Same founders Shea Marie and Ryan Horne on building a booming 'influencer brand'

Summary

The Glossy Podcast: Episode Summary

Title: Same Founders Shay Marie and Ryan Horne on Building a Booming 'Influencer Brand'

Release Date: December 11, 2024

---

Introduction

In this engaging episode of The Glossy Podcast, host Jill Manoff sits down with Shay Marie, an original influencer turned brand founder, and Ryan Horne, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Same. Established in 2015, Same quickly became a standout in the influencer-founded brand landscape, initially focusing on swimwear and attracting celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner. As the brand approaches its tenth anniversary, it has successfully expanded into various categories including denim, resort wear, and children's apparel. Jill delves into the dynamics of Same’s growth, the synergy between Shay’s personal following and Same’s customer base, and the strategies fueling their sustained success.

---

Founders' Journey and Brand Origin

At the onset ([00:05]), Jill introduces Shay Marie and Ryan Horne, highlighting Same's early success in the swimwear market. Shay recounts her beginnings at [01:30], explaining how she transitioned from an aspiring fashion enthusiast in Los Angeles to a prominent influencer. Before Instagram’s rise, Shay built a personal website to serve as an online resume, which unexpectedly ballooned to a million views a day. Initially intended to showcase inspiration and personal style through magazine cutouts, the site organically evolved into a hub for Shay’s unique bohemian fashion showcases, inadvertently turning her into a fashion influencer.

Establishing Same as a Brand

Shay discusses the inception of Same at [05:26], emphasizing her desire to create a lasting brand beyond the fleeting nature of social media fame. Partnering with Ryan, who had extensive experience in swimwear manufacturing ([06:04]), they co-founded Same with a mission to elevate swimwear into a respected fashion category. Their first product—a distinctive, recognizable swim suit—was designed to stand out online without relying on overt branding elements, establishing a strong brand identity from the outset.

Differentiating in a Competitive Market

When addressing competition ([08:34]), Shay and Ryan elaborate on how Same has maintained its uniqueness amidst a surge of new swimwear brands, particularly during the pandemic. Ryan highlights at [09:04] that Same's commitment to innovative design and superior quality has allowed them to set trends rather than follow them. For example, Same was among the first to incorporate hardware elements into swimwear, enabling versatile styling that transitions effortlessly from day to night wear. This dedication to design excellence has set Same apart from other influencer-driven brands, ensuring longevity and a broad customer appeal.

Expansion into New Categories

By [14:08], the conversation shifts to Same's strategic expansion into new apparel categories such as denim and ready-to-wear clothing. Shay explains that this growth is driven by evolving customer needs and personal life changes, like Ryan’s experience as a new father. This led to the creation of Samezies—a children’s apparel line designed for "mommy and me" moments popular on social media. This expansion reflects Same's ability to adapt and grow organically, aligning with their customers’ lifestyles and demands.

Marketing Strategies and Organic Growth

Shay details Same's marketing approach at [13:01], emphasizing their reliance on organic growth through user-generated content (UGC) and celebrity endorsements without initial investments in digital advertising or influencer collaborations. This strategy fostered authentic brand love and loyalty. However, as Same has grown, they have begun to invest in digital ads and billboards to reach a broader audience while still valuing the organic promotion that has been central to their success.

Notable Moments and Brand Recognition

A pivotal moment for Same, as Shay shares at [14:05], was when Kendall Jenner wore their swim suit on a yacht with Harry Styles, garnering significant media attention. Ryan adds that having Beyoncé wear Same was a major "pinch me" moment ([13:54]), significantly boosting the brand’s visibility and prestige. These high-profile endorsements have been instrumental in cementing Same’s reputation in the fashion industry.

Team Growth and Operational Challenges

As Same's revenue and sales have surged, Shay acknowledges the challenges in scaling their team at [25:44]. Despite tripling and quadrupling sales annually, the team remains small, consisting of about ten core members and additional freelancers. Ryan explains at [27:59] that finding the right people who inherently understand and align with Same’s aesthetic and mission is more challenging than simply increasing headcount. They prioritize hiring individuals who embody the brand’s vision, ensuring cohesive and efficient operations even as the company grows.

Future Plans and Retail Expansion

Looking ahead, Shay and Ryan discuss plans to open physical stores in iconic fashion hubs like the Miami Design District and SoHo, New York ([34:08]). Shay elaborates that they are meticulously searching for the perfect space to reflect Same’s aesthetic and attract the right clientele. The founders are committed to maintaining their self-funded growth model, avoiding outside investments to preserve creative and operational control. This strategy allows them to make strategic growth decisions aligned with their brand values and long-term vision.

