Wholesale.
DTC.
Events.
Marketing.
Sales.

Separate buckets. Separate strategies. Separate teams.

But that’s not how real brands are built.

The truth is, everything is connected.
And if one piece is weak, the entire system feels it.

I’ve learned this building Seaav.

The Early Mistake: Thinking in Silos

At the beginning, I thought like most founders do:

“If we just grow DTC, we’ll be fine.”
“If we just land wholesale accounts, we’ll scale.”
“If we just throw events, we’ll build community.”

Each one worked… a little.

But nothing compounded.

Because none of them were designed to work together.

The Shift: Building an Ecosystem

A brand isn’t a set of channels.
It’s an ecosystem.

And ecosystems don’t grow from one input, they grow from how everything feeds everything else.

Here’s what that looks like for us:

Events → Community → Conversion

Our events aren’t just experiences.

They are:

• Customer acquisition

• Content engines

• Brand storytelling in real life

Someone comes to a Seaav event →
Meets people →
Feels something →
Follows us →
Buys later →
Comes back with friends

That’s not an event.

That’s a loop.

Influencers → Content → Trust → Sales

We don’t just “gift product.”

We build relationships with people who live the brand.

They create content →
That content drives awareness →
That awareness builds trust →
That trust converts to sales

And then those customers become the next layer of community.

Wholesale → Credibility → Discovery → DTC Lift

Wholesale isn’t just revenue.

It’s distribution and validation.

Being in the right spaces:

• Introduces new customers to the brand

• Builds trust instantly

• Drives people back to our site

Wholesale doesn’t compete with DTC.

It fuels it.

DTC → Data → Retention → Everything Else

DTC is where we learn.

Who our customer is.
What they love.
What they come back for.

That data informs:

• What we design

• What we produce

• Who we partner with

• Where we show up

DTC is the feedback loop for the entire ecosystem.

The Flywheel

When this works, it doesn’t feel like pushing anymore.

It starts to spin.

Events → Content → Community → Sales → Data → Better Product → Stronger Brand → More Demand

Again and again.

That’s the flywheel.

And the key is:
You don’t need to perfect each part.

You need to connect them.

Brand Is the Center of Everything

None of this works without brand.

Not just a logo or colors, but a feeling.

Why do people come to our events?
Why do they wear Seaav?
Why do they tell their friends?

Because they feel part of something:

• Ocean impact

• Community

• Coastal lifestyle

• A founder they can follow and believe in

Brand is what turns transactions into loyalty.
And loyalty is what makes the flywheel spin faster.

What I’m Learning Now

Right now, we’re not trying to do more.

We’re trying to connect better.

• Making sure every event feeds DTC

• Making sure every influencer drives community

• Making sure wholesale tells the same story

• Making sure content reflects what’s actually happening

• Being obsessed with creating the best product

And when the system clicks and your team sees how everything connects, that’s when it gets fun. Not easier. But lighter, faster, and way more powerful.

With gratitude,

Mckenna Haz

Moderated by Taylor Moskowitz with Echo Social, the conversation centered around: From Content to Community: The Social Strategies Behind Boston’s Top Brands

I had the privilege of sharing the stage with 1987Label, Finatics, Bon Specialty Coffee, and Madeleine’s Candy Shop.

Below are a few reflections I shared during the conversation.

Social media was our entire marketing strategy

When I first started Seaav, social media wasn’t just part of the marketing strategy, it was the entire strategy.

I originally launched the brand from my dorm room. When COVID hit, I moved back into my highschool bedroom while continuing to take classes online. At the time, I had one goal: bring Seaav’s first product to life - a pair of leggings and a sports bra built around our ocean impact mission. Sustainably made from recycled materials, fashion-forward in design, and helping remove one pound of ocean waste from shorelines with every purchase.

Instagram quickly became everything for the brand.

It was our storefront.
Our storytelling platform.
Our first community.

During that time, I decided to experiment with something simple: an ambassador program.

Every week I ran a $25 Instagram Story ad a week targeting women in North America who were interested in yoga, Pilates, and coastal lifestyle communities to sign up for our ambassador program.

