Marlow: Breaking taboos around menstrual health through lubricated tampons and inclusive conversation, Nadia Ladak & Simone Godbout
Description
ENGLISH EPISODE
My guests today have created the oldersister figure they needed themselves when navigating their own experience with menstrual health as young people. Simone Godbout and Nadia Ladak are two of the four co-founders, who have made it their mission to revolutionise menstrual health - from the way we talk about it (or don’t), the stigma and taboo surrounding it, to the information we have access to, to the products we use.
They have founded Marlow, a universe that serves us both as an educational platform, and as a designer and retailer of their own organic, convenient and innovative menstrual products - including their first product, the lubricated tampon. Their focus on changing the conversation and experience around menstrual health, is in many ways closing a gab on reliable, accessible and inclusive source of information.
….And they have created what 14-year-old Julie would have loved to have had as her sidekick.
In our conversation, Canadian-based Nadia and Simone opens up about how Marlow started as a University course where the four of them shared a passion for solving the issues related to menstrual health and the innovation, stigma and disinformation on the area.
We also talk about how they have made it their mission to build-in-public and co-create with their community, to always put their community in the very forefront of their business. We touch on company-culture as a gen-Z founded company, how working remote and being in nature is pivotal to all of the four co-founders and their well-being and how this is cemented into Marlow aswell. And finally we of course discuss their Dragon’s Den Canada experience, which aired on the 19th of October 2023.
I hope you enjoy our conversation, and that it brings you just as much value as it did for me,
xx Julie
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Nadia mentions Moontime Sisters, a volunteer-led organisation providing free menstrual products to remote communities in Northern America.
Simone passes on the goodwill to: Sororal - A company giving trips/travels for women abroad, all the business you visit are women-owned/led.
Nadia passes on the goodwill to: Arthi Sharma - Angel-investor who works to democratise access to capital.
A life hack you swear by:
Simone: “Spending time without your screen, especially in nature.”
Nadia: “Moving your body and getting outside”
A life lesson that has been life-changing / A saying to live by:
Simone: “Mindset is everything”
Nadia: “A Rising tide, lifts all boats” - the idea that if you’re achieving success you need to give back and lift other people too.
A book that has left a particular mark on you:
Simone + Nadia: “Let my people go surfing” by Yvon Chouinard - About The Patagonia company that structures the work-day around when it’s the best time to go surfing for their employees, because that’s something all of the employees love - balancing life and work.
Your Go-to Podcast:
Simone: “Startup by Gimlet” The host talks about building a company as he is building it, not in hindsight.
Nadia: “The startup Cananda Podcast” - Canadian businesses and entrepreneurs on a diverse range of industries.
Keep up with Marlow & Simone & Nadia:
Instagram: @marlow, @simonegodbout, @nadia_ladak (Co-founder Harit: @haritsohal, Co-founder Kiara: @kiarabotha)
TikTok: @wearemarlow
Website: www.wearemarlow.com
Keep up with The Female Effect:
Instagram: @thefemaleeffect_
TikTok: @thefemaleeffect
Artwork: Birgit Käsper
Image: Lizzie O’Donnell
Jingle // Sounddesign: Søren Haahr
*Disclaimer: The episode was recorded before the episode of Dragon’s Den with the Marlow founders was Aired.
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