Maintaining Brand Integrity

Shay underscores Same’s commitment to attainable luxury at [07:30], ensuring their products remain accessible while upholding high quality and design standards. They limit the number of sales and promotions to avoid being perceived as a discount brand, thus maintaining the brand’s exclusivity and desirability. This approach has proven effective, as evidenced by the rapid sell-out of their holiday dresses during limited sales events ([28:38]).

Conclusion

In closing, Shay and Ryan express heartfelt gratitude toward their loyal customers and reiterate their dedication to organic growth, product excellence, and thoughtful expansion into new categories. Jill commends their efforts, and the episode concludes with mutual well-wishes and excitement for Same's future endeavors. Their journey exemplifies how influencer-driven brands can achieve sustainable success through innovation, quality, and genuine customer engagement.

Notable Quotes

• Shay Marie [01:30]: “I had no idea what it was going to become. And it just happened to be kind of right around the same time that there's a group of other girls, there's probably about 10 of us who are starting to share their inspiration.”

• Ryan Horn [09:04]: “We were one of the first well-known brands to start using hardware in the way that we were using it to have pieces that really transition tonight super easily.”

• Shay Marie [12:34]: “There shouldn't be an age on feeling beautiful and fashion forward and chic.”

• Ryan Horn [25:44]: “Our team has not grown to match that. It is also it's hard finding the right team and that's the harder part.”

• Shay Marie [30:35]: “It's all terrifying. And it's even more terrifying too because it all, it is all self funded.”

Key Takeaways

• Innovative Design: Same differentiates itself through creative and high-quality designs, setting trends rather than following them.

• Organic Growth: The brand has successfully relied on organic marketing strategies and user-generated content to build a loyal customer base.

• Strategic Expansion: Same's thoughtful expansion into new categories like denim and children's apparel responds to evolving customer needs and personal life changes of the founders.

• Team and Operations: Scaling the team while maintaining brand integrity poses challenges, necessitating the recruitment of individuals who deeply understand and align with Same’s vision.

• Future Focus: Same plans to open physical stores in key fashion districts while maintaining a self-funded growth model to preserve creative control and strategic direction.

Overall Impact

Same stands as a prime example of how influencer-driven brands can achieve sustainable success by prioritizing quality, innovation, and authentic customer engagement. Shay Marie and Ryan Horne illustrate the importance of adapting to market demands, maintaining brand integrity, and fostering a dedicated team to drive a brand’s growth and longevity.

Transcript

[Shay Marie]

Foreign.

[Jill Manoff]

Thanks for tuning in to the Glossy podcast. I'm your host, Jill Manoff, and today I'm sitting down with Shay Marie, an OG influencer turned brand founder, and Ryan Horn, who co founded same in 2015 and also serves as its chief operating officer. A very early player in the influencer founded brand landscape. The duo's company, Same started with a focus on swimwear that quickly earned fans including Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner. But as of this year, it's playing in many more categories, including denim, resort wear and kids wear. And more categories are on the way. I wanted to ask Shay and Ryan what's fueling the brand's expansion nearly 10 years after its launch. I also wanted to inquire about the power of an established audience when building a brand. Are Shay's followers and Same shoppers one and the same? Welcome to you, Shay. How are you? Thanks for being here.

[Shay Marie]

Hi. Thank you so much for having me.

[Jill Manoff]

Of course. And hi, Ryan Horn, thanks for being here as well.

[Ryan Horn]

Hello, Jill. Nice to meet you. Thank you for having us.

[Jill Manoff]

Of course. So excited to chat and oh my gosh, Shay, I feel like an ass. Just referring to you as an influencer. I just feel like you've grown beyond this with this amazing company. And I mean, that's probably just one element of your mega business you've got going here. But. But you did start in this influencer world. Yes. Circle back, talk me through it. Your beginnings here.

[Shay Marie]

I did. And no worries, because I have sometimes a hard time describing what I do as well to people. But about 2010, I would say before Instagram, I was living in LA. I didn't have any connections. I was trying to get a job. I loved fashion. I graduated college, but I didn't know anybody. I moved from San Diego to la and I really didn't know how I was even going to get a job in the fashion world. And so someone had told me, oh, you should build an online resume. That was like something that was unheard of kind of back then, or it was just starting to be a thing before that was all paper resumes. Right. And so I built this website, which I had. I didn't even know at the time what a blog was. I was like, okay, I'm going to build this website. It's going to have a little bit about me. It's going to have some inspirational images of things I love, things I was pulling from magazines, and maybe I'm going to add in a few photos of myself so that they can see also what I look like. And what my style is like. And I had no idea what it was going to become. And it just happened to be kind of right around the same time that, you know, there's a group of other girls, there's probably about 10 of us who are starting to share their inspiration. It was like the Tumblr era and also photos of ourself and what we were wearing. And over the course of a couple years, I mean, my site went from one view a day to getting a million views a day. And it really changed my life drastically. And what I found that was very interesting is that I had assumed that people were going to be resharing these amazing photos. I was pulling from magazines or vintage photos, but they were reposting the blurry photos that I was posting of myself in, you know, kind of hippie boho, like early Coachella day outfits. And it just took off.

