To mark six months since the launch of femme health, we sat down together to reflect on our experiences and insights. (And eat some cake!). Thank you to everyone who has supported femme health so far, we couldn't do any of this without you...
What has been the most rewarding thing about running femme during the first 6 months?
SM: It has been truly special to hear people speak so positively about femme and how it has positively impacted their journeys. We are building a community of women that we can hopefully support through each stage of life.
SB: Meeting customers face-to-face and hearing their positive feedback on our brand and our efforts in the TTC space has been incredibly rewarding, both personally and professionally.
LC: Feeling like you are making a difference makes everything easier. The feedback from our customers has been really encouraging, especially during the “downs”, and anyone who has run a small business knows what I mean!
What has been difficult about running femme?
SM: It's been incredibly challenging to reach and inform people about femme, a website that has the potential to benefit so many. Advertising and collaborations have become enormous financial hurdles. Online businesses require extensive testing, which often entails significant expenses that startups simply can't afford. As consumers, we seek the best prices, free delivery, and discounts, and balancing these demands with effective marketing can be difficult.
SB: At times, it feels like we are a goldfish in the middle of the Atlantic. The online retail and social media landscape is vast, expensive, and overwhelming. While we are navigating these challenges, as a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), it's tough to compete with the big players.
LC: Keeping all of our ideas in check and sticking to our launch plans has been really challenging! Meeting so many brilliant people has inspired us to consider loads of different plans to support people on their fertility journey, but having a small team and limited budgets means it is essential to prioritise. This has been the hardest learning curve for me!
What has been the most surprising experience or challenge?
SM: I was surprised by how many people have said they wished this existed when they were going through fertility struggles, I am also so surprised that this hasn’t been done already.
SB: I was surprised by how comfortable I felt sharing my personal journey in a professional setting. It has been a liberating and cathartic experience.
LC: I have been surprised, perhaps naively, at how difficult it would be to get our message across online. Coming from a B2B background means I think differently about how to run our business but I am also taken aback by how much harder it is to create connection when you’re not meeting people face to face.
Where do you see the brand in another six months?
SM: I hope we can assist even more women on their personal journeys. Additionally, I aim to provide more content and resources beyond our products for those seeking support.
SB: I hope to see the beginnings of a loyal customer following that feels a sense of community and understanding in everything we put out as a brand.
LC: I want people to know what we stand for, and to choose our community because it speaks to them on a personal level. I want to show there’s still a place for small businesses online, and to show it doesn’t need huge investment to get there.
