Raw and Real Entrepreneurship® · 2025-10-13 · 50 min
What does it take to launch a female-founded brand in 700 Target stores - with no prior CPG experience? In this raw and real conversation, Susan Sly sits down with Amiee LeMaire, founder of ZEYA, the first true innovation in home fragrance since Febreze. Discover how this former Hollywood producer transformed a deeply personal passion for non-toxic, functional fragrance into a fast-growing brand selling out online and thriving in mass retail. From bootstrapping prototypes and pitching with just a deck, to overcoming investor rejection and navigating supply chain shocks, Amiee breaks down the real story behind ZEYA’s rise. Learn her strategies for pricing a brand-new product category, raising $2M in seed funding, landing a national retail partnership before launch - and how she balances it all while parenting two young kids. Whether you’re scaling a product, raising capital, or defining your own entrepreneurial journey, this episode delivers tactical insight, unapologetic truth, and a deep reminder: you can build something that changes how people live - and breathe. Aimee LeMaire is the founder of ZEYA, a clean home fragrance brand now in 700+ Target stores.
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