Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Daniella Rosa. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Daniella thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
I love this story because it happened at the same time that I had the spark of the idea for my current business! I was in Telluride, CO in the summer of July 2021 for a family trip, and one day, we considered playing a round of golf. While browsing the Pro Shop at a local course, I decided I wanted a shirt or sweater as a cool, golf-related keepsake from the trip. I was flipping through the women’s clothing section and, as per usual, the only women’s golf apparel options that this shop had were the same ill-fitting collared shirts and boxy skirts that I had seen at every Pro Shop that I had been in over the past 20 years of my golf “career.” The patterns were the same, the fits were the same, and, unsurprisingly, most women’s items offered were on sale because, frankly, no one wanted these unflattering styles.
I gave up finding something for myself and decided to check out the kids section. I happened upon a shirt made for little girls that was super edgy – it was a tie dye pattern with mesh sleeves and had a mock neck collar. This was leaps and bounds cooler than anything offered for women in the golf apparel world (which says a lot). As I was looking at this shirt, I had an “aha” moment which changed my life! I realized that women’s golf apparel options have always been incredibly limited. Women are often offered the same iterations of terrible styles each year, and there isn’t much we can do about it. So, I decided in that moment, why not create golf apparel that I would actually buy and wear, that is in my personal style, developed from high quality fabrics, and made with the modern woman golfer in mind. And AIEA Golf was born!
Around this time, the name of my business – AIEA Golf – also fell into place. Simply put, AIEA is formed from the vowels of my first name, Daniella, strung together. Pronounced ‘eye-uh,’ it’s my subtle way of saying ‘Daniella’s golf brand’ without being too obvious. Plus, no one ever knows how to pronounce it, which always makes for a great conversation starter!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Daniella Rosa. I’m originally from NYC, grew up in Florida, and have lived in six different cities until finding myself in Austin, TX two years ago, where I continue to live and work. I spent most of my early career in the auction industry, and after 10 years, I decided to venture into something new.
Before leaving the auction world, I wasn’t entirely sure which direction I would take – until I had an “aha” moment in the summer of 2021. I was on a family trip in Telluride, CO, and one day, we considered playing a round of golf. While browsing the Pro Shop at a local course, I decided I wanted a shirt or sweater as a cool, golf-related keepsake from the trip. As I flipped through the women’s section, I was met with the same uninspired selection I had seen in Pro Shops for the past 20 years – ill-fitting collared shirts, boxy skirts, and generic patterns. Nothing had changed. The styles were outdated, the fits unflattering, and, unsurprisingly, most of the women’s apparel was on sale – likely because no one actually wanted to wear it.
I gave up finding something for myself and decided to check out the kids section. I happened upon a shirt made for little girls that was super edgy – it was a tie dye pattern with mesh sleeves and had a mock neck collar. This was leaps and bounds more stylish than anything offered for women in the golf apparel world (which says a lot). As I was looking at this shirt, I had an “aha” moment which changed my life! I realized that women’s golf apparel options have always been incredibly limited. I’ve been golfing since the age of 12. I played competitive youth golf throughout my childhood, and continue to play golf socially as an adult. Over the years, I had come across the same issue – women are often offered the same iterations of terrible styles each year, and there isn’t much we can do about it. So, I decided at that moment, why not create golf apparel that I would actually buy and wear, that is in my personal style, developed from high quality fabrics, and made with the modern woman golfer in mind. And AIEA Golf was born!
AIEA Golf was created to solve the challenges I kept facing in golf: finding high-quality, non-traditional styles that are designed to fit a woman’s curves. I also needed pieces that seamlessly transition on and off the course. AIEA’s designs embody my take on ‘non-golfy’ golf wear – crafted with the golf swing in mind. Each silhouette is tailored to move effortlessly with a woman’s body throughout every motion of the game. The overall aesthetic blends sportswear with a touch of New York street style – golf apparel that functions on the course but feels just as natural as everyday athleisure. Unlike many sports brands today, AIEA creates golf-first apparel that works beyond the course, not athleisure that simply adapts to golf.
