She was a film director in training, working on indie sets and squeezing into cabs with other broke twenty–somethings on awards nights. Then she took a customer support internship at a little New York startup, fell in love with building internet brands, and eventually quit to sell swimsuits on the internet.

That is Melanie Travis, founder and CEO of Andie Swim, and she might be the most “abnormally confident” person I have ever met.

In this episode we talk about how a deeply awkward work offsite at a lake with all-male leadership turned into the spark for Andie, why being queer and an only child shaped her default setting as a leader, how a film-school brain translates into building businesses, and why she still heads to her oil-painting studio after work to stay sane. We also get into the messy middle: buying a second brand, guessing wrong on a big color launch, teaching yourself to love spreadsheets, and holding people’s livelihoods without letting it consume your entire identity.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you are “too sensitive” or “too artsy” or “not finance-y enough” to be a founder, Melanie is your counterexample.

In this episode:

• The wildly awkward work retreat that made her realize swim needed a safer, smarter brand

• How she went from customer support intern at Foursquare to founding Andie

• Why she describes herself as “abnormally confident” and what that actually looks like day to day

• Nature vs nurture: growing up an only child with two art-world parents and a gay dad

• What film school taught her about directing a team and seeing the whole story arc

• The honest story of acquiring Richer Poorer and immediately disagreeing with a big buy

• Coconut Milk vs Rainforest: when your team goes deep on a color you personally hate

• How she taught herself to love finance and why monthly close is now her favorite meeting

• The difference between being a “hero” founder and being a world-class number two

• Painting in oils, $56 screw-top wine, and why a studio saved her from burnout