What’s It Like To Start A Business With Friends?
What’s It Like To Start A Business With Friends?
Three fashion junkies walk into a pool party...
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Have you ever had a flash of inspiration and thought to yourself: This would be a great business - I should do this! But then life inevitably gets in the way and the moment passes?
When Joyann King Michael, Alia Yahia-Bosworth, and Chrissy McCurdy had their lightbulb moment – in a swimming pool on a 90-degree day during the summer of 2020 – they couldn’t let it go.
The initial idea for STYLEST, their one-year-old sculpting fashion swim and shapewear brand, came after Alia forcefully dove across that pool to get a closer look at what Chrissy was wearing under her swimsuit…
I chatted with Alia, Chrissy, and Joyann to hear more about their experience founding STYLEST, and what it’s like to work together as friends and mothers in their 40s.
So, What Was Under Chrissy’s Swimsuit?
Chrissy: I had been wearing an old Victoria’s Secret bra under my swimsuit for 10 years, ever since I had my first child. I needed an extra lift, and the bra allowed me to wear swimsuits I couldn’t have worn otherwise. It wasn’t ideal: the cups would fill with water, so I had this little move where I would squeeze the cups out to the side to empty them.
Alia: When Joyann and I noticed Chrissy wearing a bra in the pool, a lightbulb went off immediately for both of us. I was staying at Joyann’s house, and we stayed up late into the night talking about it. Our first thought was surely this must already exist! So we started looking for a waterproof swim bra. And we couldn’t find one.
Joyann: After working in fashion magazines for 20 years (Harpers Bazaar, Elle, Glamor, InStyle, Town & Country) I’d seen every product out there, but I was sure I hadn’t seen this!
Alia: I’ve always loved resort wear, I’ve worked as a stylist for both celebrities and real women, and I’ve been involved in a lot of startups and entrepreneurial ventures – including launching several celebrity brands.
And I’d always said I’d never start my own company unless it felt super unique, was white space, and solves a problem.
Joyann: Alia and I could not stop thinking about the fact that we’d found an opportunity to create a completely unique product. A few weeks later, we decided to ask Chrissy to lunch - and to start a business making swim shapewear with us!
Anatomy Lessons
Chrissy: So, we went to lunch, and I said, well, it’s really hard to make a bra, but sure, I’ll do it with you! I had worked for Komar, which is a big sleepwear and intimate apparel private label manufacturer, and while I had been focused on sleepwear, I’d heard many complaints around the office about what went into making a bra. I knew it was a very difficult thing to do well.
Joyann: Right. You said something like: “It’s nearly impossible - a bra has 32 separate components that need to be scaled for each cup!”
But that’s where our combined experience came in. I’d worked in magazines, which are all about teaching women about fashion and how to dress. In addition to Komar, Chrissy had worked as a buyer for Saks and Ralph Lauren, so she knew what customers wanted; and Alia had magazine experience, styling experience, and brand-building experience.
Because we have 50+ years of fashion experience between the three of us, we were able to make calls to the best in the business, and those calls were returned.
I Wasn’t Dying To Start A Swimsuit Business…
Alia: Since I’ve been involved in start-ups before, when people ask me what’s different this time around, I tell them: it is completely different having co-founders and I would never go back to doing a business on my own. I don’t even know how I could do it on my own - each of us has a very full agenda for every day.
Joyann: It would be very lonely doing it on your own. And stressful. There’s always two co-founders to celebrate with and to be in the foxhole with. For us, three is not a crowd – it allows us to cover more ground. We can divide and conquer: last weekend Chrissy was in Palm Beach while Alia and I were in Houston.
Alia: The beauty of having co-founders who have worked in company environments and who have so much experience is that while we’re all responsible for owning various things, we also know when to bring the others in to collaborate and make decisions.
Chrissy: I did not have entrepreneurial dreams. I was a stay-at-home mom for many years, and I was starting to look for something to switch up my day-to-day, so when these two very intelligent, inspiring women who were completely excited about this idea approached me, I didn’t even hesitate! It was serendipitous.
I wasn’t dying to start a swimsuit business, but I was dying to work with people who inspired me. And that’s what these two women have done ever since.
Being The Customer
Joyann: At first, we weren’t thinking of making swimwear: we were just thinking swim shapewear. We wanted to offer chest support and tummy control solutions. Our idea was that our Aqualingerie would breathe new life into everyone’s favorite swimwear – customers could wear it under their favorite suit.
