For all aspiring entrepreneurs, it is very important to have a business idea that is scalable and not something that is started out of trend or FOMO. Make sure to have a clear business plan. Expect the unexpected because as an entrepreneur your life and business are unpredictable. You need to have the ability to pivot when needed in a business, and stay flexible and adaptable.
1. Tell us more about your company and your journey.
At FemiSafe, we are driven by a powerful and personal mission to empower women to make safe and healthier choices about their menstrual and personal health. Our story began with a conversation between myself, Noureen Aysha, and Naseef Nazar, during the pandemic. One day, as they were out and about, they came across a distressing sight: used sanitary pads piled up to be picked up by sanitation workers.
With waste pick-up happening only once a week during the Covid pandemic, the workers were forced to handle the pads with their bare hands, separating the gel from the plastic so that the waste could be processed. This experience left a deep impression on us. Naseef, in particular, suggested I, who had been using a menstrual cup for years, could raise awareness about this alternative menstrual product as lack of awareness was a huge problem in this sector. And so, FemiSafe was born.
Since launching in 2020, we have been dedicated to providing women with access to the best and most innovative female wellness and hygiene products in the market. We are committed to helping the aspirational women of Bharat focusing on the less favorable Tier2/Tier3 cities find the products that work best for them and their bodies and be their best friend
We believe that every woman should have the information she needs to make informed choices about her menstrual and personal health. At FemiSafe, we are here to make that a reality.
2. How did you come up with this idea and go about executing it?
We came up with the idea mentioned above. The gap we identified was of lack of awareness which we could fill with my passion in this area, user experience, and product knowledge. We started Instagram by posting informative content, and sensitive topics that no one talks about and initially we did receive some weird responses as to why is a brand talking about periods, contraceptives, sex, etc. But we knew that there was a gap that we had to fill which no one would ask for but needed. That's how we started and we still stand as an awareness-first brand that does offline community engagements as well as informative content on all social media platforms.
3. What has been the biggest challenge that you faced and how did you overcome that?
Our biggest challenge would be the topic we are working around especially when we started because periods and menstrual health is and was a tabooed and stigmatized topic and we knew the only to overcome it was to keep talking about it and normalize it, especially in the cities where we focus which is the less favorable Tier2/Tier3 cities.
4. What do you think are the most important qualities of a successful entrepreneur?
According to me, an entrepreneur should not just be driven by money but by purpose too when running a business because a business without a purpose is a river without a bank, it stagnates and goes nowhere. And as an entrepreneur, you need to have tenacity, determination, and perseverance while keeping your head down and focused on what you are building. Above all, be shameless as an entrepreneur and believe in the power of asking, you are not in fact the person for a job or the only person who can do it.
5. What are some of the most important factors for running a successful business?
A clear vision and mission, scalability of your business, being customer-centric, continuous innovation:-it need not be just in product or services but in marketing and branding too for a d2c brand and of course a great team.
6. What are your tips for first-time and aspiring entrepreneurs?
- For all aspiring entrepreneurs, it is very important to have a business idea that is scalable and not something that is started out of trend or FOMO.
- Make sure to have a clear business plan.
- Expect the unexpected because as an entrepreneur your life and business are unpredictable.
- You need to have the ability to pivot when needed in a business, and stay flexible and adaptable.
- Networking is the key to unlocking many opportunities.
7. How can one overcome the hurdle of lack of funds when starting up?
Bootstrap for the win. It might not work in all businesses especially if you are looking for exponential growth, but if you want to grow your business slowly then you can stay bootstrapped.
For others who look for faster growth like FemiSafe, you can involve in strategic partnerships, avail grants and loans, and leverage social media for building brand awareness without spending much.
8. What has been your great source of inspiration?
For us founders to run FemiSafe the biggest source of inspiration has been our purpose and the validation from our customers.
9. What are the best public speaking tips that have worked for you?
As someone who interacts with the public on a regular basis, both as the face of our brand FemiSafe and on a personal level too at various events, two tips I would share are our Confidence and Clarity.
Own the room when you start talking, and project yourself with confidence through your body language, tone, and outfit. And when it comes to clarity, articulate your thoughts in simple language and put your thoughts in a logical way so that your message is clear and remembered.
10. What impact do you want to make in the world?
As a femtech brand, we are dedicated to catering to the aspirational women of Bharat focusing on the less favorable Tier2/Tier3 cities. Our product offerings include period products, grooming products, and intimate care products, all designed to meet the needs and preferences of our target audience. In addition to these products, we also provide education and awareness on healthier and sustainable alternatives for female wellness and hygiene. We understand that there can be barriers to the adoption of these types of products due to a lack of information, awareness, and stigmas or taboos.
Our goal is to bridge this gap and help solve the problem by providing accessible and reliable resources to these women. We are dedicated to improving the lives of women in these underrepresented communities and empowering them to prioritize their own health and well-being.
Brief Bio:
Noureen Aysha, Co-Founder of FemiSafe-a female wellness and hygiene brand-Top 100 D2C Brands-YourStory, TEDx Speaker, TiE Social Impactor of the Year Award-2022, menstrual educator and advocator on Untabooing periods and Menstrual Cups
Interviewed by - Deeksha Ramesh
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