"Start with the problem, not the solution" with Nadia Ladak

Photo Credit: Lizzie O'Donnell

Nadia Ladak (she/her) is the co-founder and COO of Marlow, a new lifestyle FemTech start-up that has developed the first-ever tampon & lubricant designed to be used together for smoother and more comfortable insertion. Previously, she worked as a management consultant at KPMG where she worked across a number of retail clients. Nadia is committed to giving back to her community through her role as a catalyst board member at Holland Bloorview Children's Hospital and as a mentor for the Junior Achievement Company Program where she provides weekly coaching to high school students as they operate their own small businesses. Nadia has also spoken at universities across Canada to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing her guitar, and spending time outside biking, hiking, and backcountry camping.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

Growing up, music was always a huge part of my life. I was in choirs, participated in musical theatre, and played guitar and piano. I loved that music allowed me to be creative and express myself. I even went on to study music in my first two years of university before pursuing the Ivey Business School program at Western University. After graduating, I worked at KPMG as a management consultant where I worked across a number of our retail clients to improve their customer experiences. I then went on to pursue Marlow as a full-time founder. Marlow is a one-stop-shop for modern menstrual & sexual wellness, starting with the first-ever lubricant and tampon designed to be used together for smoother & more comfortable insertion. Entrepreneurship has been the perfect career path for me because it allows me to combine the passion and creativity I learned in music school with the analytical & financial management skills I learned in business school.

At Marlow, we also believe in the importance of pursuing your passions outside of work so that you can bring your whole self to work. For me, this looks like giving back to my community through my role as a Catalyst board member at Holland Bloorview Children’s Hospital & as a mentor for the Junior Achievement Company Program where I coach high school students to start their own small businesses. I also love to read and spend time outdoors biking, hiking, and camping in the backcountry. I always get a spark of inspiration and creativity while I’m disconnected on a hiking or canoe trip in Algonquin or Lake Superior Provincial Park!

What inspired you to start your business?

We started Marlow after a conversation among a group of friends. One of our co-founders shared that she had pain when inserting tampons. She was an active individual, and pads, her only alternative, were bulky and uncomfortable. In addition, it prevented her from participating in certain activities such as swimming. After hearing her story, we interviewed over 150 menstruators and learned that 86% of them also experienced discomfort when inserting a tampon especially for those who are new to using tampons, who have pelvic floor conditions like vaginismus, who experience vaginal dryness, or for those who have a lighter flow, especially towards the beginning and end of their cycle.

Our co-founder went to the gynaecologist to try to find a solution and the gynaecologist told her to “spit” on her tampon. That shock factor blew away our team, and we knew there must be a better way. That’s when we decided to create the first-ever lubricant and tampon designed to be used together for smoother and more comfortable insertion.

After doing a deep dive into this space, I was shocked to learn that the modern tampon hasn’t really changed in the last 89 years. In a world of constant innovation, I thought, why should menstrual products be any different? It seemed that as consumers, we were on auto-pilot, never questioning what we were putting into our bodies. Every day, I wake up energized and excited to bring innovation to a space that impacts over 50% of the population at some point in time. I am passionate not only about the impact we can make with our brand new product but about the education we are providing to our community so that they can learn more about their bodies and health.

Where is your business based?

Our business is based in Toronto, Canada.

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

We started with the problem of painful tampon insertion & spent time iterating to figure out what the ideal solution would be. We sent 100 samples of tampons & lubricant to individuals and collected their feedback to see if it helped with their insertion. From this, we learned that applying lubricant to tampons was a messy process that some described as “arts & crafts in the bathroom stall”. This led us to create our innovative cross-slit valve application method that allows you to coat the tampon in one mess-free dip. After this, we partnered with a Canadian research lab to test the products together and shortly after, received our Health Canada approval.   

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

The most effective way of raising awareness has been through our educational community. As menstruators ourselves, we know how ridiculous it is that menstruation is a taboo subject steeped in whispers and misinformation and we were determined to change this. Since the beginning, we have been sparking conversations to reduce the stigma around menstrual & sexual health. We find once we do spark these conversations, it’s like opening the floodgates. There’s a sense of comfort in knowing you are not the only one wondering these questions. Menstruation is normal & happens to almost 50% of the population at some point in time for almost one week every single month and should not be something we’re ashamed of.

