Why Loving Your Brand Is the Only Way to Survive It

People ask me all the time how I keep going when things get hard. And trust me, they do get hard — harder than you expect, and in ways you can’t really prepare for. Running a brand isn’t just about pretty pictures, launches, or fun events. It’s late nights, failed samples, unexpected bills, moments where you wonder if it’s even worth it. But I’ve learned that if you’re not obsessed with what you’re building, you’ll stop the second it gets uncomfortable.

The truth is, I’m still here because I fell in love with this brand long before anyone else did. I believed in it when it was just an idea in my head, when no one was watching, when there were no sales to celebrate and no trips to plan. That obsession — that deep, personal connection to what I’m creating — is what gets me up on the days when I’d rather stay in bed. It’s what keeps me fighting for Swims by Didi even when things don’t go according to plan.

If you’re thinking of starting a brand, my advice is this: be your first fan. Be the person who will wear your own pieces, talk about them endlessly, and stand by them when no one else cares yet. If you’re not completely in love with what you’re building, no one else will be either. You have to be willing to push through the messy middle, the parts that aren’t glamorous, because that’s where the real growth happens.

Starting something from scratch is lonely sometimes. You’ll feel misunderstood. You’ll want to quit. But if your brand means enough to you, quitting won’t feel like an option — you’ll figure it out, you’ll pivot, you’ll keep showing up. I think that’s why I’ve made it this far. I’m obsessed with Swims by Didi, not just because it’s my business, but because it’s my heartbeat.

So if you’re starting your own thing, fall in love with it first. Be unreasonably passionate about it. That way, when things get tough — and they will — you’ll have something real to hold on to.

With love,
Didi 💋