Minnow Swim for the Little Fishies in Your Life

Morgan Smith is the do-it-all mama, entrepreneur, and founder of Minnow Swim, a children's swimwear line known for its precious details and subtle, sun-kissed color palettes. With the coastline serving as inspiration and Smith’s advanced skills with the Internet, Minnow Swim has flourished into a successful international business that began at home in Laguna Beach.

The founder’s entrepreneurial drive coupled with her rich background in premium product marketing and years spent working in the fashion industry was the perfect recipe for the budding brand. But it wasn’t until a trip to the Amalfi Coast that the actual idea for Minnow Swim was sparked...

“It was oddly challenging to find a swimsuit for my son that was classic, clean, and simple,” she remembers. “I thought about the suits we had back home in Laguna Beach, and all of them were special finds — something I found off Etsy or random sites where I happened to like the print that season. But I was disappointed with the swim assortment for children — I could never find classic, consistent, or a great fit. So I decided to create my own!”

Today, the locally made, contemporary children’s swimwear label embraces clean lines and simple details. 

With their timeless, playful, and polished look, Minnow Swim takes an elevated approach to sandy toes and sunset dips.

The direct-to-consumer brand proves that a business does not have to move to a major metropolitan area to be successful. “With the beauty of the Internet, I think business can be done anywhere!” explains Smith, who still lives and helms the brand in Laguna.

Despite Smith’s prior knowledge in marketing, the majority of her success was self-taught. “In the beginning it was just me — a lot of following leads and clues, piecing things together one day at a time, and asking others that came before me for help,” she recalls of the early days.

Using unique and memorable campaigns, a well-curated social media feed, and advertisements that will totally get you scoping out their website (even if you don’t have little ones to shop for), the entrepreneur hones in on this new era of digitally native businesses.

And despite the lack of face-to-face communication, Smith still manages to form authentic and meaningful relationships with her clients. “We genuinely love our customers, what they value, and where they prefer to travel. All of these things naturally help us connect with them,” she smiles. “I have so many mom crushes on our customers.”

For entrepreneurs looking to dip their toes in the business world, Morgan Smith swears by authenticity. “To me, authenticity is a huge component of a brand. Stay true to who you are and what you love and don’t deviate because consistency builds trust. A strong sense of brand identity attracts people towards you and helps you stand out.”

Photos by: Sarah Pankow.

Emily Moore is an LMU summa cum laude graduate of Communications and English studies. She is an avid trinket collector, self-proclaimed poet, trail runner, and lover of all things found in Erewhon Market. She is the project manager at the fullest. Find her at @emmmmillyy or on her website. 

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