Cynthia Plotch and Jamie Norwood of Stix
Cynthia Plotch and Jamie Norwood co-founded Stix, the company on a mission to transform women’s health experiences, starting with direct-to-consumer pregnancy and ovulation tests. Stix designs and delivers pregnancy and ovulation tests right to your home for those high-stress, high-stakes moments, to empower customers with accurate, reliable results they need to make the right health choices. Stix most recently closed their seed round to expand their team and invest in product growth. To learn more about Stix, visit www.getstix.co.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
Cynthia: The two of us have experience working with D2C startups prior to founding Stix. We met working at produce delivery company Hungry Harvest, where I led growth efforts and Jamie was in charge of the customer experience and product departments. We made a great team there, and after personal experiences and market research led us to the conclusion that something had to be done to improve the ordeal that is purchasing pregnancy tests, we continued the working relationship to found Stix together!
What inspired you to start your business?
Cynthia: We built Stix after having awful experiences buying drugstore pregnancy tests ourselves. I actually ran into my boyfriend’s mom while buying one once, and I know I am not alone in my horror story.
Jamie: We surveyed thousands of women and found that 70% of people purchasing pregnancy tests had terrible experiences. When you have a figure like this - it is a clear indication that change is needed. In an industry aimed at women, women's needs were not being met. We built Stix because we believe everyone deserves to have access to fairly priced pregnancy and ovulation tests. This means that we had to bypass the drugstores and bring the product straight to consumers in private, discreet packaging- free of assumptions and judgements.
Where is your business based?
Cynthia: Stix is currently based in Philadelphia. Starting a business in Philly is amazing due to the tight-knit community of entrepreneurs and focus on healthcare innovation.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
Jamie: We started by talking to potential customers. Anyone and everyone we knew who ever bought a pregnancy test became our test subject. From there, we identified two key problem areas that we would tackle: convenience and education. Convenience came from our direct-to-consumer model, where we ship all of our products in discreet packaging straight to your door and offer a subscription service in case you are buying month-over-month.
Cynthia: Education came from our ultimate resource center, The Library. We found that many members of our community had questions about their health, whether they were trying to conceive or not. It is our goal to provide them with the products, service, and education they need to take control of their health.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
Cynthia: Our Stix community. Not only do they spread the word about our company, they constantly engage with us and provide feedback on what they need. We couldn’t grow Stix without them!
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Jamie: When we were first fundraising, we spoke with a lot of male investors who didn’t understand the problem Stix is trying to solve because they had never personally experienced it. However, through that process, we have found amazing investors who really believe in our vision for Stix and are eager to help us grow.
Cynthia: Also, we are both first-time founders. It has been a challenge (and an opportunity!) to create a transparent work environment with our team so that everyone can share constructive feedback with us and each other.
How do you stay focused?
Jamie: Sit by a window! I moved my desk from my corner (a plain wall) to the center of my apartment in front of a windowsill and it’s been a total game changer. I feel much more awake and inspired to work with the light. It’s funny how a simple change like that can really affect your mood.
Cynthia: Taking breaks has been vital to me staying focused while working from home. It is easy to just sit at my computer all day answering emails, but when I give that part of my brain a break, I find I am so much more productive afterwards. Sometimes, those breaks are going for a walk. Other times, I will hop on the phone with Jamie or another member of our team to just chat about life.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
Cynthia: So many other brands are designed with the idea that all women taking a pregnancy test want a positive result. We really focused on building un-assumptive tests for all kinds of women, whether they want to get pregnant, definitely want a negative result, or have another goal in mind. Our packaging is also super inconspicuous. Our tests come in a small, plain envelope with an unmarked shipping label that fits perfectly in your mailbox, so it’ll blend in with the rest of the day’s mail. You won’t feel judged by the drugstore staff or and you’ll keep your privacy from people you may be living with. Ultimately, each stage is meant to empower and uplift customers.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
Jamie: Listening to our customers. I know it sounds simple, but it is so important to understand what our customers really need in order to build a successful business. All the members of the Stix team take at least two calls with customers each week, just to learn more about their experiences. We believe this empathetic approach is vital to growing a business in such a sensitive space.
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Jamie: One of our favorite mentors, Justin Smithline, told us to never compromise working with the right people. Whether it’s bringing on a new investor, team member, or partner, it’s so important that you work with folks who understand your vision and feel excited about what you’re doing.
What’s your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
Jamie: I probably use the Spotify app the most, so I'll say that's my favorite app! I am strangely addicted to the Strategist and their product recommendations. For books, I read Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi at the start of quarantine and it knocked all of my past favorite books out of the water! One of my favorite business books though is Hooked by Neil Eyal — it's all about user behavior and creating consumer habits.
Cynthia: My favorite app right now is definitely TikTok and I can spend hours watching videos (I’ve yet to make a video myself). This is not a blog, but I watch Ziwe Fumudoh’s show every Thursday. I recently read The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri and could not put it down.
What’s your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
Cynthia: I love First Round Capital’s resources!
Jamie: Notion! It's like Google Drive but in the year 3000, and so fun and easy to navigate.
Who is your business role model? Why?
Jamie: I look up to Sarah Blakely because she truly built an empire and has a cult following behind Spanx, and she does a lot to support and inspire female founders.
Cynthia: My mom is definitely my business role model. She is also an entrepreneur and has such grit. In my hardest moments, I always think about what she would do and act accordingly.
How do you balance work and life?
Jamie: As founders there will always be more work to do, no matter what, so working around the clock is a vicious cycle. I do my best work when I am able to unplug at night and read a non-business book or do something fun and unrelated to Stix. I try to take weekends completely off but also don't beat myself up if I do end up working during the weekends. Also love therapy!
Cynthia: I love boundaries - when I step away from work, I try to really step away.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
Jamie: Calling my best friend and going on a walk! I decompress and think things through best by talking about them.
Cynthia: Running, though definitely not in August when it is hot and muggy.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
Jamie: Back in February, we launched our ovulation test to expand our mission of providing women security and self-awareness. We plan to continue expanding our offerings as well as announce an upcoming seed round. We want to bring peace of mind to women’s health across different products and experiences. Pregnancy tests and ovulation tests are just the beginning! We’re also continuing to build out the Stix Library, another resource on our website that provides educational health content for women and men.
How can our readers connect with you?
Cynthia: They can visit us at www.getstix.co or follow us on social at the links below.