It was 2011, I was 19 and had just finished my first year of college in San Diego. With a one-way ticket and a suitcase packed to the brim with full coverage Roxy bikinis, I boarded a flight to Oahu for the summer.

Two weeks into my trip, I traded in my Roxy bikinis for a little Brazilian piece I had picked up at a local shop. It took a few awkward trips to the beach to get my tan right but once I did, I knew there was no going back.

When I returned to the mainland for school, I realized my new go-to bikini was way smaller than most Southern California beaches had seen at the time.

I spent every waking minute researching swimwear before launching Midori four short months later. Within a year, my dorm room was transformed into a bikini shop and the brand grew like wildfire. Today, you'll find me working between Carlsbad, CA and Kailua, Hi; beyond grateful for the opportunity to do what I love and build this community of bikini-lovin' babes!