Sienna Mae Gomez, in a red lace tank top, smiles and talks with a group of people outdoors at the Sienna Swim pop-up, with a crowd gathered in the background.

WHAT THIS WEEKEND TAUGHT ME ABOUT BUILDING A BRAND

Sunday, November 9, was one of those days I’ll remember forever. We hosted a Sienna Swim pop-up in San Diego from 8am to 3pm, and more than 700 people showed up – over 100 people per hour! The line wrapped down the street. Checkout waits hit nearly two hours. Girls were making new friends in line, cheering each other on in the mirror, comparing colors, swapping sizes, calling their sisters and friends.

Left: A mirror with the SIENNA SWIM logo reflects guests waiting in line at the pop-up. Top right: A group of women stand near a red Sienna Swim Holiday Pop-Up sign while chatting outside. Bottom right: A long line of customers waits along the sidewalk outside the pop-up event.

In the middle of all that noise and energy, something shifted for me: this is what it looks like to build something real. Not a trend. Not a moment. A brand.

And I want to talk about the part of this journey that so many of you ask me about:
How did I become a founder? Why did I choose to build a company instead of staying solely in the influencer world, even though that would’ve been the simpler route?

Why I Wanted to Build Something That Matters

When I started dreaming up Sienna Swim, I kept hearing the same question in my head: If I’m going to create something, what do I want it to stand for?

I didn’t want to make products just to say I made something. I didn’t want quick trends or one-season hype. I wanted to create pieces girls could depend on - pieces that feel like confidence, that move with you, that make you feel strong and beautiful without trying too hard.

Top left: Shoppers browse racks of Sienna Swim and Routine the Brand products at an outdoor pop-up. Top right: A smiling guest poses for a photo with the event host outside the shop. Bottom left: Three women hold Sienna Swim pieces while smiling at the camera. Bottom right: Racks of assorted Sienna Swim bikini tops and bottoms displayed at the pop-up event.

I wanted to build a brand with intention. One that girls could trust - not because of who I am online, but because of the quality, the integrity, and the heart behind what we make.

That shift - creating pieces with real purpose and care - is what started my transition from influencer to founder.

Becoming a Founder Meant Taking Myself Seriously First

People see the launches, the pop-ups, the colors, the crowds. But becoming a founder requires everything underneath:

• learning supply chain
• understanding margins and production
• designing and fit testing real bodies
• forecasting and inventory
• customer service
• brand identity
• logistics (the unglamorous kind)
• and thousands of tiny decisions that never make it to a camera roll

To become a founder, I had to believe I could build something bigger than a moment on the internet. I had to work like a founder long before I felt like one.

I’m inspired by other women who build with intention - women who don’t just settle for being the face of something, but choose to build something deeper. Women who move with purpose. Women who see their business as an extension of their values.

That’s the direction I wanted to grow into.

The Pop-Up Proved How Strong Our Community Is

Watching more than 700 women show up for a small, independent swimwear brand was overwhelming in the best way, and I loved meeting every single person!

Top left: Clothing rack of Routine the Brand pajama sets in various prints, including cherries and bows. Top right: Three young women pose together outside the pop-up, smiling at the camera. Bottom left: Two women take a selfie together while holding a Sienna Swim shopping bag. Bottom right: Customers line up outside Coffee Coffee, the location of the Sienna Swim pop-up.

This time, it wasn’t just Sienna Swim, either. We brought Routine the Brand, my second company, and girls were able to shop our organic bamboo pajama sets in person for the very first time. Seeing people discover both brands side-by-side - one for swim, one for sleep - made the day feel even more surreal.

We launched in 2022, and since then Sienna Swim has quietly grown into a seven-figure brand - not because we move fast, but because we build intentionally and the community keeps showing up.

I don’t share numbers often, but saying that feels important. It represents trust. Growth. Proof that what we’re building resonates with women beyond a single season or trend cycle.

At the pop-up, women came up to me to say things like “I’ve been waiting for this,” “This fits me better than anything else,” “I’ve never felt this confident in a swimsuit.”

That’s when it clicked: they aren’t just buying suits. They’re buying how the brand makes them feel. They’re buying into the community we’re building. And that means everything to me.

What I Want Girls to Know

Large left: Sienna Mae Gomez poses with a guest in front of the shop during the pop-up. Top middle: Three customers hold Sienna Swim pieces while smiling at the camera. Top right: Two women take a selfie together, one holding a Sienna Swim shopping bag. Bottom middle: Shoppers browse racks of swimwear displayed outdoors. Bottom right: Three women pose together holding their Sienna Swim purchases.

If you’ve ever looked at what I’m doing and wondered how I got here, this is what I want you to hear:

You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You don’t need a perfect plan or a business degree.
You don’t need permission.

You need purpose.
You need patience.
You need discipline.

And you need to trust that your ideas are worth building.

Becoming a founder isn’t about fame.
It’s not about going viral.
It’s not about being the “face” of anything.

It’s about creating something that outlives trends.
It’s about choosing long-term impact over short-term attention.
It’s about deciding that people deserve better, and then doing the work to bring that to life.

That’s the mission I’m carrying. And this weekend made that clearer than ever.

Top left: Two women talk with a customer holding a drink and a Sienna Swim shopping bag. Top right: Close-up of Sienna Mae Gomez smiling while holding a latte in a white cup. Bottom: Sienna Mae Gomez smiles while speaking with guests gathered outdoors at the pop-up.

This Is Only the Beginning

Being a founder can be unglamorous, and to be totally transparent - I’ve been feeling underwhelmed with the business lately. When our busy summer season closed out, I think I checked out too. Burnout happens, even when you love what you’re building.

But the pop-up reminded me why I started, who I’m creating for, and what I want these brands to become.

Three years in, I’m more committed than ever to building pieces with integrity, experiences with meaning, and brands rooted in confidence, strength, and connection.

-Thank you for showing up - online and in person.
-Thank you for trusting me with your summers and every season you’ve found yourself in one of our pieces.
-Thank you for letting me grow into this role.

I’m learning. I’m growing. I’m building. And I’m excited to keep growing these brands with purpose - creating pieces and experiences that feel like comfort, confidence, and home.

Love,
Sienna

 

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