Who are you, and what do you do?
My name is Samantha Alario and I am the owner and creative director of Gemini Mountain Swimwear
What has been one insight or lesson that has been most helpful in your career?
Don’t be afraid to not scale. There has always been this overwhelming emphasis, perhaps made up in my own head, to scale and grow the business exponentially. But find the sweet spot and stay in your lane as to only judge your efforts against yourself. Revenue and profit and far from the same thing.
What has been your favorite mistake? A mistake that in retrospect led to a great lesson and progress.
Not sure I’ve made big enough mistakes yet. But I would say, my favorite mistake so far has been misprinting 500 t-shirts that were supposed to be used as marketing promotional giveaway material. Not sure what it taught me other than to slow down and stick to what I know best, bikinis
Project forward ten years. How will your industry or field be fundamentally different then? What opportunities do you see?
So many opportunities for growth! Our culture and societal norms are making swimwear way more approachable and there’s so many sales and marketing channels to explore.
What are some bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?
We have a super solid group of entrepreneurs in Missoula and I’m continually excited to hear what they have to say and learn from their experiences.
In the last two years, what have you become better at saying no to?
Giving stuff away.
What is the one book you recommend most often and why?
Women Who Run with the Wolves. A great book about spirit and the willingness to go against the grain of a culture that is not true to oneself.
What advice would you give a smart and ambitious recent college graduate? What advice should they ignore?
Find something you’re passionate about and turn it into a hustle by making that passion fulfill a need that is sustainable and long lasting. Work hard, network, be nice and give back. Don’t let someone tell you that your personality is wrong for the part, be it too shy, or too confident. If you have a product that can fulfill a need in a sustainable manner, hustle it.
What is your favorite quote, one you aim to live by?
One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul – Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estes
