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How Do You Start a Business When You Have a Great Idea But No Experience in the Industry? Melanie Travis was inspired by a 'horrendous' experience to start her swimwear and intimates company for the modern woman.

By James McKinney

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Melanie Travis is the founder and CEO of Andie, a swimwear and intimates brand created for women from size 0 to 26. It's designed for the modern woman, for all of life's occasions. Travis started the company in order to solve what she describes as a "horrendous" shopping experience, and her then-boss, Matt Meeker, allowed her the time and resources to pursue her plan.

Within months, Andie was up and running, funded by a Kickstarter campaign. Today, the company markets itself as a brand for the modern woman that relies on the power of storytelling to move forward. Listen to a snippet of her interview with James McKinney above or listen to the full podcast here.

Related: The Chief Designer of Beats by Dre Breaks Down What Great User Experience Means to Him
James McKinney

Creator & Host, The Startup Story

James McKinney is the Founder & Host of The Startup Story, a multi-channel brand platform that brings the lessons of highly successful founders directly to the everyday founder. Whether it is through The Startup Story podcast or via the Startup Story LIVE event series, entrepreneurs everywhere can receive tactical and practical guidance from founders who are a few steps ahead.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

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