Meet the Founder: How Amali Swim Started With $2K and a Dream
When I was 19, I was studying primary education at the University of the Sunshine Coast. I thought I had my path all figured out until I didn’t. Somewhere between the lectures and lesson plans, I realised my heart wasn’t in it. I wanted to build something that felt more like me, something creative, free, and connected to the coast I grew up on.
So I took a chance. With $2,000 in savings and zero experience in business, I started Amali Swim. It wasn’t planned or perfect, but it was real.
What sparked the idea for Amali Swim
Amali started with a simple idea: to create swimwear that women could actually live in. Pieces that felt supportive, comfortable, and beautiful all at once. I wanted designs you could swim, surf, move, and breathe in, not just wear for photos.
At the time, I couldn’t find bikinis that felt both flattering and functional, so I decided to make them myself. I sketched ideas in my notes app, researched fabrics, and found a small local manufacturer who believed in what I was doing.
The learning curves
Starting a business as a teenager was no easy thing. I had to teach myself everything, from building a website and budgeting to designing collections and standing behind a market stall at sunrise. There were moments I cried in my car before a market, moments I questioned everything, and moments where one small sale reminded me why I started.
But every challenge shaped me into a better designer, and every mistake became part of Amali’s story.
The first market
My first market was small, just a few racks, a sign, and a lot of nerves. I remember setting everything up by hand and hoping someone would stop to look. When my first customer walked up, touched the fabric, and said “This feels amazing,” I knew I was doing something right.
Those early markets taught me the importance of connection. Every woman who stopped by shared her story, her fit struggles, her confidence wins, and that’s what built Amali.
What Amali means to me now
Amali started as just a name. Now it’s a reflection of everything I value: movement, comfort, confidence, and authenticity. It’s grown with me through university, business, and life in Noosa.
I still design each piece with the same intention: for real women who move. I test every style myself in Pilates, at the beach, on walks, to make sure it feels right before it ever launches.
Balancing uni, business, and life
Balancing university and Amali hasn’t been easy. Some nights I’m up late working on assignments after being at a market all day. Other times, I’m answering emails between classes. But I wouldn’t trade it.
Running Amali while studying has taught me structure, discipline, and how to back myself even when it’s hard. Noosa gives me balance. The ocean resets me, the markets keep me inspired, and the community keeps me grounded.
To other young women starting something of their own
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to start. Your first steps don’t have to be perfect, they just have to be yours.
Amali began with $2K and a dream. If I can do it, so can you.