The ad itself was incredibly simple: a beautiful image of a model wearing our set on the beach with a short message about our ocean impact mission.

The offer was straightforward:

50% off your first purchase + join the Seaav Ambassador Program.

Ambassadors received a 15% code to share with their community and earned 15% commission on every sale.

What started as a small experiment quickly turned into hundreds of sign-ups a week and a growing online community of women who believed in the brand and wanted to share it with their networks.

That early ambassador network helped lay the foundation for Seaav, and shaped how I began thinking about community. It showed me that social media wasn’t just a place to sell products, it was a place to bring people together.

Fast forward to today, and that same idea has evolved into something much bigger.

We’ve taken that community-first concept from the internet into the real world through Make Waves Wellness Club, where community leads across the country host monthly social wellness events designed to bring people together to move, connect, and experience Seaav in person.

What started as a simple Instagram ad and a dorm-room idea has grown into a real-world community: all powered by social media.

The moment content became community

For me, the turning point happened the first time we hosted an event and people showed up who had only known the brand through Instagram.

They already knew the mission.

They were wearing the pieces.

And they were introducing themselves to each other like they had been friends for years.

That was the moment I realized something important:

Social media wasn’t just marketing, it was creating a real-world community.

That realization ultimately led us to expand our Make Waves Wellness Club events, bringing people together to move, connect, and experience the brand in real life.

The pressure to follow trends

One of the questions that came up during the panel was whether founders feel pressure to follow trends in order to grow.

The answer is obviously yes.

Social media moves incredibly fast, and it can feel like if you’re not participating in every trend you’re falling behind.

But what I’ve learned over the past few years is this:

Brands grow when they become recognizable, not when they blend in.

Instead of chasing every trend, we focus on telling a clear story.

For Seaav, that story has always been the same:

Ocean impact.
Coastal lifestyle.
Community.

Sometimes we participate in trends, but only when they feel natural to the brand.

The content that performs best

Something that surprises many founders is that the most polished content is rarely what performs the best.

For us, the content that resonates most is the behind-the-scenes moments.

Setting up events.
Working on designs in the office.
Talking about the mission in real time.

People love seeing the process. They want to understand how something is actually being built.

Building a brand with your community

Another topic that came up during the panel was how we involve our audience in the brand.

Today’s audiences don’t just want to watch brands, they want to participate.

We try to make the community feel like they’re building the brand with us.

That means asking for feedback on colors and designs, inviting people to events, featuring community members in our content, and collaborating with creators who are already part of our ecosystem.

The goal is simple:

We don’t want people to feel like customers.

We want them to feel like they’re part of something.

Showing up as a founder online

Another question that resonated with a lot of founders in the room was how to deal with the pressure of constantly showing up online.

It can definitely feel overwhelming at times.

But I try to reframe it.

Instead of thinking “I have to post,” I remind myself that I get to document the journey while it’s happening.

You only get one chance to capture the early days of building something.

The brands that will win

One idea I wanted to share at the end of the panel but we ran out of time… is something I think about often as we continue to grow Seaav:

The brands that will win in the next decade won’t just sell products; they’ll build ecosystems of community, experiences, and storytelling.

Social media may be where people first discover your brand.

But the real magic happens when that connection moves into the real world.

That’s where brands become communities.

And communities are what last.

With gratitude,

Mckenna Haz

Your energy sets the ceiling.

Not your funding.
Not your brand awareness.
Not your current metrics.

Your frequency.

If you are the visionary, the builder, the one who sees further than the data supports, then you are the energetic thermostat of your company.

And your job is not to match the room.

Your job is to raise it.

The “That’s Not Possible” Moment

If you lead a team, you know this moment.

You present a bold KPI.

A bigger partnership.
A higher revenue target.
A faster growth trajectory.

And the room tightens.

“We’re not well known enough.”
“That number is too aggressive.”
“How is that even possible?”
“Maybe next year.”

They’re not wrong.

They’re just thinking from current capacity.

But founders don’t build from current capacity.

We build from future identity.

