Taylor Phillips on Building GoodPark, Community, and the Feeling of Summer
- Jul 14
- 5 min read
Taylor Phillips didn’t set out to become a swimwear entrepreneur. Over the past decade-plus, he has built a genuine, highly engaged online following through storytelling, and that foundation eventually grew into something bigger:
GoodPark, the lifestyle brand he now leads as Creative Director and founder.
Phillips brought together everything he’d learned about creative direction, brand and world-building, and community to rethink what swimwear could be.
His approach is rooted in a simple idea: real confidence comes from authenticity and connection, and GoodPark is built to capture the feeling of summer just as much as the swimwear itself.
We sat down with Taylor to talk about his path as an entrepreneur, what sparked GoodPark, and where he sees the brand heading next.
You’ve built a loyal audience through your work as a Creative Director and entrepreneur. Looking back, what have been some of the defining moments that shaped your career?
Taylor Phillips: I’ve been sharing my life online for a little over ten years now, which honestly feels kind of crazy to say out loud. When I started, I wasn’t thinking about building a brand or becoming an entrepreneur. I was simply documenting what was happening in my life: moving from a small town in Indiana to New York, trying to make it as a model, coming out, meeting my husband, getting married, and figuring things out as I went.
Looking back, I think that’s what shaped everything. I never tried to present a perfect version of my life, and I think people appreciated that. Over the years, that community grew into something I never expected, and they’ve truly grown up alongside me.
I’ve also been lucky enough to work with many incredible brands as both a creator and a creative director. That gave me a front-row seat to what works, what feels forced, and why people connect with certain stories. Eventually, I realized I didn’t just want to help tell other people’s stories. I wanted to build something of my own. GoodPark became the place where everything I’d learned over the last decade finally came together.
What inspired you to launch GoodPark, and what gap did you hope the brand would fill in the market?
Taylor Phillips: The funny thing is, I didn’t start GoodPark because I saw a huge gap in the market. I started it because I wanted to build something that wasn’t just about me.
After spending so many years creating content, I wanted to take everything I’d learned about storytelling, community, and creativity and pour it into something people could actually hold onto. The first version of GoodPark looked very different from what it is today. It took a few years, and plenty of trial and error, to figure out what the brand was truly meant to become.
Once we landed on swimwear, everything started to click.
When I looked around, I realized there weren’t many brands talking about swimwear in a way that felt emotional. Everything was centered around performance or sex appeal. I was much more interested in how summer feels:
your favorite trip with friends, that one beach you’ll never forget, the freedom of spending all day outside and losing track of time. That’s the feeling I wanted to bottle up.
People always ask why we started with swim briefs. Honestly, I didn’t even grow up wearing them. I was hesitant at first, but once I started learning about their history, how they became popular around the 1960 Olympics and were everywhere throughout the ’70s and ’80s, I became fascinated. Something that had once been completely normal had somehow disappeared, especially in the U.S. I loved the idea of bringing that confidence back in a way that felt modern, approachable, and timeless.
At the end of the day, I don’t really think we’re selling swimwear. I think we’re selling the feeling of summer.
GoodPark is built around connection, confidence, and community. How have those values influenced the way you’ve developed the brand from day one?
Taylor Phillips: Honestly, I don’t think GoodPark would exist without the community we’ve built.
Even now, I still ask my followers what they think all the time. I’ll ask about colors, fits, future products, campaigns, you name it. Sometimes they confirm what I’m already thinking, and sometimes they completely change my mind. I love that. It makes people feel like they’re actually part of building the brand because, in a lot of ways, they are.
To me, confidence has never been about looking a certain way or being the loudest person in the room. It’s about feeling comfortable enough to be yourself. If someone puts on one of our suits and suddenly feels a little more confident walking onto the beach, that’s a pretty cool thing to be a small part of.
As an LGBTQ-founded company, inclusivity has always been part of who we are, but I never wanted GoodPark to feel exclusive. Summer is universal.
Everyone has memories attached to it. If our products become part of someone’s favorite vacation, their honeymoon, a weekend with friends, or even just a great afternoon by the pool, that’s way more meaningful to me than simply selling another swimsuit.
With summer in full swing, what makes GoodPark stand out, and what pieces or collections are you most excited for people to discover this season?
Taylor Phillips: I think what makes GoodPark different is that we spend just as much time thinking about how something feels as we do about how it fits.
Every color, every campaign, and every photoshoot starts with a feeling.
This season, we’ve introduced a lot of new colors and fabrics that I’m really excited about, but what I’m probably most proud of is how much we’ve continued to refine the fit. We obsess over the little details because those are the things people actually notice when they wear our products.
We’ve also had the opportunity to do some really meaningful collaborations this year, including partnering with God’s Love We Deliver during Pride Month. Moments like that remind me that GoodPark can be about more than just clothing.
We have a saying: “GoodPark is wherever summer is.” Whether that’s a beach in Miami, a lake back home in Indiana, or an apartment rooftop in New York, that’s the feeling we’re trying to create.
Looking ahead, what’s next for both you and GoodPark? What can your audience expect from the brand in the coming months?
Taylor Phillips: We’re still just getting started. We recently had our best sales week ever, so it really feels like we’re carving out a space for ourselves.
Over the next year, you’ll definitely see us expand beyond swimwear, but we’re not in a rush. I never want to make products just for the sake of having more products. Everything has to earn its place and feel like a natural extension of the brand.
I’m also excited to share more of what happens behind the scenes. Building a business is messy. There are incredible days, stressful days, and plenty of moments when you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing. I think people appreciate seeing that because it’s real life.
More than anything, I hope people continue to feel like they’re on this journey with us. GoodPark has always been a community effort, and I want it to stay that way as we grow.
If, years from now, someone pulls out one of our swimsuits before a vacation and it instantly reminds them of one of the best weekends of their life, I’d consider that a bigger success than any sales number.
Stay connected with Taylor and follow his journey on Instagram at @taylorjphillips for behind-the-scenes content, lifestyle inspiration, and the latest updates from GoodPark.