From Scrubs to SWOOP: Building a Brand, Letting Go & Figuring It Out with Virginia Lynn Peterson

What do you do when you can't find a bra comfortable enough to get through a 12-hour shift in the ER? If you're Virginia Lynn Peterson, you pull out a sewing machine and figure out how to make one yourself.

Virginia didn't have a background in apparel design or a plan to start a clothing company. But she had a problem she wanted to solve, a little sewing experience, and YouTube to help her figure out the rest.

That first bra eventually became SWOOP, an Alaska-based women's lifestyle apparel brand making functional, versatile clothing designed to keep women comfortable wherever their day takes them.

I’ve followed Virginia Lynn Peterson and SWOOP for years, so finally getting her on the pod felt long overdue. She called in from Anchorage, already pulling out her ski gear, and our conversation about how SWOOP started turned into one about fear, career pivots, and letting go of the idea that everything has to be forever.

Sometimes You Just Have to Start

Virginia's first bra was far from perfect. But she could see what needed to change, made some adjustments, and eventually had something she actually wanted to wear.

She started making bras for friends, and then a woman she'd never met bought one. Two weeks later, that same customer ordered four more.

That was the moment Virginia realized she might be onto something.

I love this part of her story because it's a reminder that you don't have to know everything before getting started. Sometimes having firsthand experience with a problem is enough to take that first step.

The Little Things Matter

SWOOP has since expanded into underwear, fleece tunics, overalls, merino wool, and more. But the focus is still on solving the little problems that make clothing uncomfortable or impractical.

Think bra straps that adjust in the front, pockets placed on the sides of a tunic instead of across your stomach, or overalls with a drop seat.

We talk about how these seemingly small design decisions can make a huge difference in someone's experience, especially outdoors. And why clothing doesn't always need to be the most technical option on the market to work for the way we actually live.

What If You Don't Have to Pick Just One Thing?

One of my favorite parts of our conversation had nothing to do with apparel. Virginia shared her philosophy of being a B+ at a lot of things rather than an A+ at one thing.

As someone who's spent a lot of time wondering when I'll finally figure out that one thing I'm supposed to do, this really resonated. We talk about taking chances, changing direction, being willing to try something new, and remembering that you can always change your mind.

Not everything has to become a business, a career, or something you're exceptionally good at. Sometimes you can just do something because you want to.

And maybe figuring it out as you go is part of the fun (hence my fuck around and figure it out candle)

Go check out SWOOP

If you’ve been sitting on an idea or scared to be a beginner, this one’s for you. Give it a listen, then find Virginia and SWOOP at wearswoop.com and @wearswoop on Instagram.