Episode 19: Staying Curious, Protecting Your Energy, and Favorite Cooking Tips with CEO and Founder of Brightland, Aishwarya Iyer
Aishwarya Iyer started Instagram’s favorite olive oil company, Brightland, for her own wellbeing and was inspired to make high-quality olive oil from farms in California more accessible. She didn’t grow up wanting to be an entrepreneur–as a child of immigrants (and an immigrant herself), she valued stability and safety. On today’s episode of The Everygirl Podcast, she talks about finding which career path was best for her, how she revolutionized the way we think of food, and pulling inspo from local artists and fashion companies to create her signature branding. Aishwarya also talks about how she prioritizes wellness with a busy schedule and tips that will impress your guests when entertaining.
Check out Brightland in The Everygirl’s Gift Guide here.
Find the recipe for Aishwarya’s favorite spicy pasta here.
SHOW NOTES:
This episode of The Everygirl Podcast kicks off with a conversation about what Brightland CEO and founder Aishwarya Iyer was like as a child. Aishwarya reveals that even into college and the beginnings of her career, she was fascinated by a variety of different paths, and often followed several of her interests at once. She discusses her time at NYU and what it was like to create her own major, before diving into how she dealt with the 2008 financial crisis as an entry-level employee. Josie asks Aishwarya about the lessons she learned from the corporate world in the beginning of her career, and how those lessons eventually translated to Aishwarya’s leadership at Brightland. From there, the two open up a conversation about Brightland. Aishwarya explains how her work with a life coach gave her the confidence to start her own company, plus how she became interested in producing olive oil in the first place. You’ll hear Aishwarya tell the story of how she came to partner with local olive farms in California to create a mutually beneficial relationship between the farm partners and Brightland. She discusses some of the challenges she faced before launching the company and how she overcame them, explaining how she moves through messes as an entrepreneur now. Josie asks Aishwarya about Brightland’s marketing strategies, and Aishwarya elaborates on the inspiration the brand draws from artists and even beauty brands. Finally, the two talk food; Aishwarya reveals her favorite ways to cook with Brightland products, and gives recipe recommendations. The episode closes with a discussion of Aishwarya’s work/life balance, and her biggest tips for those who struggle to turn off work mode.
Must-Listen Moments:
[5:11] How Aishwarya’s family history changed her perspective on entrepreneurship
[13:27] What Aishwarya learned about starting a business from startup culture
[23:53] What was the hardest part of getting Brightland off the ground?
[34:03] How Aishwarya uses Brightland products in her cooking
[37:54] Aishwarya’s tips for maintaining a healthy work/life balance
More from The Everygirl:
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