UConn alum and swimsuit entrepreneur Hayley Segar ’17 (CLAS) impressed ABC’s “Shark Tank” judges, and left the entrepreneurship competition with a business deal with two of them.
Despite a case of nerves prior to the segment’s taping, Segar was confident and composed when describing onewith, a women’s swimsuit startup that eliminates seams and other uncomfortable features of swimwear. Segar has repeatedly described her business as a UConn-fueled company.
Veteran “Shark” Barbara Corcoran and newcomer Jamie Kern Lima offered Segar $200,000, and plenty of business expertise, in exchange for a 20% stake in the company. Segar enthusiastically accepted their offer.
Onewith has sold $2.3 million in product since its creation at the end of 2021. Following the “Shark Tank” broadcast on Friday, the swimsuit website received tremendous traction, at one point hosting 20,000 visitors at the same time.
‘The Story of Every Entrepreneur’
Segar celebrated on Saturday night with a party for more than 100 friends, family members, and business mentors, at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. The event featured live sharks circling a tank, dinner and a prosecco bar, bags of shark-shaped candy for guests, and an immeasurable amount of excitement.
“To be successful on ‘Shark Tank’ is so incredibly validating,’’ she said. “It feels crazy to have this out in the open now after keeping it in my mind and heart for so long.’’ A non-disclosure agreement prevented her from discussing her experience since the September taping.
Segar, a native of New London, told her guests that the joy and excitement depicted on TV is only one part of the entrepreneurship journey.
“I’m a private person, I keep my head down and I work hard…this is about much more than getting on a show,’’ she said. “I’ve had to fight for every aspect of my business.’’
Becoming an entrepreneur requires sacrifices, grueling hours, and overcoming moments when all seems hopeless, she said.
She became emotional when she shared how “Shark Tank’s” Kevin O’Leary complimented her pitch. “Very impressive presentation. I usually find something to rip you to pieces on, but not here. You did a great job,” he said.
“That was the craziest moment for me. I left the tank feeling so proud and so happy,’’ she said.
Segar described “Shark Tank” as the best experience of her life and that having two powerful strategic advisers will allow her to reach a new audience and grow her business in exciting ways.
“With onewith, I knew instantly [that it was going to succeed]. It hit me like a freight train…it was the best possible feeling, and I hope everyone here gets to experience something like it,’’ she said. “I think this is the story of every entrepreneur who loves what they’re doing.’’
UConn Helped Segar Take Idea to Market
Segar came up with the idea after an exhausting search to find flattering swimsuit to bring on a vacation to Miami. She wanted something that felt “one with’’ her body. When she couldn’t find it, she created it herself.
Segar, who graduated from UConn in 2017 with a degree in English Language and Literature, worked in the bridal industry and as a social media influencer after college. But she returned to her alma mater to present her idea to the entrepreneurial community.
She was given an invitation to attend the highly selective Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation’s 2020 Summer Fellowship Accelerator, a part of the School of Business, and received advice, mentoring and a $15,000 in non-dilutive startup funding.
Through the experts at the accelerator, the UConn School of Law, and the Connecticut Small Business Development Center, she developed confidence in her abilities, as well as a network of business mentors and friends. Many of the UConn people who supported her startup attended the event on Saturday.
“I don’t know where I’d be without your guys, you solidified my belief in me,’’ said Segar, who returns often to coach those who follow in her footsteps. “So much of what I learned in Summer Fellowship stays with me today.’’
“Hayley is the type of founder that we dream of working with. She’s always eager to learn something new, and thrives on being challenged,’’ says Michelle Cote, CCEI Director of Strategic partnerships and a longtime champion of Connecticut entrepreneurs. “Hayley puts new knowledge and resources into practice immediately. She has earned every milestone that she has reached with onewith, and I can’t wait to see where she goes next!”
‘Shark Tank’ Has Been on Segar’s Radar
“Shark Tank” has advanced the success of many startups, including Bombas socks, Scrub Daddy sponges, Kodiak pancakes and waffles, The Comfy, a hooded, wearable blanket, and Cousins Maine Lobster Food Trucks.
Corcoran, founder of a New York real estate brokerage company, is an original “shark’’ investor, who has made more than 130 deals on the show, including partnered with The Comfy and Cousins Maine Lobster Food Trucks.
Kern Lima is co-founder of IT Cosmetics, a makeup and skincare line, which she sold to L’Oreal for $1.2 billion in 2016, becoming the first women CEO of a L’Oreal brand. This is her debut season on “Shark Tank.”
“I always knew, from the time I was a little girl, that I would start a company…I felt I was on a path to build something of my own,’’ Segar has said. On Saturday, she said she envisions herself becoming a serial entrepreneur. “I can’t not build things, it’s so fun for me,’’ she said.
Segar’s late grandfather had encouraged her to consider appearing on “Shark Tank,” even before she had a business idea. In the final days of his life, she came up with her swimwear business concept and shared it with him in the hospital.
But he is not the only family member who shaped Segar’s success. She credited her mom, Dawn, for packing the swimsuit orders; her grandmother for processing returns; and her dad, Chip, who went to law school while serving as a deputy police chief, for showing her how much can be accomplished in a day.
Segar’s father wore a blazer to the party with the onewith logo printed across it; her mother, a 1989 alum of the School of Business, wore a sparkling silver jacket.
“All of this just feels surreal,’’ Dawn said, beaming. “It’s going to take a while to sink in. It’s a really big deal and we are incredibly proud of her.’’
