In this episode of Be Anomalous, founder and CEO of Behave Candy, Mayssa Chehata, joins me for a conversation that is raw, real, and radically affirming. From growing up between Tunisia and suburban Virginia to building a multimillion-dollar business that’s reimagining candy, Mayssa shares how she turned “being too much” into her greatest strength.
We talk about what it means to lead with intuition in a world that rewards conformity, how therapy and spiritual work helped her navigate burnout and credit card debt, and why she’s now proudly chasing both impact and wealth.
Mayssa’s story is about trusting your inner voice, choosing discomfort over regret, and letting yourself evolve—even when no one else gets it.
If you’ve ever felt like the outsider in the room, or like your ambition is “too loud,” this episode will remind you: you’re not the problem — you’re the blueprint.
🎧 Listen to the episode
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
What you’ll learn
Why Mayssa walked away from SoulCycle and a six-figure salary to launch a low-sugar candy brand
The immigrant daughter mindset — and how it shaped her leadership style
How nervous system regulation and spiritual healing helped her survive the hardest years of entrepreneurship
The dark side of raising too much money too early
Why “being bossy” was never the problem — and how to own it with compassion
Tactical advice for early founders: prototyping, branding, and raising capital
What it means to build a business and become the rich woman you were told to marry
Favorite Quote
“My mom told me to marry a rich man. I told her, ‘Mom, I am a rich man.’”
— Cher
Favorite Book
📖 The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introduction to Mayssa Chehata
(02:00) Growing up between Tunisia and Virginia
(05:00) Being bossy, Type-A — and why that led to entrepreneurship
(08:00) Navigating identity as a third-culture kid
(12:00) Empathy, adaptability, and inclusive leadership
(17:00) Her career path: NFL → Uber → Daily Harvest → SoulCycle
(24:00) Finding her idea — and why no one else was making healthy candy
(29:00) How she raised nearly $1M and what she’d do differently
(37:00) Branding mistakes, learning from feedback, and trusting your taste
(46:00) Therapy, burnout, and regulating your nervous system as a founder
(54:00) How to keep going when everything says quit
(01:01:00) Redefining success: from exit dreams to healing and financial freedom
(01:08:00) Mayssa’s favorite quote & book
Where to find Mayssa Chehata
LinkedIn
Behave Candy
Behave on Instagram
Referenced in this episode
SoulCycle, Uber, NFL, Daily Harvest
