Brandi Leifso started Evio Beauty from a women's shelter at 21 with a bootlegged Photoshop. Now she's in 460 Shoppers Drug Mart locations and has a debut book. This is what Fearless Choices actually look like.

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What does it look like to build a globally recognized beauty brand from a women's shelter with nothing but a laptop and a borrowed idea? This week on That Digital Take, we sit down with Brandi Leifso, founder of Evio Beauty, impact entrepreneur, and author of the debut book Fearless Choices: How to Reclaim Your Power One Decision at a Time, for one of the most honest, grounded conversations we've ever had on this show.

Brandi's story isn't a highlight reel. At 21, she left an abusive relationship and found herself starting over with almost nothing. What came next wasn't a cinematic turning point — it was a series of small, quiet, often uncomfortable decisions that slowly built something extraordinary. Today, Evio Beauty is a Canadian-founded, impact-led skincare and beauty brand stocked in hundreds of Shoppers Drug Mart locations across Canada, with a mission rooted in giving back to women from day one.

In this episode, we go deep on the decisions nobody posts about — the vending machine fail, the early funding hustle, the Michelle Phan full-circle moment, and what it really took to land a major retail partnership at scale. Brandi also opens up about writing Fearless Choices, why she deliberately wrote a book that grounds you instead of hypes you up, and what she's still navigating in this chapter of her life.

If you're a founder, a creative, or someone who has ever felt stuck choosing between who you are and who you're becoming, this one is for you.

🕐 TIMESTAMPS
2:15 — What does courage actually look like in hindsight? The mindset shift from survival to building
7:32 — How Brandi funded Evio Beauty without telling anyone where she was living
11:07 — The Michelle Phan full-circle moment that changed everything
19:49 — The vending machine: a business decision that didn't work (and what it taught her)
24:23 — Why "grow at all costs" is a red flag, and how the founder era has shifted
26:38 — Is there still space to build in beauty in 2026? On the Girl Boss era and what replaced it
29:28 — "Always listen to the market" — staying agile enough not to sink
32:01 — Luck, preparation, and the Disney press trip moment
32:50 — Building a brand by women, for women — and the give-back from day one
37:00 — Setting boundaries around your founder story: keynoting Shoppers and reclaiming your narrative
44:42 — Mo money, mo problems: the hard parts nobody actually posts

IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER:
Building a mission-led beauty brand from zero resources
The difference between an impulsive decision and an intentional one
How to rebuild self-trust when it's been broken
Scaling into major Canadian retail (460+ Shoppers Drug Mart locations)
Balancing profit and purpose without compromising either
Differentiating in a crowded eye patch and skincare category
Why women feel pressure to make the perfect decision, and how to unlearn it
Founder mental health, boundaries, and what the glow-up really costs
Key lessons from Fearless Choices, the book

🔗 CONNECT WITH BRANDI LEIFSO 📖 Fearless Choices — available now 🌿 Evio Beauty: eviobeauty.com 📸 Instagram: @brandileifso | @eviobeauty

That Digital Take is a Canadian podcast at the intersection of business, digital culture, and the real conversations happening behind the brand. New episodes drop weekly.

#ThatDigitalTake #BrandiLeifso #EvioBeauty #FearlessChoices #CanadianFounder #WomenInBusiness #BeautyBrand #ShoppersDrugMart #ImpactEntrepreneur #FounderStory #PodcastCanada #SmallBusinessCanada #WomenEntrepreneurs #PersonalDevelopment #SelfHelp

