The Story Behind Voomie: How It All Began

Struggling with ADHD her whole life, Tarah searched for a better way to support focus, energy, and calm, without the harsh side effects of medication. This led to Voomie, a science-backed supplement brand changing lives.

Tarah and Barry, the Voomie co-founders, holding the very first samples of the Voomie products and packaging.

FROM CHILDHOOD CHALLENGES TO A LIFE-CHANGING MISSION

My journey with ADHD started early—I was diagnosed at just three or four years old. But despite the diagnosis, I never took medication as a child, teenager, or even into my early twenties. Instead, I navigated life with the full force of my busy brain, bouncing through five different primary schools due to my ADHD tendencies. By my teenage years, the challenges of undiagnosed and untreated ADHD became even more apparent. I struggled academically, emotionally, and socially. I had teachers who doubted me, including one who bluntly told me, “Tarah, you aren’t smart enough for university.”That comment lit a fire in me. Instead of accepting it, I decided to prove them wrong.

DEFYING THE ODDS IN UNIVERSITY

I pushed myself and not only got into university, but I pursued two degrees—a Bachelor of Psychology and a Bachelor of Laws—and excelled in both. But make no mistake, ADHD didn’t magically disappear. I never submitted an assignment on time, constantly needed extensions, barely attended lectures in person, and required nearly every accommodation available to a student. Exam halls overwhelmed me, so I had to sit my exams separately or on different days. Despite all these struggles, I didn’t let ADHD stop me. In fact, I went a step further and completed Honours in Psychology, writing a thesis in the process. It was around this time that I started to realise just how much ADHD had shaped my life.

Tarah graduating from university with a Bachelor of Psychology - with Honours!

MY ADHD DIAGNOSIS AS AN ADULT

It wasn’t until after I graduated that I finally sought an official diagnosis. I had a moment with my housemate where I asked her the same question ten times in a row without even realising. She finally turned to me and said, “You really need to get checked”. So, I did.I saw a doctor, then a psychiatrist, who diagnosed me with combined ADHD. He offered me medication, and though I had never taken it before, I was eager to try. I started with various options but found that dexamphetamine worked best for me.At first, I loved the effects. My focus improved, my energy was better, and for the first time, I felt like I had control over my mind. But as time went on, the negative side effects started to outweigh the benefits.

My psychiatrist had warned me this might happen, and sure enough, I started experiencing:

Loss of appetite
Sleep issues
Afternoon irritability
Mood dysregulation
Feeling like I had lost my “sparkle”

After a while, I realised that while the medication helped in some ways, it also made me feel less like myself. That’s when I went back to my psychiatrist and asked if there were any alternative options.

THE SEARCH FOR A BETTER SOLUTION

My psychiatrist introduced me to the world of supplements. He explained that, alongside proper nutrition and exercise, certain supplements had strong scientific backing for supporting focus, mood, and cognitive function. So, I went out and bought everything he recommended. I ended up spending hundreds of dollars every month, taking dozens of pills daily, just to get the same benefits I had from my ADHD medication—but without the side effects. It was overwhelming. That’s when I turned to my partner, Barry (who is now my co-founder of Voomie), and said: “There has to be a better way. What if we created a product that combined all these supplements into one simple drink?”

An image of various pills and tablets to represent all the different supplements Tarah was buying before creating Voomie

BRINGING VOOMIE TO LIFE

We identified the two biggest struggles I had:

Needing better focus, energy, and mental clarity during the day

2. Struggling to relax and fall asleep at night

With that, we worked with microbiologists and formulators to develop two products for Voomie:

• Flow Fuel – A morning drink designed to support focus, mood, and energy without a crash.

• Bedtime Bliss – An evening drink that helps calm a busy brain, promotes relaxation, and improves sleep.

On May 7th, 2024, we officially launched Voomie, a brand dedicated to helping people with busy brains function at their best, whether they take medication or not.

A MOVEMENT BIGGER THAN JUST SUPPLEMENTS

The response has been overwhelming. Voomie has changed lives, and the messages we receive daily from our community remind us why we started this in the first place. Voomie is more than just a supplement brand—it’s a solution for people who have spent years struggling with their busy brains, looking for something that actually works. Some use it alongside medication for extra support. Others use it as a standalone solution. The most important thing? It works. What started as my personal struggle with ADHD turned into something that has helped thousands of people worldwide. And this is just the beginning.