five minutes of meditation or adding extra veggies to your plate at dinnertime,” she says.

“Once you nail one healthy habit, you’ll find it much easier to add in another one.”

Show Up by Tammy Hembrow, published by Penguin Random House Australia, RRP $36.99.

Photography: Carlene Raschke

More inspiring stories:

• Jono Castano: ‘Where I’m at today isn’t some fluke’
• Brooke Blurton: ‘I’ve learnt that everyone’s story is powerful’
• The AFLW’s Hosking twins are living life to the fullest
• Ella Ding’s rule of three: Why a holistic approach to wellness matters

 Written by Erin Miller.