Empowering women and tackling miseducation: Vernita Brown of Natalist
Vernita Brown is the CEO of Natalist, a venture-backed women’s health startup aimed at “supporting women from concept to conception.” Her co-founder, Halle Tecco, had reached out to her fellow members of the Progressive Transplants club, a group Vernita had joined upon moving to Charleston, South Carolina.
In terms of fertility, Natalist largely provides in-vitro diagnostics to help women learn their cycle and generate proof points. In terms of pregnancy, Natalist offers prenatal vitamins and a self-care line for pregnant women, which they released just last year.
Natalist aims to tackle the issue of miseducation. We live in an information age in which, all too often, women are told to “just google it,” but google is not always straightforward and accurate. Women require and deserve “sources of truth” to help them while in a challenging stage of life. They also deserve positive and enjoyable product experiences — Natalist’s second area of focus.
“That’s part of our whole value proposition. Just saying ‘No, women deserve better’”
Building your team
When asked how to approach team building in the early stages of a company, Brown says she seeks self-motivated individuals who will quickly understand the company’s vision and do what they are responsible for in order to meet that vision. She notes that everyone shows up for different reasons, all of which are valid. As a company leader, you need to find out why each person is showing up, and tie their individual motivation back to the company’s goals. On the other hand, she advises steering clear of ego and entitlement, as both lead to drama that cannot be managed when building a company from the ground up. It is important, for your own quality of life, to work with people that you like and trust. Lastly, she stressed the importance of diversity in a team. Bringing together people of different backgrounds and with various experiences is what will drive the company forward.
“For me, a homogenous group is not going to be a winning group, because I know I don’t know everything.”
Difficult times require empathy
Brown also touches on challenges the young company has faced, noting the difficult effects of COVID. Manufacturing partners have constantly experienced delays due to the pandemic. Her team has struggled to coordinate testing, zoom meetings, and other activities, and the situation has taken a toll on everyone. She emphasizes the heightened importance of compassion and sensitivity in this time.
“Yes, we have goals to reach as a company but also, we are all walking through a collective trauma right now. So if somebody is not showing up the way you feel like they should show up, just take a step back and extend some grace”
Seeking investments in FemTech
Vertina expressed she was grateful for her co-founder’s strong network of women who they approached and pitched to early on. For those pitching their FemTech companies to men, Brown recommends appealing to the newfound establishment of and respect for the terminology. It also helps to emphasize the power of women as consumers in the healthcare space.
“It is powerful for us as a brand to say we are funded by women, and we are led by women, and our customers [are women].”
In competitor analysis, Natalist employs surveys looking to better understand how altering a product would affect a user. When brands are not directly competitive, Brown looks forward to the possibility of social media giveaways and collaborating to promote products. “To me, it’s a great problem to have more companies come into the space,” she says, as more competition means more people supporting millennial women.
The future of Natalist is incredibly exciting. Their products have been launched in many retailers, allowing them to connect with clients no matter where they are.
“The sky is the limit because this line of products to me is really a starting point…our goal is to be disruptive in the space”
Interested in FemTech, fertility or diagnostics? Check out Spotlight on Women in Healthcare Ventures on Spotify and Anchor!
Theia is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to inspiring and empowering the next generation of women entrepreneurs and investors in healthcare. Visit our website to join our community and access resources that will support your entrepreneurial journey and pursuit of changing healthcare.
Story written by Nikita Gupta.
