39. "Let the man be the man": scent as medicine & pivoting into purpose – with Jordana Fortaleza, founder of The Lyfestyle Co.

In this episode, Jordana shares her pivot from a decade in fashion retail to founding The Lyfestyle Co., a fragrance and lifestyle brand focused on self-discovery through scent, including astrology-inspired collections with mapped notes by zodiac traits. After developing allergic reactions to conventional perfumes, she built modern, luxurious fragrances using organic cane alcohol and avoiding endocrine disruptors like sulfates and phthalates, emphasizing scent’s link to emotion, memory, and nervous system regulation. We talk about her early wholesale wins (Francesca’s, FabFitFun), the challenges of marketing and storytelling while bootstrapping, and the shift toward direct-to-consumer requiring new skills like CAC and ROI. We also talk about wellness rituals, the boundaries she sets to navigate working with her husband, relationship principles, and the power of manifestation. Links: Follow Jordana on InstagramFollow The Lyfestyle Co. on InstagramShop The Lyfestyle Co.