Business of the V

Fem Foundry Connects Women Who Lead

What if women around the world had a single platform through which to support and “upscale” each other? That’s the goal for Dr. Dweck’s and Rachel’s guest on this episode of Busine$$ of the V. Amy Williams is Founder and CEO at Fem Foundry, a one-of-a-kind online resource of the sort she wished were available when she was navigating a lonely, challenging life passage.

 

Some 74% of women globally report that they have no role models from whom to draw inspiration – a troubling gap that Fem Foundry aims to fill with its free app, which is easily accessible to the 94% of women worldwide who own a mobile phone. Fem Foundry members convene at the intersection between community, learning and networking.

 

Amy shares a bit of her story and the series “of unfortunate events” that inspired her to create what she needed but could not locate on the web: a safe space for women to exchange support, ideas and learning. Fem Foundry is based around the pillars of health central its members’ lives: physical, mental, financial, social and spiritual. Learn how Amy marshaled her digital business skills to create an authentic, female-friendly platform on which information of all kinds is readily accessible to women in all circumstances.

 

With an entrepreneurial vision that’s expanding daily, Amy talks about her business model as well as the leading-edge, original research in which Fem Foundry’s conversations, classes and events are rooted. The women talk about role models as well as some breaking news regarding the reported impacts of Covid-19 vaccines on women’s menstrual cycles. There’s also a HOT FLASH report that will resonate with anyone who has felt down or anxious (and who hasn’t?) since the advent of pandemic.

You can subscribe or listen to previous episodes of the Busine$$ of the V podcast by clicking here.

This Website is a Judgement Free Zone for Sex Ed

How is it that so many of us are more sure of what we want on a sandwich than in our sexual pleasure? On this episode of Busine$$ of the V, Dr. Alyssa Dweck and Rachel Braun Scherl take on this question along with their guest, Andrea Barrica. Her sexual education platform, the O.School, has carved out a niche by providing a safe place for people in search of science-based and accessible information. Over the past five years Andrea’s team at O.School have compiled a treasure trove of data and insights about the predilections, fears and curiosity among a wide range of people who are sexually active – or would like to be!

 

Part of the magic at O.School has been creating a resource that offers judgment-free information and language that is not only familiar but inclusive. As a result, many other sites have introduced similarly candid conversation around sexual health and wellness. Andrea finds that the video content, polling and data analysis her platform provides creates a sense of community and tremendous engagement among people who find comfort (and shed shame) around a variety of behaviors.

 

The O.School’s “Orgasm Order Form” is a great point of entry for many first-time website visitors. The result of an “aha” moment while waiting in line to place a sandwich order at Whole Foods, Andrea and her team have put together a series of questions to help us figure out what we do – or do not – appreciate sexually at least as well as we know whether we want mustard and pickles! Enjoy this frank, fun conversation about the important work Andrea is doing and how O.School is poised to partner with reproductive- and sexual health-related businesses and provide data and access to voices in this quickly evolving space.

 

If you’d like to try out O.School’s sexual pleasure order form, just click here.

 

Click here to subscribe or listen to previous episodes of the Busine$$ of the V podcast with Rachel Braun Scherl and Dr. Alyssa Dweck.

This Device Offers a Pain Free Solution to Incontinence

This episode of Busine$$ of the V features a game-changing new FemTech response to urinary incontinence, a very common and largely unseen condition often linked to pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. As Dr. Dweck knows from her own practice, Kegel exercises can be very effective in restoring pelvic floor muscle strength, but many busy women aren’t able to make the commitment of time and intention required. That’s where Elitone comes in. It’s the brainchild of Gloria Kolb, CEO at Elidah, Inc., who dug into the research after herself experiencing the physiological impacts of delivering three large babies.

 

Elitone offers women a quick, pain-free treatment modality that has been shown to reduce urinary incontinence in 95% of users – for some in as little as four weeks. Using a comfortable gel pad no bigger than a panty liner, the device uses gentle, low-frequency pulses to tone pelvic floor muscles. The best part? Set the remote control timer and, hands-free, go about your day while the Elitone invisibly does its work.

 

It may be little discussed, but about a third of all women’s quality of life is compromised by either urge or stress urinary incontinence – often but not always as the result of childbirth. Many factors can contribute to this problem. Although there are some lifestyle modifications that can help in a limited way, sufferers still deal constantly with low-level stress over availability of bathroom facilities, odor and curtailed activities. Elitone, which is available direct or at CVS.com, is all about giving women a route back to their most vibrant, worry-free selves.

 

Learn how Gloria has navigated research, development, fundraising, FDA approvals and Covid impacts on the marketplace. Elitone now also offers a new tracking app for your mobile device. Click here to watch videos testimonials and demonstrations.

 

Click here to subscribe or listen to previous episodes of the Busine$$ of the V podcast with Rachel Braun Scherl and Dr. Alyssa Dweck.

