Meet Trailblazer Rachel Holste

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Holste.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Rachel. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been a creative and fashion inspired person. Knowing this about me, my parents surprised me with a sewing machine on my 12th birthday… and I fell in love. Since then, my self-taught sewing abilities blossomed into a passion for designing and making clothing, accessories and swimwear for myself and others. It started as a hobby, but as I made my way through obtaining multiple business degrees at Arizona State University (bachelor’s in Accountancy and International Business and a master’s in Accountancy), as well as having a very supportive best friend and roommate soon after with a passion and expertise in blogging and ecommerce websites, it quickly blossomed into much more. Having little prior experience in making and selling products online, I have had to navigate through a lot of trial and error. However, all I can say is I have loved every second of this journey, am extremely proud of how far this has come, and am excited to continue to grow!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Over the last couple of years, since I started RaeLo Swimwear, I have had to navigate through a lot of trial and error in areas such as anticipating customer preferences and sizing, photography, packaging, and advertising. My education background, as well as working part-time jobs in retail while I was in school, has helped tremendously in navigating the business and customer service side of RaeLo Swimwear. I would say that it has been a pretty smooth road overall, however, my advice would be to never underestimate the amount of time and effort it takes to start your own project and to never give up when things are not working. If you are truly passionate about what you create, it makes the process a lot more enjoyable along the way and it is amazing how it can continuously blossom into something very different and better than you initially imagine it in your head if you keep an open mind throughout the journey.

We’d love to hear more about RaeLo Swimwear.
RaeLo Swimwear is a swimwear brand with a fun, local feel and a girlie vibe! All of the items are 100% designed and handmade here in Arizona. The brand specializes in seamless, trendy, and comfortable bikini styles that you can mix and match! New styles are released continuously, and we are known for offering each piece in a large selection of high-quality prints and colors.

Which women have inspired you in your life?
My post-college roommate Annie has been the biggest inspiration in the process of creating RaeLo Swimwear. She believed in me and inspired me to turn this dream into a reality through her success in her own projects. Before starting RaeLo Swimwear, I thought that starting your own business had to be nearly impossible, and her support and advice in showing me that you don’t have to start big has been invaluable!

Contact Info:

• Website: RaeLoSwim.com
• Email: RaeLoSwim@gmail.com
• Instagram: @raeloswimwear

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