Talking fitness with Tamara Hill-Norton

Since Tamara Hill-Norton opened her first shop in 1998, the Sweaty Betty brand has enjoyed extraordinary success, with its flattering, fashionable fitness wear a ubiquitous presence in gyms, yoga classes and running clubs across the country. But where did the idea come from? What have been the major hurdles in making it a success? And where did the name come from? We caught up with Tamara to talk cycling, sports bras and ice-cream…

The idea for Sweaty Betty came about… after shopping on the high street. I was looking for a sports bra and went into this intimidating male sportswear shop. There was no real choice available and I was served by an embarrassed young guy who wasn't able to give me good advice.

The name Sweaty Betty came from… a brainstorming session with our graphic designer. We realised it was both humourous and descriptive.

The UK is… quite a difficult culture in which to build a sportwear brand. It's not a naturally spory or active nation, so the trick has been to design activewear that is good enough to wear out.

When building a business… it is always crucial to have the best people. This can be difficult when you are only a small company as it can be difficult to attract them, never mind afford them.

I keep fit by… swimming, running, yoga and cycling to work. I like variety as that way I don't get bored or injured and I work on all parts of my body. I also love ski-ing with my family.

My two key bits of kit are… good trainers and a sports bra for running. The best piece of advice I've ever been given is… "remember to breathe."

You might not know this, but… I once ran an ice cream shop called Mr Coneheads in Saigon Vietnam.

My average day is… hectic. Full of design meetings, marketing meetings, shop visits, writing copy, emails and more team meetings.

My greatest weakness is… expecting people to know what I'm thinking or wanting them to do something without telling them clearly enough.

My greatest strength is… being focused and passionate about what I do. My most overused phrase is… "in a minute" to my kids, who are constantly asking me to come and do things with them!

I admire… successful mothers in business who are honest about how hard it is to juggle everything and don't make out that they are superwomen. It helps and inspires real women.

The five words that best describe me are… passionate, creative, active, mum, wife.

My favourite piece from the Sweaty Betty collection is… the Silhouette tight. This is made from miracle Italian sensitive fabric which sculpts and flatters your figure and is also quick drying. It can be worn for all sorts of sports activities and looks good enough to wear out.

When I'm not working, you'll find me… socialising and partying with friends in London or relaxing at our beach house with family and very close friends.

My favourite website is… Ocado for practical reasons- saves me valuable time each week and is so easy to use and Net-a-porter to see trends and read their mag on iPad app.

21 February 2011