This Startup is Creating Better Diagnostic Tools for Endometriosis

This episode of Busine$$ of the V takes on a gynecological affliction that affects a significant number of women, can take years to diagnose and often leaves permanent scarring and even infertility. Dr. Dweck and Rachel welcome Somer Baburek, CEO and President of Hera Biotech, an early-stage women's health company bringing to market a minimally invasive diagnostic for endometriosis. Tens of millions of reproductive-age women and girls globally are affected by the chronic, sometimes immobilizing pain of this disease, which on average takes clinicians seven years to identify. In the meanwhile, a huge percentage of sufferers endure scarring, with from 30 to 50 percent of cases ultimately leading to infertility.

 

This podcast breaks down not only the causes and signs of endometriosis, but also the science behind Hera’s novel genetic approach to diagnosis. A sample of the patient’s endometrium is collected during an in-office procedure, thereby eliminating the need for (and risks associated with) surgical biopsy. In addition to reducing the considerable time patients typically suffer before receiving a diagnosis, Hera will also serve an important data collection and tracking function

 

With a longtime passion for both biotech and femtech, Somer shares insights into Hera’s evolution and roadmap, where the company is with its clinical research and fundraising as well as what’s on the horizon for the company as it prepares to complete its FDA application and head into a soft launch, initially through fertility clinics and potentially as a standard testing option available widely at ob-gyn offices or, conceivably, even as a home test.

 

You can subscribe or listen to previous episodes of the Busine$$ of the V podcast by clicking here.

This is How the Dripstick Went Viral

This episode of Busine$$ of the V features Frances Tang, the forward-thinking founder of Awkward Essentials, a startup devoted to taking the taboo out of post-sex cleanup. It might not be the easiest of entrepreneurial concepts to sell, but with her flair for social media and creative pitching, Frances has turned an intimate personal care challenge into a viable and thriving niche enterprise.

 

Individually packaged and easy to use, the company’s flagship product, the Dripstick, is a super absorbent sponge that makes quick work of cleaning up fluids after sex. With her down-to-earth approach and candid language, Frances has garnered attention not only from investors and the media but also was named a Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas finalist in 2020. Her mission is to normalize and address awkward bodily realities – which she does with a good dose of humor and an eye for products that serve practical needs.

 

You’ll learn about how Awkward Essentials came into being, why it’s important to be fearless in soliciting help and where this innovative “crotch care” company is headed as it develops new products along with new marketing vocabulary to go with them. If you’ve ever had an entrepreneurial idea, this episode will give you a front-row view of Frances’ journey – from her initial thought to incubating a concept to developing a viable business proposition to plans for an emerging suite of “weird” products you’ll wonder how you once did without.

 

You can subscribe or listen to previous episodes of the Busine$$ of the V podcast by clicking here.

2021 Recap From Alyssa & Rachel

Alyssa couldn't have said it any better. It's been an unbelievable year in the world of vagina's and business. 

This podcast was born from a desire to educate themselves and other people about the intersection of businesses creating solutions and solving problems for vaginal health.

We've released 30 episodes in 2021 with many more to come in 2022.

We've been overwhelmed by the excitement and the response to this podcast and can't wait to share what's coming up next!

If you found this podcast useful to you, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. You can listen for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, YouTube and more!

View previous episodes and show notes on our website at https://businessofthev.com

 

OhNut - The Most Downloaded Episode of 2021

As we come to the end of another year  we wanted to take a moment to reflect. We are so thankful for all of our guests, our listeners and our sponsors that made Business of the V possible this year.

Here is a re-release of our most downloaded episode of the year featuring OhNut.

Look for all new episodes dropping in January of 2022!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In this episode, Dr. Dweck and Rachel interview Emily Sauer, founder of OhNut, female entrepreneur, maker, IRL community leader, and sexual health advocate with a passion to empower women who are co-creating a deeper understanding of how sexual identity informs our individual and collective lives.

Emily shares how after years of painful intercourse, also known as dyspareunia, why and how she invented the OhNut, wearable rings that feel like skin to control the depth of penetration during intercourse. The OhNut is backed by renowned surgeons, pelvic floor physical therapists, sexual health educators and guided by a medical and scientific advisory board.

This Fem-Tech Startup is Providing Relief for Your Vulva

If you’re interested in the ultimate lemons-to-lemonade startup story, then this episode of Busine$$ of the V is for you. It features a woman who has channeled second-degree burns from a Brazilian wax gone wrong and a punishing round of breast cancer treatment into a hot new women’s health product. Suzanne Sinatra, CEO & Founder of Private Packs, shares with us her remarkable entrepreneurial journey – an inspiring success story built on resiliency and fire. Her wearable, reusable cooling/heating packs are designed specifically for the V – and women are scooping them up direct online and nationwide in retail outlets such as CVS.

 

Learn how Suzanne took a nascent idea (pain relief for female genitals that have suffered some kind of inflammatory injury or stress) and bootstrapped it into a position of strength that has attracted mature VC funding and attention from members of the startup community who want to know, “How’d she do it?” The answer is: with ingenuity, common sense and fearlessness. She also got valuable help from an accelerator that set her on the path to expansion. Private Packs has plans in the works to create soothing hot/cold packs for other personal areas. Put another way, says Suzanne: “Enough with the peas anywhere on the privates!”

