Table of Contents
From getting infections every month to creating the #1 period disc on Amazon, Lauren Wang's journey shows how personal pain can fuel revolutionary business solutions.
Key Takeaways
- Lauren Wang founded The Flex Company in 2015 after suffering tampon-related infections for 15 years, creating disposable menstrual discs
- Despite initial self-doubt, she raised funding through Y Combinator and scaled to over 30,000 retail locations including CVS, Target, and Walmart
- The company became the #1 seller in its Amazon category by 2024, proving demand for innovative period product alternatives
- Flex's marketing strategy focuses on authentic education rather than fear-mongering, with Lauren's personal ads performing best
- The menstrual product industry had seen virtually no meaningful innovation for nearly 100 years before Flex entered the market
- Recent studies showing toxic metals in major tampon brands have accelerated consumer interest in alternative period products
- International expansion represents the biggest growth opportunity, with 51% of the world's population as potential customers
Timeline Overview
- 2013 — Lauren discovers menstrual cups at dinner party, begins researching period product innovation gaps
- 2014-2015 — Quits tech job, starts networking for expertise, initially seeks CEO role for someone else before deciding to lead herself
- 2016 — Accepts into Y Combinator, completes European shipping workaround, raises Series A after successful demo day
- 2018 — Nearly goes bankrupt during major retailer launch due to 3x larger order and manufacturing issues
- 2022-2024 — Achieves profitability, expands to Walmart, becomes #1 Amazon seller in category with authentic video marketing
From Personal Health Crisis to Business Breakthrough
- Lauren Wang endured tampon-related infections every single month for 15 years, spending one week on her period and another week treating infections before a San Francisco nurse practitioner refused to prescribe more medication unless she stopped using tampons entirely
- The revelation that menstrual products hadn't seen meaningful innovation in nearly 100 years sparked Wong's obsession with researching the space, despite doctors dismissing her concerns as personal health issues rather than product problems
- A 2013 dinner party introduced Wong to menstrual cups through women who had switched for sustainability and 12-hour wear time, opening her eyes to alternatives she'd never heard of despite decades of period product use
- Her research uncovered that the menstrual cup was actually patented by a stage actress in the 1930s, yet didn't gain mainstream awareness until the late 2010s due to stigma around period discussions
- The lack of research funding for women's health became clear when Wong discovered virtually no studies existed about tampon-related infections beyond toxic shock syndrome, highlighting systemic neglect of female health issues
Period stigma prevented innovation for decades. Even Cosmopolitan magazine maintained an editorial policy against writing about periods as late as 2015, demonstrating how taboo subjects can stifle product development and consumer education.
Building Expertise Through Strategic Networking
- Wong created three systematic lists in Evernote: everything she didn't know (product development, FDA regulations, manufacturing), smart people from her professional network since age 19 at IBM, and their email addresses for targeted outreach
- Her approach involved specific, time-bound asks like "I'd love 10 minutes about supply chain manufacturing for my financial model" rather than generic "pick your brain" requests that overwhelm busy professionals
- The strategy of flattering people with very specific expertise requests often yielded outsized returns, with one Portland contact offering a full weekend of consultation after Wong's focused approach
- Despite building this extensive network and receiving validation from billionaire CEOs who told her she was "completely capable," Wong initially sought male CEOs to run her company due to imposter syndrome and discouraging advice from trusted colleagues
- The turning point came during a run with a friend who offered to hire her as CEO for his startup, making Wong realize she should apply that confidence to her own period product venture
Wong's networking hack demonstrates that people want to help when requests are specific and respectful of their time. Generic asks fail because they don't showcase preparation or respect expertise.
Y Combinator Success and Creative Problem-Solving
- Wong drained her entire 401K against Vanguard's advice to fund initial product development, paying heavy tax penalties because she had no other funding options for her million-dollar manufacturing requirements
- Her Y Combinator interview with Sam Altman succeeded because he recognized the massive market opportunity in an industry lacking innovation, giving Wong crucial validation for her vision
- The "things that don't scale" lesson from Y Combinator led to Wong's creative European shipping solution when FDA approval delays prevented US distribution to her waitlist customers
- She traveled through seven European cities in eight days with duffel bags containing 20,000-30,000 menstrual discs, telling customs officials she was shipping "friendship bracelets" to avoid complications
- The European postal workers grew frustrated with Wong's massive volume of small packages, but this unscalable approach provided the traction data needed for fundraising and validated customer demand
Demo day generated immediate investor interest, with one venture capitalist spontaneously offering $200,000 while walking past Wong's table, demonstrating how addressing overlooked markets can create bidding wars among investors.
Manufacturing and Retail Expansion Challenges
- Flex's menstrual disc required custom manufacturing equipment and space, creating a chicken-and-egg problem where investors demanded proof of demand before Wong could even produce the product at scale
- The transition from direct-to-consumer to retail nearly killed the company in 2018 when a new buyer placed an order three times larger than expected while manufacturing equipment simultaneously broke down
- Retail payment terms created dangerous cash flow gaps, with 90-day payment periods from major retailers while Wong had to pay manufacturing costs upfront, requiring non-traditional lending solutions when banks demanded personal guarantees
- Wong's "friendship bracelet" approach to European shipping demonstrated the creative workarounds necessary when traditional distribution channels aren't available for innovative products
- Breaking into retail required competing against legacy brands like Procter & Gamble and Unilever that controlled shelf space, with no precedent for startup period product companies working with major retailers
The retail expansion phase highlighted how different business models require entirely different operational expertise. Direct-to-consumer offers immediate payment, while retail demands sophisticated cash management and relationship building.
Authentic Marketing Strategy and Brand Voice
- Wong deliberately chose not to fear-monger about tampons despite her personal negative experiences, focusing on the benefits of menstrual discs rather than attacking competitors to create an inclusive brand environment
- The company's marketing emphasizes choice and education over criticism, believing that personal health decisions about vaginal products are extremely personal and shouldn't be subject to judgment
- Investors initially dismissed Flex as too niche for "mainstream America," underestimating women's willingness to try innovative period products and revealing biases about female consumer behavior
- Wong's personal appearance in advertisements performs best, with authentic storytelling about her own heavy periods and workplace accidents resonating more than polished corporate messaging
- The brand's authentic approach has proven successful over nine years, with recent studies showing toxic metals in 14 major tampon brands validating consumer concerns Wong had addressed since founding
Recent Berkeley research confirming lead, mercury, and arsenic in major tampon brands has accelerated interest in alternatives. This represents the first comprehensive study of its kind, validating concerns that drove Wong's initial research.
Current Success and Future Expansion Plans
- Flex achieved its best year ever in 2024 across revenue and profitability metrics, becoming the #1 seller in its Amazon category while expanding to over 30,000 retail locations
- The company now makes the bestselling menstrual cup in the US with a patented design that removes like a tampon, diversifying beyond its core disc product
- Despite success, menstrual discs maintain only 3% awareness in the US market, representing massive growth potential through increased top-of-funnel marketing investment
- Strategic retail partnerships have evolved from annual sales meetings to joint innovation planning, indicating Flex's transition from vendor to strategic partner status
- International expansion represents the biggest opportunity, with Wong noting that 51% of the world's population could use their products but lacks awareness or access
The company's evolution from scrappy startup to strategic retail partner demonstrates how authentic innovation can eventually gain mainstream acceptance, even in conservative industries resistant to change.
Common Questions
Q: What makes menstrual discs different from tampons and cups?
A: Discs sit around the cervix rather than in the vaginal canal, allowing 12-hour wear and self-emptying during urination.
Q: How did Flex overcome initial investor skepticism?
A: Wong demonstrated demand through creative European shipping and Y Combinator validation before securing traditional funding.
Q: Why did the company nearly fail during retail expansion?
A: A 3x larger order combined with manufacturing issues created cash flow problems due to 90-day retail payment terms.
Q: What drives Flex's current growth acceleration?
A: Recent studies showing toxic metals in tampons plus authentic video marketing featuring Wong's personal experiences.
Q: How big is the untapped market for period product innovation?
A: Menstrual discs have only 3% US awareness despite proven benefits, with international markets representing even larger opportunities.
Wong's journey proves that personal health struggles can fuel revolutionary business solutions when combined with systematic networking and authentic marketing. The company's success validates that women deserve better period products and will embrace innovation when stigma doesn't prevent education.
Subscribe for weekly insights on femtech entrepreneurship and women's health innovation.
