We were lucky to catch up with Anna Long recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna, thanks for joining us today. Do you have any advice regarding quality control and maintaining quality as your brand grows?

Picture this – you’re relaxing poolside with friends and decide to take a dip to cool off. But just as you’re unwinding, so does your bikini. This happened to a close friend of mine who was wearing a fast fashion brand bikini. As soon as we got into the pool, her suit unraveled. Swimwear can be such an intimate and vulnerable purchase for a woman, and the thought of having a wardrobe malfunction in a bikini is my worst nightmare.

Which leads me to RIVI and why we pride ourselves on our quality control. Quality control is a vital component of our success. To ensure quality of every piece, I’ve vetted multiple manufacturers and ordered several samples to be able to touch and physically check the stitching and overall quality of the construction of our designs.

Each suit goes through quality control with the manufacturer, but then I personally check each one before it goes into its packaging and gets shipped out. Our customers love that they can wear the suits repeatedly and the quality and fit never changes.

For the launch of the Sunrise Collection, our eco-friendly line featuring recycled fabrics, we could have cut our costs by not vetting as many manufacturers, but quality is the core of our business. This is a non-negotiable for us.

Anna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

RIVI is about embracing that summer-feeling all year long. We love being a small part of our RIVI babes’ sun-soaked adventures, from: surfing, hiking in Hawaii, yachting in Greece, or simply sipping cocktails poolside. It’s so much fun being able to see where the suits have traveled and the good times and memories they have been part of.

Being able to make a personal connection is another highlight of running a small business and something I don’t take for granted. When people email or direct message RIVI Swimwear on social media to ask questions about our bikini styles and which size would fit best, they are chatting directly with me. Each bikini shipped is packaged by me with so much love and excitement that the company is reaching another amazing woman out there.

When designing our swimwear – comfort and fit come first and foremost, and our suits also have sex appeal. These bikinis are designed to last and maintain their quality. The Sunrise Collection features recycled fabrics and 4 different style tops and bottoms so you can mix and match and find your perfect fit. I also offer free exchanges so you can try on in the comfort of your home and know you will be 100% happy with your purchase.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Word of mouth and our loyal customer base is our power duo. They both are the most effective – and the most fun – part of the business! I love learning how new customers find our boutique brand. Some have heard about RIVI from a girlfriend while they were on vacation and she was rocking a RIVI suit, or I’ve met them personally at a pop-up shop event. The best is when I get to help a customer pick out the correct size and style suit they are gifting to their other half or a best friend. It’s fun to be a part of that surprise moment.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I have had my fair share of ups and downs, and let me tell you – entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. The highs make you feel like you finally have it all figured out and all the risks were worth it, and the lows have you questioning why you started this crazy adventure in the first place. From the first manufacturer taking our deposit and running with our money, language barriers with vendors, shipping delays, self-doubt and having multiple rounds of samples because the correction didn’t achieve the look you wanted, I am proud of myself for not giving up. I always remind myself and have my circle of family and close friends that remind me that through perseverance you will succeed. One moment that really sticks out to me this year is when I was hard on myself and the growth rate of the brand, and then we had the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders reach out to have RIVI be a part of their swimsuit calendar photoshoot. Our boutique brand? Really? But they reached out to us! I literally couldn’t believe it and thought the email was spam. Two weeks later, I was dropping off a goodie bag with samples for the amazing women to wear on their photoshoot in Mexico. I left the parking lot and had tears of joy and relief running down my face. It was a moment of disbelief, and I gave myself a pat on the back. It was a moment where I told myself I can do this and I am where I am supposed to be.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.riviswimwear.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riviswimwear/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riviswimwear