By Judy Christie

Haley McClain Hill, 29, is an Air Force veteran and two-time NFL cheerleader — experiences she credits with helping her get a $150,000 deal this year on the TV show Shark Tank, money her business will use to manufacture bodysuits as an alternative to standard T-shirts for women in the military.

She first encountered uniform T-shirts while at Penn State University on a full ROTC scholarship, when she was offered one of two T-shirt options: male or unisex. Later, as an officer in the Air Force, she wanted something more professional and comfortable, whether “briefing a general or attending a training.” And, she says with a chuckle, she needed a shirt that would stay tucked in.

Knowing official approval was required, she picked up the phone. “I called the uniform section of the Pentagon,” she says matter-of-factly. With the bodysuit approved, TORCH Warriorwear, now three years old, was born.

She says the combination of “Air Force values” and her time as a cheerleader for Penn State, the Atlanta Falcons, and the San Francisco 49ers helped with her tryout and pitch for the Emmy award-winning Shark Tank.

“There’s a level of excellence that’s expected of you when you’re a lieutenant in the Air Force … . And as an entrepreneur, you always have to wake up with energy and perform your best, giving people exactly what they need and want.”

Her “Shark Tank” proposal led to her deal with show star Lori Greiner, who has invested in more than 100 products with a 90% success rate.

“Definitely a life-changing experience” is how Hill describes being on the show, “standing there, pitching, talking. Nothing like I’ve ever been a part of before.”      

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A high-energy entrepreneur, she has a degree in math with an economics concentration and served four years in the Air Force. The only employee of her company so far, she initially paid for inventory with savings and money from her Air Force paychecks, but TORCH Warriorwear sales to “real military women” have grown each year. “They’re just happy they don’t have to wear those T-shirts to work anymore,” she said.

Two bodysuit options are offered, with long and short sleeves, in seven colors — coyote brown, the most popular color, for Army, Air Force, and Space Force; green for Marine Corps; Navy brown; and Coast Guard blue. The company also sells white for dress uniforms and black for law enforcement and has added gray at the request of women in the Australian Navy. The shirts, made for TORCH Warriorwear in Los Angeles, retail for $60 for short sleeve and $75 for long sleeve.

In addition to building the apparel business, Hill leads workshops, is writing a book, and hosts a weekly 15-minute podcast, TORCHTalks, where guests address topics that military women are passionate about. For more, see https://haleymcclainhill.com.

“I’m trying to take what I’ve learned and help other people.” she said.

Judy Christie is a writer based in Colorado.