Summersalt's Lori Coulter and Reshma Chattaram Chamberlin on success beyond swimsuits and e-commerce
The Glossy Podcast · with Lori Coulter and Reshma Chattaram Chamberlin · November 29, 2023 · 37 min
Summary
Summersalt's co-founders share their journey from a swimsuit DTC brand to an omnichannel retailer with expanded product lines. This episode offers valuable lessons on strategic category expansion, the integration of physical retail, and diversifying marketing efforts beyond initial social media success. Learn how thoughtful brand collaborations and strong co-founder synergy can drive sustained growth in a competitive e-commerce landscape.
Key takeaways
Strategic product expansion beyond initial niche offerings (e.g., swimsuits to sleepwear, activewear) can unlock significant growth, but requires careful consideration of brand fit and manufacturing capabilities.
Integrating physical retail into a DTC strategy creates an omnichannel experience, allowing brands to connect with customers IRL and diversify sales channels beyond pure e-commerce.
Diversifying marketing efforts beyond single platforms like Instagram is crucial for sustained growth; explore a wider 'marketing pie' to reach new audiences and reduce reliance on any one channel.
Brand collaborations with complementary partners (e.g., Diane von Furstenberg, Rifle Paper Co.) can effectively expand brand reach, introduce new customers, and create buzz around new collections.
A strong co-founder relationship with complementary skill sets is vital for navigating the entrepreneurial journey and scaling a business successfully.
A lot has changed for Summersalt since 2017, when it launched as an online-only, perfect-fit swimsuit brand and quickly gained popularity on Instagram. For starters, it has since expanded to product categories including sleepwear, activewear and intimates, Plus, it now operates stores, on top of its e-commerce site, allowing customers to shop IRL in West Palm Beach, Myrtle Beach and Nashville. And Instagram is just one piece of a larger marketing pie.
The growing business is the brainchild of Lori Coulter and Reshma Chattaram Chamberlin, serial entrepreneurs with complementary skill sets who managed to find each other and make a go of an ambitious business plan from their shared home of St. Louis.
"I was creating strategy and branding for amazing brands while running my own agency. Then, after doing that for about seven years, I realized I wanted to eat, sleep and breathe a brand," Chattaram Chamberlin said, regarding her road to Summersalt, on the latest Glossy Podcast.
As for Coulter, she was running a made-to-measure swimwear business, which had perfected the fits of its styles, mastered quick-turnaround manufacturing and maintained accessible price points. At the same time, she was tracking the evolving e-commerce environment and realizing the opportunities it presented. "I decided to create a business plan and develop a collection," she said. She initially approached Chattaram Chamberlin about hiring her agency, and the partnership took off from there.
Now, six years later, Coulter and Chattaram Chamberlin are preparing for yet another year of growth. Their plans for 2024 include opening more stores and doubling down on collaborations, following their successful collections with brands including Diane von Furstenberg and Rifle Paper Co.
Strategic product expansion beyond initial niche offerings (e.g., swimsuits to sleepwear, activewear) can unlock significant growth, but requires careful consideration of brand fit and manufacturing capabilities.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Integrating physical retail into a DTC strategy creates an omnichannel experience, allowing brands to connect with customers IRL and diversify sales channels beyond pure e-commerce.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Diversifying marketing efforts beyond single platforms like Instagram is crucial for sustained growth; explore a wider 'marketing pie' to reach new audiences and reduce reliance on any one channel.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Brand collaborations with complementary partners (e.g., Diane von Furstenberg, Rifle Paper Co.) can effectively expand brand reach, introduce new customers, and create buzz around new collections.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
A strong co-founder relationship with complementary skill sets is vital for navigating the entrepreneurial journey and scaling a business successfully.
