Welcome to Second Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who’ve made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, cofounder and chief content officer at Who What Wear, each episode gives you a direct line to women who are game changers in their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts to stay tuned.
Lauren Wang, the CEO and founder of The Flex Company, has transformed the period-product industry through determination and entrepreneurial vision. As the driving force behind the brand, Wang developed innovative menstrual solutions that address long-standing user frustrations with traditional options.
Wang’s journey began early. At just 15 years old, she freelanced as an HTML website builder. While attending college at night, she gained valuable marketing experience working on teams at IBM and Coca-Cola. A few years after graduation, she relocated to San Francisco and built a career in tech, contributing to companies such as Autodesk and Upwork.
In 2013, after years of struggling to find period products that truly worked for her, Wang conceived the idea for a better-designed menstrual product. She dedicated the following year to thoroughly researching the menstrual-hygiene industry, gaining deep insights into its challenges and opportunities. In 2015, she made the bold decision to leave her corporate job and fully commit to launching The Flex Company.
In October 2016, the company began shipping its first product, the Flex Disc, marking the start of a new era in periodcare. Under Wang’s leadership, The Flex Company expanded its offerings with the Flex Cup product line and ventured into additional categories, steadily growing its presence in the market. Wang’s achievements have earned widespread recognition. She was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Los Angeles region in 2023, highlighting her impact as a trailblazing business leader.
Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how Wang continues to evolve the menstrual-hygiene industry.
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