[Jill Manoff]

Yeah, for sure. And then. And that became your business and that was your brand. Like you are your brand in terms of like a consumer product brand. Did that cross your mind? I'm sure you were working with brands all the time. Were you just learning everything working with these brands? And maybe that queued, I'm just guessing that queued up your business.

[Shay Marie]

I think that my life changed so drastically in such a short amount of time. I really went from I was making $12 an hour. I was also working at a bar at night. And then over a course of two to three, I was flying all around the world. I was sitting front row at the biggest shows at Fashion Week. And I always kind of thought, while this happened so quickly, can it all go away that fast? So what can I build that's going to be more long lasting? So I think early on, even before there was any sort of playbook for influencers, celebrities, talent to build brands, now there's companies and incubator brands that help you kind of do everything. But back then there wasn't really kind of any path. So I. But I knew I wanted to create something that was gonna be long lasting in case social media wasn't. Because it was very different back then. Nobody knew what was gonna happen with social media. And so I had a friend who owned a swimwear factory, this guy. And it seemed like a safe place to start because we already had a connection and we already knew each other for a few years. And I had an idea. It was, you know, swimwear back then was really meant to be covered up. It was very simple. It was very basic. It was very different. It was, you wore it to swim in and then you put your outfit back on. And I had a vision to make swimwear more of a respected fashion category. And we started off with this one suit in particular that was very recognizable, which I really thought would help give the brand recognition. It was something that if you saw it online, which was becoming very important that you would recognize what it was. And that's where we started.

[Jill Manoff]

Without logos, Just the details. Yeah, absolutely amazing. And to ensure it was seen online, you were wearing it, were you gifting it? How was it kind of making the rounds on the web?

[Shay Marie]

We didn't do, I think any gifting initially. I was definitely wearing it, which of course helped get eyes on it. But I think what really made it successful and continues to make same successful is that the designs speak for themselves. The quality is amazing. We're, we've been so innovative in trend setting in the swimwear space. We've started nearly every big trend in swimwear over the past decade. And so while my following helped get eyes on the brand, it was really the product that, you know, made it what it is today.

[Jill Manoff]

Totally. Well, talk to me, Ryan. What were you doing? Are you with a family company? What was your swimwear business prior?

[Ryan Horn]

No. Well, I had been in swimwear since, shockingly enough, 2009 when I first started my factory business. And in LA, I was just kind of known as the swimwear guy. You know, I was a consultant and I own my own factory. I had launched a number of well known brands that are still around to this day. And, you know, Shay was a very dear friend of mine. We had known each other for years, we had seen each other grow. And by the time she came to me with us with this idea, it just kind of all made sense. You know, I had long worked for other people but had yet to do anything for myself. And this with the two of us coming together, you know, she had such a clear vision for what she wanted, which made my job as a manufacturer much easier. Much easier. Right. I wasn't searching around for an inspiration. You know, Shay knew what she wanted. We developed it together and it was a very clear vision for what the brand would be, at least in the beginning phases. And yeah, it really took both of our expertise and we were able to pull it off, I would say relatively quickly compared to other people because I already had all of those resources and we never looked back.

[Jill Manoff]

Yes, I love this. And it was more fashion than it has been more strictly on function in years past. And you also, Shay wanted to take a luxury approach. Yes. Tell me if you consider, you consider your label luxury, I believe. And what that means this day and age, would you say?

[Shay Marie]

Yeah, I would say it's always been luxury for swimwear. Now as we branch into other categories, I kind of call it attainable luxury. Right. It's still at a price point that most people can save up for or can afford, which is really nice. Something I kind of wanted to add to what Ryan was saying before. For a long time, Ryan and I had other career avenues. And so he was very focused on being a manufacturer. He was working with a lot of different brands. I was focused on being an influencer. I was flying all over the world. I was working with every brand. I was going to all the fashion weeks. So for a long time, same was a passion project for us that we were doing for fun. Right. It really wasn't till a certain point where it got to a certain level really in like the last four years, that we decided to make this kind of our full time mission to, you know, see it through. And so I think some people are like, okay, oh, you've been around for a long time. We didn't realize. And I think that's because for a long time it really was just a fun passion project for us. And now it is truly what we are focused on building and growing.

