Lions Creating Change

Leah Sullivan ‘20 is an entrepreneurship major taking the values we learn at LMU into business off of the bluff. Inspired by a sophomore entrepreneurship class project, Sullivan, along with Summer Morgan ‘18 and Delaney Drexler ‘18 have created a swimsuit company called Peachy Keen which is revolutionizing the fashion industry.

Sullivan is originally from New Jersey but always wanted to move to Los Angeles. She shares, “when I was touring colleges, I fell in love with LMU’s mission, values and found a great group of people here.” During her time on campus, the values have remained Sullivan’s favorite part of LMU; “I really appreciate how the values of LMU shine through all the classes, specifically in the business school we focus on a lot of business ethics and how to empower people within various industries and I really love that.”

PeachyKeenSwim ©LaurenBrown 90 200x300 - Lions Creating ChangeThe idea for Sullivan’s business sparked from one of these values-based assignments. She explains in her Introduction to Entrepreneurship class taught by professor D’mello, “our project for the semester was to find an industry that we found problems in and try to find a way to disrupt it.” Using Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty as an inspiration for an inclusive makeup line, Sullivan and her co-founders aimed to make the fashion industry more inclusive and more ethical. Sullivan explains, “the more research we did, we found out that some of the top two feelings women experience when they’re swimwear shopping is anxiety and self-consciousness, and we think that’s crazy.” Hoping to change these feelings, Peachy Keen aims to make swimwear that is comfortable for women of all sizes.

For Sullivan, many of the pillars of the Student EXPerience have framed how she thinks and runs this business. “I really feel like I am living a life of purpose,” Sullivan explains. “I’ve always been drawn to fashion, and I care so much about the environment, and it really does tie into being a global citizen and service and justice.” Part of Sullivan’s mission in creating Peachy Keen was not only to empower the women who wear her swimsuits but also to address their environmental impact; “we wanted to make sure we were doing it throughout every step of the process and wanted to make sure the women who make our clothes are being empowered and supported as well.” Peachy Keen’s swimsuits are made sweatshop-free, use biodegradable mailers, and the future collections will hopefully be made of recyclable materials.

Peachy Keen Swim 1 300x169 - Lions Creating Change

Sullivan hopes seeing her and her co-founders business will inspire other LMU students. “I hope it inspires women in the business school to know that you are capable of creating a business and raising money and all these things that you see statistics about that can feel so daunting”. She explains while creating a business while in university at one point felt impossible, breaking it down into steps made her realize she could reach the goal if she thought about it strategically. She also accredits Dr. Choi and Dr. D’mello as helping her see creating a business as a possibility. She explains, “they gave me the confidence to know starting a business in college was possible, and have been supporting us non-stop ever since”.

You can keep up with Sullivan’s business on Instagram or on their website peachykeenswim.com where the founders also blog. Her company’s Kickstarter finished in early September raising over $21,000 and by mid to late October swimsuits will be available for sale, so be sure to check them out!

By: Tygre Patchell-Evans