She Scaled Odd Muse to £30m - It Nearly Broke Her | Aimee Smale

This week, we sit down with Aimee Smale, the inspiring founder behind Odd Muse. In four years she's taken the cult British womenswear brand from a bedroom startup to a £30m business. Aimee opens up about spotting the gap in the market for accessible luxury, quitting ASOS without a plan, and quite literally dismantling her bed to make room for a desk. From making £10 logos and packing orders herself, to designing the blazer that changed everything, this is a masterclass in betting on yourself.Aimee speaks candidly about online pile-ons, media attacks, and why the last year has been her hardest yet. She also breaks down the decisions that shaped Odd Muse’s growth, and why she believes Odd Muse can be a £100m brand, even if she doesn’t want to take it there alone.Honest, high-stakes, and full of lessons you won’t hear in a pitch deck.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & Early Years of Odd Muse

12:00 Taking Impulsive Risks

14:55 Importance of Building a Rounded Skillset

19:30 How One Hero Product Can Change Your Life

22:20 Importance of Being Your Own Customer

28:00 The Influencer Moment That Changed Odd Muse

33:30 Founder-Led Marketing

37:00 Dealing With Online Trolls Over The Last 12 Months

46:08 Why She's Now Stepping Back & Hiring a CEO

53:25 How Moving to New York Changed Her Mindset

55:30 The Strategy Behind Odd Muse's Retail Stores

01:01:30 Growing the Wholesale Business