In this episode of Brand Architects, I sit down with Jamie Norwood, co-founder of Winx Health (fka Stix), a company revolutionizing women's health through education and innovative products.
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It all started with an uncomfortable encounter in a Philadelphia drugstore. Cynthia Plotch, while purchasing a pregnancy test, ran into her boyfriend's mother. This awkward moment sparked a conversation with her colleague, Jamie Norwood, that would eventually lead to the creation of Winx Health.
Jamie and Cynthia, both in their mid-twenties at the time, were working at a startup in Baltimore. The drugstore incident got them thinking: Why were pregnancy tests so expensive? Why did all the marketing target women trying to conceive when many of their peers were hoping for negative results?
Driven by curiosity, they decided to investigate. They created a survey about women's health experiences and needs, sending it to their networks. The response was overwhelming – over 500 people answered within days. It was clear they had stumbled onto something significant.
However, turning this insight into a business wasn't straightforward. Pitching products for women's health to predominantly male investors proved challenging. Many simply couldn't relate to the problems Winx Health aimed to solve.
Their breakthrough came at a pitch competition. An investor in the audience, passionate about women-led businesses, approached them afterward. The next day, over breakfast, he presented them with a $50,000 check. This initial investment breathed life into Winx Health.
The company started with a single product: a pregnancy test. But Jamie and Cynthia had bigger ambitions. They expanded their line to cover various aspects of vaginal and sexual health, including diagnostics, treatments, and supplements. However, their most impactful offering turned out to be something less tangible – education.
Winx Health created an editorial platform called Real Talk, dedicated to health and sex education. This focus on providing valuable information became a cornerstone of their business model, driving both community engagement and sales.
In an unexpected turn of events, the company found its path to profitability by cutting its entire marketing budget. Instead of traditional advertising, they doubled down on creating helpful content and expanding into retail channels like GoPuff and DoorDash. This pivot proved to be a game-changer.
The company's agility was put to the test during a critical moment in U.S. history. When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Winx Health fast-tracked the launch of their morning-after pill. This quick action positioned them at the forefront of a national conversation about reproductive rights.
Innovation continued to drive the company forward. They recently ventured into at-home digital diagnostics for UTI testing. Their latest product allows users to test for UTIs at home, receive digital results, and connect with a doctor for same-day treatment – all at a cost lower than a typical copay.
The company's growth and mission have attracted high-profile attention, including investment and advisory support from actress Kerry Washington. Despite this celebrity endorsement, Winx Health remains focused on its core mission: educating and empowering women about their health.
Looking to the future, Jamie and her team are prioritizing two main areas. First, they're working on expanding their retail presence, aiming to make their products more accessible. Second, they're focusing on helping people navigate the complex landscape of health-related politics, particularly around reproductive rights.
The story of Winx Health is a testament to the power of identifying a need and pursuing it relentlessly. From an awkward drugstore encounter to a company at the forefront of women's health innovation, Winx Health continues to strive towards its goal: making it easier for people to understand and care for their bodies, especially in areas often considered taboo.
As Jamie puts it, "Our mission is to make it as easy as possible for people to find out what's going on with their bodies, so they can test for it, cure it, or get connected to the right doctor." It's a mission that's reshaping the landscape of women's health, one education piece and innovative product at a time.
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