At 38, Riria (Ree) Taukamo found herself at a crossroads.

Keep climbing the corporate ladder — or finally bet on herself?

Fast forward 20 months, and Comradery Collective, the Brisbane-based agency she co-founded, is thriving. But Ree’s journey wasn’t about instant wins or easy success.

It was built on mindset, resilience, and a willingness to leap before she felt ‘ready.’

In this episode of Risky Business, Ree shares the risks she took, the lessons she learned, and the advice she wishes someone had given her sooner.

Taking the Leap: Why Mindset Matters More Than Skills

For Ree, the hardest part wasn’t finding clients or building her offering. It was overcoming her own hesitation.

“It had been on my mind for quite a number of years,” she admits.

“But I just didn’t believe I could take the step and launch something on my own,” she says.

“It could be imposter syndrome, I didn’t feel like I had the connections. But now, looking back, I could have 100% started this sooner — and I would have been OK.”

Now, with the benefit of hindsight, she knows the truth: mindset is everything.

“Because it’s more about the mindset than what you have in your remit of skillset. You work it out. You always work it out.”

It’s a powerful reminder that in business, as in life, waiting until you feel ready is a trap.

Progress is what happens when you move forward, even when you don’t have all the answers.

Full Service in a Niche Market: Betting Against the Trend

In an industry where agencies were increasingly narrowing their focus, Ree chose a different path.

“The biggest risk was starting a digital agency altogether. It’s a pretty cluttered market…the risk was going full service, in an industry that’s moving niche and more niche,” she explains.

Instead of specialising in a single vertical, Comradery Collective built a hybrid model, offering strategic content, performance marketing, and creative in one powerhouse package.

It was a bold move in a cluttered market. But Ree backed the value of big-picture thinking, meaningful partnerships, and genuine results over quick, transactional wins.

And nearly 2 years in, she’s not regretted that approach.

Flexibility Isn’t What You Think It Is

Ask any entrepreneur why they started their business, and you’ll often hear the word flexibility.

But Ree quickly learned that flexibility doesn’t mean fewer hours; it means owning your hours.

“It may be long hours, but you own that time – and that is everything,” she says.

More importantly, Ree highlights the real emotional driver behind becoming her own boss:

“It’s not about the flexibility. It’s about not having to ask permission.”

• Not having to ask a boss to leave for a doctor’s appointment.
• Not having to explain why you need to pick up your kid early.
• Not having to justify living a life outside of work.

For her, that’s the real freedom, even if the workload is heavier.

Why Admin and Cash Flow Matter More Than Charisma

Another hard truth Ree shares:

“Admin matters. Numbers matter.”

And if you ignore them, you do it at your own peril.

“I didn’t realise how hectic admin would be, and how much you actually have to be involved just to have your eyes on your own profitability,” she says.

While many people think hiring a bookkeeper or an accountant will solve it all, Ree learned that founders need to stay close to the money — especially during growth phases.

From forecasting in Xero to refining repeatable invoicing processes, Ree built systems and habits that kept Comradery Collective stable through the early rollercoaster months.

“Systems and processes aren’t sexy, but they’ll save you.”

Real Talk About Business Partnerships

In one of the most honest parts of the interview, Ree shares a mistake many founders make — trusting chemistry over capability when choosing partners.

“Something I would consider a little bit more carefully is who you go into business with. Just because you know someone personally and you may get along with them, you may admire them, it doesn’t mean that they’re going to be great business partners.”

Friendship is not the same as shared vision, accountability, or complementary skills.

“Who you go into business with is really important. You actually don’t have to get along with your business partner really, really well. As long as your skillsets match each other and there’s a level of respect and being able to understand “ok this is your role, you’re going to stay in this lane” or “this is what I’m going to bring to the table” and I do feel like I have that with my current business partner”.

It’s a lesson that cost Ree time and energy, but also one that made her realise what she needed to look for in future partnerships. And that great friendship didn’t need to be high on that list.

Lessons for Future Founders

If Ree could give advice to her younger self, it would be simple:

“Just start. Get started.”

Waiting for the perfect time, the perfect confidence level, or the perfect plan? You’ll be waiting forever.

And even when you leap, mistakes are part of the deal.

But as Ree wisely puts it: “Everything is an experience. You can only get better from learning from your past self.”

Whether it’s launching your own thing, building better systems, or navigating tough conversations, success isn’t about never falling down.

It’s about getting better every time you get back up.

Final Word: Betting on Yourself

Ree’s story is a reminder that you don’t have to be fearless to take a leap. You just have to be willing to move forward despite the fear.

Starting a business isn’t easy. It’s messy, emotional, risky, but for Ree – it’s been absolutely worth it.

If you’ve been waiting for permission to back yourself, then this could be it.

👉 Catch Risky Business, Episode 4 featuring Riria (Ree) Taukamo now.