Aside from the physical garments, community building in the golf world is very important to me. I’m convinced that feeling confident on the course, no matter what athletic skill level you are, is as important as the technique of golf itself. Wearing clothes you feel comfortable in is just one way to help any golfer feel his or her best on the course. Golf is a technical and somewhat time-consuming sport that can be intimidating to enter into – so, in my eyes, if I can help a woman feel comfortable in her golf style, I’ve succeeded.
That said, my approach to community building is anything but traditional. While I do host in-person golf gatherings, my primary focus is leveraging fashion tech to connect people who share an interest in golf, fashion, and a fresh perspective on an otherwise stagnant industry. With the launch of my second clothing collection, Collection 2, select AIEA garments will feature NFC-enabled (scannable) chips. When scanned, these chips will grant customers access to the AIEA Golf digital ecosystem, which I’m building behind the scenes. For example, scanning the AIEA Golf logo on an upcoming puffer vest will unlock details about the garment’s production, exclusive video content and podcasts, limited-edition drops, interactive polls, augmented reality (AR) experiences, and more.
The idea is to bring together anyone with an interest in golf culture, not just in the sport itself. Golf is a beautiful sport with a rich history. Being a golfer has opened up my life to opportunities and people from around the globe, and is something I am so grateful to have in my life. It merges the outdoors with skill, athleticism, style, and community in a way that many sports can’t. There is so much more to golf than asking “what’s your handicap” – and I aim to bring that to the world!
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
If I had to take one thing from building a business from the ground up, completely on my own, and without any previous entrepreneurial experience, it would be that creating a business takes a tremendous amount of grit. Every single day, I wake up and get thrown into a slew of setbacks and issues, many of which I’m only somewhat prepared for, emotionally and otherwise. The ability to pivot appropriately and manage the waves as they come are skills I had to build overtime, and are incredibly rewarding.
One story comes to mind immediately. A few years ago, before AIEA Golf had launched, I hired someone to help build a digital community – a platform giving customers access to behind-the-scenes content, polls, special events, and more. I had met him at a conference six months earlier, and after ongoing discussions, we agreed to work together. We spent another six months developing the platform, and when the time came for me to receive the assets and deliverables, things started to feel off. The project was already taking longer than expected, and I sensed something wasn’t right. Trusting my instincts, I decided to move forward with a different firm to complete the project. That’s when everything unraveled. I requested the deliverables – which I had already paid for – but was completely ghosted. The assets vanished, the project timeline was wiped from our shared online docs, and I was left with nothing to show for my investment. To make matters worse, he then attempted to extort me for more money before handing over the work. I brought in my legal team, and just like that, he disappeared. I lost money, assets, and a little bit of my ego through this experience. But what a learning experience it was!
Looking back, I’m actually grateful for that period of time. It taught me to always, always trust my gut. Entrepreneurship can be an incredibly lonely journey and takes a certain level of emotional intelligence that grows over time. Every insecurity you’ve ever had will come out during this process, and if you’re doing it right – you’ll dive right into exploring these insecurities and doubts with eyes wide open, coming out the other side more yourself and way more aligned to your purpose than when you started. :)
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
“Take advice and mentorship from whoever will give it to you.”
When I ventured out on my own to start building AIEA Golf, one of the first things I was told was to take every meeting with anyone who would talk to me about growing a business. While the general idea here is good – learn from those who have ventured on this journey before you – it’s essential to not get sidetracked by people who are projecting their own unfulfilled business ideas onto you (probably without even realizing it). I have found that some of the “loudest” people giving advice, are actually just venting.
In the first days of building AIEA Golf, I truly was taking advice from literally anyone. I was stepping into the fashion and golf industries – fields where I had only been a consumer until then. After a while, I found myself pivoting my business goals to follow what I thought would bring me more success, while losing the foundation of why I started AIEA Golf in the first place. I’m certainly not saying I knew everything about building this business – quite the opposite, actually. I realized I needed to trust myself more amidst the flood of advice I received. Listen, filter, and take what resonates with you at each stage of the process. If the advice doesn’t align with your goals or who you are at your core, you’re probably right to question it.
I truly believe in the benefits of good mentorship. I always aim to genuinely align myself with entrepreneurs and creators who I can learn from, and also with those who understand the entrepreneurship process. Find your people, and the rest will follow!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aieagolf.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aieagolf
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellarosa/