[Jill Manoff]

Yes. Let's talk about the competition in this space because there was a boom of swimwear brands maybe early in the pandemic couple of years back. I know some of the brands have even fallen off at this point, but also you were talking about launching trends in the space. So clearly you have some, I wouldn't say copycats, but they're doing similar things. They're, they're borrowing ideas. How have you, I guess, approached that challenge or dealt with that challenge? What's the response to that?

[Ryan Horn]

Well, first I'd like to say that we were very lucky in a sense that as Shay was speaking to earlier, we. Our timing was really spot on. When I first started in swimwear in 2009, it was really looked at like an accessory market. You know, it was not its own category as far as retailers were concerned. It shared buyers with other departments, so on and so forth. And as same grew as a business, so too did the US women's swimwear market, where it became more fashionable, more of a range of styles became acceptable, it was more versatile to wear in day and night. So I think that partially shaped our business part. But on top of that, it really was a design angle. You know, when Shea came to me, most of the other Brands, which are notable brands, were making very simplistic swimwear. Cute, but simplistic. Shay really did something to elevate that up a notch. That I think really expanded our customer base. Right? It not only set trends, but it expanded our customer base. We were one of the first well known brands to start using hardware in the way that we were using it to have pieces that really transition tonight super easily with just adding on a skirt or a pair of pants or something like that. That was really, I think, one of the cornerstones of seeing same kind of separate itself from the rest of the pack. You know, there was a large flood of new swimwear businesses as the market grew, but I don't really think that that had a lot to do with our success because we were so focused on a product level. You know, as Shay said initially, yes, her followers got us more attention than we would have had had she not been popular online. That being said, it was the product in and of itself that grew the company. It was the fact that when you saw someone walking on the beach or in a picture, you knew that it was same. And even now, we are kind of fortunate enough to have grown to the point where, although Shea is very well known in fashion communities, I would say she's probably more recognized now as a designer than even as an influencer. And that was the ultimate goal for us, you know. So, yes, there was a flood in the marketplace, but I think that we really reacted to it a lot differently than a lot of other quote, unquote, influencer brands. I think that we started early enough to where we're not really considered an influencer brand. In the same way Frankie's Bikinis is considered an influencer brand. We, I think, have done a really great job of separating ourselves and growing because of the level of taste that Shay adds to it.

[Shay Marie]

We've never been worried about the competition either. That's never a conversation. That's in our internal discussions. There's definitely been a lot of brands that we know consider us competition and have been worried about us, but we almost are in a different category. Right. And another thing that I think is interesting is I don't think that there's a lot of swimwear brands that are able to jump from swimwear to ready to wear. And I know we probably will talk about that more, but I think that we were in a very unique position because of the way that we built the brand about really, truly being a fashion forward swimwear brand, that we are able to jump that way. Most swimwear brands go into activewear. Correct. Which a lot of people always suggested that we do. But for me, the goal was. And the people I consider our competitors are brands that, you know, have accessories. They're not just swimwear brands, footwear, everything. And that's the vision that we want.

[Ryan Horn]

To take more of a lifestyle vision as opposed to, like, thinking of ourselves narrowly in that swimwear field.

[Jill Manoff]

That's so exciting. So, obviously, before. Before we talk expansion, your following was great, Shay. And then the product is great. Getting the product in front of more people, is that about marketing investments beyond your following? Is that about retail partners or were they necessary? What was key there?

[Shay Marie]

So until two years ago, the brand was fueled solely by organic marketing. I mean, our UGC is amazing and it always has been. We didn't put any money into digital ads. We still haven't spent any money on influencer marketing. We do now invest in digital ads and we've done billboards and things like that, which is exciting. As we've grown now, we have more of a budget to explore these different things. But still, because the brand is so loved, we literally have everyone wearing it, all the coolest it girls, influencers, celebrities, and everyone wants it. And I think that's a testament to the brand itself that we don't have to pay anyone to wear it and pay anyone to promote it.

[Jill Manoff]

You're not kidding. The list is bananas. Of the people who have worn the brand.

[Ryan Horn]

We're very fortunate, very thankful.

[Jill Manoff]

I. Beyonce. I just saw that one. Like, what was the most, like, pinch me moment so far to date for.

[Ryan Horn]

Me or for you? For me, probably. It's Beyonce for sure.

[Jill Manoff]

Yes. So, killer. Shay, do you have one?

[Shay Marie]

Yeah.

[Jill Manoff]

Oh, gosh, I'm so cheesy. I have to add, I can tell.

