Spotlight On Fitness: Karina Irby

By: Joe Cardoso

For most of us if we lost our job at a young age it would take some time for us to get off the mat and get back into the fight. Well our first Spotlight on Fitness interviewee is NOT like most of us. With the use of YouTube and good old fashion research Karina Irby was able to create MOANA Bikini(Moana is a Polynesian term for ocean, waves, the sea)a super successful company, and she has no plans of slowing down. In 2017 she has expanded to fitness and at age 27 a dream that begin with an $800 loan has grown to be one of the hottest labels in not just her home in Gold Coast, Australia but world wide. I say it a lot but this is another example of a dream chaser doing it BIG. She built her website herself and created the suit designs and order by order she built her brand. Get to know founder and CEO of MOANA Bikini Karina Irby.

JC: What made you fall in love with the bikini business and the lifestyle?

KI: First and foremost, I just love bikinis. I have always lived, traveled to and wanted to be, at the beach. Bikinis are my favorite item of clothing.

Throughout my teenage years, I always had a huge interest in cheekier-cut swimwear, and especially those with bold, unique designs. Unfortunately, there weren’t many brands producing the styles I wanted, or my friends wanted, or at least not in Australia at that point in time. I would be endlessly hunting, either online or in retail outlets, trying to find the perfect cut bikini with the perfect pattern. It wasn’t until a holiday in Hawaii where I started to see a few more brands heading in the direction I was interested in. One thing led to another and I began wholesaling for a Hawaiian company that attempted to satisfy the growing demand for cheekier cut, eye-catching swimwear. This only lasted for a short period of time as I began to grow confidence in the designs that I had in my head and desired more and more control of the business model. The company I was wholesaling for actually wanted me to become their exclusive Australian distributor, but I felt, more and more, that I wanted total control of the design, marketing, and sales process. After many late nights and many trips back and forth to visit manufacturers overseas, I had a product I was happy with, separated myself from my wholesaling relationship and began producing my own cuts, designs, and prints under the Moana Bikini label. Fast-forward six years, and six ranges, and here I am!

I obviously began with drastically smaller quantities (when compared to now) and a very small to non-existent budget, so I grabbed the free, online marketing channels available to me with both hands, actively spreading the word online that there was a product out there for girls who wanted to flaunt both confidence in their bodies, as well as unique swimwear. My timing couldn’t have been more perfect and, luckily, I rode the Social Media wave – specifically Instagram – as it grew in popularity, and as a marketing tool, and have built Moana to a position where our consumer-generated marketing activities almost match our own internal activities. We have a huge, active and really supportive following that push and market the Moana brand for us. It’s really quite amazing. We love our Moana Babes!

JC: Did you always want to be a business owner?

KI: I wouldn’t say that I always wanted to be a business owner, but, throughout my studies and early work life, I definitely felt a bit of an imbalance in working very hard for someone else’s dream… and often not being given or provided the credit and thanks that were due.Now that I have had a taste of being my own boss, running my own business and being in control of its destiny… I wouldn’t have it any other way!

JC: You have a fantastic social media presence. What do you love about social media and what do you hate about it?

KI: Thanks!

Social Media is an amazing tool and, to be honest, I wouldn’t have the success my businesses are experiencing today without it. I love the instant connection of like-minded people that is afforded to people, and businesses, on Social Media. Gone are the days of spending exorbitant amounts of budget on print or even digital, ads without any guarantee on their reach and exposure. The instant, measurable nature of Social Media tells a business what’s working and what isn’t, in real time, which makes it an incredibly valuable tool.

It’s not all about pure business, however. I love the way in which Social Media can be a positive change agent. Social Media creates virtual communities with people from all around the world who share the same interests, passions, and dreams… which, to me, is really cool. Moana and Bikini Body Burn have created global communities of like-minded women who support, motivate and love one another. It helps to make people feel like they’re not alone in their daily struggle, or just in life itself, which could never be a bad thing!

