Aishwarya Iyer, Founder of Brightland, on Building a Cult-Favorite Luxury Brand From Burnout, the Truth About the NYT Olive Oil Wars, and How Becoming a Mom Changed Everything

Aishwarya Iyer, Founder of Brightland, on Copycats, Creator Culture, and Building a Luxury Brand From Burnout

What happens when a health scare leads you to reinvent the olive oil aisle—and you end up in the middle of a New York Times “olive oil war” after being bullied online by another founder?

In this episode of Hot Smart Rich, Maggie sits down with Aishwarya Iyer, the founder of Brightland, to unpack how one wellness wake-up call turned into a category-defining pantry brand that landed on Oprah’s Favorite Things list in 2022. Aishwarya shares the moment her health shifted everything, why she turned to fashion houses like Gucci and Ralph Lauren—not food brands—for inspiration, and how she reimagined a dusty commodity into a cult-status luxury product. And how wholesale partners like Amazon and Nordstrom helped scale her business.

They go deep on what it really takes to build a premium brand in a saturated category, how to handle copycats with clarity instead of chaos, and why going viral isn’t a requirement for building something iconic. Aishwarya also opens up about becoming a mom after nine years of marriage, not knowing if she wanted kids—and what motherhood taught her about identity, ambition, and leadership.

Whether you're building a brand, balancing personal transformation, or trying to define success on your own terms, this one’s for you.

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🔑 Key Takeaways

• From burnout to Brightland. A personal health scare led Aishwarya to create Brightland—not to build a brand, but to solve a real kitchen problem. That authenticity became her edge.
• Luxury in the details. Inspired by Gucci and Ralph Lauren, Brightland’s premium packaging and positioning turned pantry staples into cultural icons—proving that higher pricing only works when backed by quality.
• Success invites copycats. After the New York Times spotlighted the “olive oil wars,” Aishwarya reflects on being mimicked and publicly called out. Her response? Founders should lead with vision, not defensiveness.
• Motherhood changes everything. Launching Brightland and becoming a mother at the same time brought guilt, growth, and identity shifts—reshaping how she leads.
• Visibility isn’t everything. Aishwarya skipped TikTok and virality, choosing substance over flash. Staying behind the scenes helped her build lasting brand equity.

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This episode is sponsored by

- Pique - Use code HSR20 for 20% off.

- Frate Returns - Tell them HSR sent you and learn more here

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Items Mentioned in This Episode

- Brightland Olive Oil - use code HSRBRIGHTLAND for 20% off your first purchase up until November 1, 2025

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Links

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