Feel Like Your Best Self

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rebecca Caputo, Co-Founder of Rif Care, located in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Rif Care is a wellness company providing reliable products that are regenerative for our bodies and the planet. We are the first brand to make menstrual products from hemp fiber, creating a high performing, comfortable, and beyond sustainable solution to traditional feminine care. Our customers are activists, influencers, and all-around inspirations that fall between the ages of 18-35 years old.

Tell us about yourself

I quit my job as a scientist to become an entrepreneur. I was working at a cancer diagnostic lab when my best friend and co-founder, Val Emanuel, sent me a Kickstarter video she made for Rif Care. It sparked joy and immediately spread a wildfire of passion in my soul. We launched our hemp-based period products in June 2022, and we've grown to be #1 in the feminine hygiene category in all the stores we are in. We're still new, but it's been exciting to see the success we've been able to achieve in such a short time.

What motivates me to keep going is the feeling that I am creating a positive impact on the world. I've done a lot of research on the effects of conventional products on our bodies and learned that 170 billion nano-plastics are shed into our bodies each menstrual cycle - that fact haunts me. I know that our products won't cause harm to our bodies, that they are 100% biodegradable, and that hemp fiber regenerates our soil. These facts help me remain inspired to keep going.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Our biggest accomplishment so far has been getting into Techstars Impact 2023 program. This accelerator program has been amazing in helping us scale our business and provided us with the mentorship and funding we needed to scale the Rif.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

I think the hardest thing I've had to deal with is logistics. We are working on launching tampons and PFA-free period underwear this year, and one comes from Europe, and the other comes from Asia. It's been a headache to coordinate international shipping.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Your network is your net worth - I heard this from one of my mentors, and I haven't forgotten it.
Just ask - don't be scared to ask for questions, guidance, mentorship, and intros. A lot of people are kinder than you think.
If it were easy, everyone would do it - entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. It will be challenging, but that's part of the fun!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.rifcare.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rifcares/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rifcare/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamcaputo/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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