There have been times I’ve set targets that made the room go silent. You can feel the contraction, the nervous system response to expansion.

In those moments, I’ve learned something critical:

You either lower the vision to soothe discomfort.
Or you expand the room to meet the vision.

That choice defines your leadership.

How You Raise the Vibration in Business

Raising the vibration isn’t hype.

It’s regulated certainty.

Instead of defending the goal, I layer it back:

What would need to be true for this to happen?
What capability are we missing?
What systems would support this?
Who do we need to become to hit this?

Suddenly, “impossible” becomes operational.

That’s the shift.

Low frequency says: We can’t.
High frequency says: How do we?

Manifestation in business is not magical thinking.

It’s:

Vision + Emotional Regulation + Strategic Reverse Engineering + Relentless Execution.

You see it.
You stabilize the room.
You build the path.
You execute until reality catches up.

Protecting Your Frequency as a Founder

Here’s what no one tells you:

If you internalize every doubt around you, you will unconsciously shrink your company.

Doubt is contagious.

But so is conviction.

As a founder, protecting your energy isn’t indulgent, it’s strategic.

It looks like:

• Not reacting emotionally to fear

• Not collapsing into scarcity conversations

• Maintaining long-term perspective

• Taking space to recalibrate before big decisions

Your team doesn’t just need strategy.

They need nervous system leadership.

They need to feel that someone in the room is steady.

Vision, Commitment, Execution

At the end of the day, it always comes back to three things:

Vision. Commitment. Execution.

Vision without commitment is fantasy.
Commitment without execution is stagnation.
Execution without vision is burnout.

But when all three align, frequency rises.

Culture shifts.
Standards elevate.
Impossible becomes baseline.

And the same team members who once questioned the stretch begin to think bigger themselves.

That’s how you know the vibration has changed.

A Call to the Founders

If you are reading this as a founder, CEO, or visionary builder:

It is not your job to shrink the vision to fit comfort.

It is your job to expand capacity to fit the vision.

Stop negotiating with small thinking.

Stop explaining your ambition to people committed to safety.

Stop lowering KPIs to avoid tension.

Instead:

Raise the standard.
Ask better questions.
Regulate the room.
Build the infrastructure.
Execute relentlessly.

And most importantly, become the energetic match for the company you want to lead.

With gratitude,

Mckenna Haz

And yet, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a deep craving for real, in-person connection.

Maybe this isn’t just the age of AI.
Maybe it’s also the decade of gathering.

Before Seaav was a brand, it was just me behind my computer in my college dorm room, trying to figure out how to find like-minded women who might believe in what I was building, enough to show up, to support, and hopefully to purchase our product.

What started as small gatherings has grown into hundreds of events, thousands of conversations, and a community that continues to surprise me with its depth, warmth, and openness.

And now, as we step into a world increasingly shaped by AI, algorithms, and digital everything, I feel more certain than ever that what we’re building in real life matters.

Maybe more than ever.

The More Digital We Become, The More Human We Need to Be

We’re living in a moment where so much of life happens through screens.

We work online.
We date online.
We shop online.
We build brands online.

And now, we’re entering an era where even creativity, writing, and conversation are increasingly supported by AI.

There’s incredible power in that. It’s exciting. It’s efficient. It opens doors.

But it also creates something quieter underneath, a deeper craving to feel seen, to be physically present, to share real moments that can’t be replicated by a screen.

You can’t replace the feeling of walking into a room and hearing the hum of conversation.
You can’t replicate the energy of 300 people breathing together during a sound bath.
You can’t digitize the feeling of trying something on, laughing with a stranger, or hugging someone you just met but somehow feel like you’ve known for years.

Technology can connect us.
But presence is what makes us feel connected.

Building Seaav IRL

Seaav has always been about more than clothing.

From the beginning, I didn’t just want to build a brand you could scroll past, I wanted to build something you could step into.

A space where you could feel the mission.
Meet the people behind it.
Move your body.
Learn something new.
Leave feeling lighter than when you walked in.

Shopping becomes different when it’s layered into an experience. It’s not transactional, it’s relational.

