Having access to quality menstrual products
WHO are you?
My name is Claire Coder, and I’m the founder and CEO of Aunt Flow and our newly-curated sister company, Work Flow.
WHAT did you do?
After getting my period unexpectedly in public without the supplies I needed, I started Aunt Flow to ensure EVERYONE has access to quality menstrual products. I knew that I wanted to start my own company, but knew that I wanted to start a wave of social change. In everything I do, I am dedicated to helping as many people in need as I possibly can.
HOW did you do it?
What worked for me in my journey to start Aunt Flow boils down to my persistence. It can be challenging to run a business with stigma around your products, as there is still built-up stigma around the topic of periods. We are actively normalizing Period Positivity to educate people that periods are natural for menstruators. With this stigma around the products we sell, we refuse to let up on our mission. Even in the wake of COVID-19, we could have chosen to throw in the towel and shut down but instead, we chose to rise to the occasion and use every resource we could to help by manufacturing necessary PPE like FDA-Approved 3PLY masks, hand sanitizers, wipes, and other safety products. Through all of these instances in my business trajectory, the insurmountable support from fellow woman-owned companies and our community continue to lift this business up. At the end of the day, we are successful because of our community. It truly takes a village.
WHEN did you start your company?
In 2016, I started Aunt Flow in 2016 after dropping out of college at 19-years-old.
WHY are you innovating with this product or service?
While menstrual products are still not covered by food stamps or WIC, my Aunt Flow team and I lead with the belief that no one should EVER be forced to choose between food and tampons. I want to walk into any bathroom and never need to worry if I started my period, because Aunt Flow menstrual products will be freely available. To date, we have donated over 500,000 menstrual products to organizations in the USA that support menstruators in need and over 15,000 medical masks to frontline healthcare workers in need of quality products across the country. We call this people helping people. PERIOD. ®
WHERE are you from?
I’m from Toledo, Ohio and currently live in Columbus, Ohio.
INDUSTRY:
Menstrual Products and Personal Protective Equipment
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn: @ClaireCoder, Instagram: @clairecoderofficial
