Friends Flip Menopause Narrative with Womaness

When Sally Mueller and Michelle Jacobs reconnected after 20 years, they bonded over a shared realization: the lack of menopause education and innovative solutions for women undergoing bodily changes. Though well into their careers with extensive expertise in building global brands, neither founder initially grasped the depth of this market need.

In 2020, the New York-based friends translated personal experience into entrepreneurial vision, co-founding Womaness - a trailblazing line of skincare, supplements, and sexual wellness products targeting menopausal consumers. With nearly $4 million in early funding, the startup challenged outdated assumptions about "aging gracefully".

Backed by science and the founders' first-hand consumer insights, Womaness is empowering women to take charge of both symptoms and narratives around this midlife transition.

The Founders' Mission Takes Shape

Mueller spent over a decade driving strategy and marketing for major retailers like Target and Rachel Roy. Jacobs led initiatives for iconic brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren and Lancôme. Though occupying the key 40-55-year-old demographic themselves, neither had focused extensively on menopausal consumers.

A fateful catch-up opened their eyes to the unmet needs facing women like them. Mueller revealed her doctor had connected various health issues, from vaginal dryness to body aches, back to hormonal shifts. Further discussions with friends made the knowledge gap clear, as did the absence of products speaking to this stage.

Jacobs recalls the beginnings of their mission: "There was no clear education, support, or modern products for this time in a woman's life. So, we did something about it."

Insight Inspires Innovation

Leveraging professional pedigree and personal insight, the duo launched Womaness in 2020 as a "one-stop meno shop" with everyday women at the top of their mind. The comprehensive line spans across skincare, supplements, and sexual health, targeting concerns from hot flashes and sleeping troubles to hormone-related pigmentation changes.

Take their top-selling neck cream, Let's Neck, harnessing peptides to improve crepey skin and age spots, or vaginal moisturizer, Good Vibes, helping ease intimacy discomfort. The accessible, shame-free branding has resonated widely. Within one year, offerings expanded further to include the sleep aid, Let Me Sleep, responding to another commonly reported issue.

Ongoing consumer testing and surveys keep products aligned with real needs. Per the founders, remaining nimble to feedback while elevating menopause in mainstream dialogue are equal priorities.

Outreach Anchored in Shared Experience

Rather than chasing social media hype, Womaness leverages the founders' demographic authority across educational platforms. The Womaness blog, newsletters and even a SiriusXM radio show share guidance for navigating personal and professional life amidst physical flux.

With menopause rarely discussed until it occurs, the startup has filled an awareness gap – fast becoming the modern voice women never had.

Ratings remain high among target 45-65-year-olds, while word of mouth has attracted media from "Ellen" to the New York Times. Still, Sally and Michelle consider retail partnerships with Amazon and Target even greater coups. The move into mass merchants helped cement menopause management into consumer consciousness.

With a proof of concept firmly established in two short years, the duo envisions international expansion on the horizon as they continue sparking overdue dialogue.

The Future of Aging Well

Thanks to Mueller and Jacobs' vision, the days of quietly tolerating "aging troubles" are history. Womaness has carved out a welcoming space where women can access facts, products, and sisterly support surrounding menopausal transition.

By starting from a place of understanding and optimism versus shame, the brand has organically shifted perspectives on maturity. In the founders' words: "You should be tapping into your fierceness, your sexiness, your realness, your agelessness..."

With revenues and retail presence multiplying annually, Sally and Michelle have only begun making their mark on the future of female aging. Driven by first-hand experience and fierce advocacy, Womaness represents the new paradigm for midlife and beyond unstoppable womaness.