![Business of the V](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/9875242/Business-of-the-V-Podcast-Cover-Final.png)
26.2K
Downloads
85
Episodes
Dr. Alyssa Dweck & Rachel Braun Scherl are here to introduce you to the most fascinating inventors, investors, thought leaders, and healthcare professionals who are in the Business of the V. If you are a woman, know a woman, have a business, or care about your v health and wellness, this is the podcast for you. Dr. Alyssa Dweck is a gynecologist, surgeon, and author. She’s an expert on V health who explores what’s on other women’s minds when it comes to periods, hormones, breasts, butts, and sex. Rachel Braun Scherl is a marketing strategist, business builder, and vagipreneur - a person in the business of women’s sexual and reproductive health. It’s complicated!
Episodes
![Sustainable Beauty: How Amyris Raises The Standards For Menopause And Beyond With Deb Millard](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog9875242/Graphics_-_Episode_Art_-_BOV_74_-_Hosting_hhs5wi_300x300.jpg)
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
In the beauty industry, transparency and sustainability not only increase standards but also allow consumers to make informed choices about the products they use. Which then ultimately leads to a healthier and more equitable future for all. In this episode, Deb Millard, the President of Stripes and Healthy Aging brands at Amyris, discusses how its commitment to innovation and sustainability is changing the beauty industry. Deb shares her journey and how her children influenced her decision-making at Amyris. She delves into the evolving standards of beauty products and cosmetics, with a particular focus on those for older women. She talks about the importance of having conversations about topics like menopause and reproductive health across generations and genders. Deb also touches on the impact of sustainability and transparency in the beauty industry and how it affects consumers' purchasing decisions. Tune in and learn about science, celebrities, and navigating menopause in the modern world.
![Yonifit: The Solution To Incontinence With Allison Watkins](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog9875242/Graphics_-_Episode_Art_-_BOV_73_-_Hosting_392jt9_300x300.jpg)
Thursday Mar 30, 2023
Yonifit: The Solution To Incontinence With Allison Watkins
Thursday Mar 30, 2023
Thursday Mar 30, 2023
Allison Watkins, Founder and CEO of Watkins-Conti Products, didn't know that when she gave birth to, as she would say, "11 pounds of baby," she would also give birth to a business. After experiencing incontinence and searching for solutions, Allison decided to create a better option. With her indomitable energy and focus, Allison raised money, completed clinical studies, and created Yonifit, a device that comes in 6 sizes for the potential management of SUI symptoms. Learn how Yonifit may solve your problem with SUI (pending FDA approval)! Listen and tune in now!
![The Body Agency: A New Narrative In Women’s Health With Kate Roberts](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog9875242/Graphics_-_Episode_Art_-_BOV_72_-_Hosting_jpskjp_300x300.jpg)
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
The Body Agency: A New Narrative In Women’s Health With Kate Roberts
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
“A woman’s body is a powerhouse. It can do extraordinary things.” -Kate Roberts, Founder of The Body Agency.
Cultural differences and religion create a gap in sexual health for women. In this episode, Kate Roberts, Founder of The Body Agency, shares a new narrative on women’s health offered by the agency. Kate shares how their website morphs into three parts to help fill the gap with health products, services, and education. She also explains the importance of their partnership with Inspire to become women’s health and sexual wellness partners where they have a safe space to have these conversations and education. Tune in to this episode now!
![Why We Need A Patient-Centered Model For Sexual Wellness With Dr. Rachel Rubin](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/9875242/Business-of-the-V-Podcast-Cover-Final_300x300.png)
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Why We Need A Patient-Centered Model For Sexual Wellness With Dr. Rachel Rubin
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
In today’s fast-paced world, medicine has become very disengaged. It is an assembly line, and building patient relationships seem to no longer be a priority. This is especially true in women’s sexual health, where not only hospital systems but also venture capital companies do not value it. Dr. Rachel Rubin has observed this and made it her mission to create value where no one is. After a career in urology, Dr. Rubin found a space in the healthcare delivery ecosystem to provide different and better care. With a focus on male and female sexual wellness, Dr. Rubin is building different kinds of relationships with her patients and making a difference. She joins us in this episode to discuss how she is reinventing the model by creating a patient-centered model for treating sexual wellness. Tune in to not miss out!
