Meet Peter Genuardi
Why did I start Victory Beachwear?
Most of us have never felt like our bodies are “beach ready.”
I started Victory Beachwear for you and for me and the people who care about our well being. Our culture and even people close to us send us negative messages about our bodies, too often. “You’re too big. You’re too skinny. Why don’t you have any self control? Can’t you just drop a few (dozen, hundred) pounds?”
After a twenty-five year career in marketing and venture backed startups, I started Victory Beachwear to make clothes for people who want to reject those messages that weigh heavily on our state of mind. We’re reclaiming what it means to live life at our Actual Size or as a Husky guy or a genuine, sensitive Crybaby.
Whether you want to wear a shirt under a hoodie for your own personal boost of confidence… Or, if you want to wear a pressed t-shirt under a blazer on the town Friday night to make a bold statement, we’re here for it.
Who knows where Victory Beachwear will go? We’re trying hard to grow the company and expand our products (especially with regard to offering big big sizes).
In case you’re wondering, here’s a little bit about me.
For more than three decades I struggled to love my body. From all sides I heard people saying mean stuff about my body.
- Damn, you’re fat
- You’re not really that fat, you’re just wide
- Yo, fat boy
- You’re husky
- You’re pork sized
- Nice “man tits”
And, that’s just the beginning. I’m sure you’ve heard worse.
For years, I felt like I couldn’t be loved until I achieved some unattainable body ideal. I started dieting when I was 11 years old. You can’t name a diet I haven’t tried or at least heard of. I worked out twice a day when I was 12. I have run more than 20,000 miles in my life. Thanks to my Sicilian genetics, no matter how hard I exercised or starved myself, I never saw that “skinny guy” in the mirror.
All of this took a heavy toll on my mental health. When I turned 40, I finally sought the help I needed to get healthy. I found a terrific therapist who helped me address the issues at the heart of my struggle. Today, I’m living in a bigger body than ever, but my mental health is better than it has ever been. And, most days I can honestly say I like my body. I focus on being healthy, rather than being skinny.
In 2023, I found an opportunity to tell my story on the TEDx stage. Watch it right now.
In this talk, I open up about my decades-long struggle with disordered eating and journey towards health. I reveal that over one million American men struggle with disordered eating, yet few of us seek the help we truly need. Drawing from my personal experience and that of my father, I attempt to shed light on the often-overlooked issue of disordered eating in men. I highlight the importance of medical professionals, friends, and family members being aware of the signs and symptoms of disordered eating, and the crucial role they can play in helping men get the support they need to get healthy.
I’d love to hear from you. Hit me up with an email at peter at victory beachwear dot com.