Small Business Making A Difference
Betsy with SwimZip
in Kansas
Family fun in the sun is stress-free with SwimZip. SwimZip is UPF 50+ clothing for the entire family, featuring high-quality swimsuits, swimwear, and accessories. With their signature full zipper down the front of their rash guard shirts, getting wet shirts off and on is super easy!
Betsy, Co-Founder of SwimZip, was diagnosed with skin cancer at twenty-six, and with surgery and bi-yearly check-ups, she is cancer-free. Her personal passion towards the importance of protecting skin from 98% of UVA and UVB rays is represented in every stitch and detail of each SwimZip design.
While on vacation, Betsy and her brother, Berry, experienced first-hand the frustrations of getting wee ones in and out of their wet suits, when Berry struggled to get his daughter out of hers. From that moment, SwimZip was born. SwimZip makes days to the pool and the beach fun with their fashionable sun protection that includes: on-trend patterns, stylish ruffles and bows, fun prints, and exciting color combinations.
I Admire U Betsy for making a difference by providing easy and trustworthy sun protection for families everywhere!
Mom Stats: 2 boys: 9-month-old and 3-year-old
Referred By: Brooke Henze
Betsy, Co-Founder of SwimZip, was diagnosed with skin cancer at twenty-six, and with surgery and bi-yearly check-ups, she is cancer-free. Her personal passion towards the importance of protecting skin from 98% of UVA and UVB rays is represented in every stitch and detail of each SwimZip design.
While on vacation, Betsy and her brother, Berry, experienced first-hand the frustrations of getting wee ones in and out of their wet suits, when Berry struggled to get his daughter out of hers. From that moment, SwimZip was born. SwimZip makes days to the pool and the beach fun with their fashionable sun protection that includes: on-trend patterns, stylish ruffles and bows, fun prints, and exciting color combinations.
I Admire U Betsy for making a difference by providing easy and trustworthy sun protection for families everywhere!
Mom Stats: 2 boys: 9-month-old and 3-year-old
Referred By: Brooke Henze
Betsy in her own words...
1. What is the concept behind your business? As a skin cancer survivor, how do you think SwimZip makes a difference?
SwimZip makes a difference because we make UV protection a zip – literally. No more worrying about reapplying sunscreen to shoulders, chest, and backs – just zip on your SwimZip and your sun safe all day. Also, I love fashion and I believe SwimZip is the one place you can find swimwear and cover-ups that are fashionable and functional.
2. From the time you and your brother were on the beach, how long did it take to go from it being an idea to your first prototype? What was the process like?
The idea was there, and we just made our prototype within a few weeks. We took an old rash guard, used safety pins, and voilà – we had our first prototype. Then it took a few months to perfect it, making our samples. Testing the marketing, etc. We were really driven to make it happen, and make it happen quickly.
SwimZip makes a difference because we make UV protection a zip – literally. No more worrying about reapplying sunscreen to shoulders, chest, and backs – just zip on your SwimZip and your sun safe all day. Also, I love fashion and I believe SwimZip is the one place you can find swimwear and cover-ups that are fashionable and functional.
2. From the time you and your brother were on the beach, how long did it take to go from it being an idea to your first prototype? What was the process like?
The idea was there, and we just made our prototype within a few weeks. We took an old rash guard, used safety pins, and voilà – we had our first prototype. Then it took a few months to perfect it, making our samples. Testing the marketing, etc. We were really driven to make it happen, and make it happen quickly.
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3. What is the difference between SwimZip and other product on the market? How do you stay on trend with your designs?
I love designing fabrics, picking colors, and having fun making our suits unique, eye-catching, and perfect for people who love rash guards, or people who are just looking for fashionable modest swimwear for their kids. Also, ours has a zipper, our zipper makes it SO easy for parents to take off when kiddos are wet – one zip and you’re sun safe all day, or one zip and you’re out of a wet shirt, no more struggling to take off a wet sun shirt.
4. Your product provides parents with a priceless peace of mind. What is one of the most touching testimonials you have received?
We had a dad who was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma cancer. WE sent him and his family some sun shirts, and he was so excited. He shared with us how he doesn’t know how much longer he will be around and he wants to spend every second with his kids, and SwimZip provided him an opportunity to go to the beach with his kids and see them touch the ocean with their feet for the first time. He shared how he wouldn’t have been able to share this memory with his children without us. Another one was a child with a G-tube for feedings. The mom was always struggling with getting the feedings in and not having the tube be irritated while at the beach with his older sister – but the zipper made it super easy for her to unzip our UPF sun suit to feed, and then clean up when done. And not having to worry about the sand getting in the way!