[Shay Marie]

You the first pinch me moment. It was in the first year of the brand, and Kendall Jenner wore the suit on a yacht in south of France with Harry Styles. And it was on every magazine. And that really put us on the map because it was our first suit that was very recognizable. It had a very distinct style, stitching, pattern. Everybody was like, what is this suit? And then it was like, once you. You saw it, you knew what it was.

[Ryan Horn]

Yeah.

[Jill Manoff]

Oh, my. When you said Kendall on a yacht, I was just going to ask, was she with Harry Styles? Like, I knew the vision.

[Shay Marie]

Why does everybody remember this moment?

[Ryan Horn]

It was. It was. It was a thing.

[Shay Marie]

Yeah.

[Jill Manoff]

Oh, my God. Amazing. Well, tell me what is happening? Like, 2024, like you said, you're putting all your attention on the brand right now, but this is like expansion year. Is it about is there new funding happening or it's just more focus?

[Ryan Horn]

Well, I actually am very proud to say that we've actually never taken on any funding. Same is a self financed business between Shea and myself, it has been self financed since its inception and we are very proud of everything that we have created. Obviously, our customers are our bottom line. We love them, we adore them, and our growth is more fueled by them. We want to grow with our customer base. You know, I think once upon a time when we first launched, you know, we, we are millennials ourselves, right? Ten years ago, we were in a different place in our lives. You know, we were a bit younger, we were traveling in a certain way. But now as we've gotten older, there are more demands to life that we need to meet. Our girl is doing more things. She's getting married, she might be having kids now. You know, she's going to other friends, engagement parties and weddings. We needed to meet her where she is in her life right now as a millennial and also expand to maybe older demographics and younger demographics as they're now coming of age. So the growth really more so came from within and it was an organic thing to meet our customers where they are.

[Shay Marie]

I think people have been wanting this from us for a long time. Not only our customers, retailers we've worked with in the past. Everyone is like, why aren't you at least doing cover ups, just taking the next step? And I think as we launched Ready to Wear, I also didn't want to just do cover ups. I didn't want to pinpoint us in this swim only category. So, you know, we have a whole selection of dresses. We have denim. We're going to right now we're working on our fall collection for next year. And so we really are branching out. We're going to be doing accessories, footwear in 2026. We have a entire plan.

[Jill Manoff]

Man, it's exciting. So children's wear denim. Shea, like literally you had this influencer background. Again, a lot of collaboration with brands. Do you have a, I guess, traditional design background or you're just learning as you go and you know your stuff because you have good taste?

[Shay Marie]

I don't have a traditional design background at all. I think that I just, I've always had good style and good taste and kind of like had my pulse on what's coming next. I have always designed for myself or a girl like me, and it's proven well for us so far. People always ask me, where do you get your inspiration from and sometimes it's hard to answer. I've always said like, style comes from within and it's an art just like any other, you know, just like any artist. And so I don't always know where I get my inspiration from.

[Ryan Horn]

But I'd also like to add that while Shay may not have technical design school experience, having worked with a number of different designers, large and small, on my end, I would say that while she's maybe not catting up styles on a computer, she has far more ability to design than a lot of other people that I've worked with that do have that formal training. So I say all that to say I don't want to discount the talent she brings to the table simply by wrapping it in a question of whether she's had a technical experience, because I've worked with dozens if not a hundred different designers before and many of whom have that technical experience but cannot convey their design ideas with the same strength that she can.

[Shay Marie]

And I think like the secret sauce that makes a brand successful like that can't really be taught. It's something that you have with.

[Ryan Horn]

It's inherent.

[Jill Manoff]

Tell me you were talking about your followers, your audience growing up. Like is your follower also your shopper or what do you know about the overlap? And maybe I'm sure there are of shoppers who weren't original followers, but I don't know, learned about you through your brand. But tell me about it.

[Shay Marie]

Definitely. As Ryan mentioned earlier, I used to, whenever I would get stopped on the street or when I was traveling, it was always people who followed me or who liked my content or back in the day who liked my blog. Now most of the time people stop me and they say we love your brand. Which that is more rewarding than anything. But it also kind of shows me a shift in, you know, people following me also because of my career or respecting me because of what I've built. And I think I would say, you know, my following demographic is very similar to Sames. I would say, you know, 20 to 45 is probably like our core demographic and then it goes down and up from there and we are trying to expand that. And because we've been around for so long, we have such a selection, such an offering. We really have something for everyone. We have things that are, you know, show a little more skin, that are playful prints or we have high waisted styles that are more chic and classic and timeless. Really there is something for everybody.

