Fearless Choices: How Brandi Leifso Built Evio Beauty From Nothing
What does it look like to rebuild your life from absolute zero—and still choose softness? In this powerful episode, Amanda sits down with Brandi Leifso, founder of Evio Beauty, whose entrepreneurial journey began while she was living in a women’s shelter after leaving an abusive relationship.
Brandi shares how escapism became education, how YouTube tutorials turned into a self-taught crash course in Photoshop, and how she created an entire “fake” product catalog to pre-sell makeup before she ever had inventory. From learning white label manufacturing on Google to navigating a shocking cease-and-desist driven by her ex, Brandi’s story is a masterclass in resilience, agency, and the messy decisions that eventually become “fearless.”
Together, Amanda and Brandi unpack the duality of life—how you can be deeply blessed and still have hard days—and why women supporting women matters beyond the purchase. This conversation goes deeper than business: it’s about choices, consequences, and creating real change through policy, education, and community action.
Key Takeaways
Survival is often “one step at a time.” Brandi reframes resilience as focusing on the next right step—even when the full path isn’t visible.
When you have nothing to lose, motivation changes. Brandi shares how “fire under you” can fuel action, and how success later can create new fear because you do have something to lose.
Your story can be private—and still powerful. Brandi didn’t share that she was in a shelter at first; she let the mission and product do the talking.
“You are under no obligation to be who you were five minutes ago.” A defining quote that anchors the entire conversation around growth and identity.
Giving back is not a marketing angle—it’s the foundation. Evio’s mission has always been rooted in supporting shelters and reducing the impacts of stress and violence on women’s lives.
Money alone won’t solve domestic violence. Brandi explains why policy, workplace protections, and conversations out loud are essential for lasting change.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode
Brandi’s origin story: from safe house to startup
Leaving an abusive relationship and landing in a women’s shelter at 21
Finding belonging in online communities when she felt isolated in real life
Teaching herself Photoshop and creating a full product “catalog” without product
Pitching local boutiques, pre-selling with a 50% deposit, and building cash flow
The real “how-to” behind the hustle
Learning manufacturing through Google
Understanding white label and how it lowered the barrier to entry
Delivering product in three months—then hitting the next major barrier
The trademark betrayal—and starting over
The original brand name: Karma Face Cosmetics
Receiving a cease and desist after getting into stores
How her ex filed the trademark and forced her to pull product from shelves
Rebuilding the company as Evio (Evelyn + Iona) with support from a female partner
Life now: friendships, flexibility, and becoming an author
Brandi’s life today in Toronto with her husband and two dogs
Going fully remote as a team
Why friendships became a priority (and how they reinforce identity and worth)
About Brandi Leifso
Brandi Leifso is the founder of Evio Beauty, a brand rooted in reducing the effects of stress and giving back to women’s shelters. She’s also the author of Fearless Choices, a book about the quiet, uncertain decisions that change your life over time.