"He shared with us how he doesn’t know how much longer he will be around and he wants to spend every second with his kids, and SwimZip provided him an opportunity to go to the beach with his kids and see them touch the ocean with their feet for the first time."
5. When you launched SwimZip, you didn’t have experience in fashion or design, your degrees were in Business and Economics. What obstacles did you face? What resources did you use to navigate your way?
I have always had a passion for fashion – I love putting outfits together with different patterns and fabrics so I have always loved it, but I didn’t know if people would love my style. To be honest I think it was a lot of luck that people like my style. And running a business is what I knew how to do, but designing took a lot of you tube tutorials, and learning how to make a real pattern from scratch has been a learning process! And then learning the manufacturing end was another learning process. Running a business has been extremely fun, because Berry and I learn something new every single day!!!
It’s pretty awesome!
6. What nugget of advice would you share with a woman who wants to start a business in a field that she has no knowledge or experience in?
Many people say lay out a business plan, be sure it works. I just go with my gut. I make sure I can make money via the pricing of my product/service and there isn’t anything else out there like it, but if I can – then dive in headfirst. I think too many people worry about if their business is going to make it, where as I dove in knowing we were going to make it. The first few years were rough. Building a brand isn’t easy and it won’t happen overnight, but if you don’t believe in yourself your dreams won’t come true.
I have always had a passion for fashion – I love putting outfits together with different patterns and fabrics so I have always loved it, but I didn’t know if people would love my style. To be honest I think it was a lot of luck that people like my style. And running a business is what I knew how to do, but designing took a lot of you tube tutorials, and learning how to make a real pattern from scratch has been a learning process! And then learning the manufacturing end was another learning process. Running a business has been extremely fun, because Berry and I learn something new every single day!!!
It’s pretty awesome!
6. What nugget of advice would you share with a woman who wants to start a business in a field that she has no knowledge or experience in?
Many people say lay out a business plan, be sure it works. I just go with my gut. I make sure I can make money via the pricing of my product/service and there isn’t anything else out there like it, but if I can – then dive in headfirst. I think too many people worry about if their business is going to make it, where as I dove in knowing we were going to make it. The first few years were rough. Building a brand isn’t easy and it won’t happen overnight, but if you don’t believe in yourself your dreams won’t come true.
7. For five years SwimZip has been operated by you and your brother, and soon you will be hiring your first full-time employee. If you stop to think about how far you’ve come, what comes to mind?
How far we have come – sleepless nights. Awesome customers. Helping friends. And an awesome big bro! Berry and I have had so much fun growing SwimZip to the brand it is today. We have worked so hard to share how easy sun protection can be to friends and family – and those friends and family are the ones that keep us afloat when things get slow. We also have the most amazing customers! They are so awesome, they share with us their adorable kids and now that we have Womens they share with us themselves. Their stories are what keep us going! It is so awesome to have come so far…. We just wish we would have hired someone sooner!
8. Super cool! SwimZip was on Shark Tank on ABC. What did you take away from the experience?
I learned so much from Shark Tank. It made me sit down and really understand my numbers. I had just focused on the business and growing, but never took a look to see if it made sense. So it was a good way to understand my business from a difference standpoint.
I also met amazing new friends and businesses. I was able to meet more customers too. Shark Tank was such a wonderful experience for my brother, Berry, and me.
""I think too many people worry about if their business is going to make it, where as I dove in knowing we were going to make it."
9. I’m curious, what’s next for you and SwimZip?
We are always adding to our line. We grow with our mission in mind, sun protection. So we will see what is next with SwimZip, but we are always looking at UPF or SPF for kids, parents and adults. We want sun protection to be fashionable, functional, and make sun protection easy!
10. I Admire U, who do you admire?
My Husband, Matt. Matt stands with me helping me with SwimZip every step of the way. Always encouraging, and helping – without him there would be no way I would be able to take this journey SwimZip has provided and have kids. Matt is my rock, the person that makes me smile at 2 AM when I am just going to bed and the one who takes the kids at 4:30 AM when they are up and ready to rock. Without him, SwimZip wouldn’t be where it is today. I love you MattyJ!
We are always adding to our line. We grow with our mission in mind, sun protection. So we will see what is next with SwimZip, but we are always looking at UPF or SPF for kids, parents and adults. We want sun protection to be fashionable, functional, and make sun protection easy!
10. I Admire U, who do you admire?
My Husband, Matt. Matt stands with me helping me with SwimZip every step of the way. Always encouraging, and helping – without him there would be no way I would be able to take this journey SwimZip has provided and have kids. Matt is my rock, the person that makes me smile at 2 AM when I am just going to bed and the one who takes the kids at 4:30 AM when they are up and ready to rock. Without him, SwimZip wouldn’t be where it is today. I love you MattyJ!
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