"Invest in processes that will make your life easier" with Kristy W. Gilbraith
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Source: Kristy W. Gilbraith
Kristy W. Gilbraith is a veteran, licensed registered nurse, and founder of FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft. She is passionate about raising awareness of women's below-the-belt health, destigmatizing menstrual periods, and informing on the eco-impact of single-use feminine hygiene. In addition to being the founder of FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft, Kristy has written for multiple health and wellness outlets. She's also been featured in various media, including Cosmo.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
My entry into healthcare started with my military career, in which I served five years on active duty. Upon exiting the military, I went to work in the biotech industry in numerous roles, including sales, marketing, and leadership. I also earned my MBA along the way.
Many of my entrepreneurial lessons regarding structure came about from my experiences within the military. I learned to create goals, have targets, lean on systems that worked for me. Additionally, my experiences as a licensed massage therapist and bedside registered nurse taught me a great deal about managing others' expectations.
What inspired you to start your business?
I launched FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft due to a medical diagnosis that impacted my reproductive health. The diagnosis resulted in extremely heavy menstrual periods, which negatively impacted my quality of life. With this, I recognized a couple of things:
There aren't enough people with periods talking about their periods or below-the-belt health in general - you know, what's "normal," what's not, or even how to talk to your doctor, etc.
I knew I wasn't the only person struggling with menstrual health. Additionally, I realized despite the diagnosis, many struggle with managing bio-leaks.
So, this set me on the path of creating a product to manage menstrual periods, postpartum, and mild bladder leaks experienced by females that address challenges resulting from these bio-leaks, including leak anxiety and stress. No one should have panic attacks or stop doing the things they enjoy because of their bio-physiology, and they certainly shouldn't feel shame because of it. It sounds ludicrous, but unfortunately, it happens every day.
I saw FLOH Wear™ as an opportunity to change the conversation and address a need at the same time.
Where is your business based?
My business is based in Greater Nashville. However, I pondered the idea years before moving to the area. That said, we ship FLOH Wear™ to any location within the continental US.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
I like to start things with the end in mind, and FLOH Wear™ was no different. I start most large projects this way and work myself way backward, as I find it easier and less overwhelming to identify steps needed to get to the goal. As a result, I'm less likely to forget something, and the devil is in the details.
Identifying and anticipating potential challenges allows me to create a go-to plan, which is critical in business. Of course, when I share this business practice, many say, "oh, that's the military for you," and no doubt my military experience contributes to this philosophy. Still, my experience as a registered nurse lends itself to this initial step.
After creating a process map for starting, I dug into what I wanted my brand to be:
What problem was I solving.
How did I want people to feel while experiencing my brand.
Who would be shopping my brand, etc.
Once I pinpointed those things, I could drill down into the nitty-gritty of ideating my designs, selecting a manufacturing partner with the certifications, production capacity, and so forth to ensure safety, quality, etc. This part was essential because, ultimately, I manufactured offshore, which brought a lot of unexpected bumps in the road at the height of the pandemic.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
You know, I'm still making my way, but I will say media presence coupled with paid social platforms has played a large part in accelerating awareness of FLOH Wear™. I think, often, we as business owners get wrapped up in having everything perfect. However, the idea is not to be perfect with your awareness. The idea is to drive people to the platform/place where they can experience your brand, right? Then, if the product, brand, service, etc., are of interest, the consumer will convert.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
My initial biggest challenge was with manufacturing. Because FLOH Wear™ are undies that absorb periods, postpartum, and bladder leaks, there was a lot of R and D involved with me designing my undergarments. This resulted in over 18 months of back and forth in receiving and testing samples to ensure the designs I came up with would allow for the function and performance of the undergarment.
That said, I hit a significant bump in the road when things were underway. Approximately 45 days before the anticipated soft launch, I received notice that the manufacturer didn't have enough fabric. One can only imagine my panic, as I had already paid my deposit, started sharing on social platforms that we were "launching soon," to raise awareness, etc. It was a literal nightmare because they couldn't provide me an ETA of when they could expect fabric.
As a result, I had to start the process all over again, which took nearly nine months to identify and develop a relationship with a manufacturer that fit the bill. Despite receiving my production deposit back, I didn't anticipate this challenge. This taught me my first manufacturing lesson: always have more than one manufacturer lined up-never place all your eggs in one basket.
How do you stay focused?
I stay focused by employing a few specific practices, including:
Taking time for me; I love working my business, as it usually does not feel like work, but it can take over if I don't manage it. Managing and maintaining my resiliency helps me be a better person in business and my personal life.
I also create lists that I triage into three buckets: business-critical, need to address, and not critical.
The last thing I do is celebrate wins, no matter how small. I realized early on the wins are the things that sustain my focus and keep me pushing harder, even when I don't feel like it.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
I differentiate FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft through a couple of things. One is the product itself, the quality, the design's function, and the ability to absorb periods, postpartum, and bladder leaks. However, it's the customer service experience where we really try to go the extra mile.
As a small company, we have the ability to connect with our customers so they don't feel like a number. This is not a luxury typically afforded to larger companies, and we take advantage of this. I want people to feel seen when they engage with FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft. I want them to feel great about their body, their physiology and have confidence, not be embarrassed by their bio-leaks.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
My most effective strategy has been leveraging unpaid media and leaning into my authority and experience as a clinician, and my personal journey, to share valuable information regarding menstrual periods and women's below-the-belt health.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Invest in processes that will make your life easier, be it an app, a course, etc.
Realize that it doesn't have to be perfect 100% of the time. Sometimes, it just needs to get done.
Scale slowly because it allows the opportunity to assess what's working and what's not, at which point you can redirect resources (if necessary) for greater revenue and profit margins.
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
My favorite app is the Better Sleep app. I love it because my brain has a hard time shutting off. With the app, I can create white noise mixes, and like clockwork, I'm asleep within 10 minutes.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
My favorite business tools are Canva and Google Alerts. Canva allows me to design posts and content for social. Google Alerts enables me to be dialed into anything in the media related to specific topics related to the challenges FLOH Wear™ addresses. The best part is both are free, and that can't be beat, even with a stick.
Who is your business role model? Why?
My business role model is my grandfather. Not only was he the first District Manager of color for the oldest newspaper in my hometown of Tulsa, but he was also a successful businessman. He owned and operated a major brand filling station at a time when it was unheard of for a person of color to do so.
His tenacity, work ethic, and belief that smart risks lead to big gains are guideposts for how I operate my business.
How do you balance work and life?
I'd be lying if I said it's easy. There are many nights I'm crawling into bed at 3 am. However, ensuring I make time for people important to me is vital. That means having conversations that don't involve discussing business, carving time out on the weekends for family time, making dinner together, and even scheduling activities into my calendar to ensure the time is committed.
What's your favorite way to decompress?
I would love to say something cerebral or active, such as reading a book, learning another language, or going for long walks, all of which I enjoy. However, bingeing on Netflix with chips and salsa is the most truthful response regarding my favorite way.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
I am focused on growth, developing additional designs that speak to people who want stylish and feminine undergarments for managing bio-leaks, and starting the process for getting into retail.
How can our readers connect with you?
Both I and my company can be accessed via the following:
DM me on IG via @flohwear or @undiesloft