![Breaking Stigma Around The Menstrual Cycle With Danielle Keiser](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/9875242/Business-of-the-V-Podcast-Cover-Final_300x300.png)
Thursday Mar 09, 2023
Breaking Stigma Around The Menstrual Cycle With Danielle Keiser
Thursday Mar 09, 2023
Thursday Mar 09, 2023
Menstrual cycle is a monthly occurrence for women, but it seems that it is still plagued with misconceptions. Since many see it only as a part of ovulation, a lot of women overlook proper menstrual hygiene. And if complications happen, they are not addressed properly. Danielle Keiser acknowledged this must be resolved immediately, and so she built a career around her unflinching interest in all things cycle-related. Joining Alyssa Dweck and Rachel Braun Scherl, she shares how she changes the conversation and the amount of education around menstruation. Danielle explains how she takes a comprehensive approach to the intersection of emotions, physical, and lifestyle impact of cycles through Madami, bringing this topic to the attention of medical experts, lawmakers, and women themselves.
![Fairtility: Using AI For Fertility Management With Eran Eshed](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/9875242/Business-of-the-V-Podcast-Cover-Final_300x300.png)
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Fairtility: Using AI For Fertility Management With Eran Eshed
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
What do automotive technology and fertility management have in common? As unlikely as this pairing sounds, they both benefit from the power of artificial intelligence. This is why it was quite seamless for Eran Eshed to shift careers from the technology space to fertility management. Ultimately, the fundamentals of the technology were the same, and Eran was just happy to be able to apply his expertise to something that’s very compassionate. Joining Alyssa Dweck and Rachel Braun Scherl on the podcast, the co-founder and CEO of Fairtility shares how his team in Israel developed a way to enhance the process of creating families with the use of AI. He introduces the platform they’re working on that benefits three main stakeholders: embryology labs, physicians, and aspiring parents. He also touches on some of the more controversial aspects of AI in fertility like genetic testing and the impact of AI on the jobs of physicians. Tune in to take a peek into the future of fertility management that’s already happening now!
![A New Approach To Sexual Wellness](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/9875242/Business-of-the-V-Podcast-Cover-Final_300x300.png)
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
A New Approach To Sexual Wellness
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
Women who deal with vaginal adhesions may suffer from extreme discomfort and experience sandpaper-like sex. One of the most practical solutions to this problem is undergoing a dilation therapy. However, this process can be uncomfortable all the same. Aquafit Intimate has created a new approach to dilators to address sexual wellness and intimate health in an enjoyable way. Joining Alyssa Dweck and Rachel Braun Scherl are two of the company’s Co-Founders, Rebecca Sternberg and Varda Messer. They share how they have made dilators more accessible through hydrogel, making this equipment less barbaric than static dilators. Rebecca and Varda also talk about their flexible marketing strategies that allow Aquafit to survive on a shoestring and how they navigate Google that constantly flag their content as explicit.
![Ovarian Physiology: Helping Women Live Longer, Healthier Lives With Dr. Daisy Robinton](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog9875242/Graphics_-_Episode_Art_-_BOV_67_-_Square_xzd5pn_300x300.jpg)
Thursday Feb 16, 2023
Thursday Feb 16, 2023
We have undeniably come a long way when it comes to health. Yet, there is still so much that hasn’t been explored about women’s health. There is a noticeable gap in how women can learn about the different chapters of their lives. Dr. Daisy Robinton, the Co-founder and CEO of Oviva Therapeutics, is elevating conversations around women’s health, helping them live longer, healthier lives. In this episode, she discusses hormones, ovaries, and our overall reproductive health and the current struggles in the space to tackle the unknowns and black boxes on them. Plus, Dr. Robinton shares the great things they are doing at Oviva to help women through ovarian physiology to live with longer vitality and better health.
![Revolutionizing the Necessary Practice of Skin-to-Skin Care with New Borns](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog9875242/BoV_66_-_Revolutionizing_the_Necessary_Practice_of_Skin-to-Skin_for_New_Borns_6dtvuz_300x300.png)
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Revolutionizing the Necessary Practice of Skin-to-Skin Care with New Borns
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Being a new parent is far from easy: there are so many things to worry about, so many challenges, and things can sometimes spiral out of control. Breastfeeding, postpartum for new moms, preventing infant falls, and so much more are all worries that come with being a new parent. The market is flooded with products that claim to solve these issues and concerns but in reality, you can never be certain that you’ve chosen the right solution. In response to some of these worries there is a product for new parents, both mom and dad, and it’s simply brilliant.
The guests on today’s episode, Hayley Mullins and Sarah-Almaza Cox, are the co-founders of Joeyband. Joeyband is a baby sling made of yoga pant material clinically proven and designed for prolonged skin-to-skin care in all new born care settings- something every baby needs and deserves. Joeyband™ is the only product in the market that can be used directly on the Operating Room (O.R.) table during repair, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Labor & Delivery (L&D) unit. This product has been around for a long time, and the impact it has had on babies is simply incredible. Stay tuned to find out more about Joeyband and the ways it can help mothers, fathers and babies connect even more.
You can subscribe or listen to previous episodes of the Busine$$ of the V podcast by clicking here.
