Jennifer Eden is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Tampon Tribe, an organic and plastic-free femcare brand that offers the most sustainable tampons, pads, pantyliners, menstrual cups and recently launched period panties. Products can be purchased on-time or as part of a subscription.
Jennifer and her co-founder Gaby Alves lead a team of international women who are passionate about reducing their carbon footprint while creating products that are affordable and accessible to all women.
Tampon Tribe was created as a movement to protect the earth and women’s bodies – all while giving back to women in need. They have committed that for every purchase made a daily pack will be donated to a woman experiencing homelessness through Project Code Red.
Please tell us a little bit about your company.
Six years ago, I arrived with my business partner in Los Angeles. We were on the hunt for organic period care brands and products that matched our values. After we went on an extensive search, we came to the realization that there just weren’t too many brands in that space. We found ourselves in a position where we could craft a business and combine what we were both passionate about. Tampon Tribe was born with a mission to provide the highest quality menstrual products that are not only good for our bodies, but also the Earth.
Every part of our organic-cotton growing process is strictly monitored to meet ICEA standards. We have a strong commitment to zero-waste packaging and everything is compostable. Tampon Tribe is a diverse group of humans that are inclusive, compassionate, and genuinely care about their impact on the environment.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?
I’m from Australia and my business partner, Gaby, is from Brazil. Before coming to the United States, we both spent a lot of time traveling and doing cleanups in Southeast Asia, Brazil, and Australia.
When we arrived in Los Angeles, we landed in Santa Monica and spent a lot of time walking the beaches. The beautiful beaches covered in trash every morning was shocking to see. We’ve seen it in Asia and we’ve seen it in Brazil, but we didn’t realize that it also happened here in the United States.
This was the driving force behind our brainstorming sessions and what led us down our initial path towards a sustainable brand. We were fortunate that we were able to combine two passions that we both share: sustainability and women’s health.
What would you say are the top 3 skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur, and why?
- The first skill you need to be a successful entrepreneur is to have courage. Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint hearted. You need to be able to take leaps and bounds of faith. This will lead you towards a path of success.
- The second skill is you need to be a quick thinker. Always be on top of your game, as well as think up possible solutions to issues that haven’t even surfaced yet. This will help you manage daily tasks, as well as surprises that pop up, with ease.
- The third skill is being able to recognize that at times, you’ll be working 80 hours a week and you’ll be working under extreme pressure. It’s all part of the process. Eventually, you’ll be able to outsource tasks and manage a skilled team to help you along the way.
What are your plans for the future, how do you plan to grow this company?
We offer customizable solutions and recognize that each person’s body is different. As we continue to grow, we plan to add more products to our assortment to allow Tampon Tribe to expand their customer reach. We take great pride in creating quality period care products and will continue to do so.
How do you separate yourself from your competitors?
Our biggest point of differentiation in the period space is our total commitment to creating sustainable plastic free and quality organic products. We don’t compromise on our assortment of products and go the extra lengths necessary to ensure we are doing our part to help the women’s health space, as well as the environment.
the top three mistakes you made starting your business, and what did you learn from them?
I don’t ever see a mistake. For me, everything is an experience that you put back into the company. There were instances where I put my trust into people too early on when it came to certain aspects of the company. However, you sometimes have to take those chances. As you learn and grow, you develop systems so those instances are few and far between.
Tell us a little bit about your marketing process, what has been the most successful form of marketing for you?
Two things have worked really well, with the first being PR. We were really fortunate to team with a great PR company before we launched Tampon Tribe. That gave us a really good kick start into the business and got us some great coverage early on in the company.
The second thing that works really well for us is actually a bit of an omni channel presence. We sell our products into enterprise schools and into retail. People see the brand name in many different places. That constant brand recognition really helps us in the sales process.
What is the one thing you wish you knew before starting your business?
Having a business in the United States is different than in Australia. In Australia, you don’t necessarily hear much about a company’s backstory. What I learned from having a business here is that potential customers are very interested in a company’s backstory, as well as their values. They want to know the ins and the outs. If I would have known that from the beginning, I would have advocated more for the company in the early stages.
Can you recommend one book, one podcast, and one online course for entrepreneurs and authors?
- The book that I really like is called Sell Like Crazy by Sabri Suby. It’s about getting back to old school sales. I think people forget that being an entrepreneur and running a business is all about selling.
- The podcast that I listen to at the moment that I love is Under The Skin by Russell Brand. I love his take on life and he interviews so many people with diverse opinions on life, business, religion and spirituality.
If you only had $1000 dollars to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
You put $500 into the admin of setting up the business and your licensing that you need for a business. You could do everything yourself, as you don’t need to be paying people to do that. I would spend $100 or $200 in some old-school guerilla flyer marketing and reach out directly to my customers. I probably have $200 left for stock if needed or incidentals. Get online kits and make sure you’ve got a good customer product pitch and sell before you have to buy inventory.
What is your favorite quote?
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Be courageous and fail fast. I think you have to put your courage out there and if something’s not working then you need to recognize it. You need to recognize if you’re failing and see if you can fix it. If something isn’t working, then start again. I think we forget that selling is the core of the business. You’re running a business, so don’t lose sight of that.
How can we get in touch with you?
You can connect with us on our website tampontribe.com and via social media Facebook and Instagram.
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