Girl Power! Startups BY Women FOR Women
Tomorrow is Election Day, and regardless of what your political views are, you can’t argue that this election marks an important stepping stone for women with the first female presidential nominee of a major party in the history of the U.S. Women are overcoming barriers not only in politics, but also in entrepreneurship. We women are an untapped force of economic potential and innovation. It’s time to smash the infamous glass ceiling once in for all, and female entrepreneurs are working towards that goal every single day. After all, what’s more empowering than starting your own business?
I want my first post to celebrate women entrepreneurs who are founding startups that deliberately address a diverse range of women’s issues, from work-life balance to female hygiene. I personally find it refreshing to see women step up to the front line and develop products and services that tackle some of women’s unmet needs. Hopefully this doesn’t end up being a well-meaning, gender-fueled post that accidentally turns sexist (that would kill me!).
MM LaFleur is an online women’s professional clothing boutique. Some may find clothing trivial, but for others it represents a huge part of their personal identity. Yet for professional women in traditional, conservative workplaces, formal business attire can be quite unexciting. Sarah LaFLeur, Miyako Nakamura, and Narie Foster joined forces to build a brand centered on chic, polished, office appropriate deign. But what I love the most about this brand is its practicality. All of their pieces are wrinkle-free and machine-washable to fit the hectic lifestyles of professional women. MMLaFleur even gave the whole online shopping experience a face-lift with their Bento Box. They’ll deliver several handpicked wardrobe staples commitment-free to help you build your professional wardrobe.
The Flex Company created FLEX, a menstrual disc tampon alternative. Founders Erika Jensen and Lauren Schulte are disrupting a product category with established players (P&G and Unilever) through innovative functional design. Think of them as the Dollar Shave Club of feminine care products. Plus, The Flex Company just closed a $3M seed round, now that’s pretty cool. This serves as major market validation and proof of concept since there aren’t that many venture-funded feminine care startups out there… yet. I already placed an order for FLEX and can’t wait to try their product!
The Mom Project is a digital talent marketplace that connects world-class employers with talented, professionally accomplished women looking for flexible yet meaningful work. Achieving work-life balance is one of the biggest concerns for professional women, especially in terms of family planning. Why should women have to compromise between either professional success or motherhood? Not all women want to be full-time professionals, nor be stay-at-home moms; there’s room for both! For those in between, this Chicago-based startup founded by Allison Robinson offers a viable alternative and a solution to the million-dollar question ‘how to balance motherhood and work.’
Bottom line, women entrepreneurs are killing it. Some may say that women want to ‘run the world’, but perhaps we just want to co-found it. Girl Power!