Obviously, it’s not ALL positive. The worst part about Social Media to me is that it provides a voice to some people who, quite frankly often don’t deserve one! Moana, and Bikini Body Burn, because they’re female fitness and lifestyle focussed, often publish images of beautiful girls working out, or wearing bikinis and so on.

Some people on Social Media use this as a reason or an excuse to say very negative or derogatory comments about our models or customers, which is just a horrible thing for a person to do. The disconnect between the ‘person’ and their ‘online persona’ is very large in some circumstances, and these people think they have the right to say horrible and hurtful things to others, when you know they would never say this to their face. These ‘trolls’ can often make Social Media a hurtful place for us and our customers… but thankfully, our afore mentioned global community often put them in their place! And, in the worst-case scenario, if they’re the kind of person who can’t be dealt with logically and rationally… you can always just block them! 😉

JC: Who has been your biggest influence?

KI: In 2013, my father was involved in a really tragic and unfortunate accident which saw him become a quadriplegic. He’s now bound to a wheelchair with very little movement below the neck. The way that he has tackled his predicament, both mentally and physically, has been such a motivation for me to grab life with both hands and make the most of every opportunity that is presented to me.

Dad was always such an active man before his accident – he was a great surfer, loved fishing and took great pride in his trade as a plasterer helping to build beautiful homes. A lot of people might disappear inside themselves after an accident of his magnitude, or use the situation to take a negative or pessimistic take on life, but Dad has an eternally positive outlook on his situation that is so inspiring.

I’m definitely not saying that every stage of his new life in his wheelchair has been easy, far from it, but the way in which he has tackled these tough times and situations, I think, is very heroic. I am so proud of him and constantly look up to him and he motivates me in every stage of my business and personal life.

JC: Where does the inspiration for your designs come from?

KI: Moana were truly one of the first companies to really nail the reversible, seamless, 2-bikinis-in-one design – which made us unique at the start, and continues to make us unique. Our print designs never follow trends and each range is created from scratch and from the brains and talent of our small design team. I have always wanted, and will always want, Moana to be a trend-setter, not a follower. Moana stands strong and proud in the design choices we make and the knowledge that they’re unique and catering to the individual desires of our army of Moana Babes. It might sound like a cliché, but I am truly inspired by everything around me – my close friends and family and the natural environment – I am very lucky to live in a beautiful beachside location (The Gold Coast in Queensland), which makes finding motivation and inspiration a very easy thing, day-to-day.

JC: 2017 welcomes Bikini Body Burn. What can a person expect to get when they jump on it? Was branching into fitness always in the plan?

KI: BBB was a pretty natural progression for myself and Moana.

As Moana Bikini grew, customers became curious about how to get the bikini body they were after; they wanted to be the best version of themselves they could be, so they came to me for advice. While on the outside I might have looked okay, inside I lacked energy and I struggled with my diet. I felt a lot of pressure to look a certain way and I thought that eating less and doing a lot of cardio exercise was the way to get that perfect bikini body. I was afraid of resistance training in case it made me look too bulky. I was also confused about what to eat; but how could I not be with so many fad diets and pills around!? All of this made me feel like I wasn’t knowledgeable enough or ready to pass on advice to these avid Moana babes.

Luckily, early in 2015 I met Simon from Starke Fitness in Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast and started training with him three times a week. Simon educated me about ‘skinny-fat’ and explained that lifting weights actually helps you burn fat. He taught me about eating the right foods in the right quantities and I found myself getting fitter and really looking forward to each training session. I discussed my concerns with Simon, and after months of planning, Bikini Body Burn was born and we launched our 12 Week Guide to finally provide some guidance and advice for all the girls that were coming directly to me with questions.

I remember the first time I started noticing positive changes in my health, my strength and my appearance and how rewarding it was after the hard work and effort I had been putting in was paying off. I love helping others achieve good health as I want everyone to experience those positive changes and feel the returns on their health and fitness investment. There’s nothing more rewarding than putting in hard work and seeing results, especially when it comes to your own body, both physically and mentally – everyone should be able to feel those natural highs.

