Co-Founder fembites | Startup EnCo-Founder fembites |
I chose to study Entrepreneurship because I’ve always found the idea of building a business from scratch fascinating and I wanted to start a business on my own one day. Trinity was my first choice because the campus is phenomenal with its location in the middle of the city of Dublin, close to the business district, and it was the only course that focused on a more practical approach, which I think is very valuable in entrepreneurship.
Tell us about your company.
I co-founded fembites in June 2021 and we operate within Germany and Austria. With fembites, we close the gender data gap of nutrition by combining functional snacks with the gender shift to create snack supplements catering to the specific needs of female bodies during their menstrual cycle.
We started by developing a chocolate free of nasty additives, refined sugars and supplemented with Vitamin B6, which contributes to the regulation of hormone activity and ayurvedic plant powders. This makes it the first-ever alternative to conventional chocolates for the female body. We were sold out in less than two weeks after launching.
Our second product, fempow, is the first-ever supplement cacao powder, which uses Vitamin B6 for the regulation of hormone activity and other key vitamins and minerals, which can contribute to wellbeing before and during menstruation. Our third product, femgums, is the first-ever gummy vitamin made from 100% fruit purée, no nasty additives or sugars, and supplemented with key vitamins to support the female body during the menstrual cycle, specifically catering to pre-menstrual sensitivity.
How the MSc enhance your entrepreneurial mindset?
I've always wanted to found a company but I kept thinking I didn't have the right tools and I was lacking confidence. Through the Trinity MSc, I got to meet a lot of very like-minded people. Everyone I encountered had this special entrepreneurial drive. We would meet up to exchange ideas and brainstorm, which gave me such a confidence boost, because for the first time, I was surrounded by like-minded people. This, combined with great learning experiences from lecturers who really knew what they were doing, enhanced my thinking and skillset dramatically.
What specific aspects of the MSc programme helped you most?
The programme gave me the tools and the practical experience I needed to feel more confident in getting started. Brand Management and Finance were particularly helpful, considering all the pitches I’ve got to do in front of large audiences. I’ve built an incredible network through the programme. All these experiences helped to shape me as an entrepreneur.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurial women that want to found a company?
Just do it and get started. You will never feel entirely ready, and you will face a lot of challenges along the way, but you will figure everything out. The key to success is having a clear goal in mind and believing that you can reach it. Be bold enough to be imperfect, trust that you can make it, and you will.
What was your favourite module of the Entrepreneurship programme and why?
For me it was Brand Management. The module was delivered by Adjunct Assistant Professor, Helen Marks, who has worked with some of the world’s biggest brands including Coca-Cola; Danone; ESB; Ford; Johnson & Johnson; KBC Bank; Kerry Foods; Ogilvy; Procter & Gamble; Tesco; Unilever; and Vodafone was definitely a big plus.
What are your hopes for the future of women in business?
My hopes are big. I am hoping that the funding gap for female entrepreneurs will narrow. We already know that females outperform males when it comes to long-term success, and there are some great initiatives supporting female founders. But the start-up world is still male-dominated and only 15% of overall VC funding is allocated to female founders. We have a long way to go yet, but we are breaking down barriers every day.