But then we started to think, our customer is going to want these built into her swimsuit. Some women will take the bra and put it under everything but a lot of women are going to want to have it all in one because it’s just easier. So, we started designing swimwear to be worn with the shapewear.
Chrissy: There wasn’t swimwear out there in the market that the three of us wanted to wear: fashionable but supportive and sculpting. We wanted something that reflected us.
Joyann: The genius of our brand is that it’s a complete system. Our customers will often buy the full look from us, which you can’t do with other swimsuit brands. Our goal is to have our customers fully pulled together, with their whole beach bag packed!
We’re creating swimwear that makes women feel good while having fun and memorable moments with family and friends by the water.
Growing Pains
Alia: The only downside of having so much experience is because we’ve previously worked with all the best people, we sometimes have Champagne goals on a beer budget. It can be a challenge to make sure everything is professional and elevated while prioritizing how to allocate our resources.
Joyann: A big lesson for me has been to slow down and know that a lot of little successes add up to big goals. Before we can get to where we want to be, all these little bricks must be laid and it takes patience.
Chrissy: Especially with the product development process. We want perfection, and we just grind over and over again to achieve it.
Joyann: When we launched, we assumed our customers would be women who’d had babies or who had tummy control or chest issues – and that they’d want larger sizes, like 6 to 14. So we didn’t make an Extra Smalls and we didn’t develop an A-cup bra.
This was a huge mistake. We would go to events, and we’d talk to Size 2 women who’d had two kids and a c-section, and they wanted shaping and tummy control, too.
Which lead to the realization that STYLEST isn’t about size. Our brand is about body confidence and feeling good in a bathing suit. Our new tagline is Fashion That Sculpts You. That’s our North Star.
What’s Next: Minis and Pickleball!
Alia: The launch of our Mommy and Mini collaboration with Lola + The Boys is this Sunday, April 30th. We are excited to be offering four printed kids’ styles that coordinate back to multiple STYLEST pieces in each print. On Sunday, the first set of Palm prints for boys and girls will be released; and then there will be a pre-Memorial Day drop consisting of ombre and leopard print.
We are also incredibly excited to launch our sculpting pickleball dress collection on May 12!
As fashion experts and savvy consumers, I asked Alia, Chrissy, and Joyann for their culture and fashion recommendations. Here’s the scoop:
STYLEST System Must Have?
Alia: The Sculpting Square Neck Tank is our absolute bestseller. We've sold out multiple times already this year. The three of us often refer to it as the "Rolls Royce" of swimsuits! It features our signature inner construction (a 360-degree shelf bra for lift and support and lined in power mesh for tummy control) and the gorgeous neckline truly is universally flattering!
What They’re Reading
Alia: Hit Makers by Derek Thompson
Chrissy: is re-reading Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann
Joyann: Change Your Brain Everyday by Daniel Amen, MD
What They’re Watching
Alia: The Night Agent
Chrissy: The English
Joyann: As a former Hearst magazine employee and media whore, I LIVE for Succession - I am loving their "quiet luxury" fashion moments.
Who They Follow
Alia: Giovanna Engelbert: her creativity is a daily source of inspiration!
Chrissy: @Sundayscaries and my friend Susie Park who not only has amazing taste but is also hilarious.
Joyann: @maryahafner is making me go broke! And @maryorton kills me with her motherhood spoofs.
What They’re Listening To
Alia: Smartless! If you don't love Justin Bateman, I don't think we are friends.
TED Talks Daily give me a lot to think about especially as it relates to innovation and continuing to do things differently than other brands.
Chrissy: Smartless and Story Pirates (for the kids!)
Joyann: The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett is so good. I learn so much from his out-of-the-box interviews.
Brands They Love
Alia: I shop high, low, and I love vintage. There's a vintage Chanel bag I am eyeing, I love Veronica Beard for everyday essentials and am a sucker for a great Zara find. Cruising Moda Operandi in bed before the lights go out is my favorite pastime! They do a phenomenal job of introducing me to cool emerging brands! The mom late-night purchase is REAL!
Chrissy: I am very loyal to Cara Cara. It makes me feel joyous.
Joyann: I am a serial shopper. My current fave brands are: Hunter Bell jumpsuits, Krewe statement sunnies, Larroude shoes, Mignonne Gavigan jewelry, Cesta Collective velvet bags, and Bandier for cute workout sets to live in.
Favorite warm weather resort vacation spot to wear your STYLEST system?
Alia: St Barts for sure; or The Crane in Barbados!
Chrissy: Always Nantucket (but warm weather is a stretch).
Joyann: Anywhere in the Bahamas!