TOPICS COVERED:
- Meet Hayley Mullins, the inventor of Joeyband and Sarah-Almaza Cox, the co-founder of the company that makes Joeyband.
- Joeyband is a product designed for skin-to-skin infant fall prevention and breastfeeding support, as we learn from Hayley.
- Infant falls are far more common than we realize, and the goal of Joeyband is to prevent these falls while keeping the baby safely attached to the parent.
- As soon as the girls launched their website, people became interested and they realized they were onto something big in the healthcare space.
- Since Joeyband is a non-sterile product, Dr. Dweck wonders whether it can be used immediately on the operating table, or only after the delivery.
- As Sarah explains, it is especially important to place the baby on mom after a C-section, and this is where Joeyband can make things better.
- Another question by Dr. Dweck focuses on the difficulties that can arise when babies sleep in the same bed as their parents, and Hayley states that they do not recommend co-sleeping with Joeyband unless you are being observed.
- Rachel steers the discussion in a new direction: where do they stand in terms of product development, manufacturing, and distribution?
- Joeyband is used in many hospitals across North America, and they have collected lots of interesting data on topics such as increased breastfeeding, reduced falls, improved patient satisfaction, and so on.
- Sarah adds that they are based in Canada and that everything is made within North America, which they are very proud of.
- As Rachel wants to know who pays for the product and where does money changes hands, Sarah explains that hospitals are currently covering the costs, but their goal is to have insurance cover it entirely.
- Can men use Joeyband?
- Hayley explains that during the first day of baby’s life dads should have 30 minutes of uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact.
- Sarah also emphasizes that, apart from dads, Joeyband can also be used by physically disabled parents.
- Joeyband is made of yoga pant material because many new moms wear yoga pants all the time, and the material is soft, stretchy and breathable.
- While she was practicing obstetrics, Dr. Dweck used to see many anxious postpartum mothers, and one of their most common fears was dropping the baby.
- The Joeyband team is fully supported and surrounded by medical professionals who help them adjust the product and adhere to clinical guidelines.
- When it comes to educating parents, each product comes with instructions and tips for using Joeyband.
- For those interested in the product, there is a website that they can visit and gather all the necessary information.
- As for the funding, the Joeyband team decided not to take external funding in order to maintain greater control over their business.
- HOT FLASH: Newborns are dropped in hospitals during delivery much more commonly than reported. It seems that reports from the UK show there is a drop rate of 50 babies per day during delivery.
QUOTES:
“Where the product really came from was one of those horrific parenting moments that nobody thinks they’re going to have.” (Hayley)
“We don’t recommend co-sleeping with it unless there’s somebody there to observe you.” (Hayley)
“It’s a brilliant idea, and obviously your initial response was from the kind of people that you’d want to see it from, and it sounds like there’s clinical support.” (Rachel)
“One of the things that I love is that it’s manufactured directly in Canada. The quality of the product is high, we’re bringing jobs, and locally our environmental footprint is low.” (Sarah)
“The question that’s burning me right now is whether mean wear this because, you know, skin-to-skin is skin-to-skin whether that’s slightly hairier skin or not so much.” (Dr. Dweck)
“Thirty minutes of uninterrupted skin-to-skin with dad that first day of baby’s life actually rewires his brain to bond with the baby.” (Hayley)
“Because of the simplicity in the design that Hayley invented, it’s perfect for parents who may have a physical disability as well.” (Sarah)
“I remember trying to make sure that my baby would live in between pediatrician appointments for my first kid. That was my goal, to keep them alive week after week because you really don’t know what you’re doing.” (Rachel)
“We made a conscious decision not to take external funding just because we would be able to be in control of our business a little bit more.” (Sarah)
“Babies held skin-to-skin cry twelve times less than babies that are not skin-to-skin” (Hayley)
FURTHER RESOURCES:
Joeyband www.joeyband.com
Hayley @Linkedin
Sarah @Linkedin
LINKS FOR BUSINE$$ OF THE V:
Website: www.businessofthev.com
Twitter : @businessofthev
Instagram : @businessofthev
Subscribe to our Youtube channel : Business of the V - YouTube
Dr. Alyssa Dweck: https://drdweck.com
Rachel Braun Scherl: Home - Rachel Braun Scherl
![Selfcare for ‘Down There’ as a Woman of Color](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog9875242/EP_65_-_Selfcare_for_Down_There_as_a_Woman_of_Color_copy_uiw7h8_300x300.png)
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
Selfcare for ‘Down There’ as a Woman of Color
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
When it comes to caring for our bodies, most of us know that we should be doing a little bit of everything — from eating healthy foods to getting regular exercise, to taking care of our skin. But when it comes to specifically taking care of the hair down there, many women don't know where to start. Today we discuss the lack of vaginal and skincare products aimed at women of color and how our guest is bridging this gap and allowing these women to take care of their pubic area without feeling dazed and confused.
