Amber Boyers, launched the swimwear brand Baiia in 2016 as a side project, while working three jobs and managing a successful fashion blog.
The brand provides sustainable, ethically created, beautiful swimwear for women of all shapes and sizes and a tailoring service for those who have undergone a mastectomy, would like extra comfort while breastfeeding, or want the suit to fit them perfectly.
The business now has headquarters in Brisbane, a team of 13 staff, a growing international presence and is on the way to hitting $8 million this calendar year.
We recently spoke to Amber about how Baiia took off after a Facebook post promoting the original Baiia three-piece wrap suit caught women’s attention.
Was there a particular spark or a significant turning point that led you to start your swimwear brand Baiia?
Growing up I always had a spark for fashion, but something that was maybe less obvious to those around me was that I always loved business. Ever since I was around 5 years old, I was fascinated with how I could create value with something, whether it was a product or service and from that value I could create money.
Coming from a home where we didn’t have a lot of money, I knew that if I could earn it early somehow, then I could create opportunities for myself and my family. I’d create and sell jewellery, pastries, artworks, doorknock for household jobs etc from a young age. I think it was really only a matter of time before I combined my love for fashion and business, coupled with my newfound passion for sustainability and created a product that solved a problem that I myself was experiencing, which was not feeling confident or feminine in swimwear.
You launched the business in 2016 while working three jobs and managing a successful fashion blog, how did you manage that feat?
I’d always put more on my plate than I knew I could manage when I was younger (I’m much better at not doing that now!) and so at the time this was quite normal to me.
I think it’s good to do as much as you can while you’re young, hungry and explorative, with little liabilities or responsibilities. Mostly, I was really lucky to have a supportive boyfriend and family around me who could help me see when I was close to burn out, and would help out so I didn’t over-extend myself.
I also just really believed that it would all work out one day. I knew my idea of the wrapsuit was one-of-a-kind and I really made it my sole purpose to share it with the world. That kind of mental reminder really carried me through times of self-doubt, and helped me to meet the right people who would help on my journey.
When you initially started your business, what hurdles did you face?
Not having the finances to spend on any of the business operations. Time was also a limiting factor but I would always make time for the business because I needed it to work.
Funnily enough, I think not having money turned out to be one of my greatest drivers. It pushed me to learn, take risks and grow my business because I really had no other choice. Now that I am more comfortable with my finances, it’s actually been difficult to find the motivation to build new businesses, despite all the experience, team members and resources I have to do it.
The lack of experience when it comes to product development or working with manufacturers was also a huge hurdle and still sometimes is – but in the early days, this could mean boxes of stock showing up that were the wrong colour or unsellable, which was incredibly challenging but forced me to innovate and get creative.
Who or what was integral to you overcoming these hurdles?
Managing my mind was, and still is my biggest contributor to the success I’ve experienced. I was fortunate to have people in my life who were able to call me out on limiting beliefs, and could soundboard ideas together to move past them.
Some of my friends were coaches, and I really respected and acted on their advice. Once I got to a point where I could afford paid coaches, I actively sought out coaching and that helped significantly.
To build a successful business, you’ll have to work through a lot of difficult moments. The good news is, the difficult moments can be turned into opportunities for your business, but you’ll need to really manage your mind and thoughts to see it that way when you’re in the thick of it.
Baiia took off in 2019, after a Facebook post promoting the original Baiia three-piece wrap suit, can you tell us more about that?
More so than any one post, it was really having the confidence and clarity on profit to scale into Facebook ads and actually putting money behind my posts. That’s really when the business started making any profits.
What makes Baiia unique?
There are so many things that make us unique, from our world-first designs, to the versatility and multi-functionality of our garments, but something really unique that makes me proudest is our ability to speak to so many different groups of women. The Baiia woman isn’t a certain age, a certain size or a certain ethnicity – from the maiden to the matriarch, all women can find themselves represented within our brand.
As a cornerstone of the brand, we innately recognise what we women have in common, yet focus upon and celebrate the unique and interesting ways we are all so wonderfully different. With flattering, feminine fits, designed with versatility in mind, each woman has the ability to find her own unique self-expression within the brand.
What is a piece of advice you wish you had been told before starting your entrepreneurial journey?
During difficult moments (which you’ll have!) you must keep reminding yourself that you’re exactly where you need to be right now. It may feel painful, difficult, or scary but the future version of yourself has gone through this, and she knows how to get out of it stronger.
Future you also wouldn’t be the success she is, if she didn’t experience what current you are going through right now. Trust the process. Keep going back to your vision, and that future version of yourself who’s accomplished it. That will make the messy moments make a bit more sense, and perhaps even a little more bearable.
What is your favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
I love knowing that by following my dream and building a business I’m opening doors for others. My team can seek opportunities that otherwise may not have been their reality, my customers finally for the first time in decades feel comfortable enough to wear a swimsuit in public, or another budding entrepreneur is tenacious with their dream because they can see what’s possible for them. By trusting myself, and showing up for my vision, I can truly experience the best of life and bring others along with me.
How do you personally measure success?
Creating opportunities for myself and loved ones, and knowing that by showing up for my vision and myself, I can help to make a positive impact in others’ lives and the planet.
What’s next for you as an entrepreneur and for Baiia?
I’ve been employed since I was 12 so there really hasn’t been a time in my adolescent or adult life where I wasn’t continuously working. I’ve built a lot of my identity and worth on how productive I am, and my new focus will be ‘unlearning’ that.
I’m grateful to have now built a business that can operate without me for a period of time, so the next step for me will be slowing down, travelling, recharging and enjoying the remainder of my 20’s.
The thought of this is already challenging, but with creativity and innovation being strengths I most value, I know those strengths will only benefit from me taking a break and bouncing back with inspiration and vigour. I do have a lot of plans underway for new products, fabrics and ways of doing things in Baiia, but I know they won’t be executed with the best of intentions if I don’t step back for a minute and fill my cup.
We Are Emersyn uses an inclusive definition “female” and “women” and we welcome trans people, women, genderqueer women, and non-binary people who identify, have identified, or have been identified as female, women, or non-binary.