In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes, Jaya Iyer shares her journey from growing up in India to building a purpose-driven fashion brand in the United States. With a Ph.D. in Fashion Merchandising and experience in both academia and the apparel industry, Jaya combined her knowledge, personal experiences, and motherhood to create Svaha USA—a brand designed to challenge gender norms and inspire learning through clothing.
What began as a simple frustration—being unable to find a space-themed shirt for her daughter—turned into a powerful business idea. Through smart business planning, including launching with a Kickstarter campaign, Jaya validated her concept with minimal risk and built a brand rooted in education, empowerment, and curiosity.
Throughout the conversation, Jaya emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, adaptability, and staying connected to customers. She highlights how failures, operational challenges, and unexpected events like COVID forced her to pivot, reinforcing that flexibility is one of the most critical skills a business owner can develop.
Her approach to business goes beyond profit—Svaha is designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and create meaningful conversations through everyday products. Ultimately, Jaya’s story is a testament to the power of learning, resilience, and building something that truly matters.
🧠 Key Takeaways & Notes
🚀 Origin Story & Business Planning
The idea for Svaha came from a real-life problem: lack of STEM-themed clothing for girls
Started with just 5 t-shirts and ~$500 investment
Used Kickstarter to validate demand before scaling
Identified a clear market gap + emotional connection
📌 Lesson: Start small, validate early, and let the market guide you
🎓 Learning as a Competitive Advantage
Academic background helped with:
Consumer behavior understanding
Product development knowledge
Pricing and inventory strategy
Strong emphasis on listening to customers
📌 Lesson: Knowledge reduces risk and increases decision quality
🔁 Learning Through Failure & Adaptability
Faced unexpected challenges (e.g., COVID, production issues)
Learned the importance of:
Pivoting quickly
Double-checking execution
Accepting and correcting mistakes
📌 Lesson: Experience doesn’t eliminate mistakes—adaptability does
🧩 Building a Learning-Driven Brand
Clothing designed to:
Spark curiosity
Encourage conversations
Reinforce identity and confidence
Products act as “learning tools” in everyday life
📌 Lesson: Businesses can educate, not just sell
🧠 Mindset & Personal Development
Continuous learning through:
Reading
Podcasts
Following thought leaders
Strong focus on time management and boundaries
📌 Lesson: If you stop learning, your business starts declining
🤝 Leadership & Growth Challenges
Difficulty implementing change within teams
Importance of:
Communicating vision clearly
Showing benefits of change
Growth came from embracing new opportunities (e.g., adult clothing line)
📌 Lesson: Leaders must guide change—even when it’s uncomfortable
🌍 Entrepreneur Reality
Entrepreneurship can be lonely
Importance of:
Peer networks
Learning from other founders
Staying updated with trends (e.g., tech, platforms, AI)
📌 Lesson: Surround yourself with people who challenge and teach you
💬 Memorable Quotes
Here are standout, highly quotable moments from the episode:
“I couldn’t find anything for her in the girls’ department… and that’s what sparked this idea.”
“All my life experiences had prepared me to do this.”
“You have to always listen to your customer… if your customer is not happy, nothing else matters.”
“There is no dearth of things you can spend money on—you have to prioritize.”
“You have to learn to pivot, you have to learn to be flexible.”
“Clothing impacts how a child thinks.”
“One of the reasons a business is successful is when you are offering something nobody else is.”
“Nobody likes change—we’re all creatures of habit.”
“I don’t think there is ever an end to learning.”
“Being a business owner is a very lonely life.”
“Patience, determination, and perseverance—that’s what it takes.”
