With 6,000 women entering menopause on a daily basis, the market opportunity is huge and growing. This episode of Busine$$ of the V features Colette Courtion, whose innovative medical device company has spawned all kinds of conversation as well as welcome product offerings. Join Dr. Dweck and her co-host Rachel in exploring the evolution of Joylux, whose brand is focused on providing life-changing, scientifically-based solutions for women in mid-life.

Colette launched her entrepreneurial venture after learning post-partum about some of the long-term issues that arise as women enter their next phase of life, including incontinence, vaginal dryness and diminished sexual function. Her interest ultimately grew into vFit Gold, the first “smart” wellness device that harnesses the power of red light, gentle heat, and sonic technology to improve strength, sensation, and natural lubrication all from the comfort and privacy of your home. Joylux has also expanded to offer complementary products and a monthly subscription option that delivers curated solutions right to your door.

HOT FLASH: Some 6,000 women a day enter menopause. By the year 2025, 1.1 billion women will be in menopause.

Driven in part by all the social and habitual shifts that have accompanied pandemic, Colette shares good news about the number of women taking self-care/self-love more seriously. Part of that trendline is a keen interest in products for women at all stages of life but most especially for those in perimenopause and menopause. Listen as these three women – all of whom have been at the forefront of advancements in women’s health – talk about the current explosion in Femtech ventures and where the market is headed in the years to come. With 1.1 billion women projected to be in menopause by 2025, there can be no doubt that solutions like those Joylux offers will be a big part of the mix. It’s no surprise that Colette was named one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Female Founders of 2020!

Check out the Joylux menopause quiz by clicking here.

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Topics Covered in This Week’s Interview with Colette Courtion

• Colette shares the origin story and her “aha” moment in hitting upon the Joylux concept.
• Breaking down what red-light therapy is and how it differs from other therapeutic methods.
• What head-to-head efficacy studies reveal both in terms of Joylux’s objective and subjective measures. (Over time 90%+ women see improvement in their bladder function or vaginal atrophy/dryness issues.)
• Why pelvic floor and vaginal issues are more than just a muscular issue.
• Thinning tissue and laxity in the vaginal wall affects sexual function by increasing friction while decreasing sensation and pleasure. Joylux users report improvement in their sex lives that they didn’t know they wanted/needed!
• The Joylux device’s vibrator function is a bonus – with the added medical benefit of increased vaginal blood flow.
• Colette shares observations about the changing Femtech landscape.
  • Covid has fostered more openness about the importance of self-love/self-care.
  • More and more entrepreneurs have entered the space, bringing momentum and media coverage with them.
• Getting the appropriate FDA designation and approvals has been challenging.
• Defining the multiple components of GSM (the Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause).
• Colette explains how Joylux has evolved from a medical device company focused on treating vaginal health into a platform offering menopausal women an array of products.
• Over the past 18 months Joylux has rolled out a membership program that offers women a curated monthly collection of menopause-inspired products.
• What differentiates Joylux products and makes them unique in the marketplace:
  • Designed by OB-GYN physicians.
  • Ph-balanced for sensitive skin.
  • Clean production values.
  • Constantly evolving and updating product offerings, including the core device itself.
• Joylux’s original point of entry into the market has been directly through physicians, more than 1,000 of whom recommend their products with availability currently in hundreds of physicians’ offices.
• Education has been a focal piece of the Joylux platform’s development, including:
  • Video and written content with medical experts.
  • Updates on latest scientific developments.
  • Shopping and community networking opportunities.
• Colette provides an update on offerings on the horizon, including the build-out of an app that can be personalized to individual women and their menopausal journey. The company will also be rolling out something designed specifically for new mothers

Quotes from Colette Courtion

(05:41) – “We’re helping you naturally do what you’re supposed to do … Our light therapy is activating the mitochondria in your cells and telling them, ‘Hey guys, it’s time to produce that collagen, elastin and increase blood flow naturally.’ ”

(06:18) – “We’re using light energy to give (vaginas) that extra charge to get going again.”

(09:44) – “Our original goal was incontinence. Now we are doing two for one: You are getting this incredible sexual function benefit.”

(12:39) – “For the self-care/self-love movement (Covid) has been fabulous because women are embracing their sexual health, their intimate health. The category as a whole has exploded.”

(16:06) – “We have built this trust and relationship with our customers, who are saying ‘Can you help me with this or this?’ ”

(21:15) – “Each woman is unique so she should talk to her doctor and that vFit is part of the conversation is very important to us.”

(25:56) – “I’m a huge believer that we have to work together to further the cause of women’s health … There are 54 million women in menopause and growing every day, so there’s plenty of room for all of us to play and I’m a proponent of any company in women’s health.”

Watch the Interview with Colette Courtion

About CEO/Founder of Joylux, Colette Courtion

About Colette:

Colette is an award-winning consumer marketer, inventor, and business leader who leverages over 20 years of cross-functional expertise steeped in brand building, marketing, strategic planning, and finance with leading consumer product, retail and medical device companies to open up and grow new ventures. Founder of three venture-backed consumer/ health and beauty-related startups based in Seattle, Colette is a brand and product architect adept at identifying new growth potential from conception through successful execution. She is the author of multiple international patents and extremely knowledgeable about consumer market trends, technologies, and consumer needs in the health and beauty industries. 

Contacts for Colette:

Website: https://Joylux.com
@LinkedIn

LINKS FOR BUSINE$$ OF THE V:

Website: www.businessofthev.com

Dr. Alyssa Dweck: https://drdweck.com

Author Rachel Braun Scherl: www.sparksolutionsforgrowth.com/about-rachel-braun-scherl/