Hayley Segar, who graduated in 2017 from the University of Connecticut’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, appeared on ABC’s “Shark Tank” to pitch her swimwear startup. Segar presented her company, Onewith, which according to the website, is “swimwear that fits like no-show underwear.”
Two of the show’s judges, Barbara Corcoran and Jamie Kern Lima, offered Segar $200,000 in exchange for a 20% stake in Onewith. Segar accepted their offer.
Since its founding in late 2021, Onewith has generated $2.3 million in sales according to Segar. After the “Shark Tank” episode aired, the company’s website saw a surge in traffic, at one point, hosting 20,000 visitors simultaneously according to a UConn Today article.
Segar said in the UConn Today article that her experience on “Shark Tank” had an emotional impact.
“That was the craziest moment for me. I left the tank feeling so proud and so happy,” Segar said, referring to a compliment from Kevin O’Leary, one of the judges.
“Very impressive presentation. I usually find something to rip you to pieces on, but not here. You did a great job,” O’Leary told her.
Segar credited UConn with helping her take her idea to market. After struggling to find a flattering swimsuit for a vacation to Miami, Segar created the product herself. She returned to UConn’s entrepreneurial community to present the idea and was invited to the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation’s 2020 Summer Fellowship Accelerator, which is part of UConn’s School of Business. Through the program, Segar received mentoring and $15,000 in non-dilutive startup funding according to the UConn Today article.
“I don’t know where I’d be without you guys, you solidified my belief in me,” Segar said, addressing the UConn supporters who attended her “Shark Tank” celebration event. “So much of what I learned in Summer Fellowship stays with me today.”
Segar said she had always been interested in starting her own business. In an interview with WTNH News8 Segar shared an anecdote of her grandfather constantly telling her to go on “Shark Tank” years before she even had a product in mind.
“He used to say to me that I should be on ‘Shark Tank.’ That I could walk the walk and talk the talk on that show,” Segar said. In the final days of her grandfather’s life, she shared the idea for Onewith with him. “He never got to see me go on the show, but he was the one that planted the seed.”
She also acknowledged the rest of her family’s support in her journey. At the celebration of her “Shark Tank” deal, Segar credited her mother, Dawn, for packing swimsuit orders, her grandmother for processing returns, and her father, Chip, for showing her the value of hard work.
“My dad went to law school while serving as a deputy police chief. He showed me how much can be accomplished in a day,” Segar said.
Dawn Segar, who graduated from UConn’s School of Business in 1989, expressed pride in her daughter’s success.
“All of this just feels surreal,” Dawn Segar said in the UConn Today article. “It’s going to take a while to sink in. It’s a really big deal and we are incredibly proud of her.”
For more details about Hayley Segar’s product, visit the official website onewithswim.com