Learning, Unlearning, and Building Something That Matters
From Business Owners Tell All by Jamie Seeker
June 4, 2026 · 32 min · Episode 89
About this episode
Jaya Iyer shares her journey of building a purpose-driven fashion brand, Svaha USA, emphasizing the importance of learning and adaptability in business.
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…
People in this episode
Host: Jamie Seeker
Guest: Jaya Iyer
Topics covered
- entrepreneurship
- fashion
- education
- gender norms
- business planning
- resilience
Keywords
- fashion brand
- entrepreneurship
- learning
- gender norms
- business planning
- resilience
- COVID
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Svaha USA
Places: India, United States
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