Turning Grief Into Growth: How Amy Anaiz Built a Sustainable Home Brand

This week in the guest chair we have Amy Anaiz, a celebrated photographer turned product founder and the creator of OZAIZ, a sustainable home goods and fragrance brand. After building a successful wedding and portrait photography business for over a decade, Amy made a powerful pivot launching a line of sculptural, multi-use glassware inspired by beauty, intention, and function.

In this episode, Amy opens up about her transition from side hustler to full-time creative, and how becoming a mother while navigating unimaginable grief reshaped her purpose and path. She shares the behind-the-scenes of building OZAIZ, from manufacturing and funding the business herself, to designing for sustainability and meaning.

*Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of infant loss and stillbirth.

In this episode she shares:
– How she prepared financially to leave her 9-to-5 and pursue photography full-time
– The story behind her product brand OZAIZ and why it took years to bring to life
– How grief, motherhood, and purpose shaped her new business direction
– What she’s learned about manufacturing, design, and funding a product-based business
– The intentional design and sustainability philosophy behind OZAIZ

Highlights Include
00:00 – Intro
01:30 – Amy’s pivot from PR to photography
07:00 – Building her photography side hustle
10:00 – Leaving her full-time job and creating a financial cushion
13:00 – Losing her daughter and navigating grief while becoming a mom
21:00 – Why she launched Ozais and what sets the brand apart
28:00 – How she self-funded her entire business
36:00 – The complexities of manufacturing glassware and candles
44:00 – Designing for sustainability and versatility
50:00 – Balancing personal storytelling with branding
58:00 – What’s next for Ozais and how Amy honors her daughter’s legacy

Watch episode 469 on YouTube and listen on all podcast apps

Links Mentioned:
OZAIZ Website: https://www.ozaiz.com
Amy Anaiz Photography: https://www.amyanaiz.com
Amy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyanaizphoto
OZAIZ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozaizhome
Side Hustle Pro Podcast: https://www.sidehustlepro.co/podcast
Kunbi (Amy’s lawyer): https://www.instagram.com/legallyset

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/side-hustle-pro/id1126021323
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/13qDj08lBR4ymzGhXIKy8t?si=8daf52a57e054042
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sidehustlepro
Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss

Affiliate Disclosure: I may be an affiliate for products that I recommend or share. If you purchase those items through my links, I may earn a commission. You will not pay more when you use my links.

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