Besties in Business: Dream Team or Disaster?

Should You Start a Swimwear Brand With Your Friend? Let’s Break It Down

Starting a business is no small thing and choosing who to go on that journey with is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. For many women, the idea of launching a swimwear brand with a close friend feels like the dream: shared passion, emotional support, and someone to celebrate the wins (and wine through the losses) with.

But after working in the swimwear industry for years and seeing countless start-ups navigate this dynamic, I can honestly say there’s so much more to consider beyond friendship.

So, would I start a business with a friend? Let’s break it down.

The Pros: Why It Can Work

1. Built-In Trust

You already know their personality, work ethic, and values. This kind of deep trust can be incredibly grounding in business especially when challenges come up (and trust me, they will).

2. Emotional Support

Having a friend by your side can make the rollercoaster of launching a swimwear label feel less isolating. You’ve got someone to bounce ideas off, vent to and laugh with when things go sideways.

3. Shared Vision

Often, friends team up because they’re aligned in their passions or lifestyle goals. That mutual drive can fuel a really values led swimwear brand and a stronger launch collection.

4. Complementary Skill Sets

Some of the best business partnerships I’ve seen are between friends who bring different strengths to the table one might be design-focused, the other is detail obsessed or business savvy. That kind of balance can be magic.

5. Higher Investment Potential

When you’re launching your swimwear brand with a partner, you’re able to pool resources and invest in more from the get go whether that’s branding, marketing, or developing multiple swimwear designs.

For example, I once worked with two best friends who launched their label together. By combining their funds, they were able to create a beautiful, well rounded collection, invest in strong branding, and produce a professional campaign shoot. That polish helped them stand out immediately and build trust with their audience from day one.

With a higher combined investment, you’re also more likely to meet a manufacturer’s minimum order quantity (MOQ), which gives you the flexibility to offer more styles, more colours, and better size inclusivity. That means more choice for your customers and a stronger first impression when your swimwear collection launches.

The Cons: The Hard Conversations

1. Blurred Boundaries

When friendship and business overlap, tough conversations can be avoided and that silence can cause bigger problems down the line. Clear boundaries are essential.

2. Uneven Workload

If one of you is contributing more time, money, or energy, resentment can quietly grow. Be honest about expectations and check in regularly.

3. Different Risk Tolerances

One of you might want to dive in full time, while the other prefers to ease in slowly. Misaligned ambition or commitment levels can create ongoing tension.

4. Money Talk Gets Awkward

From profit splits to budgeting, money conversations can be uncomfortable especially with a friend. But these conversations are critical, and should be had upfront, with clear agreements in writing.

What I’ve Seen Work Best?

Partnerships that thrive whether between friends, sisters, or even strangers, are built on three things: clear boundaries, defined roles, and mutual respect. A shared Google Doc won’t cut it, set up a formal business agreement, get legal advice, and treat your label like the serious business it is.

Even if you’re working with your bestie, you both need space to grow individually and professionally. Protect the friendship by respecting the business.

My Advice?

If you’re thinking of launching your swimwear label with a friend, sit down and have the real conversations early:

• What are your expectations?
  
  

• Who is contributing what - money, time, skills?
  
  

• How will decisions be made?
  
  

• What happens if one of you wants out?
  
  

If you can move through those conversations with honesty, excitement, and alignment you just might be on to something beautiful.

And if not? That’s okay too. Your friendship doesn’t need a business to thrive.