Meet Four CEOs on a Mission to Help Women Feel Healthy
Dec 28, 2022 - Great business ideas often come from personal experience, but when health issues drive company development, the results are incredible for both founders and clients. There is a possibility that it will be Such was the case with her four CEOs, who have turned their own health initiatives into businesses, helping many women in the process. Let's see their story.
Helping Women Find Appropriate Contraception
When 26-year-old Dallas Barnes launched Reya Health, a personalized app for contraceptive matching and tracking, in her 2020, the contraceptive advice app offered a wide variety of contraceptive options and many unwanted ( And seriously) was the result of years of trying different birth control options. side effects. ''The birth control methods I tried gave me ovarian cysts, chronic urinary tract infections, and persistent bacterial vaginal infections,'' said Burns, who lives in London, Ontario, Canada. I had to go to the hospital twice, but I quickly realized that I wasn't alone in this experience.''
Her goal is to enable women to choose the appropriate contraceptive option for themselves digitally through her platform's algorithms. She said it takes an average of two years because there are different options, from birth control pills to her IUD, and you can find them in patches. she rang.
''I want women to know that this can be a tricky and frustrating process. It's important that she remember to be patient along the way and be kind to herself.''
Ultimately, Barnes hopes her app will help women find the best options for them.
''It's important to learn what you need and how to commit to it,'' she says.
Creating an Innovative Breastfeeding Pump
When Samantha Rudolph, 41, a former serial entrepreneur at ESPN who's now a mom of two kids ages 3 and 7, came up with the idea for a new breastfeeding pump, she was on vacation with her husband -- pre-kids.
“You would think I used a pump, hated it, and wanted to create something better, but that's not my story,” says Rudolph, founder of Babyation, a St. Louis, MO-based company that began selling its pumps 8 months ago.
Instead, it was 2014 when Rudolph stumbled on an article about breast pumps and woke up her husband, an engineer.
“I remember him saying breast pumps aren't that complicated and fell back asleep,” she says, “but the idea of creating a breast pump that was way different than what was already on the market was something we couldn't shake.”
The couple began developing plans in 2015 with the goal of offering a pump that minimizes the breast shields on the body, is app controllable, battery-powered and, in the process, the entrepreneurs amassed 27 issue patents on its innovative suction.
“When we developed the product, discretion became our North Star,” she says. ''We wanted something incredible quiet, and we went hard into the science to understand how a baby suckles and gets milk from the body.”
The innovation continues when it comes to the machine's sound, the comfort (the funnel is made of silicone versus hard plastic), there are fewer parts to clean, and moms pump straight into a cooler.
For Rudolph, who is also a certified lactation counselor, there's tremendous satisfaction about upping the breast pump game.
“Every single day I walk into our office, I pinch myself,” she says. “When I walk through our 10,000-square-foot facility and see all the things we designed, innovated and paid for, it's so satisfying!”
Paying Close Attention to a Woman's Vulva
Ask Therese Clark, founder of Lady Suite, and she'll tell you that the vulva is the most overlooked part of the women's body during a gynecological exam.
Clark, who spent 2 decades developing and pioneering clean skin care lines, also created the ''intimate skin care meets sexually wellness'' company due to her own personal struggles, including chronically irritated intimate skin compounded by hypothyroidism, or when the thyroid gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone.
“There was no one to help or to talk to me about this,” she says of the stigma of such issue as vulva skin dryness and frequent yeast infections. “My mom is an OB/GYN delivery nurse and she didn't talk to me about this, either.”
So, in 2018, Clark, now 46, launched a product line that addresses such issues as itch and odor, ingrown hairs and bumps, dryness, and friction. Interestingly, the demographic of women responding to her collection, which includes an intimate serum and a rejuvenating botanical oil, ranges from women heading into their reproductive years to those entering perimenopause.
“We launched when the millennial movement was strong and women in this demo wanted better care as they became moms,” she says of her Los Angeles-based company. “Also, because grooming is popular with young people, a lot of the time our products begin when you have an ingrown hair and then range through hormonal changes to stress.”
These days, the plant-based products -- with premium earthy-peachy colored packaging that are aimed to be displayed, not hidden in a nightstand -- are available via their website, in select retail outlets, and in doctors' offices. Through her company and advocacy, Clark remains hopeful that the vulva can finally get her rights.
''The vulva is an important part of our immune system,'' she says. ''I want women to be more aware of this part of their bodies. I truly believe that the vulva is the gateway to our overall health.''
Heat when you need it
Shortly after Kristen Carbone, 40, had her prophylactic mastectomy with implant reconstruction in 2013, her breasts were always cold. After interviewing hundreds of women in the breast cancer community, she learned she wasn't alone in dealing with the consequences of this relatively common implant reconstruction. ''After many unsuccessful attempts to create something to keep me warm, I had the idea to create a sustainable solution that would make it easier for women like me physically,'' says the Providence, Rhode Island native. A mother of two, ages 12-14, says: .
Finally, after several years of research and development, Brilliantly Warm thermal bra pads are now available for women, especially those with breast implants. App-controlled wearables have a simple but important premise.
It warms the whole body with the push of a button, fits easily into any bra, has 3 temperature settings, and fits directly against the skin.
What's really exciting about Carbone is that the market for wearable warmers isn't just limited to people with breast implants.
“After talking to customers, we learned that women already using the patent-pending technology include breastfeeding mothers and women working in specific jobs such as skiing, going to the movies or working in a cold office. I found it included,'' she says.
The need to stay warm is spreading to more and more women.
''Almost half of our users wear Brilliantly Warm in their pants to relieve cramps,” she says. We plan to become the technology of
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