This episode reveals how Fearless Swimwear sold out $200K of pre-orders in 24 hours by leveraging a "build in public" strategy. Learn how co-creation with a 15,000-person waitlist and data-driven product development, even after a $100K sizing mistake, led to a highly successful launch. The episode also covers key operational insights from sourcing to intellectual property, offering practical lessons for community-led DTC brands.
Key takeaways
Build in public and co-create with your audience: Lyndi and Les let their audience choose brand name, cuts, and colors, building a 15,000-strong waitlist pre-launch.
Leverage waitlist data for product optimization: Fearless Swimwear developed 'magic sizing' from their waitlist data, addressing a significant $100K sizing mistake made early on.
Prioritize specialized sourcing and robust product development: The founders emphasize finding swimwear specialists in China and investing in detailed $50K tech packs to prevent costly errors.
Strategically approach discounts and intellectual property: The brand is stepping away from deep Black Friday discounts and highlights the importance of trademarking, especially for international markets like China.
Be prepared for the 'embarrassment tax' of social media: Building a brand publicly on social media comes with challenges and requires resilience, but fosters authentic engagement.
What happens when a dietitian and a lawyer start a swimwear brand? Ryan talks with Lyndi and Les Cohen, the husband-and-wife team behind Fearless Swimwear. Lyndi, known as The Nude Nutritionist, spent 15 years helping women with body image before deciding the swimsuit was a body image problem to solve. They built in public, let their audience pick the brand name, cuts and colours, and launched to a 15,000-strong waitlist. The pre-order sold out in 24 hours for $200K. They also share the $100K sizing mistake that followed, the "magic sizing" that came out of their waitlist data, why they're stepping away from deep Black Friday discounts, and what Lyndi calls the "embarrassment tax" of building on social.About The Host: Ryan Martin is Founder of Remarkable Digital, a specialist eCommerce SEO marketing agency working with Australian Brands. In this episodePacking orders at Thread Together, and a humbling start to the chatWhy a dietitian who specialised in body image decided to start a swimwear brandBuilding an audience by "listening to the data": body image content beat healthy breakfast contentCo-creation: letting the community choose the name, cuts, fabrics and colours, and why 100 poll votes is often enoughA 15,000-woman waitlist, a $200K pre-order that sold out in 24 hours, and going straight to a 3PLTrademarks: buying the "Fearless" name for $3K, and the risk of trademark squatting in ChinaSourcing in China: 36 hours at Intertextile Shanghai, and why you need a swimwear specialist, not a generalistThe $50K tech pack lesson, and hiring a head of product with nearly 30 years in swimwear (includin
Build in public and co-create with your audience: Lyndi and Les let their audience choose brand name, cuts, and colors, building a 15,000-strong waitlist pre-launch.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Leverage waitlist data for product optimization: Fearless Swimwear developed 'magic sizing' from their waitlist data, addressing a significant $100K sizing mistake made early on.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Prioritize specialized sourcing and robust product development: The founders emphasize finding swimwear specialists in China and investing in detailed $50K tech packs to prevent costly errors.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Strategically approach discounts and intellectual property: The brand is stepping away from deep Black Friday discounts and highlights the importance of trademarking, especially for international markets like China.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Be prepared for the 'embarrassment tax' of social media: Building a brand publicly on social media comes with challenges and requires resilience, but fosters authentic engagement.