[Ryan Horn]

To Shay's point regarding our customer base and her following, I want to kind of throw in a funny story that kind of encapsulates how we feel like we're growing. We were on a brand trip and we were having a lunch and, you know, it was just our table and some friends of ours and the table next to us recognized Shay and they were like, oh, my God, you have the brand. Same. We love it. And it was a family at this. At this lunch table, and there was a mother and a daughter there, and the daughter said, I'm obsessed with your double layer styles. I have them in every single color. And then the mom chimed in and was like, I'm obsessed with your chain styles. I have them in every single color. And for us, that was such a cool moment because it was a mom and a daughter both chiming in on how much they love the brand without us even saying anything or doing anything. You know what I mean? We're just random people sitting in a restaurant. And that really was a cathartic moment, I think, for the both of us that showed us the impact that we're doing and how far we can go with that.

[Shay Marie]

And there shouldn't be an age on feeling beautiful and fashion forward and chic. And so we do always want to try to have everything, have something for everyone.

[Jill Manoff]

Nice. Your audience, are you hearing demand before you launch children's? Like you said, they're saying it's about time you launched Ready to Wear. We were looking for cover ups, but to what extent are you hearing your category expansion demands before you launch them? Like it's a direct connection?

[Shay Marie]

Yeah, I think. Well, Ryan had a baby, so that helped.

[Ryan Horn]

Personally inspired. I had a little girl, so a lot of it did come from that. That being said, it goes back to the point that I was saying earlier in that we're trying to grow with our customer in the same way that when I first started, same with Shay, I was not in the time of my life to where I even wanted a child. And now here I am 10 years later. That really mimics a lot of us right now. You know what I mean? And I think it is important to meet your customer where she is right now. And it really was such an obvious extension for us. We just adore it. We adore it.

[Shay Marie]

We were already making swimwear and really cute, fun and stripes. That just made sense for these mommy and me moments that are so viral on Instagram, social media that people love. So, you know, it started off as like just a little capsule collection. Let's just make a few so that we can, you know, meet our mommy and me. Customer and then we've grown it from there.

[Ryan Horn]

Yep.

[Shay Marie]

But we keep it separate. It has its own name. It's called Samezies. It has its own Instagram. We do keep it separate from Same because we understand that. I would say probably most of our customers aren't looking for. For that.

[Ryan Horn]

Sure.

[Jill Manoff]

Yes. So smart. So cute. Shay, how is your quote unquote influencer career, like, change? Are you dedicating as much time to it now or, you know, has. Is that just like, kind of been compartmentalized to, like, you'll work with brands that are worth, I guess, distracting from your brand or how would you consider it?

[Shay Marie]

Yeah, I'm very specific about the influencer partnerships I do now, especially just because I don't have the time. And I burnt myself out so much in the past and I just realized that I can't do it all. And I really am. I love working on Same. It's truly my baby and I'm so focused on what we're going to become. And so I've had to say no to a lot of other opportunities to. To stay focused on the business. So I would say, you know, I still do some things, but not nearly as much as I used to. And I've just accepted that you can't do it all. And I got to. I have to stick to what makes me the most happy and what brings me the most joy. Joy. And that's seeing my brand grow and seeing people love it.

[Jill Manoff]

Amazing. Ryan, you had all of this community, this network, when it comes to launching new categories, like, how are you going about establishing partners and choosing the right partners and you're going to be launching handbags and shoes. Like, do you have all of those guys in your network? Like, has this been a challenge?

[Ryan Horn]

It's absolutely been a challenge. A welcome challenge, but a challenge nonetheless. I think for a certain extent, some things are carryover. Meaning because I was in the Los Angeles manufacturing world for so long, there were certain contacts that I already had. Like, for example, for our denim. That being said, there's a lot that I don't know as well. You know, specifically in the ready to wear fields. That being said, because I'm already a manufacturer, because I'm already relatively well known in my business and have developed a good reputation, the hardest part when dealing with other factories is getting them to take your phone call. Right. It's getting someone to take you seriously. Same having such a solid brand name and aesthetic, in addition to me having connections, even if that wasn't the side of the business that I was on. I've always referred people, people referred people to me. So I had a network, you know what I mean? I just didn't have to deep dive into it. So now I would say it's more of adjusting to the learning curve. Outside of being able to maybe facilitate certain things, I have to now learn it. Whereas I could tell you the construction of a swimsuit and elastic and fabric inside and out, I could not do so with denim. Right. It's a new vocabulary that one has to learn. There are similarities, but also more differences and similarities. So I think right now it's understanding the manufacturing process and how it changes across categories. And my previous experience only really helps insofar as my network, you know what I mean? Knowing that I could pick up the phone and in one degree of separation find a great contact for whatever we're looking for. But outside of that, I don't. I only really was a swimwear expert. I knew what I knew and that was it.

