Haley Marie McClain Hill has always worked her butt off.
From the time she was a child Hill was immersed in several activities varying from ballet to flute-playing, to Spanish lessons. By the time she was an adolescent, she’d mastered the practice of juggling multiple passions. Unsurprisingly, she carried that skill through to her young adulthood where, as a a math major at Penn State, she also balanced her involvement with the ROTC and cheerleading for the school. Hill went on to be commissioned into active duty for the air force while simultaneously becoming a rookie on the Atlanta Falcons NFL cheerleading team. She then joined the 49ers Gold Rush NFL Cheerleading team, and as if that wasn’t enough, launched a company.
TORCH Warriorwear, a direct-to-consumer military apparel brand, was birthed from Hill’s busy lifestyle. Like her day-to-day, she created clothing that was as seamless as her ability to maneuver multiple roles at once.
“I’m always kind of juggling three things at once. So, I just decided to tackle the problem of just being uncomfortable,” she tells ESSENCE. “With all the things I have to do on a daily basis, I want my clothing to move with me regardless of the situation I’m in.”
The brand’s star product is its bodysuit, a durable, carefully crafted piece that quickly became a fan favorite since the brand launched during the height of the pandemic when Hill had time to think through her next big step. The idea for it came naturally.
“It just made so much sense because, like me, there are so many busy women out here who wants to be able to wear something that transitions with them throughout the day no matter what they have to do.”
Initially designed to be worn under the military fatigues, the body suit has since become a mainstream darling for civilians as well, and caught the attention of Shark Tank investors. Hill went on the hit business competition pitch show to seek investment capital to scale the brand, and won.
After wowing the coaches with her heartfelt presentation of the brand, it was clear to anyone watching she was a top contender. But Hill said she didn’t expect to home the top prize.
“Honestly, I just thought me even being in that room was a win,” Hill shares. “I was just like, me even being there after having been chosen by the producing team was evident enough that I had an idea worth sharing.”
McClain Hill asked for $150,000 for a 10% stake in Torch Warriorwear. One of the coaches, Lori Greiner countered with the ask of a 25% stake of the company. The two were able to land on a deal of $150,000 for 22.5%.
Hill says the capital investment will help her reach more consumers and further empower women to tap into their inner warrior.
“We celebrate women,” she shares. “We want to look at our brand and say to themselves, I am so much more than just my career or just a pretty face or just where I grew up or my school or whatever, you’re so much more. I want women to feel so empowered in this space and to feel like they can be their confident, authentic selves. And we’re here to really cheer them on. It’s really what we’re here to do.”