The Lazy CEO Podcast with Jane Lu

#98 Why Being Naive is an Entrepreneur’s Superpower: Kulani Kinis’ Dani & Alex on Building a Brand Without Following the Rules


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Hey Poddy Fam!!


This week on The Lazy CEO, we’re joined by Dani Atkins & Alex Babich, the couple behind Kulani Kinis, one of Australia’s most in-demand swimwear brands.


Back in 2015, Dani (an emergency psychologist) and Alex (a corporate accountant at EY) had zero experience in fashion, manufacturing, or e-commerce. But when a Hawaiian holiday exposed a gap in the market, they didn’t overthink it—they just went for it. With their vacation savings, they launched Kulani Kinis, creating swimwear that fit better, felt amazing, and stood out with bold, vibrant designs.


Rather than following the traditional path, they focused on organic growth, built a loyal community, and scaled the brand to $3–$4 million in revenue before even running social media ads. Their unconventional strategies helped them scale to be a $100M business, proving that thinking outside the box can be a major advantage. In this episode, they share why being naïve in business can be a superpower, the biggest risks they took, and what they would do differently.


Connect with us:

Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast

Follow Kulani Kinis: @kulanikinis

Follow Alex Babich: @bikinibaron

Follow Dani Atkins: @daniatkins

Stay updated with our host, Jane Lu: @thelazyceo

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The Lazy CEO Podcast with Jane LuBy Jane Lu

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