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

I think one of the hardest things about being an entrepreneur is the ambiguity you face every day. There is no playbook that tells you what to do. You are completely accountable for every decision you make. You will fail, and you will face rejection, but this provides a quick feedback loop to learn and pivot accordingly. It is actually one of the most exciting parts of being an entrepreneur. You are constantly putting yourself out there and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. You get to wear many hats and learn about all of the aspects of business, such as operations, fundraising, marketing, and team building.

How do you stay focused?

I like to start my day with yoga as it allows me to get in a calm and focused head space. I also like to time block my day to ensure I’m able to accomplish all of my priorities. For me, I am most focused and energized in the morning so I try to schedule time to do my deep work in the morning. Then I can do meetings and other tasks throughout the day. Everyone is productive at different times so you need to find what works for you!

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Marlow’s underlying magic is our first-to-market product innovation, our direct-to-consumer business model, and our inclusive & modern Gen Z brand. Our convenient DTC subscription model is extremely beneficial to those with busy lives who often find themselves making last minute trips to the grocery store to buy their tampons. It also allows us to form direct relationships with our customers to personalize their experiences. On top of this, we’re building a brand that is catered to all menstruators, not just women. We focus on sparking conversations & providing education to reduce the stigma around menstrual & sexual health for everyone.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

We have found that taking a digital-first approach has been extremely effective in growing our brand. We break down these stigmatised topics in a humorous, welcoming & easily digestible way on TikTok & Instagram.

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

My first tip would be to start with the problem, not the solution. It’s important to find a problem that you’re passionate about solving, and then the answer can come after. Spend a week going through your daily life and identifying issues that need to be solved. Think about inconveniences you face or how you can make a certain product even better. The ideas will come after that.

Find a low-cost way to test your idea. You don’t have to jump into a picture right away. Start by asking your friends and family about the idea. Then, you can do a customer survey. Next, you can start to build some prototypes and minimum viable products. You will constantly be iterating your product, so it’s important to gather as much feedback as possible.

Build your network. I have been blown away by the generosity of the entrepreneurship community. People are always willing to help out and share their lessons learned. Reach out to other founders, mentors, investors, and marketers. Everyone started somewhere, and they are happy to share lessons they’ve learned along the way.

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

One of my favourite books is “Let my People go Surfing” by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia. This book discusses what it means to do business with purpose. Chouinard will disrupt his entire business model if it means he can do better for the environment. For example, they ran a campaign called “Don’t Buy This Jacket”. The message was intended to encourage people to consider the effect of consumerism on the environment and purchase only what they need. They asked people to buy only what they need, repair what breaks, and re-use or recycle everything else. This would ultimately decrease their new revenue of jackets but means that they will be not contributing to excess waste and production.

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

My favourite business tool is Asana. It is a great tool for project management and keeping our team aligned. I use the to-do list feature every single day and could not imagine breaking down my tasks and priorities without it!

Who is your business role model? Why?

My business role model is Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx. Her story inspires me because it is a great example of how you have to be scrappy and work hard as an entrepreneur. She started her company with $5000 of her personal savings and bootstrapped it to a billion dollar business. I remember reading the story about how when she had limited money to spend on marketing, she would wear a t-shirt that said “Spanx” around everywhere for free advertising. When she announced the sale to Blackstone, she surprised her employees with tickets to travel anywhere around the world. She truly cares for her employees and works to build a strong workplace culture. She has shattered so many glass ceilings and is such an inspiration to other founders.

How do you balance work and life?

One strategy that I’ve started to adopt is having one completely disconnected day each week. As a founder, we feel pressure to always be online, checking e-mails, and getting work done but I find it is crucial to have one completely disconnected day to reset & refresh. I also try my best to find time every day to do one thing for myself. Whether that be calling a friend, reading a chapter of my book, going on a walk, or enjoying an episode of my favourite show.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

My favourite way to decompress is to curl up with a good book and a cup of peppermint tea. I love that reading temporarily transports me to a different world & allows me to learn something new.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

In the next six months, we will be gearing up for our expansion to the US. We also have exciting plans for new community growth initiatives as we continue to increase our brand awareness & release new products.

How can our readers connect with you?

Join our community on Instagram @marlow and on TikTok @wearemarlow to learn about all things menstrual & sexual wellness with us. We post blogs, interactive polls, and mythbusters on everything ranging from does cranberry juice help with UTIs to should you have a post-sex hygiene routine? Also, check out our website to shop & learn more about our products at www.wearemarlow.com and feel free to reach out with any product feedback you have. We’re always looking for ways to improve, so we’re all ears! To connect with me, my Instagram is @nadia_ladak.