• Home
  • About Us
  • Podcast
    • Listen via Apple Podcasts
    • Be Our Guest!
  • Get Involved
  • Resources
  • Connect

Chicks Who Give A Hoot

Podcast Show Notes

Episode 93- Kelly Kussman

July 24, 2024

IN THIS EPISODE, WE CHAT ABOUT:

  • Kelly’s background and early career in the fragrance industry.
  • The inception and mission of Kayla Gray.
  • Personal challenges, including Kelly’s experience with ectopic pregnancies.
  • The decision to leave a corporate job and start a business.
  • The role of scent in memory and emotion.
  • Insights into the entrepreneurial journey, including seeking investors and scaling a business.
  • The importance of authenticity and consistency in business.
  • Building a community and seeking mentorship.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Shop for your next favorite scent at Cayla Gray 

Or visit their space at The Churchill in Downtown Phoenix located at 901 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ

Follow Kayla Gray on Instagram | @caylagrayco 

Check out Kayla Gray on TikTok |  @caylagrayco

 

Connect with Sara on Instagram | @sarachamberscreative

Follow along with the podcast on Instagram | @chickswhogiveahoot

Apply to be a guest on the podcast

THIS SHOW IS AN ELLY AND NORA CREATIVE PROJECT

Elly and Nora Creative helps purpose-driven businesses grow their income and impact through branding, digital content, and publicity. 

Grow your income & impact through branding with Elly & Nora Creative

Instagram | @ellyandnoracreative

Website | ellyandnoracreative.com

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode of Chicks Who Give a Hoot, I welcome my dear friend Kelly Kussman, founder of the clean and transparent ingredient fragrance company, Cayla Gray. Kelly shares her journey of self-discovery that began after she suffered from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, almost losing her life and her first baby. This pivotal moment led her to create Cayla Gray, a brand named in honor of her lost child and inspired by her deep love for the nostalgia of scent. 

Kelly delves into her entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of building Cayla Gray from the ground up without external investment. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity and consistency in her business, sharing valuable insights on the power of bootstrapping. Kelly reveals how saying “No” to investors allowed her to maintain full control over her brand and stay true to her vision. Kelly also discusses the profound connection between scent and memory, and the deeply personal rituals she developed through bi-annual trips to nature that helped her and other women move through life’s transitions. Her story is a testament to the resilience and creativity required to succeed in business with minimal external capital.

CLIP HIGHLIGHTS:

01:00 Meet Kelly Kussman

02:00 Kelly’s Background

04:00 Founding Cayla Gray

05:24 Personal Experiences Influencing Business

10:08 The Power of Scent and Memory

12:58 Challenges of Entrepreneurship

14:18 Bootstrapping Your Business

17:50 Bringing An Investor to Your Business

21:27 The Value of Bootstrapping

30:12 Imposter Syndrome

34:35 The Big Bold Impact of the Business

37:01 Advices on Bootstrapping

38:55 Connect and Shop

TAGS:bootstrappingbusinessdreamsEmpowermententrepreneurshipimpactinvestmentpodcast
Share

You May Also Like

October 19, 2022

Episode 63- Danielle Nicole

July 13, 2018

Episode 43- Cheryl Lovejoy

August 14, 2024

Episode 96- Lauren deVane

May 4, 2022

Episode 59- Lauren Carson

  • Home
  • Podcast Episodes
  • Apply
  • Connect

COPYRIGHT © 2025 CHICKS WHO GIVE A HOOT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Brand and Web Design by Elly and Nora Creative