This week’s episode features the introduction of a brand new product in a space that is overdue for some innovation: Menstruation products. It’s one of the most innovative developments in women’s period health care that our hosts, Alyssa and Rachel, have seen in some time. They welcome Thang Vo-Ta, a fascinating entrepreneur driven by the desire to deliver to women a better, more reliable and environmentally sustainable option for managing monthly menstruation.

After years of investment in development, design and testing that resulted very recently in coveted FDA approval, Thang’s company Callaly is bringing to market the Tampliner, a quantum step forward for women who want the convenience and comfort of a tampon without the cumbersome (and un-eco-friendly) applicator associated with most of the options available until now. Representing the first upgrade to the traditional tampon in 90 years and, the Tampliners “virtual applicator” and organic cotton mini-liner are game-changers. No doubt that’s why Time Magazine recently included the product among its “Best Inventions of 2020.”

Enjoy a fascinating chat about an exciting new product in one of women’s health care’s most basic and globally marketable spaces.

About Callaly:

Callaly is a British period care B Corp that invented the Tampliner®– the first significant tampon innovation in 80 years– and recently awarded one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2020. Described by The Independent as “revolutionizing the multi-billion pound feminine care industry”.

Watch the Interview with Callaly CEO, Thang Vo-Ta

TOPICS COVERED:

• A little about Thang Vo-Ta’s career and how he came to be a male entrepreneur in a uniquely female and traditional market space.
• Why the Tampliner? For starters, 70% of women who use a tampon also use a liner, which begs the question: What’s not working here?
• Global markets and launching the Tampliner brand.
• How the Tampliner works and its environmental, hygienic and practical benefits.
• The lengthy journey to securing the Tampliner’s patents in 30 countries worldwide and the 10-year battle to secure the company’s brand and coveted B Corp. status.
• Other Callaly projects on the horizon, including exciting plans for IVF-related products.
• A little about B Corp. status and why it was important to Thang to attain the designation, including Callaly’s commitment to contributing at least 1% of profits to charity.
• HOTFLASH: In the U.S. alone on an annual basis, 12 billion pads and 7 million tampons pollute landfills. Think about the environmental sustainability

QUOTES:

1:12 “There’s no one-size-fits-all in menstrual health so we really want to introduce you to some nuances in this field.”

2:09: “As a young boy I didn’t dream about having a tampon start-up. But I was dreaming about making a difference and being an entrepreneur. It just took me decades to find that space.”

5:13: “In any other business, if something doesn’t work you fix it. As opposed to having two separate products.”

6:43: “No one is ever going to buy these products unless you have that (stellar) reputation, so that’s what we’ve been working for years and how the Tampliner came to life.”

10:35: “What am I doing in this space? What am I trying to innovate? What are my intentions? It’s simple. I’m trying to disrupt a market where there is so much dire innovation needed not just in product but in terms of service and quality.”

11:42: “There are a lot people who think that, unless the whole world loves it, it’s not going to work, but we are absolutely delighted even if only one-third of women love our product.”

13:17: “Nothing makes us more excited than when we have women writing to us saying, ‘Thank you. This has changed my life. I have so much more confidence.’ That’s just music to our ears.”

16:45 “The most exciting space for us is getting into IVF and possibly into HRT. Right now it’s a miserable experience (for many women).”

21:43: “A lot of people find us because they love that we’re not just hopefully going to be successful, but that we’re also making a difference.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Tampliner/Callaly Website:  https://www.calla.ly/gb/tampliners
• Thang Vo-Ta: @Linked In
• Time Magazine Article about Tampliner Innovation: Time Magazine Best Inventions 2020