Dr. Cynthia Wesley is a practicing physician and an entrepreneur; she is the founder and CEO of Beauty Below, a product line and resource for intimate wellness and beauty for women with dark skin and course hair. Dr. Wesley, or Dr. Cyn, as she is known, is a true warrior for women, and she has used her negative experience dating back to her college years to assist other women in identifying and resolving any issues ‘below the waist’. Stay tuned to find out what products Beauty Below offers, how women of color differ in the area ‘down there’, and how Dr. Cyn fights to empower women of color on a daily basis!
You can subscribe or listen to previous episodes of the Busine$$ of the V podcast by clicking here.
TOPICS COVERED:
- Meet Dr. Cynthia Wesley, the founder and CEO of a company called Beauty Below.
- Her company’s hashtag, #BlackVaginaConfidence, speaks volumes about their goals and objectives.
- According to Dr. Wesley, women of color are more prone to ingrown hairs, dark sports, bacterial vaginosis, and other similar issues.
- The most important goal is to give women of color confidence and education about their intimate space so that healthcare disparities can be addressed.
- Just like many other vagipreneurs, Dr. Wesley started this company based on personal experience, as she had been struggling with pubic hair since college.
- The essential products at Beauty Below are a medicated shave moose, an ingrown hair serum, and pads for dark sports ‘down there’.
- Dweck wants to know how product formulations were developed and who was involved in the process.
- There are several differences between white women and women of color when it comes to the area below the waist, which inspired Dr. Wesley to write a book titled Beauty Below, where women can find all sorts of tips and medical advice for properly treating their vaginas.
- Bacterial vaginosis is directly related to vitamin D deficiency; in other words, if you’re having problems down there, check your vitamin D first!
- Dweck adds a few more topics to the discussion, including douching, boric acid, and probiotics.
- Your diet is also very important for your vaginal health since it directly affects the health of your entire body.
- According to Rachel, Beauty Below launched in July, and Dr. Wesley adds that the products are available on the company’s website.
- Wesley is still in practice and she’s also running her business, so Dr. Dweck is astounded and wants to know how she does it.
- Rachel is curious about the origins of the ingredients and the products, and we learn that all products are made in the United States, and all labs are certified.
- Since this is an ongoing debate, Dr. Dweck asks the following question: Hair or bare down there?
- Wesley treats all women as if they were close family members, doing her best to help and educate them on their intimate space.
- Apart from the website, you can also find Beauty Below on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- As for the latest products, Beauty Below has just released their booty bundle, which includes a booty mask, a sugar scrub, and a shower loofah.
- HOT FLASH: It seems that approximately 80% of women ages 18-65 report that they remove some of all of their pubic hair.
QUOTES:
“All women have suffered over the years with the negative connotations that can be associated with our most intimate space, and sometimes that’s exacerbated in women of color.” (Dr. Wesley)
“I feel that it’s very important that women of color are confident in their intimate space, confident with being okay with speaking up and learning what they need to learn.” (Dr. Wesley)
“I started researching what works and what doesn’t work; I was my personal Guinea pig. And what evolved was Beauty Below.” (Dr. Wesley)
“I found out that women of color actually have a different type of lactic acid than white women, and that particular lactic acid has a higher pH, which makes you a little bit more prone to bacterial vaginosis.” (Dr. Wesley)
“There was a huge study done at the University of Pittsburgh, and what they discovered is that bacterial vaginosis is directly tied to vitamin D deficiency.” (Dr. Wesley)
“I imagine the trust and the connection to your users is critically important and that they want to know where the ingredients are sourced from and where the products are made.” (Rachel)
“Hair or bare down there? In my neck of the woods, it seems there’s just not that much hair to deal with, and I don’t think this is a trend that’s going away anytime soon.” (Dr. Dweck)
“If you want to do a little bit more down there, for whatever reason, I’m okay with that. You just need to know what your risks are.” (Dr. Wesley)
“You have such a clear vision of who you want to help, how you want to help and, very importantly, the tone of the conversation that you want to have.” (Rachel)
“Educating women is the cornerstone of Beauty Below.” (Dr. Wesley)
FURTHER RESOURCES:
Beauty Below www.beautybelowmd.com
Dr. Wesley @Linkedin
LINKS FOR BUSINE$$ OF THE V:
Website: www.businessofthev.com
Twitter : @businessofthev
Instagram : @businessofthev
Subscribe to our Youtube channel : Business of the V - YouTube
Dr. Alyssa Dweck: https://drdweck.com
Rachel Braun Scherl: Home - Rachel Braun Scherl