This year, we’ve just launched a really new, exciting guide and accompanying products!

Over the past 12 months, we had a lot of feedback and queries about workouts for busy schedules, shorter amounts of time or with lesser amounts of equipment, and we totally understood this feedback! With this in mind, we looked at a lot of the workouts we do in the gym, every week, and thought outside of the box as to how to get the same level of resistance and effectiveness, either away from the gym, or with less equipment, or a combination of both!

What we came up with is The Bandbook; a comprehensive combination of workouts, utilizing body weight and two incredibly versatile, remarkably effective BBB resistance bands! We poured over the workouts, ensuring The Bandbook is a one-stop workout shop, allowing the customization of routines to suit everyone’s fitness goals. Plus, the BBB resistance bands are fun and look great – an excellent workout accessory!

JC: What are some of your “must haves” when it comes to working out and healthy eating?

KI: Well, at the moment, my BBB Resistance Bands and The Bandbook, of course 😉

My training at Starke Fitness comprises of 45-minute sessions including a curated mix of cardio and weight training – there’s a definite focus on strength and resistance training, balanced out by HIIT and cardio to ensure we remain lean and not too ‘bulky’ – which was always one of my fears about going to the gym a lot.

I also do Reformer Pilates around 1 – 2 times per week. So having access to a fully-equipped gym, at some points, is necessary for me.

Training between 4 – 6 times a week might seem like a lot, or hard to fit into a busy schedule, especially trying to run two business. Gosh, just saying that sounds like a lot! But I find that making myself fit this amount of training in actually refines my mental focus so I make the most of my time in the office. If I don’t find the time for some physical activity here and there, even if it’s just going for a run down the beach, I find it harder to focus and be productive in my work – so ‘working out’, in itself, is a must have for me!

With regards to diet, I will be the first to admit that I have a sweet tooth. A really, really big one! Although, now that I train so often and am more involved in the fitness industry, I definitely try to curb my sugar intake as much as I can as I am a big believer of you only get out what you put in, and I don’t want to be training super hard just to ruin it by eating poorly. That said, everyone needs a break/naughty reward sometimes, and in that case, a trip to Doughnut Time is usually the sneaky treat! ;-). My ‘must-haves’ to ensure I remain eating healthy are a good variety of fresh ingredients – thankfully we have a large assortment of excellent places to provide these to us on the Gold Coast. I also need to ensure that I have a bit of a light at the end of the healthy eating tunnel every now and then… whether it’s a night out at my favorite restaurant or a naughty cheat here and there. I find that breaking up the routine helps to keep things fresh and you appreciate your healthy routine a whole lot more.

JC: What is a typical day look like for you?

KI: A typical day for me starts around 6 or 6:30 am when I am awoken by my Chihuahua, Billie, running around the base of the bed wanting to have some morning cuddles with my partner Ryan and I!

We’ll get up and have a healthy breakfast; usually some muesli or oats with a freshly blended juice.

I’ll go to the gym around 8 am and train for 45 minutes before freshening up and beginning the day in the office just after 9 am (I try to train at least 4 times per week – a mixture of intensive strength and cardio at my gym, Starke Fitness, balanced out by the occasional reformer pilates session art KX Pilates, Miami, Gold Coast).

Office hours will involve a variety of different tasks, depending on where we are in the production or marketing cycle for Moana Bikini and Bikini Body Burn, but are usually a mix of:

Order processing and packing
Customer service emails
Shooting stills and filming video for online marketing collateral
Editing promotion images and video for online marketing collateral
Print and pattern design
Liaising with manufacturer/s
Photoshoot organization
Media commitments
Staff Management (there is myself and 4 other people working across Moana and BBB, as well as contractors).

We’ll try and finish around 5 pm to get home in time for a walk on the beach with Billie, or my partner might have a surf, after which we’ll cook a nice, healthy meal at home together (one of the highlights of the day) and relax in front of Apple TV or Netflix.