When someone shops Seaav at an event, they’re not just buying a piece of clothing. They’re buying a memory tied to a moment: a workout with friends, a conversation that stuck with them, a feeling of belonging.

That’s something e-commerce alone can’t replicate.

And honestly, it’s something I never want to lose.

Why Social Wellness Exists

“Social wellness” has become a buzzword, but to me it’s simple.

It’s the idea that our wellbeing is deeply tied to our relationships and our sense of community.

We’re not meant to do life in isolation.
We’re not meant to move through the world alone.

When you gather people intentionally; around movement, conversation, creativity, or shared values… you create space for people to feel grounded again.

Every time I walk into a Seaav event and see people introducing themselves, exchanging numbers, or staying long after it ends just to keep talking, I’m reminded why this matters.

Community isn’t a marketing strategy.
It’s the foundation.

The Energy You Can’t Fake

There’s a moment at every event, usually when I step back for a second, where I look around and feel this quiet sense of awe.

People laughing.
Someone trying something new.
Music playing softly
The room buzzing in a way that feels alive.

You can’t manufacture that.
You can’t automate it.
You can’t scale it the same way you scale digital growth.

It happens because humans showed up.

And in a world that’s moving faster and becoming more automated by the day, I think these moments are becoming more valuable, not less.

A Thank You

To everyone who has come to an event, brought a friend, shared a conversation, tried something new, or supported Seaav along the way - thank you.

You’re the reason this community exists.

And if the past few years has taught me anything, it’s this:

No matter how digital the world becomes, the need for real connection never goes away.

If anything, it only grows stronger.

If you’re reading this, I hope you find your way into spaces that make you feel seen, whether that’s at one of our events or somewhere else entirely.

We all deserve that.

🤍

With gratitude,

Mckenna Haz

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Thanks for reading The Deep End! Subscribe for free to receive new posts.

There’s a moment before you jump into the deep end when time slows down, when excitement and fear live in the same breath.

I’ve realized most of my life, and especially my journey building Seaav, has unfolded in that space. Choosing the deep end before I felt ready. Learning as I go. Trusting that the water will hold me.

This space is where I want to share the real story; the lessons, the uncertainty, the growth, and everything in between.

Why this, why now

For the past few years, I’ve been building; a company, a community, and a life that feels deeply aligned with what I believe in. But behind every milestone, every product launch, every event, there are questions, doubts, and moments of growth that don’t always get shared publicly.

Moving from Vancouver Island to Boston. Starting Seaav with no roadmap. Saying yes before I felt ready. Learning leadership in real time.

I’m starting this space because I want a place to tell the full story. Not just the highlight reel, but the reflections in between; what I’m learning about building something meaningful, about community, about ambition, and about trusting yourself when you don’t have all the answers.

This feels like the right moment because I’m stepping into the next chapter as a leader and into the next phase of building this company, and I’ve learned that growth happens when you choose to dive in, even when you can’t see the bottom.

This is where I’ll write from that place.

What kind of community I want to build here

This isn’t just a newsletter: it’s a space for people who feel called to build, grow, and live intentionally.

I want this to feel like a thoughtful corner of the internet; honest, reflective, and grounded. A place where ambition and wellness can exist in the same conversation. Where we celebrate big wins but also talk about uncertainty.

If you’re someone who is building something: a business, a career, a creative life, or simply becoming more yourself, I hope you feel at home here.

My intention is to create a space that feels:

• Thoughtful, not performative

• Honest, not polished

• Encouraging, not prescriptive

• Grounded in growth and curiosity

What to expect

I’ll be sharing reflections from the journey of building Seaav, lessons I’m learning in leadership, thoughts on community and wellness, and personal essays about growth and navigating seasons of change.

You can expect writing that feels real and unfiltered, like a conversation after a long day or a walk by the water.

I don’t have all the answers — and that’s kind of the point.

This space is about learning as I go, sharing what feels true, and documenting what it looks like to build something meaningful from the inside out.

Welcome to The Deep End.

— Mckenna Haz

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