Brandi Leifso started Evio Beauty from a women's shelter at 21 with a bootlegged Photoshop. Now she's in 460 Shoppers Drug Mart locations and has a debut book. This is what Fearless Choices actually look like.
--
What does it look like to build a globally recognized beauty brand from a women's shelter with nothing but a laptop and a borrowed idea? This week on That Digital Take, we sit down with Brandi Leifso, founder of Evio Beauty, impact entrepreneur, and author of the debut book Fearless Choices: How to Reclaim Your Power One Decision at a Time, for one of the most honest, grounded conversations we've ever had on this show.
Brandi's story isn't a highlight reel. At 21, she left an abusive relationship and found herself starting over with almost nothing. What came next wasn't a cinematic turning point — it was a series of small, quiet, often uncomfortable decisions that slowly built something extraordinary. Today, Evio Beauty is a Canadian-founded, impact-led skincare and beauty brand stocked in hundreds of Shoppers Drug Mart locations across Canada, with a mission rooted in giving back to women from day one.
In this episode, we go deep on the decisions nobody posts about — the vending machine fail, the early funding hustle, the Michelle Phan full-circle moment, and what it really took to land a major retail partnership at scale. Brandi also opens up about writing Fearless Choices, why she deliberately wrote a book that grounds you instead of hypes you up, and what she's still navigating in this chapter of her life.
If you're a founder, a creative, or someone who has ever felt stuck choosing between who you are and who you're becoming, this one is for you.

🕐 TIMESTAMPS
<ul class="[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3">
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">2:15 — What does courage actually look like in hindsight? The mindset shift from survival to building</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">7:32 — How Brandi funded Evio Beauty without telling anyone where she was living</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">11:07 — The Michelle Phan full-circle moment that changed everything</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">19:49 — The vending machine: a business decision that didn't work (and what it taught her)</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">24:23 — Why "grow at all costs" is a red flag, and how the founder era has shifted</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">26:38 — Is there still space to build in beauty in 2026? On the Girl Boss era and what replaced it</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">29:28 — "Always listen to the market" — staying agile enough not to sink</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">32:01 — Luck, preparation, and the Disney press trip moment</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">32:50 — Building a brand by women, for women — and the give-back from day one</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">37:00 — Setting boundaries around your founder story: keynoting Shoppers and reclaiming your narrative</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">44:42 — Mo money, mo problems: the hard parts nobody actually posts</li>
</ul>

IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER:
<ul class="[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3">
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Building a mission-led beauty brand from zero resources</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">The difference between an impulsive decision and an intentional one</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">How to rebuild self-trust when it's been broken</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Scaling into major Canadian retail (460+ Shoppers Drug Mart locations)</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Balancing profit and purpose without compromising either</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Differentiating in a crowded eye patch and skincare category</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Why women feel pressure to make the perfect decision, and how to unlearn it</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Founder mental health, boundaries, and what the glow-up really costs</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Key lessons from Fearless Choices, the book</li>
</ul>

🔗 CONNECT WITH BRANDI LEIFSO 📖 Fearless Choices — available now 🌿 Evio Beauty: <a href='https://eviobeauty.com'>eviobeauty.com</a> 📸 Instagram: @brandileifso | @eviobeauty

That Digital Take is a Canadian podcast at the intersection of business, digital culture, and the real conversations happening behind the brand. New episodes drop weekly.
#ThatDigitalTake #BrandiLeifso #EvioBeauty #FearlessChoices #CanadianFounder #WomenInBusiness #BeautyBrand #ShoppersDrugMart #ImpactEntrepreneur #FounderStory #PodcastCanada #SmallBusinessCanada #WomenEntrepreneurs #PersonalDevelopment #SelfHelp

That Digital Take uncovers the ever-evolving world of influencers—challenging the industry, harnessing its power, and exploring how it connects us all. Through the lens of pop culture and entertainment,Torri blends: Insider interviews with industry leaders, viral influencers/ creators, actors, and rising stars. Behind-the-scenes  storytelling from her own experience navigating the digital space. Actionable takeaways for listeners curious about how digital culture shapes careers, business, and society.

That Digital Take uncovers the ever-evolving world of influencers&mdash;challenging the industry, harnessing its power, and exploring how it connects us all. Through the lens of pop culture and entertainment,Torri blends: Insider interviews with industry leaders, viral influencers/ creators, actors, and rising stars. Behind-the-scenes &nbsp;storytelling from her own experience navigating the digital space. Actionable takeaways for listeners curious about how digital culture shapes careers, business, and society.