Both a positive and negative of technology in 2017 is that, even at these ‘relaxed’ times at home, I am always connected to email and Social Media so I can either, put out any fires that need so, or make the most of any marketing or promotional opportunities the second they arise.

I am all about work/life balance, so this schedule is often shaken up if it’s a beautiful day and I feel the need for some sun, sand, and surf… I won’t hesitate in taking some ‘me’ time as I feel I always come back to work refreshed and far more productive.

Weekends are all about chasing the sun and surf and getting Billie all worn out!

We did just buy a house, however, so we’ve been quite busy lately setting that up just the way we want it, in between all the work madness!

JC: What’s coming up for you in 2017?

KI: My main focus this year is to make my customers happy! Over the past couple of years, we’ve had a real issue with satisfying our demand when it comes to Moana Bikini. This is obviously a great position to be in, for the business, but often, excited and waiting customers miss out on their fave bikini because it sells out too fast. I have changed many systems and manufacturing processes for this range to ensure our quantities are much larger and more accessible to, even more, Moana Babes. It’s been a stressful process trying to scale the business up with a small team, but this year is all about our customers. Seeing more happy Moana Babes in Moana Bikini will make the stress worthwhile!

More specifically in at Moana, we’ll obviously shortly begin design on the 2018 range (comes around quick!) and the associated campaign photo shoot trip.

With regards to BBB, we’ll be developing as a new, unique guide for our BBB Babes and are working on some in-person training events throughout the year to help the brand continue its personal touch.

JC: When you are not working, and inspiring people, what are you doing?

KI: To be totally honest, I am pretty boring!

The two businesses are really 24/7 jobs for me at the moment, but that said, I wouldn’t have it any other way – I love my work!

When I do get some time away to relax, it almost always involves chasing sunshine and crystal clear water to relax and revitalise – whether that’s in Australia or overseas – my partner and I recently travelled to the Maldives, remote, northern Indonesia and Hawaii and it’s definitely inspired the need for more travel time!

I love hanging out with my family as well. They’ve just recently moved to the Gold Coast to be closer and I love having them just around the corner.

Bonus Questions

JC: How did your mantra come about?

KI: “Be yourself, be carefree, be beautiful”

This mantra came about because it’s the way I wanted all girls to feel by wearing Moana.

It’s important that the three points are written in that order, as the meaning behind it is that if you do be yourself, and if you are carefree, then it’s a beautiful and wonderful thing.

I started Moana so girls could find a bikini that made them connect with their own identity, something that brought out who they truly were inside, allowing them to be themselves.

When you feel in tune with who you are and know yourself truly, you are able to be carefree and shrug off anything that other people think of you.

It’s easy to be and feel beautiful if you’re being yourself and being carefree!

JC: What do you love the most about your job, and what do you dislike the most?

KI: My job and workplace provides me with total creative freedom amongst a group of people that I truly call my friends. There’s not much that isn’t to love about that!

There’s not much I dislike about my life at Moana and BBB… launch periods can get very stressful with many, many long days and nights, however, the knowledge that I am building something for myself and something that thousands of girls around the world get so much joy from ensures that those long, stressful hours don’t stay a ‘dislike’ for very long.

JC: What’s one thing people think, they know about you but always get wrong?

KI: A lot of people are very quick to judge, especially via Social Media.

They’ll see a girl wearing a small bikini and instantly think something derogatory or that that might be ‘all she is.’

When people meet me in person or converse with me over the phone for media commitments, they’ll understand there’s a logical business reasoning behind every action I take on Social Media.

People think that they ‘know’ you or can pigeon hole you buy one quick look.

People need to continue to learn not to judge books by their covers 😉

Keep up with Karina on her social media accounts, and for the fellas make sure with Valentine’s Day around the corner give MOANA a look. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this young entrepreneur.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karinairby/
https://www.instagram.com/MOANA_BIKINI/
https://www.instagram.com/BIKINI.BODY.BURN/