 

Private Packs can be used repeatedly and their unique mix of carefully vetted ingredients combines to offer hot, cold and moist heat options that afford comfort to those suffering anything from acute vaginal dryness to pain following a long bike ride, from childbirth recovery to esthetic treatment injuries. The real secret sauce, however, is the CEO herself. Suzanne took her breast cancer diagnosis and the ensuing rounds of treatment as a timely opportunity to step back, grow her business and establish her vision without input from outside funders. She’s a powerhouse who invites all women entrepreneurs with FemTech ideas to join her in exploring this dynamic and growing business sector.

 

Click here to learn more about our sponsor Kindra, the radical self-care company that makes estrogen-free essentials thoughtfully designed to relieve the symptoms of the menopausal journey. Take the Kindra Quiz to prepare for and manage your body’s natural hormonal shifts.         

 

And use promo code BOVPODCAST to receive 20% off your first order or subscription!

 

You can subscribe or listen to previous episodes of Busine$$ of the V podcast by clicking here.

What Women Need to Know About Vaginal Odor

This episode of Busine$$ of the V introduces a dynamo who proves that anything is possible with bootstrap determination. Deeannah Seymour, CEO & Founder of pH-D Feminine Health, shares the story of how she founded her company and grew it from limited online sales on Amazon (where the rave reviews came in an avalanche) to availability at some 35,000 retail outlets nationwide. It’s a profile in persistence and tribute to a woman who turned an undergraduate degree in biology and her experience working in the pharmaceutical industry into a highly successful – and growing – entrepreneurial powerhouse.

 

pH-D Feminine Health Support grew out of the need Deeannah identified for natural solutions to bothersome feminine issues. She looked at the scientific research and expensive, inconvenient products available on the market and decided to find her own holistic way to address vaginal aroma. She partnered with a highly respected health and wellness company, Vireo Systems, Inc., to commercially produce boric acid vaginal suppositories beginning in 2014 and has since become the #1 best-selling brand for feminine odor and balance.

 

Dr. Dweck and Rachel host a fascinating conversation about the pH-D product line, its development and the many factors that go into building a successful startup. Deeannah shares resources and some funny stories that demonstrate the influence of serendipity, the power of bouncing back from mistakes and the importance of banishing negative self-talk. Enjoy getting to know Deeannah and pH-D, an inspiring example of woman-owned, women-led success!

 

Click here to learn more about our sponsor Kindra, the radical self-care company that makes estrogen-free essentials thoughtfully designed to relieve the symptoms of the menopausal journey. Take the Kindra Quiz to prepare for and manage your body’s natural hormonal shifts.         

 

And use promo code BOVPODCAST to receive 20% off your first order or subscription!

 

You can subscribe or listen to previous episodes of Busine$$ of the V podcast by clicking here.

How Kindra Built Community Through Education About Menopause

Communities are built in all kinds of ways, but when it comes to menopause it’s education that knits the fabric together. In this episode of Busine$$ of the V, Dr. Dweck and Rachel learn about how Kindra has created space for women navigating this stage of life. As CEO Catherine Balsam-Schwaber explains, Kindra’s platform and products are all about destigmatizing and managing symptoms throughout this important – but too often shrouded – life passage.

 

More than a billion women will be in menopause by 2025, a tidal wave of experience that demands quality information and support. But there remains a common disconnect between chronological age and symptoms, in large part because “the change” for so many generations has been a hush-hush topic. That’s where Kindra comes in.

 

This innovative, exciting company has launched an entire line of products that speak directly to symptoms. They’ve also very intentionally made critical information accessible to the broadest possible audience. In direct response to the most common perimenopausal and menopausal complaints (sleep disruption, brain fog, hot flashes and vaginal dryness) Kindra has developed a suite of options to bring life back into balance. And all without the use of replacement hormones such as estrogen!

 

Sleep disruption appears to be at the core of many other cascading perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. Catherine observes that the Kindra community weighs in frequently about the ways in which lack of quality sleep impacts every other facet of daily functioning, including mental clarity, focus, energy and anxiety. But there are options – and the menu is expanding exponentially as this previously hidden stage for women becomes a fact of life not only personally but in a professional context as well.

 

Women have dealt with the menopausal journey through all time, but contemporary women’s views of themselves in their 50s don’t align with the “Golden Girl” stereotype. Kindra has taken this discrepancy head-on to provide an entirely different approach. The goal isn’t to medicalize the transition but to offer alternative solutions that don’t require pharmaceutical intervention and capitalize on self-awareness and partnering for optimal sexual health.

 

Kindra provides the information, support and tools to manage menopause as a natural stage of life that need not slow us down. The whole landscape is changing and opening up, allowing women to integrate work and life in ways that were unimaginable just a generation or two ago. Join this exciting conversation!

 

Click here to learn more about our sponsor Kindra, the radical self-care company that makes estrogen-free essentials thoughtfully designed to relieve the symptoms of the menopausal journey. Take the Kindra Quiz to prepare for and manage your body’s natural hormonal shifts.         

 

And use promo code BOVPODCAST to receive 20% off your first order or subscription!

 

You can subscribe or listen to previous episodes of Busine$$ of the V podcast by clicking here.