She Couldn’t Find a Swimsuit She Loved, So She Created One | Hayley Segar | Founder, onewith swim

Swimwear shopping is a nightmare for most women, but Hayley Segar decided to do something about it. She’s the founder of onewith swim, the first swimwear brand that fits like underwear. In this episode, she shares how she built a category-breaking fashion product from scratch, what really goes into launching a DTC brand, and why her mission is as much about confidence as it is about style. We talk about product development, founder resilience, women’s body image, and the emotional power of getting dressed. Hayley also opens up about what it takes to lead a brand on your own terms without losing yourself along the way. Chapters: 00:00 Why Hayley hated swimsuits (and decided to fix it) 02:00 The lightbulb moment: "What if swim fit like underwear?" 03:30 From idea to launch: 2.5 years of development 06:00 Production delays, anxiety, and startup scrappiness 08:00 The case for launching before it’s perfect 10:00 Hiring a technical designer vs. going to design school 11:30 Building a tiny but mighty team 13:00 Decision fatigue and founder energy management 16:00 Teaching your team how to think like you 17:00 Behind the seams: what makes onewith so technically complex 18:45 Learning the language of production and operations 20:00 What she’s most proud of: grit, polish, and showing up for women 21:45 Customer DMs that will make you cry 23:30 Helping women feel powerful in their own skin 25:00 How she keeps her customer service team connected to the impact 26:00 What “powerful ladies” means to her 29:00 Why she avoids making the brand about herself 33:00 Leading with transparency while holding boundaries 36:00 Growing faster than planned and how viral moments changed everything 38:00 Product-based business = future living 40:00 Stripping back distractions to focus on what matters 43:00 The one non-negotiable habit that made it past the velvet rope 45:30 Stress weight, movement, and founder self-care 48:30 “You can only do one project at a time” 50:00 Her steady power level-and why she owns it 52:30 What Hayley is manifesting next The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms. Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think. Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices