"Starting a business is full of steep learning curves and humbling experiences where you realize it’s not going to all go your way all the time" with Carine Carmy

Carine Carmy is Co-Founder and CEO at Origin, physical therapy designed for women and mothers. Origin offers expert care for your whole body (including your vagina), both online and in-person, and has treated thousands of women with overlooked but incredibly common female health issues, from painful sex to postpartum recovery. The Origin Way is clinically proven to have life-changing results, helping women build strength and avoid countless unnecessary surgeries.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I’ve spent my career in healthcare and technology, building companies that help individuals navigate “new normals.” Most recently, I was VP of Sales and Marketing at the digital health company Amino where we helped individuals avoid the financial pitfalls of surprise medical bills, and before that, I was VP of Marketing at Shapeways, the leading 3D-printing service that enables independent designers around the world to create custom products. I started my career in management consulting, which despite its grueling hours and excessive travel, was the best business school a 21-year-old college grad could ask for.

As the daughter of two immigrant small business owners, I’ve always had the entrepreneurial itch. My mom was an architect and my dad in the car business, so I grew up with accounting spreadsheets and architectural blueprints on the kitchen table. My friend and I started a tutoring business in high school, and I worked on a few of my own ideas over the years, but Origin is by far the biggest and most important work.

 What inspired you to start your business?

My co-founder! After delivering her son, my co-founder and old friend, Nona Farahnik Yadegar, experienced issues no one had prepared her for, including incontinence and painful sex. I’ve had multiple friends give birth and employees go on maternity leave, but I had no idea just how frequently women are experiencing incontinence, painful sex, and abdominal separation, among other issues, in the months and years after giving birth.

I connected the dots to my own experience with painful sex in my 20s and learned that one in three adult women have a pelvic floor disorder. The stats are staggering! Millions of women are suffering in silence, or worse, getting unnecessary surgeries.

But there is a solution to all these issues and it’s women’s health physical therapy. Research and practice validate the vital impact physical therapy can have for women throughout their lives.

Where is your business based?

Origin is based in Los Angeles and we have plans to expand across California and the country very soon!

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

Step one was finding the right partners. My co-founders, Nona and David Yadegar, and I have complementary skills and expertise, which serves us well. We partnered with the exceptional clinical team at Bebé Physical Therapy, the leading women’s health physical therapy practice in Los Angeles, given their track record of life-changing results.

I commend solo founders, but I’m so grateful to have incredibly capable and authentic leaders by my side - especially in challenging times like COVID.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Historically, people have been afraid to talk about vaginas or pelvic health, as if that part of women’s bodies should only be addressed behind closed doors and with hushed voices. It’s unacceptable that 1 in 3 women have incontinence and their best option is a pantiliner, or that women are told to suffer through painful sex because “it will just get better.”

We’ve created a safe space for women to have real conversations and expert care for our entire bodies, and that has sparked many more conversations outside our treatment rooms. We have yet to spend a dollar on paid marketing. Our clients are inspired to share the stories of how we have impacted their lives with friends, doctors, and the world.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges as an entrepreneur is managing your own emotions. Starting a business is full of steep learning curves and humbling experiences where you realize it’s not going to all go your way all the time.

At first, I took for granted how much my own emotional resilience and state of mind would impact my work, my co-founders, and our team. I had to shift my thinking away from “just work harder” to understanding that this journey is a marathon, not a sprint.

How do you stay focused?

My morning routine is sacred. Every day, I try to wake up at least 2 hours before I have to be anywhere and meditate, write (currently doing “morning pages” from The Artist Way), read the news, and get some kind of workout in. This routine helps me clear space for whatever comes in that day and helps me stay grounded through the highs and lows.

Oh, and coffee!

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I’m a big believer that brands are like people, made up of who you are and how you act.

We’ve spent a lot of time as a team defining who we are -- our mission, our purpose, our values. And that comes through in the consistency of our actions -- our clinical care, how we sign off on emails and pick up the phone and connect to patients in incredibly deep and meaningful ways.

What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Find a good therapist!

 What’s your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

App: VoiceMemo. I’ve recently started using the app to keep track of ideas or just to process whatever is on my mind. After a day staring at a computer, it’s a helpful way to unlock “shower thinking” without having to take three showers a day.

Blog: Anything from KCRW. The best content in music, news, and culture. I’ve been an avid listener and supporter for nearly 20 years.

Book: Currently reading Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick. It’s a well-researched analysis of the history of gender bias in medicine and has helped me put into perspective how deeply entrenched this problem is!

What’s your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

First Round Review is a great collection of interviews with startup leaders, broken down into actionable advice across all aspects of business, from hiring to operations.

 Who is your business role model? Why?

I continue to be inspired by Julia Cheek, the CEO and founder of Everlywell. She has built an incredibly successful business on her own terms and has been a true visionary in the COVID pandemic, securing FDA approval for an at-home testing kit.

 How do you balance work and life?

I have to remind myself that the work is never done, so at some point, you have to call it a day.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Running outside. When my body is in motion, it makes it harder for my mind to take over.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

With so much uncertainty around COVID, we are focused on one day at a time. But we do have some incredible updates in store...stay tuned!

How can our readers connect with you?

We’re active on Instagram at @theoriginway and our newsletter, which you can subscribe to on our website

You can follow me on LinkedIn where I’ve been posting more frequently about women’s health and women at work, or subscribe to my newsletter Muddled Fairytales.