[Jill Manoff]

Well, that's worked to your advantage. As the company has grown in terms of revenue, has the count, your staff grown? Like how large is the company now? What can you share and. Yeah, how many people are working on this project?

[Shay Marie]

We are growing and we need more people also desperately. And like the growth has happened very fast. I mean, our sales have been tripling, quadrupling each year. And so I think our team has not grown to match that. It is also it's hard finding the right team and that's the harder part. The hiring process means not a lot is said about the hiring process, but how much work that is and, you know, finding people that have the same vision and the same drive and same dedication as you. And our, our team is about 10 now and we have a lot of freelance people. It is very small, much smaller than most people would think. And that's also because we are a D2C brand. So we, because we don't, you know, we don't do wholesale, we don't need a huge sales team and all of that right now. We also don't have a retail store, which we are hoping that we will next year. But we're just looking for the right space. So that, that kind of depends on that. But as we kind of enter these new one categories and new milestones, we're hiring people as need be.

[Ryan Horn]

I mean, I would definitely say that we are fortunate as from a financial point of view in that we are very capitally efficient organization. We are able to produce a sizable revenue with probably half of the staff that other Larger brands have. That being said, we are going through a growing, growing pains of adding on people. I think that for us, it's more complicated as far as bringing someone on that understands the aesthetic that we are doing. Because like we were saying before, you can't teach a lot about a lot of who we are. It has to be inherent with you, and then we have to train you after that. So I think that for us, it's bringing on the right people, not just anybody. And we are very focused in growing correctly. You know what I mean? And that really is a testament to how capitally efficient we are because we are all so good at working with one another. Everyone here, you don't have to explain it twice. Everyone gets the mission. We have employees that can look at something and we joke literally, as if they're Shay's eyes. You know, they can give a response as if it's Shay because they know what she's going to say. You can't teach that to a new person so easily. Right? So I think that we're working on it. We have a lot of positions to fill.

[Shay Marie]

Everyone on our team right now wears.

[Jill Manoff]

A lot of anyone looking, if anyone's looking.

[Shay Marie]

But, yeah, historically, everyone has taken on a lot of roles. And so we are now kind of trying to, you know, streamline those positions.

[Ryan Horn]

Right.

[Shay Marie]

Bring on more people to help fuel our growth.

[Jill Manoff]

Oh, my gosh. But, yeah, when you're working that tightly and doing bringing one bad egg into the mix. Yes, I understand the challenge of hiring. Tell me how you guys are approaching the holiday season. We're in full swing. Like, what does that mean for you? Are promotions essential? And are people shopping swimwear and your other categories now? What's happening?

[Shay Marie]

So historically, our business has been a very seasonal business. Right. Summer, you know, we were doing 75% of our sales in the summer. So now that we've launched Ready to Wear and this, this year is our first season that we really do have a true resort collection and holiday, like a little bit of a holiday collection. We missed fall this year based off of when we started designing Ready to Wear, but we did get some holiday and in some resorts. So that's really exciting and it's showing to be really successful. We already sold out of one of our red holiday dresses and we only do two promotions a year. And we never wanted to become a brand that people rely on waiting for these sales, a discount brand. So we do a Black Friday sale, which, you know, just finished, and then we do a Memorial Day sale, and these sales actually do really, really well for us. And so over the past week, we really ran through a lot of our inventory and a lot of our holiday dresses sold out. So that was exciting. And it kind of, you know, shows the potential that the brand has for next year and helps us kind of decide what will be our next steps and in our production for next year.

[Jill Manoff]

Smart, smart. What's the end game here? Any plans to eventually sell the brand? Like, where do you want to take this?

[Ryan Horn]

We'll have to see, I guess.

[Shay Marie]

Yeah, I mean, I think that, I think, of course that's the end game. I mean, I also like right now, I love doing it so much. So I think that, you know, we're happy and it's fun and it's exciting. It's exciting to watch it grow. And I think that if I didn't have the brand right now, I would, I don't know, I feel like I like, I like where we're at. But, you know, hopefully that there's a, there's a five year plan for sure.

[Ryan Horn]

Right.

[Jill Manoff]

Okay. Fantastic. And 2025 is the year. Full head to toe look, full lifestyle.

[Ryan Horn]

That's absolutely it.

[Jill Manoff]

Oh my gosh. Huge. You will have to make several new hires. We will be watching. Yeah, I'm really like, hire now. That's so scary. No, you'll be great.

[Shay Marie]

It is, it is.

[Ryan Horn]

Honestly, it's all terrifying.

[Shay Marie]

It's all terrifying. And it's even more terrifying too because it all, it, it is all self funded.

[Jill Manoff]

Yeah, right.

[Shay Marie]

That's all her money. That's very risky. We are learning, you know, that is why people take on investors so that you aren't just playing with your own money. You can then make a little bit more risky decisions which could, you know, produce more in the end, produce more value. But we're figuring it out as we go, right?

[Jill Manoff]

Yes. Would you be open to investment? Like, it would just have to be the right investor and you'd be at a point when you're ready to like open stores or a major investment such as that. Yeah, yeah.

[Shay Marie]

I just think we don't need it yet. And because we've been growing so much, it would be silly for us to take it right now.

[Ryan Horn]

Absolutely. That.

[Shay Marie]

So that's more the point.

[Ryan Horn]

That's more the point. We need to continue to flourish organically on our own. Get the categories open that we want to open, get some of the retail spaces open that we want to open. All of which we've already budgeted to self finance without anyone's help. And then once we reach those milestones. I think that we can take a step back and look at the larger worldwide business as a whole and kind of see what we need to exponentially grow from there. Right.

[Shay Marie]

We have interest from, we have a lot of interest all around the world. I mean different territories, different countries wanting to open stores and there's a lot. But like we're trying to focus on building the product right now and then, you know, do a more and do.

[Ryan Horn]

What makes sense for us. Because all money isn't good money. Right. And sometimes when you take on money, they want you to do a little bit too much before you're ready. We don't want to over overly saturate this brand with all this random product just to make sure we're making a certain amount of a margin for an investor. You know, Shay and I are very good about making sacrifices even on from an ownership standpoint in order to invest in other categories in order to grow the business where we think it should grow as opposed to what some outsider wants to tell us it should. Where, where, where they think it should grow. So it's really about being organic and intelligent with our money right now. We are so fortunate to have our customers which are amazing and have been through, been with us through the beginning, since the beginning. But now we need to take it to the next level. But we need to do that, the two of us, you know.

[Jill Manoff]

Yes. We don't want anybody outside. Bossy pants. Yeah.

[Shay Marie]

And we've been, we've been putting all of our money back into growing the company. Even Ryan and I joke sometimes. We're like, wow, we could have both bought a house.

[Ryan Horn]

Yeah.

[Shay Marie]

Correct on the correct. But we're like, no, not at all. It's all going back into the company because we truly believe in the potential. And I think that's so important in a brand's success is having the founders truly, truly believe in it.

[Ryan Horn]

Absolutely.

[Jill Manoff]

Absolutely. Good point. To end it, I just wondered, did you do a, have you done a pop up yet? You're thinking about a store, but have there been pop. No pop ups.

[Shay Marie]

We have a pop up. Yeah. I ideally would want to go straight into our first store. We're ready for it. We're ready to do it. We want to make it beautiful, we want to make it special. I've been touring spaces, we haven't found the right one where we want to be. There's no space available. So we're basically waiting for a space to show up. So it could be two months, it could be a year. We don't know, but we know where we want to be and we're ready to do it.

[Jill Manoff]

Is it more like an outdoor lifestyle center type place where you want to be?

[Shay Marie]

Yeah, I mean, I would. It's not. It's not a secret. We want to be in the Miami Design District and.

[Jill Manoff]

Oh, yes.

[Shay Marie]

Or in SoHo in New York. But Miami would be our first choice. And so I've, you know, I've toured many spaces there, and we're on the lookout for the right one, but it's definitely a work in progress, kind of a waiting game.

[Jill Manoff]

Oh, my gosh. So in demand. I was just interviewing Reed Krakow, who's with John Hardy, and they just. They have a newer, newer store there, and he was just like, the Miami Design District, it's where it's at. Yeah, I think that's a good goal.

[Shay Marie]

It makes sense for our brand. Also, they want to have us there too, so they're trying to help us find a space because they don't have anything else there. Like same. And sometimes these kind of newer cool it girl brands with cult followings really pull people into that area. Right. Like, even things like Aloe and Cult Gaia are really drawing a lot of people to that space. And those are newer kind of brands that I would say same is in the same category as.

[Jill Manoff]

Totally. Well, you guys, good luck. It's awesome to see and hear about your growth. I'm excited to see what you do next. Thanks for being my guest today.

[Ryan Horn]

Thank you so much, Jill.

[Shay Marie]

You're so sweet.

[Ryan Horn]

So sweet.

[Jill Manoff]

Thanks, guys. That's all for this episode. Our theme music is by Otis McDonald. Be sure to give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening to the Glossy Podcast. See you next week.